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 Twitch weekday mornings from 9 am-11 am ET.
Bryce Elder (ATL) @ WSH (W) – 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 106 pitches.
Soooo Bryce Elder tossed a complete game shutout against the Nationals tonight – 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 106 pitches. Yeah. Let’s talk about it.
It’s often strange to me to see a ~90 mph fastball return a fair amount of whiffs (7/60 here) and especially weird when his secondaries aren’t much of anything – both his slider and changeup returned about a 20% CSW. You don’t like his stuff? I don’t like his stuff.
Look, Elder has been able to survive by getting a ton of outs on his sinker. 13 of the 27 seen here came from his sinker getting knocked into play and finding gloves instead of grass. I don’t think it was particularly amazing how he did so and the overall skill doesn’t speak to a CGSHO. A Toby? Yeah, sure. But not domination.
Here’s the good news: I’m basically saying Blame it on the Nationals and yet…he gets the Marlins next. Yeah. So okay, FINE, you can take a stroll with Bryce and let it ride one more game. He’s not someone to circle for 2023, but who cares about that right now. You can start him against the Marlins and call it a day.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Chase Anderson (CIN) @ PIT (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 79 pitches.
Despite sitting almost two ticks down, Anderson survived four frames. But it was just 12 outs against the Pirates. Can’t a man celebrate living for a change? Y’all demand so much of people, it’s unhealthy. Besides, the rain cut this short. Can’t go blaming the water after they gave us life. That seems cruel.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) vs NYY (ND) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 94 pitches.
That’s a Golden Goal, and even if it was on a day without much competition, we award him all the same. Great stuff against the Yankees and I’m particularly happy it’s a WHIP we can manage. Just one more against the Red Sox and that should be just fine.
Roansy Contreras (PIT) vs CIN (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 54 pitches.
Ugggggh. Silly rain delay. His velocity was 2.5 ticks down in this one, while the curve wasn’t nearly what we’re used to and yet I still believe he would have gone 6+ if it weren’t for nature having a field day. Why can’t nature nurture for a change?
Luis Severino (NYY) @ TOR (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 76 pitches.
Blegh. Sure, it’s the Jays, but he’s more stretched out than his last start and he tossed fewer innings here. Three walks isn’t his style, either, though I wouldn’t say that his overall ability was way off (after all, he sat 97+ mph tonight, a tick harder than what we normally get). He was just a touch out of rhythm and it’s nothing to worry about. I expect great things from his start against the Orioles.
Jordan Lyles (BAL) @ BOS (ND) – 2.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks – 0 Whiffs, 16% CSW, 37 pitches.
He was pulled due to a rain delay, though it wasn’t like he was pitching up a storm. Or maybe they did…No absolutely not. He gets the Yanks next and let’s be honest – even in a short 37 pitch outing it’s heavily concerning to see not a single whiff on the board. Yikes.
Cory Abbott (WSH) vs ATL (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 83 pitches.
You know, the change and curve were pretty impressive against the strong Atlanta offense and I’m a bit shocked to see seven strikeouts…but Abb rarely works out. Ironic, I know.
Connor Seabold (BOS) vs BAL (L) – 2.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 54 pitches.
This may be the last we see of Connor with Nathan Eovaldi possibly returning for his next pass. Goodbye, Connor. I hardly knew ye. Oh, well I’m still here for a few more days, maybe we could grab a—I HARDLY KNEW YE.
Game of the Day
Kyle Muller vs. Washington Nationals – He’s getting a start and I’m awfully curious as to what we’ll see.
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)