Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Friday game. I apologize for the jokes written in my delirium in advance. Have questions? Ask me during my office hours on Twitch.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
David Peterson (CHC) @ BOS (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 91 pitches.
David Peterson was rarely a pitcher I paid much attention to. That was until he got dealt to the Cubs, where he’d be pitching in front of baseball’s premier defense, mitigating his reliance on balls in play. Little did I know he would refine his command considerably and tweak his arsenal to become a truly reliable pitcher.
In 16 outings with the Cubs, Peterson recorded a 3.70 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 22% strikeout rate, numbers that fall to 2.70, 1.28, and 22% if you remove the outlier 10-run disaster that occurred in his second start. He wrapped up his regular season with a pretty bow on Friday via 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 91 pitches (ND), continuing that trend and leaving us questioning his fantasy viability for 2027.
We’ll begin with the start fresh on our minds. Peterson threw four-seamers more than 40% of the time for the second consecutive start, something he hadn’t done in 30 appearances prior. It was a pitch he threw just 23% of the time with the Mets, but his ability to get it upstairs to RHB and away from LHB turned it into a reliable pitch, despite its cutter-like attributes. But really, it’s been his pitch separation that’s stood out the most.
He attacks LHB with sinkers inside and dots sliders pristinely on the down-and-away corner while mixing in the four-seamers tunneling above on the outside edge. RHB are served a BSB with four-seamers upstairs capitalizing on their cutterness to get in on their hands, while a mix of changeups, sliders, and curveballs land at the bottom or below the zone.
Turning our attention to 2027, Peterson will be a free agent and hasn’t necessarily displayed a track record that would be described as reliable. He has readily displayed availability, with 20+ appearances in each of the past five seasons, and has showcased strikeout upside beyond what we’d consider a Toby. However, given the likely scenery change and his command- and defense-reliant success this year, I’m cautious about putting the fate of my standard league fantasy teams in his hands. I’m all for it in deep leagues, especially if he gets an opportunity with a club that will let him start regularly, but he doesn’t have that combination of ceiling and floor that makes him enticing to draft as a top 75 arm. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Friday:
Eury Pérez (MIA) vs ATL (W) – 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hit, 1 BB, 8 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 105 pitches.
That’s how you finish the season on a high note! Pérez had struggled recently and even used one of his bullpen days to appear in relief, a strategy I’m curious whether the Marlins will actually deploy next year. Still, he got his act together to throw the first shutout of his young career. It was the usual fastball domination with eight whiffs and 81% strikes on four-seamers (four-seamers>sinkers, thank you very much!), but it was excellent locations of sliders and sweepers low and gloveside that allowed him to dominate. Well, that and a firm pat on the back from Koufax. (View Game Card)
Tarik Skubal (LAD) @ SFG (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 10 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 51% CSW, 75 pitches.
Aces gonna ace for a Golden Goal. 51% CSW?! That’s bonkers, and it looks like Skubal is in peak form just in time for the Dodgers’ postseason run. Great…Fastballs overwhelmed in the zone while changeups fell below them, but this has Blame it on the Giants written all over it. Not that Skubal isn’t dope or didn’t deserve to dominate, just that this degree of domination is due to one of the worst Major League lineups I’ve witnessed take the field. (View Game Card)
Reid Detmers (LAA) @ SEA (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 86 pitches.
It took me too long to come around on Detmers, but to my surprise, the slider command never wavered, the workload never affected his fastball, and the inconsistent changeup and curveball didn’t bite him often. The final page of Detmers’ 2026 campaign was one of his best, as fastballs dominated upstairs, sliders thrived in the zone, changeups assisted big time, and curveballs stole strikes. To go from a starter with a 6.70 ERA (87.1 IP) in 2024, to a reliever with a 3.96 ERA across just 63.2 innings pitched last year, to completing 185 frames with a 3.36 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 211 strikeouts (29% K%) blows my mind. (View Game Card)
Freddy Peralta (TBR) @ PHI (W) – 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 93 pitches.
