Spring Training has arrived and as I’ve been writing daily notes for myself to recap all spring training starting pitchers for the Plus Pitch Podcast, I realized I should publish them on the site for quick access.
I’ll be livestreaming every morning 10am-12pm ET at playback.tv/pitcherlist as I watch all of the starts with y’all and answer all your fantasy baseball questions.
Major SP News To Know
Update: The Rangers scratched Cody Bradford from Wednesday’s start with elbow soreness. He’ll be shut down for four-to-five days and hopefully return without a hitch after after his MRI can back clean. It’s another small creak for Jack Leiter’s door opening for a rotation spot, though this doesn’t seem as if Bradford will miss enough time.
The search for the Padres fifth starter continues as Kyle Hart is a little behind schedule. This puts Stephen Kolek suddenly in the lead to begin the season in the rotation. He’s a command arm with sinkers/sliders to RHB and four-seamer/cutters to LHB, which worked for a stellar ICR among his main pitches last year…save for a sweeper that he’s axed in the spring. You may have a deep NL-Only sleeper here for those needing volume late.
Site News
We’re launching PL 11 in the upcoming days and we’ve outlined everything we’re working on and improved on the site inside this Twitter thread and this Bluesky thread.
Check out all the apps, a tease of the PL Fantasy Baseball Pro Dashboard, our new Live Draft Assistant, and so much more.
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Expected Rotations By Team
Statcast Games – TV
DET vs. TB
TEX vs. CIN
CWS vs. LAA
COL vs. SD
Casey Mize (DET) – 3.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 4 K. He’s still at 95/96 mph and trying hard with his slider at 3/21 whiffs and 30% usage, while the splitter was great at 8/12 strikes. The slider went 9/21 strikes, even though it nibbled the edge constantly, which should display its lack of deception, even with Mize’s seven feet of extension and peppering fastballs upstairs. I’m not in until that slider becomes ole reliable, sadly, but hey, maybe he’s worth the last round flyer in hopes he finds it early in the year.
Ryan Pepiot (TB) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K. Oy, stop throwing that four-seamer down the pipe to LHB. The slider was nasty to RHB, the changeup was…okay, but really, just nail down the heater a bit more to LHB and we’re cool. I dig the increase in cutters to LHB, too, but that thing was not spotted at all. Keep working on it, it’s a great idea at 91/92 mph and closer movement to his 88/89 mph slider than the 95 mph four-seamer. TRUST ME.
Nick Martinez (CIN) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Okay so it’s not the 20″+ vert ridiculousness of his last start (18″) and he messed with going cutter + changeup heavy to LHB, which I dig. Just needs a bit more refinement there. I absolutely love sub 30% fastball usage between sinkers and four-seamers.
Justin Dunn (CWS) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 K. He’s trying to make it back and I’m happy this went well. It’s curves and sliders once again for 3/15 whiffs (meh) and that curve is really a sweeper that lacks depth. I’m not interested at 93 mph.
José Soriano (LAA) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 5 K. Yeeeesh. The walks are an issue as nothing but the sinker and four-seamer could reliably get strikes. Only five sliders, too, which went 2/5 strikes without a whiff, and he’s not spotting down-and-in with his sinker like he did last year, while losing drop and run on the sinker. I’m staying away from this. I don’t think there’s a tangible ceiling to chase outside of the hope of being a Toby.
Jake Woodford (COL) – 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K. Does The Amish Mustang have friends in Colorado? I hope so. I also wonder if this means the Rockies will put Blalock in the minors and toss Woodford out there while they can. They’d have to release Woodford if they don’t roster him out of camp, after all. Oh Colorado, you rascals.
Bradley Blalock (COL) – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Coors is undefeated. He’d be kinda interesting if he weren’t on the Rockies.
Statcast Games – No TV
STL vs. NYM
CLE vs. SF
SEA vs. KC
Miles Mikolas (STL) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 3 K. That’s as golden of an outing you’ll ever see from Mikolas. Why? Because he threw six pitches and his four-seamer was tied for the least thrown pitch. Can’t hit my fastball if I don’t throw my fastball. That wily fox.
Tekoah Roby (STL) – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K. It’s 18″ of vert, 96 mph velocity, and a 1.7 HAVAA without poor extension. OH BABY. I wish he’d get the dang heater upstairs, though. Stop trying to go low-and-away to RHB. No wonder he went 0-11 whiffs…ANYWAY, the curve sat 81/82 mph and wasn’t all too impressive (two whiffs though) + the rare sliders were duds. In short, the heater is the one to love and without the high intent, I don’t think I can jump on board as much as I wanted to.
