Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Sunday game. I apologize for the jokes written in my delirium in advance. Have questions? Ask me during my office hours on Twitch weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
Bryce Miller (SEA) @ TEX (L) – 2.1 IP, 7 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 61 pitches.
Oh Bryce Miller. You had a rough night against the Yankees as they jumped on your fastball and despite our hopes for a rebound against the Rangers, it was more of the same against the elite offense: 2.1 IP, 7 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 61 pitches. It’s easy for us to say “Hey, it was the Rangers, give him some slack!” but I know y’all. You’re worried there is a larger issue. And maybe there is.
It was another fastball-focused outing, here allowing hits on heaters down the pipe to LHB, while he was a bit unlucky against right-handers as they returned four hits, three on pitches outside the zone. Weird.
We all knew this was the tale – Miller throws four-seamers and struggles with his secondaries – though his fastball lost a bit of vertical break in his last two starts. I have to wonder if that’s a product of stressful pitches with 61 thrown across just seven outs.
In short, we still worry about the lack of secondary pitch development, but we should expect him to perform better against the Angels and beyond moving forward. We hold for now and looking forward to the climb from this valley.
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) vs SEA (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 87 pitches.
The man just keeps on rolling. It’s getting hard to push him away from the AGA label and while I don’t reject the idea that he has lived up to the label thus far, it’s still not the arsenal that dictates acedom across the rest of the season. Maybe I’m underselling his splitter but who cares, you’re holding him. Enjoy.
Brady Singer (KC) vs COL (W) – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 95 pitches.
The man is a Cherry Bomb and I love seeing nine slider whiffs once again. Still volatile, of course, but it’s nice to win one.
Triston McKenzie (CLE) @ MIN (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 10 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 79 pitches.
Welcome to 2023 you beautiful man. His slider and curve each returned 50%+ CSW across all 30 breakers while his four-seamer was as well spotted as I’ve seen, sticking to the upper half alone. Who is this man and what have you done with Triston? Okay fine, the slider is still hung a little too often, but still, this is the best I’ve seen Triston and you never see that in their first start back from the IL. Incredible.
Marcus Stroman (CHC) @ SD (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 84 pitches.
Stroman is locked in, though this was a day of nailing low sinkers and not a whole lot else, leaning into his Cubs defense and grounders once again. He has three excellent matchups ahead and there’s no reason to slow down our love.
J.P. France (HOU) vs LAA (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 90 pitches.
There’s the France we want to see, though the offense couldn’t back him for a Win. Don’t expect the world from it, just one country where decency resides. And good cheese. So he throws hard? Ugggh, fine. Wonderful breakfast pastries and cool lookin’ hats. Ohhhhhh.
Adrian Houser (MIL) @ CIN (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 92 pitches.
Houser. You rascal. Enjoy that Gold Star as you chucked fastballs for 19/21 outs in play and survived despite pitching in one of the worst parks. The Houser is on fire. Wait, how am I supposed to translate that? Is he doing great or is everything terrible? Yes. But tha–YES.
Ranger Suárez (PHI) @ WSH (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 101 pitches.
Ayyyy it worked! There’s still a bit of work to be done with his command, but it is interesting to see him lean on the curve as his primary secondary pitch (I’ll never stop loving that phrase), considering he used the pitch just 8% of the time in 2022. Interesting, welp back to the waiver with you as I’m not starting Ranger against the Dodgers.
Bobby Miller (LAD) vs NYY (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 86 pitches.
I was wondering when we’d see a start when his slider would wake up and it only took three outings as the breaker went 11/30 whiffs, helping Miller look dominant on the bump. It wasn’t nearly the same eclectic mix – he was mostly slider/heater with sinkers and four-seamers – but when the sinker is effective and the slider is filthy, you lean into it. This is feeling good, y’all. Real good.
Domingo Germán (NYY) @ LAD (ND) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 99 pitches.
Okay, I think he’s all good post-suspension. It’s the same story – excellent curve over 40% thrown while the fastball and change didn’t get in the way. That’s the Domingo way and now it’s 2x Boston on the docket. I guess we go for it?
Rich Hill (PIT) vs STL (W) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 96 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! Cool stuff from Hill, who finds a way at times to make this work. Or maybe the Cardinals really are going through a tough time.
Griffin Canning (LAA) @ HOU (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 87 pitches.
Would you look at that. Canning was able to go just 22% four-seamers, which meant his secondaries did the work they were supposed to do. Okay fine, it was really the slider going 40% CSW across 35 thrown. It makes you wonder if he’s worth the hold with Seattle + Kansas City up next. Decent for 15-teamers, but not enough to chase for 12-teamers.
Matthew Boyd (DET) @ CWS (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 82 pitches.
Whooooaaaa baby. Boyd executed the BSB with four seamers and sliders and…returned just two slider whiffs. But that heater was so well placed up in the zone and it was the hero of this outing as everything – sliders, curves, changeups – sat low and mixed in well with the heat. It’s hard to buy into that fastball sitting in the same spots next time around and without the whiffs on the slider I’m still a little cautious, but he certainly deserved success here.