The changeup feel didn’t return (48% strikes), but the improved fastball stuck around and continued to dominate. He’s sitting 96+ mph with 17-18″ of vert and just shoving heaters down opponents’ throats. He’ll need the changeup, or really anything else (40% strikes on breakers), to continue to this success and lead the Rays rotation in the postseason, but I’m happy Fastball Freddy has purged Professor Chaos antonymously to Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde…at least for now. (View Game Card)
Brayan Bello (BOS) vs CHC (ND) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BB, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 58 pitches.
I love seeing the emphasis on harder four-seamers as we saw in his last start, not necessarily because I think it’s the change he needed to make, but mostly because it’s a change that’s produced great results thus far, and it wasn’t just a one-start aberration. I think as long as it continues to work, he’s going to stick with it. The dual fastballs plus a changeup and sweeper should be enough to make him worthwhile next year. Oh, and I’m glad he got over whatever made it so he could only succeed as a bulk reliever. That was weird. We also got Jedixson Paez following with 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 77 pitches (W), once again displaying the stuff that got me excited about him despite an eight-run outing in his first career start. A low-90s fastball with great shape paired with a changeup that he’s admittedly still working on locating and an inconsistent curveball are the building blocks of a pitcher who can succeed at the Major League level. It helps too that he throws strikes with ease, walking less than 3% of the batters he faced in the minors this year. (View Game Card)
Jake Bennett (BOS) vs CHC (ND) – 3.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 65 pitches.
After Alec Gamboa opened, the Red Sox flipped the SWATCH switch, turning to Bennett for 10 outs. He separated four-seamers and changeups effectively enough to prevent any damage. That’s been the key all year, and I wonder if he can keep it up next season without incorporating another pitch. Four-seamers of Bennett’s caliber, with more run than rise, don’t typically thrive as much as his. (View Game Card)
Will Warren (NYY) vs BAL (W) – 3.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 44% CSW, 54 pitches.
The Yankees are prepping Warren for his postseason role where he’ll pitch in bulk relief because of their loaded rotation. Warren appeared in relief of Ryan Yarbrough, and I’m pumped to see him maintain the feel for his secondaries. I waited all year for Warren to find support for his heaters, and I gave up hope months ago, but he’s reeled me back in with command and success with both his sweeper and changeup. (View Game Card)
Jacob Lopez (ATH) vs HOU (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 94 pitches.
The annual streak that thrusts Lopez into fantasy relevance came to a screeching halt with 19 runs across his last three starts. So of course he locks back in for one more start in Sacré Verde. Well, I shouldn’t say locked in, because four-seamers, sliders, and changeups combined for 52% strikes as cutters avoided damage in the zone. This start was more in line with what he’s done in recent weeks. Lopez had a lot of help from Koufax, returning 14 outs on 16 balls in play, preventing me from entering the offseason with a lasting feeling of contentment. (View Game Card)
Robert Gasser (MIL) vs STL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hit, 1 BB, 9 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 87 pitches.
Someone turn off the gas, because this place is about to blow! With just a little extra movement on all of his pitches, Gasser finished the season with the best start of his career, capping off a string of six outings during which he pitched to a 1.67 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 24% strikeout rate. Just a little? Yeah, that ERA is very small. No, you said just a little extra movement. He added 1-2″ of iVB (15-16″) to his four-seamer, 1-2″ of run (16-17″) to his sinker, and 4″+ of sweep (18-19″) to his sweeper. Yeah, I may have undersold it. Those are significant improvements, and the results are impossible to ignore. I wonder if the Brewers tweaked something, because he hadn’t touched those numbers all year. If those show up again in the Spring, I’m buying a gas stove. (View Game Card)
Hunter Brown (HOU) @ ATH (L) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 100 pitches.
