Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Sunday 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.
Brandon Sproat (NYM) @ CIN (L) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 4 BBs, 7 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 88 pitches.
We got another prospect hot off the presses and it’s the third of the Mets’ three-headed dragon with Brandon Sproat showing up in Cincy. He came through for daring managers in QS leagues, but not so much in Win leagues – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 4 BBs, 7 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 88 pitches (L). The question now: What do we do with this guy?
Sproat is a sweeper-first arm with questionable 96 mph heaters. His cross-body mechanics add life to the sweeper and make it so difficult for RHB to resist, while adding a little extra hop to the sinker, but it comes at the cost of command – he is not a command-focused arm. That isn’t to say he’s wild and will walk the farm each time out, it’s more that he has some Professor Chaos in him that makes him look like a potential Cherry Bomb.
There’s a two-plane curve that can work well and can be trusted inside the zone with the big sweeper. That sinker is effective when located inside, though I’m not ready to trust the pitch regularly – there will be games where he’ll fail to earn strikes with heaters and become over-reliant on his breakers that won’t end well.
I’m curious to see if the changeup will get more attention in the future. There is some potential there (he even threw it with two strikes to a RHB!) and I hope it becomes a major part of his LHB attack given his questionable deadzone four-seamer.
Despite all the skepticism, I saw enough that I’d be rolling with him for the rest of the season with a great schedule of TEX, WSN, @MIA. This is assuming the Mets keep him in the rotation, but let’s be honest. They need him. We’ll chat about 2026 later, though I need to see something better than this if I’m going to chase him in drafts.
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Drew Rasmussen (TBR) vs CLE (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 17% CSW, 82 pitches.
Wait, where are my six innings? I was promised six innings. Ohhhh, the sinker and cutter returned 15/30 strikes. FINE.
Drew Pomeranz (CHC) vs WSN (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 75% CSW, 8 pitches.
Pom Pom opened for Colin Rea, whom I lowered in my daily ranks due to the chance of few frames and he came through for 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 41% CSW, 61 pitches (ND). Alvarez was shockingly amazing, preventing a chance for a dub for Rea, and so it goes. Be glad with the line and he should be fine hosting the Rays and @CIN next. Move on after that against the Mets.
Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) @ PIT (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 108 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. He’s just too good. I’m stoked the Brewers pushed him over 100 pitches for the first time, though it may mean he gets limited in his next start against the Cardinals. Still start him, of course. The control is back.
Hunter Greene (CIN) vs NYM (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 12 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 43% CSW, 98 pitches.
Aces gonna earn a Golden Goal despite a tough matchup. We’re back to averaging over 100 mph, y’all, and the splitter! It was actually productive for once – 22% usage with 32% CSW and nearly 60% strikes. Whoa. Yeah. Unfair.
Luis Castillo (SEA) @ ATL (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 82 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! Castillo didn’t have his changeup or sinker doing a whole lot, but the four-seamer was dotted to RHB for 9/21 whiffs (!!!) and the slider was exceptionally deadly to LHB. Now he hosts the Angels @TEA and fine. I guess I’m still in. You know, it’s Kauffman + Rockie Road up next, too. Welp, props to you, Castillo, you’re making it to the end of the season on fantasy squads. Don’t know how you did it, but you did.
Ryne Nelson (ARI) vs BOS (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 105 pitches.
The four-seamer is still dope and makes us feel dope, while the curveball continued its tenure as the primary secondary pitch to both LHB and RHB, and I’m here for it as long as the 60%+ strike rates continue. Well, for one more start, that is. He’ll get @MIN, but PHI + LAD after is a bit too risky, sadly. Yes, I’ll be drafting him next year if he’s outside the Top 200 overall.
Parker Messick (CLE) @ TBR (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 86 pitches.
This wasn’t the precision the line suggests. His changeup was floated a ton, while the four-seamer got a whole bunch of the plate instead of painting the top of the zone a sharp scarlet color.
Patrick Corbin (TEX) vs HOU (ND) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 82 pitches.
Wow, this desperate stream actually worked. Enjoy the Gold Star Corbin, I’m thrilled you finally went 10% fastballs and embraced your time as a crafty southpaw with cutters, sliders, and changeups (yes, changeups!) doing all the work. Given the RHB lineup, it does make sense to favor the slowball over the heater. I kinda love it and if it’s repeated against the Mets, I have a small temptation for the Marlins after that.
Bailey Ober (MIN) @ KCR (W) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 85 pitches.
Soooo the heater is at 89.4 mph and occasionally getting upstairs. His secondaries leaked over the plate often and he’s a bit fortunate to have so many foul balls off sliders and changeups. I’m not buying this.
Dylan Cease (SDP) @ COL (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 102 pitches.
Phew. Cease didn’t even have his best slider command and spun far more sweepers than you’d expect for a whopping 41% CSW (I think they’re curveballs, but then again, he has a 12-6 curve with a little different shape. It’s a two-plane breaker at 84 mph…just throw that one instead? It’s legit.) and I sure hope he keeps that going when he gets the same squad as Rockie Road next time.
Tyler Phillips (MIA) vs PHI (ND) – 2.2 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 41 pitches.
Ah yes, a bullpen game for the Marlins instead of calling up Robby Snelling. Yep, absolutely what we wanted to see.
Mitch Farris (LAA) vs ATH (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 76 pitches.
Oh wow. He didn’t even locate in ideal spots to RHB (heaters, sliders, changeups) and he still returned 5/24 whiffs on his 90.0 mph four-seamer to RHB. If you want to spin the Farris wheel @TEA, I don’t blame you. It doesn’t seem real, even if he was decent at commanding his stuff against LHB. It’s just soooo blegh with a fun changeup that is obviously inconsistent.
