Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup: The Last Of Marcus

Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Wednesday 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.

Marcus Stroman (NYY) @ TEX (L) – 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 88 pitches.

In the pre-season, it’s difficult to discern which pitchers we can rely upon for their projected stats and which are on the brink of being more harmful than helpful. Marcus Stroman has been a poster child for this as his ERA has consistently been under 4.00, though his WHIP marks with mediocre strikeout ability has kept us agonizing every winter. Throw in an easy projection of 10+ Wins as a member of the Yankees, and how can you resist?

We’re at a crossroads after Stroman’s 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 88 pitches evening against the Rangers. On one hand, Stroman should continue to return Wins – he’s earned ten so far and with a trio of games remaining, he has a solid chance for at least one if not two against the Royals, Mariners, and Orioles. On the other, he holds a 1.39 WHIP for the season and that destroys a team.

ERA aside and strikeouts (think of them as neutral to his value), I personally feel you can get more out of a streamer at this point. Wins are a finicky beast and looking at my 12-teamers as I plan for specific streamer pickups through the week, I’m finding multiple choices I’d consider more than Stroman moving forward. The potential reward simply isn’t the risk at this point with a repertoire that opens him up for too many Singled Out opportunities, without strikeouts or a demonstrative ERA to compensate.

 

Let’s see how every other SP did Wednesday:

 

Shota Imanaga (CHC) vs PIT (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 20 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 95 pitches.

Aces gonna help the Cubs throw a combined no-hitter with a Gallows Pole. That’s a 3.14 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 25% strikeout rate in 146.1 IP this year with eleven Wins. Incredible.

Valente Bellozo (MIA) vs WSN (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 85 pitches.

Six shutout frames with just one strikeout? Sure, okay Bellozo. HAISTBMBWT?! I’m happy for you and PL Bot that your Canibal McSanchez approach worked. I still can’t believe PL Bot picked Bellozo as the streamer…

Zac Gallen (ARI) @ SFG (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 4 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 100 pitches.

Gallen saw what Imanaga was doing and played his part for the Sneks, but Ginkel broke the no-hitter shortly after. We saw a BSB properly executed this time around and it obviously was a good thing, though I still have some worry that it makes Gallen’s curve and change a bit easier to deal with if the heater isn’t falling low, either. Welp, we’ll see if he executes it against the Rangers once again and if it works. I sure hope so. Takes a sip out of his Gallen Gals mug.

Cole Sulser (TBR) vs MIN (ND) – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 37 pitches.

The Twins and Rays agreed to go double-opener in this one, with Tyler Alexander eventually getting the pearl for 3.2 IP and 4 ER, which was enough for the vulture Win you chased so desperately. So congrats, I guess.

Ronny Henriquez (MIN) @ TBR (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 0 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 12 pitches.

Ronny opened for Louie Varland and despite heading to the Trop, this was filled with pain. 2.1 IP, 8 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. Wait, how can he have six baserunners and eight earned runs? Two fielder’s choices with everyone safe. I know, it’s weird. Anyway, don’t touch Varland because, duh.

Sonny Gray (STL) @ MIL (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 99 pitches.

Yessss. More sweepers again as his heaters found fourteen called strikes between them. Zero reason to get off this train.

Seth Lugo (KCR) vs CLE (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 103 pitches.

I shouldn’t have questioned you, Lugo. I deserve this. The Yankees are ahead as the final difficulty of the year before a cushy road ahead. Go for it.

Griffin Canning (LAA) vs LAD (W) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 7 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 98 pitches.

Whoa, that’s a Gold Star for Canning, who struggles to come through in great matchups, but the Dodgers? No problem chief, I GOT YOU. Standard affair here, though the slider and changeup did a better job than usual to avoid the bottom-middle of the zone. SQUAWK! Okay okay, his heater was fortunate on its nine balls in play, which accounted for all four hits but were timed well to allow just one run. Happy? Squawk. There’s a temptation to trust Canning once he gets the White Sox for two at the end of the year, and that could very well work…at least once. I’m considering this more of a Birthday Party than a promise for the future.

