Four Score For Thor

(Photo by Bennett Cohen/Icon Sportswire)

I talk a decent amount about Noah Syndergaard and it’s time to talk some more after 6.2 IP, 4 ER, 12 Hits, 5 BBs, 4 Ks against the Phils. This is blowing my mind. After dominating for his first career complete game, the man allows seventeen baserunners yet finds a way to allow just four earned runs. Unreal. Just 9/109 whiffs is all kinds of weird from a guy with Thor’s stuff and it’s a game where my talks about his BABIP went to an extreme, resulting in a .480 BABIP. Pitches were located right in the heart of the plate and smacked, while the Phils easily let pitches go out of the zone. There’s a part of me that wants to tell you to reconsider throwing Thor moving forward. On the other…it’s Syndergaard. You can’t not start him. All I can do is do my best impression of Taken and say “good luck.” We’re all counting on you. 

Let’s see how every other SP did Saturday:

Diego Castillo – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. Another day, another False Start for the Rays and Ryan Yarbrough, who was terrible via 8 baserunners, 3 ER in 3.2 frames, stole a win because it’s the Orioles.

Gio Gonzalez – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks.  This is a trap. You could argue he’s a Cherry Bomb these days and that’s the good argument. Ouch.

Ivan Nova – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks. Ivan went Super Nova for one of the first times since the spring. This is a pretty easy Blame it on the Marlins, and consider only as an occasional streamer.

Jose Berrios – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks. Alright, alright, I see you Berrios. Unlike Rod Allen in the booth but I see you Berrios. Still hard to really buy into him the rest of the way, but I don’t think you have a choice. Now it’s @KCR, @OAK, DET, and you just do it.

Matt Boyd – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 11 Ks. Whoaaaaa baby! It’s too bad I can’t stream him anymore, 19 whiffs, fastball up to 93mph on his four-seamer – it was at 89/90 back in the spring! – and it led to 35/98 CSW against the tough St. Louis offense. That’s what’s up. A real test comes next week against the Indians next week, but there’s a chance he keeps rolling while it’s the Twins twice + Brewers after. I’m so intrigued.

Clay Buchholz – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. Despite getting the Braves, the Bucky train kept on rolling. I don’t blame anyone starting him through the tough matchups until something breaks, but it might be a tough day when it happens.

Kyle Freeland – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks. Freeland is back with the strikeouts and it’s kinda dope. Just 3 whiffs on 38 cutters, which all kinds of weird, but he pounded the zone with the pitch (9 called), while going 35/100 CSW in Coors against the Dodgers. It’s another double-digit whiff rate and it’s lovely.

Felix Hernandez – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks. Sure, he survived four frames with 1 ER, but everything is bleeeeegh. What a Prince.

Jorge Lopez – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. It was eight perfecto frames before a walk and hit to lead off the ninth. Poor fella. It was one of those BABIP days and not overall dominance. Just six whiffs – though 26 called – and I think it would be unwise to think he can perform anywhere close to this again.

Julio Teheran – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks. There’s something to be said about a 3.67 ERA and 4.30 SIERA over his last 15 starts with a strikeout per inning along the way. It’s more of a result of being a Cherry Bomb for the most part and I can’t really get behind him – it’s still Teheran – but I get if you need to do it.

Matt Harvey – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 10 Ks. I’ve considered Harvey as a streamer a decent amount, though I elected to go with Chen this time and I got burned. Noooooo. The Rutger (Red Knight) earned 21 swinging strikes in 98 pitches as he took care of the Padres and that’s cool. Too bad he gets the Cubs next.

David Hess – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks. Nah guys, nah. For disappointment this year, the Hess Truck’s here.

Lance Lynn – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks. I’ll totally take this from Lynn. Zero walks! 0.50 WHIP! 3.00 ERA! Don’t care about the two Ks if we get this each time.

Yohander Mendez – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 1 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks. I really hope he gets introduced the right way. YooooooooooooHANDER! Mendez. I don’t want to write normal things about Mendez because, you know, he’s not worth anyone’s time, so that’s the best I’m got.