Michael Kopech (CWS) vs DET (ND) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 92 pitches.
Kopech matched Boyd’s strikeouts and was better today about locating with his heaters comfortably inside the strikezone. Despite hovering 95/96 mph once again (not 96/97), the heater returned 40% CSW and the majority of his whiffs while we’re just happy the slider went above 60% strikes. He has one more great matchup before things get weird, and let’s be thankful for the Marlins ahead.
Kyle Freeland (COL) @ KC (L) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 89 pitches.
Seven innings and one strikeout. HAISTBMBWT?! But Nick! He earned 10 slider whiffs! And one strikeout! That’s still 20/21 outs in play and just four hits with a 1/31 CSW on his four-seamer + changeup combined. Y’all know this line ain’t real.
Joe Ryan (MIN) vs CLE (L) – 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 88 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Just imagine how good he would be if his splitter + slider returned more than 1/28 whiffs. If only…
Zac Gallen (ARI) vs ATL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 110 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Much better from Gallen as he got Singled Out in this one. Fastball + curve were a better combo here and I’m feeling a little better overall. There’s still work to be done with the changeup and cutter, but we’re okay. Questionably Top 10 SP, but we’re okay.
Tyler Wells (BAL) @ SF (W) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 102 pitches.
That’s five straight games of 7+ strikeouts for Wells as he showcased why he was the featured pitcher for The List last week. I’m believing it’s real with his high four-seamer intent out of the zone mixed with a fantastic changeup (48% CSW!) and cutter. I should have believed in this PLV darling sooner.
Yusei Kikuchi (TOR) @ NYM (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 89 pitches.
A Golden Goal for Kikuchi?! Well I’ll be. The curveball showed up once again for 20 thrown at 50% CSW, but the slider was the major weapon with a 41% CSW across 37 thrown, while actually being able to throw four-seamers over the plate effectively. In short, breakers that work + a fastball that gets strikes. It’s not a skill Kikuchi has had often in the past and while I’m skeptical it’ll last, I’ll consider the possibility it continues against the Twins.
Miles Mikolas (STL) @ PIT (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 10 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 91 pitches.
Ten hits is kinda laughable with Mikolas as we were served a healthy splash of cold water after his last two outings. Back to reality, oohp! There goes my WHIP.
Taj Bradley (TB) @ BOS (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 89 pitches.
Ehhhh, we’ll take it. He failed to get the four-seamer up above the zone per usual while the changeup was a wreck and he returned just 5/12 curveballs for strikes. Not great. This one was a step back.
Kodai Senga (NYM) vs TOR (ND) – 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 5 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 68 pitches.
Hoooo boy. Just 2/13 forkball whiffs (low usage) and his cutter + four-seamer was all over the place. He’s such a Cherry Bomb, regardless of the fact that he faced Toronto.
Trevor Williams (WSH) vs PHI (L) – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 101 pitches.
Oh hey Trevor. Okay, bye Trevor.
Tanner Houck (BOS) vs TB (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 92 pitches.
We saw that one day of peak command and I wish we could have stretched out our legs on a plateau instead. At least he’s leaning into his slider more and hopefully it’s the start of ironing out some of the kinks.
Ben Lively (CIN) vs MIL (L) – 7.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 104 pitches.
Ahhh dang. The slider went 24% CSW with just three whiffs and two homers for 4 ER will do that to ya. Don’t let me call you Raggedy Anne again, please. We’re back out with the Cardinals and Astros likely up next.
Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs OAK (ND) – 7.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 89 pitches.
What is it with Sandy having that one terrible inning? He allowed 5 ER and was absolutely dominant otherwise, with a sub 1.00 WHIP (again) and seven strikeouts with everything else you want. He just can’t catch a break. I’m still buying low here – he has a near 60% LOB rate now. That’s absurd and will correct itself.
Paul Blackburn (OAK) @ MIA (ND) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 85 pitches.
Blegh. These Oakland streams against the Marlins haven’t gone nearly as well as I hoped as Blackburn failed to dominate the zone like last time. Don’t rule out a better time against the Brewers, though. It’s still in there.
Michael Soroka (ATL) @ ARI (ND) – 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 80 pitches.
Yikes. I saw Soroka’s command in his debut and thought he was back where we left off and boy was I wrong. It puts us in a tough spot with the Nationals + Rockie Road up next, but I think we still hold on. This feels atypical, not a new normal.
Anthony DeSclafani (SF) vs BAL (L) – 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 68 pitches.
The overall command has been wonky for nearly a month and it’s time to let him go with the Cubs and Dodgers up next. I don’t think it’s worthwhile.
Ryan Weathers (SD) vs CHC (L) – 1.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 44 pitches.
I won’t stop until Nick Martinez gets his rightful place back inside the rotation. Just saying.
Game of the Day
Andrew Abbott vs. Milwaukee Brewers – Pick up the southpaw and be very tempted to start him against the poor Milwaukee offense. Should be a fun one.
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
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Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)