Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Monday game. I apologize for the jokes written in my delirium in advance. Have questions? Ask me during my office hours on Playback.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
Nate Pearson (CHC) @ PHI (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks – 0 Whiffs, 17% CSW, 12 pitches.
On a night with just four games, I was thrilled we got a chance to watch Caleb Kilian for the first time since his electric preseason that ended early due to injury. Sadly, the performance as a follower didn’t help any fantasy teams: 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 85 pitches. But what does it mean for the future?
What I saw was a step back from the man that made me excited in the spring. His fastball varied speeds massively from 91-97 mph, with the heater coming in at mediocre iVB and HAVAA. However, he does have excellent extension at seven feet and if he’s able to lean into 96+ four-seamers upstairs with that extension, then we may be onto something.
He paired it with a cutter that had its moments + a series of breakers that were far from refined, including a sweeper that often came out of Caleb’s hand poorly. I won’t judge Caleb greatly here given the situation at hand – making his first appearance of the year in his seventh career MLB game – and I hope we get one more look over the weekend. If Killian can sustain 96+ velocity (was it a low 93 mph sinker and a 96/97 four-seamer?) while nailing down the hard 86-88mph cutter, there’s legit promise here. That extension with velocity and (hopefully) good command dictates legit ability for 12-teamers in 2025.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Bryce Miller (SEA) @ HOU (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 20 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 97 pitches.
WHOA NELLY. A Gallows Pole in a start away from Seattle and against the Astros?! It was without Yordan. Doesn’t matter, still dope. He went BSB with heaters up and splitters/curves down with those secondaries returning 8/35 whiffs. I love it. I hope we get one more from Bryce to see if it’s repeatable at all and we’re obviously rolling him out there at home against the Athletics.
Tanner Houck (BOS) @ TOR (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 57 pitches.
He was limited after all, but he made the most of it, going the full five to grant you a Win…and zero strikeouts. HAISTBMBWT?! It’s pretty clear he’s either not starting on Sunday or will continue to go roughly 60 pitches. That’s not it, even against the Rays.
Hunter Brown (HOU) vs SEA (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 103 pitches.
You love to see it. Sure, a Win would have been a nice addition, but his cutter and curve were legit at 11/31 whiffs, while the heaters filled the zone appropriately from 93-98 mph. We got legit BSB action as well with some Canibal McSanchez as Brown checks off another approach off his bingo card, and I think I’m going in on Hunter next year. He really does feel like Bassitt with a much better fastball.
Aaron Nola (PHI) vs CHC (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 102 pitches.
Aces gonna ace with a King Cole. I don’t expect him to pitch on Saturday or Sunday with the division wrapped up, or it could be at a depressed pitch count. That said, if he is going, you still do it. I’d favor a clear-cut start over him given the weirdness.
Hayden Birdsong (SFG) @ ARI (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 95 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! The ONE day I say “Look, there is no streaming pick today” is obviously the volatile Birdsong against The Sneks, the hottest club lineup in town. It has everythi—NOT NOW. We obviously have to give Birdsong the Gold Star, even if none of his secondaries eclipsed a 60% strike rate (barely 50%!) and the four-seamer was saved by the grace of Koufax. For what it’s worth, his strikeouts were filthy – changeup down, fastballs up, stellar breaker away – it’s just the consistency is not there in the slightest. He’s a dart throw against the Cardinals with the odds not in his favor.
Chris Bassitt (TOR) vs BOS (L) – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 7 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 17% CSW, 88 pitches.
We finally got that Bassitt start against a mediocre lineup and…blegh. Bassitt is pleading that he gets the pearl on Sunday, but it’s undecided if it’s a limited outing or a flat-out bullpen. I’d try to secure a different starter, even against the Marlins.
Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) vs SFG (L) – 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 103 pitches.
Ouch. A trio of homeruns (one inside the park) destroyed the day. The Changeup was generally great, but the Giants took advantage of his cutter and heater mistakes and that’s your ballgame. He’s a clear sit against the Padres, but there is a desperate chance for a Win or QS if he actually starts. It may simply be a bullpen day or light bullpen for Erod as the team preps for their playoff series just a few days later.
Game of the Day
Ryan Pepiot vs. Tarik Skubal – The future Cy Young against the future future Cy Young? Sign me up.
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
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Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)