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
No news today…? Official baseball games were played in Japan and you can read about those below.
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.
Now it’s super easy to see velo changes, movement changes (extra vert from Rodón!), extension, usage changes, locations, etc. It’s incredible, y’all. Get access via PL Pro at 15% off with code SPRINGISHERE
Expected Rotations By Team
Statcast Games – TV
CHC vs. LAD
DET vs. PIT
PIT vs. MIN
PHI vs. TOR
TOR vs. NYY
NYM vs. TB
MIA vs. NYM
AZ vs. LAA
SD vs. MIL
CLE vs. CIN
Shota Imanaga (CHC) vs LAD (ND) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 69 pitches.
Shota Imanaga (CHC) vs LAD (ND) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 69 pitches.
Ayyy, baseball is back! And it’s the traditional SP Roundup line! I suggested managers bench all SP for these two games given the low pitch counts and I guess that was unwise…? I’m thrilled to see Imanaga’s velocity up to 92.6 mph, even if that’ll likely fall to roughly 91 mph once going six frames and not pitching in front of his true home crowd. This was the same IM AN AGA from last year save for a shocking 58% strike rate on his four-seamer and we’re all good here.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) @ CHC (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 72 pitches.
This was pretty dang cool. The splitter was hard at 92 mph (over two ticks higher than last year!) and returned just under 70% strikes with 9/29 whiffs. That’s everything you could hope for…even if his heater went 0/29 whiffs. BUT FINE, I created CSW for a reason and hey! 31% CSW on the pitch. I guess it can work, Nate.
Reese Olson (DET) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Velocity is still up…slightly. 94.9 mph (+0.7) while the change and slider combined or 5/29 whiffs. Not bad, but not crazy good as the slider deel wasn’t quite there. The sinker didn’t get inside to RHB, either, and this wasns’t his best. I don’t think I realized how poor his extension is, either (5.7 feet = terrible), which amplifies the need for more velocity and to locate his sinker. And stop throwing four-seamers please.
Bailey Falter (PIT) – 2.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K. I’m glad he’s okay and back on the bump. He’s trying out a splitter that didn’t split. At all. Kinda funny to see the pitch with the same movement as his fastballs at six mph slower, but maybe that’s a deceptive thing…? Nah, that’s bad. Just trade him to the Rays already.
Paul Skenes (PIT) – 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 7 K. It’s still weird to see Skenes feature a meh slider, but the Splinker/four-seamer combo is just too dang good. LHB are served endless pitches away and they were able to lay off more than usual for 57% strikes on said splinker, but yeah, he’s dope and makes us feel dope.
Joe Ryan (MIN) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Oh dear. Is he okay? Ryan sat 91.4 mph (-2.6 ticks) and was 2-3 ticks down on everything. This was an off-season of Ryan healing from his Teres Major Strain and after suggesting he was completely fine and good to go, this does not look like he’s good to go. HOWEVER, I have good news. BBWAA member and one of the most recent Pitcher List staff additions David Brown shared a report from Betsy Helfand that Ryan purposefully held back as he was 90 minutes away from the Twins facilities and didn’t want to air it out, including a direct quote from Ryan. Phew.
Aaron Nola (PHI) – 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 5 K. The curve is the curve. The heater is still down at 90.3 mph (-2.2). The change went 53% strikes. The Nick Pollack is a little afraid. Odd years are the scary years…
Chris Bassitt (TOR) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K. The velocity isn’t totally back yet (might not be til April) with 90.5 mph (-2.0) on the sinker, but the other offerings are hanging around and he’s fine. Don’t overlook Bassitt in deeper leagues – he’ll still go six frames and get Wins, y’all. The WHIP shouldn’t be the ghastly 1.40+ of last year.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Uhhhh, your velocity was down too. That’s four straight guys, WHAT IS THIS. 91.5 mph (-2.4 mph) on the heater is awfully low with just 3/19 splitter whiffs. We’ve seen the velocity dip before, but hot dang, the best version of Gausman is at 95 mph. With 25% splitter whiffs. He’s not the same guy he used to be. But he got 18-19″ of vert! Nearly two inches more! 0/38 whiffs. But weak contact in play! If you’re saying he’s a Toby now, then I think we’re on the same page. Oh. Right.
Griffin Canning (NYM) – 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 9 K. Just 25% four-seamers with 75% sliders + changeups. Interesting to see him turn off everything else and yet, I’m here for it. The change and slider are his two best pitches, after all. I don’t think he’ll get away with 47% strikes on the slowball and Dancing With The Disco across 51% sliders moving forward, though. So many to LHB down the pipe. That can work and I’m not going to say he can’t have any success, but it’s not a recipe for 9 K across five frames. This is spring showing itself.
Mike Vasil (TB) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K. The Rays prospect faced his former farm club and was pretty boring. It’s poor pitch shape at 94 mph and I’m not a fan.