MacKenzie Gore (WSN) @ MIA (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 93 pitches.

Oh dang, we got the best version of Gore! His heater was perfectly spotted in the upper half, but more importantly, his curve and change were consistently competitive, leading to 10/36 whiffs between them. What about the slider? He didn’t spot it terribly, but didn’t get a single chase, leading to just 2/9 strikes. Womp womp. There was a bit of Blame it on the Marlins here, too, and I’m not ready to crown Gore as back – he’s at 96 mph not 97, too. I think we hold off for Atlanta next, but chase the Marlins start after if Gore looks like more of the same.

Jonathan Cannon (CHW) @ BAL (W) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 95 pitches.

Hot dang, look at you! Cannon has the ability to do this when he’s getting outs on his sinker, which is exactly what happened here against the Orioles. I wonder if the CrySox bore down after the ejections on Tuesday and showed they could still put up a fight. Nah. As for Cannon, nothing new here sadly, mostly with called strikes on the sinker that led to a 50% CSW. He’s just a desperate streamer.

Nick Martinez (CIN) vs HOU (W) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 107 pitches.

Look at him go! The changeup was fantastic down in the zone for 7/26 whiffs and a 77% strike rate, with cutters and heaters up and on the edges, for the most part. That’s the version of Martinez I like the most, though I don’t want to glaze too much in a 1.59 WHIP outing (with three unearned runs). If Nic kMart is to be a serviceable starter, it would be with this approach and I’d still bench against Atlanta.

Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) vs NYY (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 99 pitches.

Save for a two-run shot off the bat of Soto (A backdoor breaker he lined over the fence to left. He’s unreal.), Eovaldi cruised. Start him without fear.

Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) @ TOR (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 96 pitches.

The Jays attacked early on Sánchez’s low changeup for a pair of runs in the first, then couldn’t handle high sinkers and sliders as Cristopher adapted. Great work, enjoy the cushy schedule.

George Kirby (SEA) @ OAK (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 85 pitches.

A King Cole is lovely as Kirby’s heaters held a 60% zone rate…but weren’t as comfortably in the zone as before. The curve, splitter, and change were all erratic, though, making his slider the sole secondary of note, and fortunately, it returned 50% CSW. Blame it on the Athletics a bit here, sure, but we’re still starting him against the Padres. I’m so glad it’s in Seattle.

Charlie Morton (ATL) vs COL (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 100 pitches.

Three walks and a 3.60 ERA is having us give Morton the sly shifty eyes, sharing the knowledge that you got lucky this was Rockie Road. His curveball was all over the place. Now he hosts the Reds and we’re definitely back to Cherry Bomb world.

Colin Rea (MIL) vs STL (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 75 pitches.

I can’t be the only one that looks at Colin’s lines and gets a visual of an aging father reading the newspaper and replying “That’s nice” without looking up.

Hayden Birdsong (SFG) vs ARI (L) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 77 pitches.

We’re down to 3/7 curveballs strikes. Oh how the turn tables. You really shouldn’t be doing this. At all.

Bowden Francis (TOR) vs PHI (L) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 89 pitches.

It was looking like the regression start in full early on with two longballs returning 3 ER before the end of the second inning, and then the Phillies couldn’t handle him. He earned this one with precision on his heater up and arm-side, mixed with curves and splitters down and gloveside. Legit pitch separation and even 50% CSW on his slider, though that was a hit/miss pitch as he tugged nearly half of them. This was the start I was most worried about and we’ll take all of this with the PQS and lack of dub as he gets NYM, @ TEX, and two possible gifts of @TBR & MIA to close out the year. WE RIDE AT DAWN. He doesn’t start for another five days. WE RIDE AT DAWN IN FIVE DAYS.

Tylor Megill (NYM) vs BOS (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 67 pitches.