Clayton Kershaw (LAD) @ BAL (W) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 41% CSW, 83 pitches.
Oh dang, that’s hot. The slider and curve were on point like the ole days at the very bottom of the zone and RHB couldn’t do anything about it. He also snuck the heater in at opportune moments and hurled it out of the zone in others (10/31 called strikes but a 48% overall strike rate). Guess we’re in for the Giants twice + @TEA, eh?
Davis Martin (CHW) @ DET (ND) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 97 pitches.
Lovely. A boring Toby start from Martin and he still didn’t get you a dub. That’s the life of a DM – you never get to have the fun of the other players. That could change if the cutter were a major weapon against
Andrew Alvarez (WSN) @ CHC (ND) – 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 87 pitches.
This was a game of inefficiency and the Cubs getting themselves out with their impatience. It led to a hook in the fifth with two on (one later scored) and that date with the Pirates on the horizon doesn’t look that lovely. If he gets the sliders and curves locked in a bit more, it can work, though the ceiling seems too low for me. Consider him an NL-Only streamer.
Max Fried (NYY) vs TOR (W) – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 100 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Sure, you want fewer runs, but a dub against the Jays and a 1.00 WHIP through seven is lovely.
Framber Valdez (HOU) @ TEX (L) – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 97 pitches.
Aces gonna ace despite the curveball returning just 46% strikes. Phew. The changeup stepped up and we even saw a quartet of sliders for 1/4 strikes. Wonder if that’ll return (probably not).
Brayan Bello (BOS) @ ARI (ND) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 91 pitches.
Sure, a Toby with a PQS is a standard affair. Now is a decision point – it’s @NYY, @TBR, @TOR up next. Do you hold Bello? I wouldn’t. None of those are great (I hate starting guys in Tampa Bay) and I have to think you can find a streamer instead.
Sonny Gray (STL) vs SFG (W) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 91 pitches.
Ehhhhh, that’s a Dusty Donut on a Gray day. Is it enough to bench him twice against the Brewers? I can’t do it. This wasn’t his best day with his heaters and that should return. I don’t think the wire will have better options.
Luis Severino (ATH) @ LAA (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 89 pitches.
Huge props to Sevy for returning 10/34 whiffs on his four-seamer out of nowhere. He painted that pitch up-and-away to RHB, but the rest of his arsenal was a bit questionable. It does make the Reds Carpet and @PIT look like a solid play, though. Consider those outings.
Charlie Morton (DET) vs CHW (ND) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 72 pitches.
Blegh. The curve did its job, but everything else was rough. Just 41% strikes across 29 sinkers + changeups was the dagger in the heart of efficiency and he got the early hook. HOWEVER, it’s the Marlins next and I’m still down for that. The yacker is still legit.
Taijuan Walker (PHI) @ MIA (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 87 pitches.
Oh cool, you gave us only pain. At least he got one strikeout? One strikeout? HAISTBMBWT?! Yeah, you right. Please don’t do this to yourself.
Michael Lorenzen (KCR) vs MIN (L) – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 82 pitches.
Annnnd he can’t be trusted. There are better QS options out there (like Povich!).
Max Scherzer (TOR) @ NYY (L) – 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 4 BBs, 8 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 93 pitches.
He got bamboozled in the first via a three-run HR on a four-seamer that leaked over the plate to Rice (We don’t need Harper, we have B. Rice at home), and otherwise pitched well against an elite offense. You should feel solid with Scherzer the rest of the way with a relatively easy schedule now that his back issue seems resolved: His fastball sat 93/94 mph. It checks out.
Kai-Wei Teng (SFG) @ STL (L) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 8 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 77 pitches.
You went with Teng for potential strikeouts and look at that! You got em. Sadly, his control was horrific and we got ourselves more than double walks + strikeouts than balls in play (6). It’s likely the last start of Teng we’ll get, too, and we’ll see ya next year. Maybe.
Tomoyuki Sugano (BAL) vs LAD (L) – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 67 pitches.
Well, uh, yeah. The schedule doesn’t get any easier with @TOR, NYY, @NYY left. Stop rostering him…?
Tanner Gordon (COL) vs SDP (L) – 3.2 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 91 pitches.
Gordon has limited upside, pitches his home games at Coors Field, and doesn’t deserve a spot on your team. This should be the blurb for every Colorado starter.
Joey Wentz (ATL) vs SEA (L) – 2.1 IP, 8 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 65 pitches.
Atlanta pushed Strider and elected to start Wentz instead, and it, uh, didn’t go well. His best pitch is the slider, which the Mariners chased far less than usual, catalyzing a horrific 36% strike rate. Whoops. You can forget about Wentz until a potential final start of the year on 9/24 against the Nationals.
Bubba Chandler (PIT) vs MIL (L) – 2.2 IP, 9 ER, 9 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 68 pitches.
Ohhhhhh no. We didn’t know when Chandler would make his first start and we barely knew this would happen until this weekend, which helped y’all who didn’t put him in the lineup. No, he’s not cooked, nor a false-hype prospect. This was a dude getting Singled Out massively, aided by a changeup and slider that he couldn’t command. No joke, his heater returned eight balls in play for seven hits. And those weren’t demolition shots (sure, one or two were). It was a whole lot of grounders through the hole or jammed heaters flared off to shallow right field, etc. In fact, this is kinda great if you didn’t have Bubba as he’s likely been rage dropped, making him an easy pickup with @WSN, ATH, @CIN if he holds onto this rotation spot. Seriously, this was an exception, not the rule.
Game of the Day
Nolan McLean vs. Aaron Nola – I want to live every day like it’s Nola day again + I hope McClean can keep the fun alive.
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)
