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.
Richard Fitts (BOS) vs CHW (ND) – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 66 pitches.
It’s the time of MLB debuts (or as our Graphics manager Justin Paradis calls it “Headshots for the SP Roundup season”) and Richard Fitts has his chance to hurl the pearl against the White Sox in Fenway and performed far better than your typical rookie: 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 66 pitches. That’s a remarkably efficient outing for a debut, though I wish I was excited to watch more.
Fitts is an over-the-top arm, falling into the Nick Pivetta world of pitching: Four-seamer with vert (high arm slot!), slider, and sweeper – all that’s missing is Pivetta’s hook. His heater doesn’t have the same iVB, either (just 16″ and change, not 17-18″+), and despite my adoration of Fitts ability to stay competitive inside at-bats with the heater and slider, I’m not sold that his sweeper is the whiff pitch he needs. There’s an interesting thought Eno expressed back in March on our The Craft Podcast that high arm slots feature less effective sweepers given how they need to supinate far more on release to get its horizontal movement. In other words, your hand is high up and behind the ball more than most on a four-seamer, but it suddenly bends down and to the side on a sweeper, making it easier to spot.
Regardless of all that hoopla, I saw a pitcher who could perform as a Toby with some brief moments rooted in his above-average control merged with a decent heater/slider combo. It’s not something I’d circle for streams in the future (Blame it on the White Sox) and don’t forget that this was likely just a spot start. Even though the line Fitts, you must quits.
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Jack Flaherty (LAD) vs CLE (W) – 7.1 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 92 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. The slider was still slightly lacking relatively to the version we saw in the first half, but it’s still solid while the curve and heater are cooking. What an unreal fantasy pickup he’s been.
Michael Wacha (KCR) vs MIN (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 91 pitches.
Awwwwwww yis. Just in time for a lovely end of season run against the Pirates, Giants, and Nationals. The changeup is dope, the other offerings are on the edges, and WE’RE ALLL ABOOOOAAARD!
Edward Cabrera (MIA) vs PHI (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 97 pitches.
You never know what you’re gonna get from Cabrera, regardless of opponent. If he’s on (73% four-seamer strikes! 7/22 changeup whiffs! 36% CSW curves!), it doesn’t matter who he faces. If he’s off, he’s gone in three frames. That’s a Cherry Bomb in every way and you know who he is. How was the slider? Uhhhh, 3/12 strikes. I’ll ask Santa for it in 2025, I got you.
Chris Sale (ATL) vs TOR (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 113 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. I guess Sale is the front-runner for the Cy Young vs. Wheeler, but I wouldn’t be surprised if their final three starts determine the award. It’s Sale’s to lose right now.
Kyle Freeland (COL) @ MIL (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 89 pitches.
Dude. Amazing. Y’all can’t trust Freeland to do this with any regularity and I’m just here, rocking in my chair with a slow nod of respect. I hope you feel good about this one, Freeland. It ain’t easy to be a Rockies starter.
Gerrit Cole (NYY) @ CHC (L) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 99 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. It’s still strange that the slider hasn’t been a major pitch for him, but the heater is still elite, the cutter has helped, and the curve has been a major weapon this year. We’ll take it all day.
Zack Littell (TBR) @ BAL (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 81 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! Sure, that’s a Gold Star for Littell as I had zero faith in this one. The splitter was a huge help as Littell was able to paint the pitch low as reliably as any offering in his backpocket, while fastballs and sliders hung around the zone.
Julian Aguiar (CIN) @ NYM (ND) – 4.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 90 pitches.
He nearly made it long enough to go five, though it was a scoreless affair until the sixth, so don’t get too riled up, y’all. It was same old with Aguiar – sinkers with poor secondaries – and nothing you should get amped for.
Beau Brieske (DET) @ OAK (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 31 pitches.
Whoa, Ty Madden followed Beau and absolutely killed it: 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 83 Pitches. That’s a lovely line for a Win against the Athletics and you can thank his splitter returning 14/17 strikes without a ball in play. I wasn’t overly impressed by his command or heater or breakers, and now he gets the Orioles in a start I’m definitely avoiding, but that splitter! That was cool. For a day. It likely won’t have the same results in the future, especially considering it wasn’t routinely located down and under the zone. Lower your expectations.
