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.
Cristian Javier (HOU) vs ARI (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 79 pitches.
Remember when Cristian Javier was such a popular dark-horse Cy Young candidate entering 2023 that he was basically a frontrunner? That followed a 148.2-inning campaign in which he posted a 2.54 ERA with a 33% strikeout rate. It’s been all downhill since then.
He took a huge step back in that highly anticipated campaign (4.56 ERA in 162 IP) and made just seven starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. In 2025, he returned to make eight starts before the season came to a close, but lasted just three starts this year before succumbing to a Grade 2 shoulder strain.
It seemed the magic had all but faded away, but Javier showed a sparkle in his eye in mid-August when the whiffs started flowing. In his previous three outings, he induced a 20% swinging strike rate, but the results didn’t match, returning a 5.84 ERA. There was something in the air on Friday as it all clicked when Javier tossed 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hit, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 79 pitches (W) against the Diamondbacks.
He looked better than he had in years, sitting 93-94 with beautifully shaped four-seamers with 18″ of vert and 1.3 HAVAA at a low ~35º arm angle, while slinging signature sweepers, breaking off dastardly changeups, and incorporating a brand-new and much-needed cutter. With fastballs landing upstairs for strikes and whiffs, sweepers landing away from RHB for whiffs or sneaking in the front door to LHB for free real estate, changeups falling below the zone for whiffs to LHB, and cutters propping up the strike rate, he showcased a complete arsenal that is only missing better command.
As a result, he will have bouts of inconsistency – he did walk three with a sub-60% overall strike rate in this one after all – but the stuff is undeniable. The whiffs have been flowing like the water at Niagara Falls, so as long as he stays efficient by avoiding the free pass and poor fortune, he’ll display some of the best strikeout upside in the Majors down the stretch. I’d be rolling the dice on his success continuing in Philadelphia next. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Friday:
Ranger Suarez (BOS) @ BAL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BB, 3 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 91 pitches.
These are the kind of starts from Suarez that make me both amazed and incredulous about his success. On one hand, he’s so great at mixing speeds and locating his pitches to induce weakly hit grounders, and on the other, he struggles to miss bats and is so reliant on the results of batted balls. The results haven’t been great since the beginning of July, when he kicked off a stretch of nine starts with single-digit whiffs, but we’re going to keep starting him, knowing he’ll be better more often than not when he’s allowed to throw more than 90 pitches. (View Game Card)
Jared Jones (PIT) vs LAA (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BB, 9 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 43% CSW, 91 pitches.
If this doesn’t get you excited about a full season from Jones in 2027, I don’t know what to tell you. Jones pulled an Andrés Muñoz and threw his slider more than his fastball to bonkers results and a King Cole. The breaker was absolutely unhittable, as he kept it downstairs with ease to induce 19 whiffs and 53% CSW with 80% strikes while throwing it half the time. This is the best that pitch has looked all year, and it only needs minimal assistance from his upper-90s fastball when performing like this. This had Blame it on the Angels written all over it, but I’ve been enamored with Jones since day one. I don’t expect his slider to perform like this every night, but I do view it as a weapon that’ll become sharper the further he gets from surgery. I’m pumped for the future. (View Game Card)
Blake Snell (LAD) vs WSN (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 100 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Even in September, with rain starting to appear across California, #HotSnellSummer continues. (View Game Card)
Erick Fedde (CHW) vs MIN (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 83 pitches.
It’s always Don’t trust the Feddes until I toss five shutout frames. This might make me trust you less. You’ve induced double-digit whiffs just once in 30 appearances this year. You’re running out of good fortune to return any more outings as decent as this one. Your sweeper’s pretty cool, but a 55% overall strike rate suggests you’re not commanding as well as you need to avoid damage on the rest of your arsenal. So, it still stands…don’t trust the Feddes. (View Game Card)
Shane Baz (BAL) vs BOS (L) – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 95 pitches.
Six strikeouts with just five whiffs?! You’d think that’d be a product of an unsustainably high putaway rate, but Baz’s 46% mark was right in line with his year-long mark of 42%, and with a 50% two-strike rate, this was all just perfect timing on his whiffs and a handful of backwards Ks. Regardless of how he achieves his results, Baz has been solid, if not unspectacular, all year, so we keep starting him. (View Game Card)
Ryan Johnson (LAA) @ PIT (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 89 pitches.