Ryan Weathers (MIA) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K. He sat 97.4 mph (+1.4) and kept the vert gains, flirting with 17″ at a low 1.3 HAVAA (and six feet of extension…). But one strikeout?! “HAISTBMBWT?!” I know, I know. The changeup went 1/15 whiffs and the heater was located inside to RHB, not up as it should. I’m also annoyed he barely faced LHB and threw just one breaking ball across twelve pitchers. Weathers, you need to find your sweeper to LHB, it’s the biggest hole in your game! TRY IT OUT! But I hung the only one I threw. IT’S THE SPRING!
Paul Blackburn (NYM) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K. Some of y’all are going to be calling Blackburn a sleeper for 15-teamers. I can feel it. It’s like the rumbling of the train after you aggressively signed the lease for the stupid cheap apartment. I hear it and I wish I didn’t.
Merrill Kelly (AZ) – 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 4 K. Everything is pretty normal here, too bad it didn’t go well. I still dig him for 15-teamers.
Chase Silseth (LAA) – 2.2 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 5 BB, 2 K. The only pitch above a 57% strike rate was the splitter as it flirted with 70%. Yeah. That can’t be the life Silseth lives.
Logan Henderson (MIL) – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 2 K. Henderson. Buddy. You’ve been given this opportunity, do not miss your chance! MOM’S ARRIGHETTI! I still like the 18″ of vert with a very flat 1.7 HAVAA, but you gotta locate that heater better than a 56% strike rate and few high heaters, plus that change and cutter have to do plenty better than a 50% strike rate. So close, Henderson. So close.
Tanner Bibee (CLE) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K. All good over here…kinda. The sinker isn’t getting inside and the cutter was blegh. But it still worked out because Bibee has had the grace of Koufax for a long time. So it goes.
Joey Cantillo (CLE) – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K. Extension is 7.2 feet with 92/93 mph velocity and that’s lovely. Changeup was low this time (a bit too inside for my liking but I’ll take it) and we’re all good. Blame Bibee for being so efficient for the few frames.
Andrew Abbott (CIN) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K. Velocity is still down at 91.5 (-1.3 mph) and the changeup to RHB is meh…? Sweeper isn’t landing away to LHB, either, and I’m super tepid on the Decent Farmer. (AA = Double A = Decent Farm squad. I don’t love it either.)
Carson Spiers (CIN) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K. Despite the innings, Abbott and Spiers threw close to the same pitches and we may see a piggy-back scenario out of the gate. Could spell a sneaky Win for Spiers if you’re desperate…
Statcast Games – No TV
KC vs. AZ
CWS vs. SF
Seth Lugo (KC) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K. Velocity is normal. Eight pitches thrown. Eleven whiffs. Sign me up, y’all. I know that sounds weird, but he’s a Holly going at the price of a HIPSTER and Toby. Great value for your SP #4/5 if you went for someone like Strider and need April production. Or just in general. You’re not going to drop Lugo across the year.
Ryne Nelson (AZ) – 3.0 IP, 8 ER, 11 H, 0 BB, 1 K. Yikes. He got hit hard with 94 mph heaters (-1.4 mph) and 0/29 whiffs on the pitch. He really needs that cutter, slider, change, curve, SOMETHING to stick and nothing is at this point. I’ve had hopes for the 91 mph cutter to be that pitch, but it fell to 89 mph…with some extra movement that was nullified by its poor placement. He’s not in the rotation and I hope we see a revitalized Nelson when he inevitably returns to the rotation.
Jonathan Cannon (CWS) – 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 1 K. There will be a time when Cannon has the gunpowder to explode. This is clearly not that time. There may only be a small handkerchief worth of powder at that time, too. It’s also a reallllllly long fuse. Please stop. Gladly.
Justin Verlander (SF) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K. Huh. His curveball had far less drop than last year, save for a handful. I wonder if that was more of a sweeper he’s testing out…? Velocity was the same and his slider was generally spotted well and yes, I see a value volume arm for 15-teamers here. He’s no stud, but he’s a potential Toby for 12-teamers, who I’d even consider streaming in Cincy for his first start.
No Statcast – TV
BOS vs. BAL
ATL vs. BOS
Tanner Houck (BOS) – 4.1 IP, 0 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 3 K. NOICE. That’s a solid outing and no walks! Still a bit hesitant to chase this as peak Houck requires the splitter to be constantly on point and that doesn’t seem like the guy we’ve seen this spring.
Spencer Strider (ATL) – 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 6 K. This was DOPE. He sat around 94 mph with some 95 mph as reported on the broadcast, but most importantly, he threw strikes. This was not a good offense on the other end, though, and let’s not get too hyped. He tossed just under 30 pitches and we haven’t seen him kick it into full gear yet, of course. Still didn’t skip leg day on the IL, though.
Ian Anderson (ATL) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 5 BB, 2 K. Anderson, the king of walking too many and finding a way to keep the ERA down. Unreal. He can’t be trusted.
No Statcast – No TV
WSH vs. STL
ATH vs. SEA
MacKenzie Gore (WSH) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Doesn’t seem like he’s on the verge of a breakout, does it?
Erick Fedde (STL) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Don’t Trust The Feddes. I hope he’s embracing his secondaries a bit more than last year with the Cardinals. Maybe the Yankees grab him with Arenado…?
What To Watch Today On TV