Slippin’ and Slidin’ Jimmy

(Photo by Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire)

I’ve talked about him loosely for a bit, but it’s time to really grasp what is going on with Jameson Taillon, who went 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks last night against the Brewers. Since he introduced his slider on May 27th, Taillon holds a 3.29 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 24.6% K rate, 6.3% BB rate, 6 IPS, and 11% whiff rate. This isn’t a flash in the pan, this is the new Taillon. He’s always been a command focused guy with his heater and a curveball that couldn’t put away batters but induced grounders and found strikes. Now he has this slider – 26.4% usage since its introduction while holding a 17% whiff rate, 52% O-Swing, and 51% Zone rate. That’s legit money over 203 pitches. It’s the final piece of the puzzle – GET OUT OF HERE CHANGEUP – and you bet your bottom dollar I expect it to continue through the second half. Get in on this.

Let’s see how every other SP did Thursday:

J. A. Happ – 3.2 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks. Poor Happ. This line doesn’t really kill you save for the WHIP, but what you don’t see are the five runs allowed as the fourth inning was a nightmare. Infield single, error, wild pitch, etc. and a 13-pitch at-bat ending in a Mookie Betts grand slam. Defeat. 

Ross Stripling – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. Yeeeaaah I should have lifted Stripling on The List this week. Kinda dropped the ball there. My bad. To be fair, this was the Padres, but he should be definitively Top 25 by now.

Kyle Freeland – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. Freeland keeps impressing me, this time staving off the Diamondbacks as he lowered his ERA to a startling 3.11 ERA. Is he a TEEs with his 4.06 FIP and 4.38 SIERA? He’s also boasting a sub 20% K rate, 82.5% LOB rate, .269 BABIP and a sub 9% whiff rate…it just seems to weird to me. I don’t blame you for keeping with Freeland – by all means, it’s working now and it’s a Free Land – but this has the stench of disappointment, doesn’t it?

Kyle Gibson – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks. Now here’s a Kyle I can get behind. 3.42 ERA, 23.7% K, 12% whiff rate for the season, though a 30/113 CSW here is a bit of a letdown. Well okay I guess not since the line is fantastic, but it tells the tale of someone getting into deep counts then getting saved by the batted ball a little to make it through eight. Whatever, you know he’s not a Top 30 guy but a solid strikeout option without killing your ERA/WHIP. That’s fantastic.

Tyler Skaggs – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. This wasn’t really a DLH as he had just one start off and he sure didn’t act like it. Skaggs, you are a wonderful, mysterious enigma to me. I guess your four-seamer is just that effective these days. Keep riding it until something happens.

Wade Miley – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 5 BBs, 5 Ks. DLH here for Miley – I feel like every Miley start should be treated as such.

Robbie Ray – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks. Yep, that’s Ray alright. A ton of excitement with a touch of “ehhhh I guess my ratios can take the hit.”

Tyson Ross – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. Given how mediocre Ross has been lately, yes I’m definitely happy with this. Still need more Ks, but steps, not leaps ya’ll.

Trevor Cahill – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks. It was a DLH and we got more 3s than a GSW game. I may consider Cahill to help in the second half, but I need to see him do it once first. Oh right, I had to choose one of these DLH guys for the stream, so here’s the loss. Streaming Record: 55-31.

Steven Matz – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. A touch better than a VPQS from Matz with only 4 Ks. For those not in QS leagues, this start did nothing for you.

Charlie Morton – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. Blegh. This is too messy for any sort of happiness, even if 5 Ks is fine. Curveball was fine, splitter/cutter was not and he got hit around a little more than normal. Another day, another.

James Paxton – 0.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks. Bad news is obvious news: Paxton was lifted early due to injury. Good news is it was back stiffness that isn’t considered serious. Given we’ve dealt with plenty of long-term injury problems with Paxton, this is a sigh of relief. Maybe one missed start, maybe none given the ASB. Breathe easier. But my ERA and WHIP! HAISTFMFWT?! Oh come on, don’t bring that up in a time like this.

Kevin Gausman – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 12 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks.  Oh Gaus, if you can’t handle the Phils, can I trust you with anyone?

Nick Pivetta – 6.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. Even with the Careful Icarus of the seventh frame, I’m satisfied with his sub 1.00 WHIP and 7 Ks for the night. Feel good about being a Pivetta owner heading into the second half.

David Price – 6.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks. Yeah, I’m totally happy with this. 7+ Ks with zero walks is classic Price and I’ll take the 3 ER with that WHIP and strikeout production.

Max Scherzer – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. Aces gonna kinda ace? I mean it’s fine, but you want something more overpowering, you know?

Blake Snell – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks. Snell. No. Buddy, please, we want you in the ASB but you have to get your breaking balls in order.

Luis Severino – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Severino pitched five frames and got one strikeout. H…A…I…GTFMFWT?! Just one of those days from Sevy, bad luck if you needed this.

Corey Kluber – 7.1 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks. A slight Careful Icarus here as Kluber allowed his final 2 ER in the eighth, but the Yanks did claim 4 ER prior and despite pitching decently well, his mistakes were enough to give him the L. So it goes.

Today’s Streamer

Nick Kingham vs. Milwaukee Brewers – He’s still owned in under 10% of leagues, so obviously I’m rolling with him.

Tomorrow’s Streamer

Zack Wheeler vs. Washington Nationals – 19% owned! NINETEEN PERCENT.

Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer

Andrew Suarez vs. Oakland Athletics – There may be more options as teams decide what to do entering the break, so keep yourself updated come Saturday night.

Game of the Day

Noah Syndergaard vs. Washington Nationals – Thor is back and this is a good thing.