Where has this been all year?! Johnson found a couple of extra ticks on his sinker and sweeper, but he barely threw the former, instead relying on his signature cutter to tunnel with the breaker to great effect. He avoided the heart of the zone as the pair of pitches combined for 12 whiffs, 38% CSW, and 78% strikes. Splitters were competitive around the bottom of the zone, but batters weren’t tempted to chase them. I’d be willing to write this start off as an anomaly if not for the 1.67 ERA he’s recorded in six starts since the beginning of August. Luckily, for analysis’s sake, he’s held a 2% K-BB% during that time, allowing us to ignore the results given the lack of arsenal improvements and changes. The cutter-slider combo just isn’t very impressive, and his command is terrible. (View Game Card)
Shota Imanaga (CHC) @ MIA (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 22 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 94 pitches.
The splitter show was completely sold out as it put on its best performance of the year, inducing 17 whiffs with 79% strikes and 11 outs on 11 balls in play, propelling Imanaga to the Gallows Pole. It’s crazy the degree to which the pitch was able to take over while the rest of his arsenal got dragged along like an owner walking a dog chasing a squirrel. He’d have racked up a lot more punchouts if the splitter could get any support, but we’ll take this all day and will feel comfortable starting him, knowing there’s an even higher ceiling to achieve. (View Game Card)
Andrew Sears (DET) @ CLE (ND) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 93 pitches.
Sears earned his first career Major League start and didn’t disappoint. With elite extension and a little extra velo, Sear’s four-pitch mix played up, revealing his SWATCH potential and allowing him to get away with 12 outs on 16 balls in play. With secondaries combining for sub-50% strikes, there’s still a way for him to go to command his arsenal better. I don’t think his pair of heaters will be enough to carry him through many more starts like these unless those offspeed pitches improve. (View Game Card)
Max Fried (NYY) @ SDP (ND) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 72 pitches.
It takes efficiency for a pitcher to complete nearly six frames in just 72 pitches, but that’s one of Fried’s best skills. It’s what’s made him such a reliable volume producer and what sets him apart as an elite Holly. With 80 pitches on the horizon, he’ll be an Auto-Start moving forward. Will Warren pitched in relief, going 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 1 BB, 0 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 28 pitches (ND), using his throw day to give the bullpen a rest and provide length behind a start the Yankees expected to be limited. He should rejoin the rotation in the next turn unless the Yankees prefer Elmer Rodríguez. It’ll sort itself out like it has all year. (View Game Card)
Janson Junk (MIA) vs CHC (L) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 75 pitches.
Still no semblance of an approach or intentional locations from this PEAS. His arsenal is dope enough to get him through five frames of one-run ball, but the whiffs and strikeouts won’t explode until he lights the fuse that illuminates a map to a treasure chest filled with game plans. Bit of a stretch, innit? Are you British now? You get the point. (View Game Card)
Andre Pallante (STL) @ COL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 4 BBs, 1 K – 4 Whiffs, 13% CSW, 72 pitches.
Not too bad for Coors, but just like my lips at this elevation, my bread is completely dry. HAISTBMBWT?! It was a LHB-heavy lineup, forcing Pallante to rely on his inferior cutter-like four-seamer more than his sinker-slider combo, thus the lack of strikeouts. What about the walks that quadrupled the strikeout total? That’s mostly due to a 37% strike rate on offspeed pitches, putting him behind in counts all game. He’ll be his regular Toby self with back-to-back starts against the Giants coming up. (View Game Card)
Walker Buehler (SDP) vs NYY (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 76 pitches.
Buehler’s actually been pretty solid across his last six starts, with a 2.53 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 21% strikeout rate, but we’re all too familiar with his schtick to be fooled by such illusory surface-level numbers. He’s induced single-digit whiffs in all six of those starts, and nothing’s changed about his seven-pitch kitchen sink approach to get us interested in starting him vs WSN next, and we’re definitely not touching him in Coors afterward. (View Game Card)
Jameson Taillon (TOR) @ KCR (ND) – 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 K – 1 Whiff, 24% CSW, 29 pitches.