Not bad for Sacré Verde, but Brown isn’t doing anything to quell our concerns about his erratic heaters and curveball. Sinkers were fine, but four-seamers were all over the place, returning just 38% strikes while curveballs landed high incessantly for 54% strikes. However, as we saw in his back-to-back 10-K outings preceding this one, he’s got a new cutter. It finally did what it was intended to do, earning 13/14 strikes to make up for his lack of fastball/curveball command. That pitch will be huge for him next year. (View Game Card)
Sean Burke (CHW) vs COL (W) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BB, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 89 pitches.
Way to take advantage of Rockie Road, but why did you throw sliders just 10 times when they dominated to the tune of 40% CSW and 90% strikes? Burke should enter the general baseball consciousness as he headlines the White Sox rotation into the playoffs. (View Game Card)
Brandon Young (BAL) @ NYY (L) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 82 pitches.
Maybe it’s just a me thing, but it’s a little poetic to see Burke and Young back-to-back after I’ve linked them all year in my head. Both guys have great fastballs and have broken out to different degrees. I’m still waiting on Young to display a breaker that we can feel confident about because his splitter, an inherently volatile pitch, is, as you might’ve guessed, volatile. So while his 18″ vert, 95 mph four-seamer is amazing, he doesn’t often have a reliable secondary with which to pair it. I’ll be looking out for developments in that area next Spring. (View Game Card)
Justin Hagenman (NYM) @ WSN (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BB, 2 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 70 pitches.
The Mets bullpen game went from Jefry Yan to Jonathan Pintaro to Cionel Pérez, culminating in four innings of bulk from Hagenman. Other than a low arm angle, there isn’t much that delights me about his arsenal. Fastball, changeup, cutter, slider…it’s all so blegh. So, we’ll move on. (View Game Card)
Grant Holmes (ATL) @ MIA (L) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 K – 5 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 54 pitches.
Pitching in relief of opener Ray Kerr had Holmes throwing a tick harder. It also had him throwing sinkers instead of four-seamers. It also had him throwing 54% overall strikes. It also had him fanning just one batter. HAISTBMBWT?! The feng shui in this Holmes is all out of whack. (View Game Card)
Trevor Rogers (BAL) @ NYY (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 55 pitches.
Fastballs up, changeups down, sweepers for LHB, and a ton of strikes. That’s been the name of the game for months now. With the Orioles out of contention, they weren’t going to risk overworking Rogers in his final start of the year. His free agency will be an interesting one to watch, but there’s no reason to think he can’t do this again. I do wonder if he needs to get into a rhythm before going on the runs he went on the past couple of years. Does that make him someone to avoid on draft day and trade for or pick up later? (View Game Card)
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) vs TBR (L) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BB, 10 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 100 pitches.
Sánchez went out with a bang, but in a cool way. Not like when I stood up from my desk and banged my knee with such force I had to leave the room out of embarrassment. The southpaw’s slowball was on point, with a whopping 14 whiffs and 48% CSW. The changeup missed bats, but sinkers and sliders chipped in admirably, as he returned 73% overall strikes. The Phillies are going to be tough to beat if he, Zack Wheeler, and Jesús Luzardo are pitching at their peaks. Don’t forget Andrew Painter! Poor Aaron Nola. Hey, he’s been dope for the past two months! (View Game Card)
Joe Ryan (MIN) vs TEX (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BB, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 103 pitches.
Yuuup, that’s what Ryan does when his heater finds the zone, and he gets a secondary to assist. I saw a clip of Eno interviewing Ryan about his new curveball grip and whether or not he would throw it more often than the sweeper he’s favored for years. He didn’t seem too keen about that idea, suggesting it’s more a pitch to keep batters off balance despite its success this year. Well, would you look at that! +9% usage on the hook to feature it as his primary secondary. I do think there’s a bit of overlap in its classification with the sweeper, but regardless, Ryan has two dope breakers and one of the best fastballs in baseball. He’s an ace when healthy. (View Game Card)
Jackson Jobe (DET) vs PIT (W) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 41% CSW, 86 pitches.