Paul Blackburn (NYM) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K. You look at your draft board in the 35th round. And there he is, Blackburn, singing in the dead of night. At least he’s in a rotation to start the year…? But this is such a good line! And so was Mikolas’. OKAY FINE. He also went 0/37 whiffs. I SAID FINE.
Joey Cantillo (CLE) – 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 9 K. THE EXTENSION IS BACK. Phew. I was legit worried seeing 6.8 previous and now we’ve returned to 7.2 land. But he allowed 4 ER. Pffft don’t care. 13/28 changeup whiffs. Yes, that’s probably because guys were getting served pitches right down Broadway and selling out for the heater, but still. The location will get better over time as he’s obviously kicking it into gear now (seriously, that slider was atrocious to LHB) and I’m back in on Cantillo in 15-teamers. He’s not starting. Yet. Ortiz, McKenzie, Lively, one of those has to break in April, right?
Tristan Beck (SF) – 2.2 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K. Hey, he exists! A ton more sliders than we’re used to with fewer four-seamers. That’s a good thing. Few pitches against RHB, oddly, and the sweeper was wicked at times here. Cool to see 17″ of vert with 11″ of run as well – that’ll play…if it weren’t 93 mph. Maybe still, but it’s tougher. At the very least, he’s another option for the Giants down the road, but don’t expect him to arrive in April.
Bryan Woo (SEA) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K. He looks like Woo…except for zero whiffs on fastballs. But hey! 5/17 on sweepers + changeups! That’s new. Not sure I believe in that sustainability, but the question surrounding Woo is more about his health and if he’ll get enough of a rhythm to take off as we know he should. If you told me Woo gets 150+ frames this year, I’d have him around SP #20. My concern not only is that number likely lower, but that it comes with massive interruptions instead of one big blow. That’ll be a huge pain for managers dealing with him ramping up pitch counts start after start…
Ross Stripling (KC) – 2.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 K. Nothing new here and I don’t expect the Royals to hold onto Strip. Sorry man.
No Statcast – TV
ATH vs. AZ
Osvaldo Bido (ATH) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 4 K. Ayyyy no walks! Lovely sign for Bido.
Ryne Nelson (AZ) – 3.2 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K. Annnnd this isn’t a line of “Hey, I got something new and fun!” I hope you have it when you inevitably return to the rotation.
No Statcast – No TV
WSH vs. HOU
BAL vs. ATL
BOS vs. MIN
MacKenzie Gore (WSH) – 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 6 K. The walks outline the lack of reliable secondaries, the strikeouts showcase the ceiling. Sigh. I wish I could believe in the coaching around him to develop in-season.
Brandon Walter (HOU) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K. I don’t expect Walker to usurp Wesneski…right?! Yeah, no way.
Dean Kremer (BAL) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 K. Hey Orioles, you okay?
Ian Anderson (ATL) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 1 K. ANDERSON! NOOOOOOO. Is it him? Elder? AJSS?! It’s probably Ian. Good luck fella.
Tanner Houck (BOS) – 2.2 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 2 K. Oh dear. I guess the splitter wasn’t cooking. Boston has really been through the ringer this spring.
Cooper Criswell (BOS) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K. A surprise Criswell appears! Let’s say Fitts and Priester don’t impress in their next outings. Here’s Criswell with starts on his resume and going three scoreless. Oh no. Yeah. It’s a possibility.
Joe Ryan (MIN) – 2.1 IP, 4 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K. It’s always weird to see more ER than baserunners allowed. Guess there’s a HBP + grand slam in here? Poor Ryan.
Zebby Matthews (MIN) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 5 K. OH SWEET. He’s back and dominating. I wish we had data on this and I may have to add him to the rankings for my next update if Zebby demands a spot in the rotation. I wonder if this was with all five pitches or just three + I wonder if the slider dominated as it should. This is such a tease.
What To Watch Today On TV
SPs to watch on TV today #SpringSPnotesGet morning updates to EVERY SP via my daily Plus Pitch Podcast AND SP Roundup article on the Pitcher List site.Spencer Arrighetti – Velo back to 94? Strikes galore?Cristopher Sánchez – Please be 96/97 mph still.Chase Dollander – FUN.
— Nick Pollack (@nickpollack.pitcherlist.com) 2025-03-13T14:03:57.753Z