Out Of Buck

(Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire)

Clay Buchholz had a “line” of 0.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 0 Ks last night. Like the Chewbacca defense, it makes no sense. That’s because Bucky was scratched last minute due to elbow stiffness. Rut roh. I’d be surprised if we see him again this season. It’s been a wonderful ride Buchholz, especially when you didn’t get a chance to ruin that precious ERA before next year’s drafts. That means we can all share a lovely grin as he’s drafted well before his proper price and grab better values later. He’s the gift that keeps on giving! But seriously, poor Buchholz, I hope he recovers soon and is pitching healthy again soon. So instead we got Matt Koch – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – and I can—what?! Is Coke okay? Actually, it’s not as I’ve learned it’s not pronounced that way. Then is Koch okay for my team? Does it look like he’s okay for your team? Oh. Yeah. *Kool-Aid Man enters my apartment* GET OUT OF HERE PITCHER OF BRIEF HAPPINESS. I can so keep going with this (pitcher of brief happiness? You mean Amir Garrett’s 2017 season?) but you don’t want these jokes anymore. There’s no more relevant fantasy information here. Stop reading this blurb.

Let’s see how every other SP did Thursday:

Gabriel Moya – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. It’s a False Start so we can move on. I wonder if Gabriel ever cooks his special recipe for his family, Moya Beans. 

Eduardo Rodriguez – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks. He’s bouncing back between studs and duds and now it could be a dud against the Yanks + a stud against the O’s. I wonder if he’ll be a bit underrated for next year given his injury history and big gap of time missed this season, but I’ll take another 20-25 starts from Eduardo given how he’s certainly taken a step forward this year. Anyway, start him for both here.

Mike Leake – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks. Solid outing from Leake as he’s pretty much a coin flip on any given night…except for his next two starts against the Astros and A’s. Those are bad coin flips. Is there a bad coin flip? If it’s a six-sided coin one only one positive side, sure. That has to exist, right?

Sandy Alcantara – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks. I’ll be writing about Alcantara later today to go a bit more in-depth on the Marlin, and I’ll make it short by saying there is some tangible upside here, though I wonder if his command is good enough for sustained success with a sinker/slider combination. Only 7 changeups – solid pitches too – that I want to see more of, while that slider only returned four whiffs on 32 thrown. Still, 30/99 CSW thanks to solid heaters in this one and, you know, the Mets. There’s a reason I put him as the “best Marlins pitcher” in my bold prediction…which I may have to repeat for 2019 given how long it’s taken for him to become a proper starter. As for this year, he gets the Reds and Nationals next and I’m a little wary of it. His command isn’t that good without three strong pitches in his repertoire. A questionable streamer there. Streaming Record: 94-45.

Dylan Bundy – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks. 34/90 CSW with 16 whiffs and a Gallows Pole? Come on now Bundy, that’s dumb. You’ve been pulling our chain the entire year and while I love that you went 15/30 CSW on your slide piece and sat just under 92mph with heat, I still can’t really believe in you. Give me a solid changeup again instead of this sub 10% usage one and we can talk about my belief in you again.

Odrisamer Despaigne – 1.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. The last name is wonderful, everything else…is not. Poor, poor Despaigne…

Sam Gaviglio – 3.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks. Blegh. We had a fun day of wonder Gaviglio, one fun day.

Mike Montgomery – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. Yep, this is the boring start I expect from Monty each time he’s on the mound. 

Joe Ross – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks. 10/74 CSW with six whiffs. This isn’t the Ross I once knew. Maybe next year. Maybe.

Jason Vargas – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks. Now it’s a 3.09 ERA in his last six starts and you’re wondering. This could work out against the Phils + Nats + Marlins to end the year…right? Do you really want to put your faith in a 6.47 ERA pitcher who has a 4.00 SIERA during his “great” stretch during your playoffs, fresh off a start against the Marlins? I didn’t think so.

Jeff Brigham – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. Jeff sounds like something I’d say inebriated and hungry. What did you just scream at me? BRIGHAM! But you just ate. I SAID BRIGHAM!

Kyle Freeland – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks. Solid strikeout and WHIP marks, 3 ER is…okay. It hurts a bit seeing a 4.00+ ERA on the record, but it is a QS – if that matters for you – and doesn’t really change anything about our stances on Freeland.

Clayton Kershaw – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks. TATIAGA gave us a VVPQS and that’s kinda whack. Sure, 9 Ks n all, but this just ain’t right. Only the fourth start in 23 games this season where he’s allowed more than 2 ER, so let’s brush it off an be happy he gave you the Ks.

Steven Matz – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks. Essentially a PQS with a sub 1.00 WHIP and 4 Ks. I’m all for that from Matz and keep letting him fly.

Heath Fillmyer – 7.1 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks. There’s been some talk of “do we start Fillmyer?” lately and I was thinking I was going to have to lead with him given the start of this game, but he returned to his normal self via 2 more ER in the 8th (Careful Icarus) and we’re back to understanding his low floor. He’s really mediocre without much of a ceiling and y’all know I hate low ceilings without good floors. Makes me feel all cramped and wondering what I’m doing there in the first place. Seriously, if you want to talk mediocre, just send Filly up there and you’ll understand it.

Brett Anderson – 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks. I know it was the Orioles, but it was also Brett. We don’t like Brett.

Austin Gomber – 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks. He was my reluctant Call Boy for the day with a decent chance at bleeeeegh and it’s what we got. Now it’s Atlanta and Milwaukee and it’s time for us to forget all about Gomber. It was all a dream…

Today’s Streamer

Wei-Yin Chen vs. Philadelphia Phillies – The Marlins rotation is super underrated y’all! Now they get the Phillies and this could still work, even after Chen’s last start letting me down a bit.

Tomorrow’s Streamer

Reynaldo Lopez vs. Baltimore Orioles – There is zilch available here, so why not, chase a good outing from ReyLo against the worst team in the bigs.

Day After Tomorrow’s Streamer

Jose Urena vs. Philadelphia Phillies – I feel so weird suggesting Marlin after Marlin, but there really are very few options left, with my standard options – Minor/Giolito/Junis, etc. all well above the 20% threshold as everyone picked up on it. Meanwhile, the Marlins have a cushy schedule and Urena ain’t that bad. Jacob Nix against the Rangers is so blegh, Jaime Barria against the Mariners is very ehhhhhhh, and there’s pretty much nothing else out there.

Game of the Day

Jack Flaherty vs. Walker Buehler – They spoil us like a banana left out during a month-long vacation.