I love the confidence Jobe has in his slider. He continues to pitch backwards, going Dancing With The Disco and surprising with his overwhelming 97 mph heater upstairs. I would love to see one more pitch show up, but maybe the sinker thrown often in the zone to prop up his strike rate is more than enough. I’m stoked for a full year from Jobe in 2027, and I’m curious how high he climbs my ranks once we start finalizing things in the Spring. (View Game Card)
Yunior Marte (SFG) vs LAD (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BB, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 69 pitches.
If this were Texas Hold ’em, Marte got dealt a two and a nine, facing the Dodgers in back-to-back starts. He didn’t get anything on the flop, but the river was a two, giving him the lowest pair, representative of this mediocre outing that only looks good given the circumstances. That analogy is a bit of a stretch. Marte traded a tick of velo for an extra inch of vert. That’s not a trade I would accept, and I don’t think it’s enough to hide the fact that he breaks the Huascar Rule with his slider being his only above-average pitch. (View Game Card)
Nick Lodolo (CIN) @ TOR (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 92 pitches.
Blisters wrecked Lodolo’s year, limiting him to just 21 starts and preventing him from finding the feel for his arsenal for extended periods. My fingers are crossed, but not too tightly (no blisters!), that Lodolo will resolve that issue this offseason and rediscover his potential. I had him as a top-35 starter entering this year because of his strikeout upside and the resolution of his control issues, and I want to feel confident that his body won’t hold him back from getting there again. (View Game Card)
Clay Holmes (CHC) @ BOS (ND) – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 78 pitches.
Holmes’ pitch count was capped in his final start of the year, but even still, he struggled to throw anything but sinkers for strikes in an inefficient and frustrating Wonka. The sinker is a great signature pitch, but we gotta get sweepers down and find something to neutralize left-handed-heavy lineups. That cutter and changeup are going to be integral to his success this postseason. (View Game Card)
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) @ SDP (W) – 7.2 IP, 4 ER, 9 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 106 pitches.
That run Pfaadt went on was fun, but as soon as it was done, his fantasy relevance was none. But I’m not a rapper. His final seven starts came with a 5.19 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and an 18% strikeout rate, but at least he salvaged this start with seven Ks! It’s also worth mentioning that he nearly completed eight frames of three-run ball, but walked two batters before getting removed, and watched one come around to score off of Ryne Nelson. “Careful, Icarus”. (View Game Card)
Tomoyuki Sugano (COL) @ CHW (L) – 6.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 90 pitches.
We rooted for you all year, but that elusive 13th win never came. Sugano went 0-7 across his final eight starts to finish the year with a .500 record. I hope he knows he stole our hearts in the process. Are we drafting him next year? Oh heck no! (View Game Card)
Michael McGreevy (STL) @ MIL (ND) – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 9 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 92 pitches.
McGreevy was one of the most reliable Tobys this year, but don’t let his amazing first half lure you into believing his season-long numbers. His second half featured a 5.47 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and a 16% strikeout rate. His kitchen sink doesn’t have a signature pitch, and his reliance on balls in play is only going to continue to hurt him in the long run. (View Game Card)
Gavin Williams (CLE) @ KCR (ND) – 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 74 pitches.
Aces gonna record just enough strikeouts to take the MLB lead with 248, but get roughed up in the process. With Jacob Misiorowski, Dylan Cease, and Cam Schlittler all out of starts, Williams is guaranteed to finish the year as 2026’s strikeout king. What do I get? Drafted earlier next year! (View Game Card)
Bryce Miller (SEA) vs LAA (L) – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 92 pitches.
You thought Sugano’s winless streak was tough? Try an 0-8 record across Miller’s past 13 starts! Wins aren’t really an indicator of a pitcher’s prowess–just ask Mets Jacob deGrom–but in this case, it showcases Miller’s struggles since his stuff dropped off. He recorded a 6.14 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, and a 19% strikeout rate during that stretch. I really hope he gets surgery this offseason to address the bone spurs still floating around his elbow. Him missing a few months is preferable to whatever this is. (View Game Card)
Andrew Alvarez (WSN) vs NYM (ND) – 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 101 pitches.