Taillon returned from the IL and will head right back to it. He was pulled early and is now set to undergo an MRI on the elbow that held him out of action for the past month. At this point in the year, it’s safe to say his disappointing season is over. Rest up, buddy! (View Game Card)
Chris Sale (ATL) @ PHI (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BB, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 103 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. If not for The Miz, Sale might be running away with the NL Cy Young Award this year. (View Game Card)
Nolan McLean (NYM) vs SFG (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 7 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 105 pitches.
McLean is what Buehler wishes he was. A guy with a deep arsenal missing the command he needs to maximize it, but making up for it with incredible stuff. A converted position player, McLean is still evolving from thrower to pitcher. At what level does that evolution occur? I think it’s 36. Let’s hope it doesn’t take that long, because he’s only 25. The metamorphosis might be in progress, as the second half has seen him almost completely axe his sweeper to focus more on his Ras Pack and a supportive slider, leading to a 2.15 ERA in nine starts. The control still needs some work, though. (View Game Card)
Nick Martinez (TBR) @ TEX (W) – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 90 pitches.
The season-long Vargas Rule is entering the final month of the season intact. It’s slowed down as of late, but this start wasn’t as borderline as the final line suggests. Martinez entered the seventh with his only blemish being a solo shot. He got the first out, but was yanked after putting two men on, only to watch in pain from the bench as both inherited runners came around to score on a grand slam. Careful, Icarus. (View Game Card)
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) vs ATL (L) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 108 pitches.
It only took one inning to saddle Sánchez with a PQS, as he was outdueled by his division foe, Chris Sale. He wasn’t at his best, unleashing plenty of uncompetitive changeups, leading to a 56% strike rate that wasn’t inflated by overwhelming sinkers, as they returned sub-60 % strikes as well. We won’t change our fantasy strategy with Sánchez, but we have to come to terms with the fact that he won’t be helping us out in the WHIP department. (View Game Card)
Foster Griffin (CLE) vs DET (ND) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 92 pitches.
Griffin’s been throwing his cutter harder to make up for the lack of support from the rest of his arsenal. Well, he went full cutter mode on Friday, bumping its usage to a season-high 51%, to make up for it. You never go full cutter mode. I’m sure Griffin will be receptive to that bit of advice after turning in a VVPQS. He’s at his best when his deep, seven-pitch arsenal works in concert to keep batters off balance, to set up his cutter, changeup, and sweeper to put batters away. (View Game Card)
Merrill Kelly (ARI) @ HOU (L) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 94 pitches.
Usually a HIPSTER is a young guy who is inconsistent from start to start. Kelly’s fallen into that category, as it’s been difficult to determine in which matchups he’ll succeed. He’s battled his command more often than usual this season, and while his pitch separation was pretty solid in Houston, a PQS isn’t the result we’re chasing. Flip the coin at your own risk, regardless of the opponent moving forward. (View Game Card)
Jackson Kent (WSN) @ LAD (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 87 pitches.
Kent is priming himself to join the next SWATCH wave. This start wasn’t great, but I’m proud of him for surviving the Dodgers while inducing a decent amount of whiffs. It’s disappointing to see his changeup feel disappear, with an unruly 30% strike rate, because he’ll need the slowball cooking if he wants to graduate Streamer University. (View Game Card)
Zebby Matthews (MIN) @ CHW (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BB, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 84 pitches.
There was plenty of discourse about Zebby’s streamability here after reeling off three-straight starts with one earned run apiece. I was skeptical given two of them were heavily reliant on batted-ball luck, and the other – a season-high 23-whiffs – was an outlier in a mediocre campaign. As expected, Matthews struggled to miss bats, and while the luck on balls in play stuck around, Koufax had other plans, as a trio of longballs left the yard. I don’t think he has the weapons to handle LHB enough to take down the Guardians next. (View Game Card)
Ryan Feltner (COL) vs STL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 95 pitches.
COL story, bro. Coors remains undefeated. (View Game Card)
Matt Wilkinson (SFG) @ NYM (L) – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 62 pitches.