Luis Severino (NYM) vs CIN (ND) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 97 pitches.
Atta boy Severino. I’ve come around on you in the second half without you four-seamer and sweeper looking pretty once again. Sadly, I think you should leave my rosters now with the Phillies up next for two straight. Are you sure about that? I know, I know, this schedule is brutal and I’m still trying to find the guy who did this to him. But yeah, it’s time. So long and thanks for all the fish. And 55 hamburgers.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) vs NYY (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 97 pitches.
Oh snap! Great to see Taillon replicate his last outing and keep the momentum. Sadly it’s Coors next and I still wouldn’t trust that, but maybe the Nationals after? That would be fun.
Yariel Rodríguez (TOR) @ ATL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 73 pitches.
Huh, really? You made it through five? With a 38% zone rate on your four-seamer? Weird. He went Dancing With The Disco and Atlanta obliged, I guess. Alright then, I’m sure you’re happy you found a peak start before the season ended.
Spencer Bivens (SFG) @ SDP (ND) – 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 63 pitches.
Ah yes, a bullpen game that suddenly wasn’t a bullpen game. Welp, see ya later.
Jared Jones (PIT) vs WSN (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 92 pitches.
Hahahahaha. Jones’ four-seamer was literally the most elite heater by Fan 4+ this year. He also was able to spot it in the upper half, while landing sliders incessantly inside the zone (60% zone rate!) and converting curveballs for 66% strikes. In other words, he was DOPE. That curve also came in nearly three ticks harder than usual at 32% usage (52% CSW lol) and a huge surprise given Jones’ fastball/slider split in the past. He’s found the groove, y’all. I believe this curveball is here to stay and I’m drafting him everywhere in 2025 with many more King Cole trophies coming his way. It’s rare to see 29 breakers featured and for it not to stick around. Hayden Birdsong. Okay well Jones has a pistol, not a shotgun for an arm, alright?
Corbin Burnes (BAL) vs TBR (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 93 pitches.
Aces gonna blegh. I know I’ve been attempting to change our expectations on Burnes – especially in the strikeout department – but the new cutter with extra drop felt like a move in the right direction. However, just 3/41 whiffs on the pitch despite those five inches bonus movement is all kinds of disappointing, especially against the Rays. Come on Burnes, you get the Tigers for two now. You got this.
Chris Flexen (CHW) @ BOS (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 87 pitches.
FLEXEN. AT. THE. BEACH. He was Kenough. His job was BEACH.
Tanner Bibee (CLE) @ LAD (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 94 pitches.
It’s not sexy, but against the Dodgers? We’ll take it. I was concerned about this one and even with high sliders and weird changeups, Bibee found a way through five with a Whatever line. Be glad it didn’t hurt and we continue with a smile as he faces the Rays later this week.
Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN) @ KCR (L) – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 70 pitches.
Yeah. The command isn’t there on the heater and the slider did all that it could. There is some temptation for a stream against the Reds, but I think I’d pass. There isn’t enough to chase.
Luis Castillo (SEA) @ STL (ND) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 59 pitches.
Castillo was pulled early with a hamstring injury and will get an MRI. Don’t forget, Castillo has been absurdly healthy in his career and the fact that a hamstring injury is the second injury of his career (first was a shoulder injury that delayed the start of his 2022 season) is pretty dang remarkable. Props to him, I hope he’s okay. It likely means at least one start is missed, with Emerson Hancock getting a chance to start in his place. You don’t want the contact-focused Hancock on your fantasy squads.
Andrew Heaney (TEX) vs LAA (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 96 pitches.
First of all, this game was so hard to watch with the shadows on the field preventing me from seeing balls off contact. Second, Heaney’s only damage was a slider inside that was hooked down the line and over the fence for a three-run shot. Ugh. You got your dub and PQS with eight strikeouts and a sub 1.00 WHIP, so be happy about it. Just…UGH. The schedule is phenomenal with the Mariners twice + Angels again, and I’m holding with Heaney looking like his solid self.