Alvarez rode his curveball to the two best starts of his career prior to this one, but he lost the feel for the hook here. Sub-50% strikes on the pitch, forcing his hittable heaters to step up to the school bully and get knocked to the ground. I appreciated his slider success against LHB, but when the curve is missing, he needs something to neutralize RHB. Alvarez has been unwilling to do so, but the gyro slider isn’t a terrible option against opposite-handed batters and is a better alternative to an unruly curveball. (View Game Card)
José Soriano (TOR) vs CIN (ND) – 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 48 pitches.
One more Singled Out for the road! Soriano yielded a ridiculous .538 BABIP, leading to runs and inefficiency that tightened his already short leash. Remember when he was the best pitcher in baseball in April? Well, since the beginning of May, it’s a 4.88 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and a 21% strikeout rate. Sounds like the Soriano we were all too familiar with prior to 2026. The four-seamer and splitter emphasis could only do so much to maintain his success. He still has poor control and is a BABIP-prone ground ball pitcher. (View Game Card)
Noah Cameron (KCR) vs CLE (ND) – 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 17% CSW, 101 pitches.
The silver lining is that we won’t have to figure out whether Cameron’s hot streak is over. He struggled to control his entire arsenal, returning just 55% overall strikes while going just 17/101 CSW. They have different approaches, but I see the parallels between Cameron and Trevor Rogers as southpaws who can rise to standard league relevance when they’re on a roll. The question remains how quickly they can find that groove. (View Game Card)
Bubba Chandler (PIT) @ DET (L) – 2.2 IP, 6 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 77 pitches.
That’s one way to depress your 2027 ADP. Chandler sat two ticks down and threw 55% overall strikes, as his stuff was diminished and he struggled to control it. It can likely be blamed on workload-related fatigue, but it’s not like Chandler has been Greg Maddux this year. His stuff is too good not to dream on it for 2027, but there need to be significant changes made. I think if he trusts his stuff in the zone and does so at will, he’ll achieve his potential. (View Game Card)
Brendan Beck (NYY) vs BAL (L) – 5.0 IP, 7 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 97 pitches.
It’s the 4th of July all over again! Fireworks? Nope! Just Beck inducing 17 whiffs amid a disastrous performance. It’s hard to do that twice, and it’s equally hard to have the stuff to generate this level of swing-and-miss multiple times. There’s definitely potential in his 92-93 mph four-seamer with 18″+ vert, an 83-84 mph slider he commands well gloveside, and a splitter that he keeps low to LHB. The Yankees have a stacked pitching staff, so I doubt he ever gets a real chance. So, I implore interested teams to take a chance on the 27-year-old. (View Game Card)
Casey Mize (SDP) vs ARI (L) – 4.0 IP, 7 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 K – 3 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 71 pitches.
Mize has completely lost it, with reduced velo and a complete lack of feel for his slider. He attempted to combat it by swapping four-seamers with sinkers, but that made things worse, as the pitch was sent over the wall more times than he ended at-bats with a strikeout. HAISTBMBWT?! Mize enters free agency on a low note, but there’s plenty to dream on with his solid four-seamer, whiffable splitter, and x-factor slider. The 2018 #1 overall pick is sure to get a prove-it contract with a club known for pitching development. (View Game Card)
Jacob deGrom (TEX) @ MIN (L) – 4.0 IP, 8 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 89 pitches.
Aces gonna get Singled Out as he struggled to find a secondary offering he could command against LHB. Who could’ve guessed that deGrom would qualify for the ERA title but produce an ERA north of 4.00 for the first time in his career? The stuff and command are still intact, so we should only be worried about his ability to stay healthy once again next year. He eclipsed 100 innings in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2017-18, so there’s no reason to be overly worried. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
Justin Verlander vs. The Pirates – It’s the final start of his storied Major League career, and I hope he goes out on top.
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)