The Tugboat was dodging splash hits all game. This was in New York. There’s water there, right? I”ve never been, but the point is that Wilkinson got beat a few times because he struggled to command his secondaries, as they combined for sub-50% strikes, setting his fastball up to get punished. He’ll need to be more polished to display his SWATCH upside next time. Yunior Marte followed, and after I butchered his debut by getting him mixed up with a previous Yunior Marte, I think he deserves a proper assessment from me. He went 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 62 pitches (ND), showcasing an underwhelming 92 mph four-seamer (down 1-2 ticks from his debut) and a solid 84 mph slider. The breaker is dope, but he pretty clearly breaks the Huascar Rule. A solid career in the bullpen is far from out of the question. (View Game Card)
Kumar Rocker (TEX) vs TBR (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 73 pitches.
Rocker did everything he could to hide his sinker. He pitched in bulk relief of Trevor Williams and Robby Ahlstrom, threw his slider 9% more often, threw his four-seamer 12% more often, and even held it behind his back, but the Rays were still all over it, belting it for four hits and a homer. I wish he would throw his cutter more than his sinker against LHB. It makes no sense to be subjecting yourself to damage like that. (View Game Card)
Daniel Lynch IV (KCR) vs TOR (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BB, 0 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 70 pitches.
The way the Royals run their team frustrates me to no end. They draft weird, they refuse to deploy their bullpen in a manner that makes me happy, and their pitching development has been frustratingly slow and inconsistent. After finally finding a role in which Lynch succeeded – pitching in high-leverage situations – they’re transitioning him back to the rotation, and it’s going about as well as you’d expect. He’s recorded a 6.97 ERA and a 12% strikeout rate in six starts while watching his stuff slowly diminish as he gets further stretched out. There’s SWATCH potential, but not when he’s throwing 93-94 mph without a single strikeout. HAISTBMBWT?! (View Game Card)
Kade Morris (ATH) @ SEA (ND) – 2.2 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks – 1 Whiff, 19% CSW, 37 pitches.
Morris piggybacked with Brady Basso in an A’s bullpen game. If the lack of strikeouts doesn’t get you pumped, then you probably won’t be excited about his sinker+changeup-centric approach. If you like jump scares, go look at Morris’ stats. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! (View Game Card)
Logan Allen (CLE) vs DET (ND) – 2.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 62 pitches.
What’s with all the piggybacking? Allen combined with Slade Cecconi to cover the first five frames. It’s difficult to express the lack of emotion this situation inspires within me. At least both of them were throwing harder in relief. (View Game Card)
Rhett Lowder (CIN) vs MIL (L) – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 104 pitches.
I told ya’ll we were done streaming Lowder after he succeeded on the North Side of Chicago. I didn’t stream him. Good. Keep that up. For the rest of the year? Most likely. It’s LAD x2, then hosting the Cubs in Great American Ballpark. (View Game Card)
Shane Drohan (MIL) @ CIN (ND) – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 78 pitches.
Drohan has become too sinker-happy. He’s gotta get back to throwing his cutter more to neutralize all the RHB he’s being dealt. If he can pull off the Canibal McSanchez + BSB combo with low sliders, curves, and changeups, there’s a much clearer path to success than looking for sinkers to earn quick outs. He gets a rematch hosting the Reds, and that’s a Questionable Start for me. (View Game Card)
Keider Montero (DET) @ CLE (ND) – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 82 pitches.
The Guardians always load the lineup with lefties and switch-hitters when facing a right-handed starter, so this was the worst time for Montero to lose the feel for his changeup. The slowball returned just 30% strikes, reducing the effectiveness of the rest of his arsenal. It didn’t help that he got Singled Out in a disastrous fourth frame that saw him serve up his only homer of the game – a grand slam, of course. He should return to being a WHIP asset (and maybe the perfect pairing with Cristopher Sánchez) when he hosts the Twins before heading to Toronto. (View Game Card)
Logan Gilbert (SEA) vs ATH (L) – 4.2 IP, 7 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 99 pitches.
Aces gonna do everything right except for keeping the ball in the yard. The whiffs and strikeouts were aplenty, but an absolutely ridiculous third frame in which the A’s went deep a whopping four times ruined his night. This wasn’t even in Sacré Verde! This was a One Night Bland, and we have to be happy he salvaged it with so many punchouts. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
Carlos Rodón vs. Robbie Ray – Two former Giants southpaws square off.
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)