Uhhhh, the Win was there. He was under 70 pitches with a lead and they pulled him after allowing a single to lead off the fifth. And the thing is, he was sitting 95/96 with high heaters at 8/37 whiffs and a 43% CSW cutter. HE WAS FINE. Whatever, he may move to the pen now with Blackburn returning and I’m just going to ignore this. Any trust of an extended start has been severed.

Yu Darvish (SDP) vs DET (ND) – 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 63 pitches.

Welcome back! This was a clear Still ILL as we had no idea how long he’d go, if he was in a groove, yada yada yada. I’d normally say we wait another outing, but he heads to Seattle next and I just can’t resist that one. No, he wasn’t great here, but hot dang, that’s 75+ pitches in Seattle. YOU GOTTA.

Tanner Houck (BOS) @ NYM (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 84 pitches.

Hmmmm. The splitter? Yeah, still bad. Just 6/13 strikes with a single whiff. Sweeper wasn’t as overwhelming as I’ve seen with a fair number of mistakes, but after a horrible first, he settled in nicely. I’m not touching him against the Orioles and Yankees.

Bradley Blalock (COL) @ ATL (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 6 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 96 pitches.

Oh dear. Six walks? I guess BB is living up to his name.

Ben Lively (CLE) @ KCR (L) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 78 pitches.

I was so ready to just give up on the whole Vargas Rule thing with Lively…until I remembered he gets the White Sox next. Followed by the Rays. UGH ALRIGHT THEN. He even had 1-2 ticks extra velocity, too! Oh snap, how hard? 91+ mph! Oh. Right.

JP Sears (OAK) vs SEA (L) – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 94 pitches.

Womp womp. The four-seamer didn’t demand success this time around, but at least the changeup was more reliable? He’s a Cherry Bomb and that’s all there is to it.

Keider Montero (DET) @ SDP (ND) – 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 71 pitches.

This wasn’t the start to target. Rockie Road is next and that could be the start to target. Okay, the only start to target, outside of the Rays or White Sox in the final week of the season (who knows how things will go across the next three weeks). I’m not too excited for that one, but maybe this new harder slider from Montero can work if he goes Dancing With The Disco? That’s a questionable stream.

Albert Suárez (BAL) vs CHW (L) – 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 66 pitches.

Wow, this wasn’t at all what we expected. The White Sox were hungry and bamboozled the fella. Welp, we drop for the Red Sox in Fenway and still consider him against the Tigers twice after…unless the velocity is still 93-95 instead of 94-96+.

Domingo Germán (PIT) @ CHC (L) – 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 57 pitches.

Great, so let’s never think about Domingo again.

Bobby Miller (LAD) @ LAA (L) – 5.0 IP, 7 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 85 pitches.

The first inning was absolutely terrible, allowing 5 ER before securing his first out, capped by a three-run shot. I blame the heavy heater use, which had a mind of its own once leaving Bobby’s hand. I watched the rest of the game hoping I’d buy into Miller finding a groove to return 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Ks after and what I saw was a pitcher struggling to find feel. He got into some grooves with his curve and changeup, but this wasn’t an arm confident in where the ball was going, nor that he’d execute with each pitch, especially with his heater. His raw stuff is keeping strikeouts alive, but this is a thrower, not a pitcher. I’ve seen Miller be the latter in 2023 and the knee pain is likely the culprit. Don’t trust this again until next year.

Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) @ CIN (L) – 0.2 IP, 9 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 0 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 38 pitches.

Oh dear. Why does all the regression always have to arrive at once? If you watched this one, you’ll know that only a few of these hits were legit and an error with 3 ER on the board that was called a hit kept the inning going. And a grounder through the hole. And a chopper over the first basemen. But he also walked three and had bad command. Well yeah, that too. I guess to have 9 ER, you have to be pitching poorly and have some bad luck. “KOUFAX”, HOW COULD YOU?! This doesn’t mean we’re done with Arrighetti – I’m starting him against the Athletics next. It really does sour all of the success, though. That’s Baseball, Suzyn.

 

Game of the Day

 

Merrill Kelly vs. Blake Snell – I’m leaning that Kelly has his best start since returning from the IL + Snell is always a blast.

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)