J.T. Ginn (OAK) vs DET (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 83 pitches.
Awwww, I had labeled this as a sneaky Sunday play for those needing a Quality Start, and my biggest fear came to pass – The Tigers are LHB focused and Ginn’s traditional sinker/slider approach doesn’t work. He had to feature his changeup more and while it returned 271% strikes, I don’t think his LHB approach is stellar enough to turn into a true threat. If he faces weak RHB lineups, consider Ginn. Otherwise, we pass.
Freddy Peralta (MIL) vs COL (L) – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 86 pitches.
A Gallows Pole against Rockie Road for Peralta? That tracks. Everything else? Oh no. The heater wasn’t so wild as I’ve seen before, but there were many moments of Professor Chaos cackling away as pitches were wasted left and right. I feel for those rostering Peralta – you really can’t drop him and yet, you really want to. Good luck, it’s Arizona twice and he could be a stud in both.
Ryne Nelson (ARI) @ HOU (ND) – 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 88 pitches.
Womp womp. The heater wasn’t consistent inside the zone and a pair of cutters were dunked into the outfield as well, ultimately knocking Nelson out of the game before he could secure the Win presented to him on a silver platter, opening up to reveal an 8-0 lead entering the fourth. I very much believe in Nelson moving forward against the Brewers and I’m holding through the end.
Caden Dana (LAA) @ TEX (L) – 1.0 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 43 pitches.
Yeaaaaah. Let’s not go after Dana. Cool? Cool.
Joe Musgrove (SDP) vs SFG (L) – 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 74 pitches.
Bleeeeegh. He was cruising through three, then allowed three home runs in the fourth for all six runs. That’s Baseball, Suzyn. It wasn’t Musgrove’s best performance on the bump with many poorly spotted pitches, to be fair, and yet, you can’t leave that inning without a whole lot of sympathy and an understanding of the poor fortune you just witnessed. Don’t worry about his future outings, this was just a weird one.
Miles Mikolas (STL) vs SEA (L) – 2.0 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 54 pitches.
I had a small bit of hope that Mikolas could return a Quality Start against the lowly Mariners lineup. How could I have ever been so foolish. You’ve been down this road before, Nick. I know, I’ve traveled it for Miles. I wish I never said anything.
Patrick Corbin (WSN) @ PIT (L) – 6.0 IP, 7 ER, 10 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 102 pitches.
Ah. Well. This is awkward. You were so close, Corbin. This was the last start we wanted out of you after going three straight games of production. And look at you, leaning on that harder cutter 39% of the time. More than any other pitch! It’s the approach you should have had all year! But Nick, this was a terrible start. Why should he do this approach? Because not all of those cutters will be hit as often as they were yesterday (4/40 thrown). Not to mention he didn’t have the same precision on his arsenal as he did in previous outings. ANYWAY, you don’t have to chase a start against Miami up next, but at least you know that all he needs is a little Koufax love and he’ll be okay. There were some bad pitches though…
Justin Verlander (HOU) vs ARI (L) – 3.0 IP, 8 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 75 pitches.
He couldn’t get strikes on his breakers, leading to many hits including a grand-slam in the third, and zero strikeouts. HAISTBMBWT?! I imagine you want to drop him and I completely get that, though this was the Sneks and he’ll get the Angels up next twice. That should be much better, right?
Seth Johnson (PHI) @ MIA (L) – 2.1 IP, 9 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 0 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 58 pitches.
You went with Johnson over Richard and now you’re in Fitts. This was a perfect showcase of why we don’t go after MLB Debuts – these are humans! Jitters are real – and let’s tuck it into our pockets for later. The raw skills are actually kinda cool with a 20″ iVB heater and a tight 87 mph slider (it’s a meh changeup but at least earned strikes?), but we hold off for now. Of course.
Game of the Day
Reid Detmers vs. David Festa – I’m so curious if Detmers can pull this off + Festa is a fun one to watch against the weak Angels lineup.
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)