Charlie Morton – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks. It was a 50/50 DLH and this start is the representation of that. It was the Sawx so cut him some slack and start him freely moving forward.

Wei-Yin Chen – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks. Awww, I have to take a loss as Chen took a step back against the Pirates. Still six Ks, but only four frames with a 1.75 WHIP and 6.75 ERA just isn’t gonna cut it. 29/86 CSW is actually pretty good, but it didn’t go his way. Womp womp. Streaming Record: 91-43.

Jack Flaherty – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks. Flaherty, I appreciate that you’re helping me with your draft stock for next year, but I feel bad for everyone who needs you right now. Get it together.

Jaime Garcia – 0.1 IP, 3 ER, 1 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks. It was a Double-Header and Garcia got the nod…which didn’t go so well as he walked the bases loaded. Welp, that was fun.

Cole Hamels – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 5 Ks. He handed us a Philly and it’s a pretty blegh start. I think this is the worst we’ll see from Hamels ROS though, and at least it’s not a terrible outing.

Max Scherzer – 9.0 IP, 3 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 11 Ks. Aces gonna ace. That’s a 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, with nine full innings of expression. That’s what’s up. Nearly double the ERA of deGrom though soooooo yeah.

Matt Shoemaker – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks. I’m not expecting a whole lot from Shoemaker this month as this was his second start back from the DL. It’s possible he showcases one start of the ridiculous upside of yesteryear, but it’s most likely a lot of blegh.

Walker Buehler – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. A pair of HRs did Buehler in, but what makes the best guys great is salvaging your start when the ERA doesn’t go your way – 1.17 WHIP and  Ks is still very helpful. I’m still a major fan, especially with 16/96 whiffs.

Edwin Jackson – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. I miss the new EJax, not the old EJax.

Jefry Rodriguez – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. Seven Ks are cool n all, but Jefry just isn’t worth your time.

Chris Stratton – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks. Ehhhhh this is kinda blegh even with the Ks. He’s not the man of last September.

Adam Plutko – 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks. Well, yeah, it’s Plutko. He’s a worse Josh Tomlin. And even Tomlin isn’t worth your time.

Eduardo Rodriguez – 3.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks. Nooooo, after a great DLH start, his second outing against the Astros was what we expected last time. Stupid baseball. It’s a nice average between the two at least…? Just start him and forget it.

Zach Eflin – 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks. The freefall of Eflin continues as I wonder if he’s going to be a decent last-round pick next year. It’s not out of the question he retains his improved velocity while gaining confidence in his slider and another secondary pitch. For now, though, you want something else.

Sean Reid-Foley – 4.2 IP, 6 ER, 5 Hits, 5 BBs, 3 Ks. After having a fantastic start, Reid-Foley just wanted to show you that his room is super big, with a terrible floor. Now everyone knows what we’re dealing with.

James Shields – 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. Looks like Jimmy Bucklers couldn’t escape the coppers this time. With just one strikeout too! HAISTFMFWT?!

Robbie Erlin – 3.0 IP, 7 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 0 Ks. Well yeah, Erlin is far away from fantasy relevant.

Today’s Streamer

Reynaldo Lopez vs. Los Angeles Angels – Bleeeegh, am I really going with ReyLo? It’s really him or Jacob Nix against the Reds and he really hasn’t done enough to make me think that is going to happen. At least Lopez has been volatile with a ceiling instead of consistent mediocrity, right? Touki Toussaint vs. Arizona Diamondbacks – I feel weird striking through all of that since they are still options, but I’ve changed the primary pick to Touki given his ability to win your week in the last moment.

Tomorrow’s Streamer

Jose Urena vs. New York Mets – The Prime Candidates of Junis/Minor/Giolito are all now over 20%, so I’m going with Urena against that terrible offense.

Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer

Trevor Richards vs. New York Mets – It’s the Mets and Richards has the upside to make this well worthwhile.

Game of the Day

Touki Toussaint vs. Robbie Ray – Will Ray continue his dominance? Will Touki flash his ceiling? I want it all.