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 9 am-11 am ET.
Patrick Sandoval (LAA) @ PHI (ND) – 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 94 pitches.
I’m here to tell you that things are not fun with Patrick Sandoval right now. Save for a dominant outing against Oakland a few weeks ago, today’s 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 94 pitches against the Phils marks the fifth start of six where I’ve felt underwhelmed with the Irish Panda. 6/18 whiffs on his change today is good, but it’s not the pitch that’s carrying him through outings like we’ve seen in the past, and it leaves the game too much in the hands of his volatile slider and poor four-seamer.
It’s frustrating. We know the ceiling, and a stretch where Sandoval earns double-digit whiffs on the changeup feels inevitable, but what we’re getting mostly is treading water instead. You don’t have much of a choice but to hold — he isn’t destroying your team save for his evening with the Jays — and it gets more difficult with each start to buy into that peak arriving. He’ll fall on The List tomorrow and here’s to seeing the best that the Irish Panda has to offer in the coming weeks to bring him back into the Top 40.
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Zach Thompson (PIT) vs ARI (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 84 pitches.
Well look at that. Thompson actually had the curve working while the sinker and cutter did the rest. I’m glad Thompson could have this nice day on the bump, and sadly it’s likely fleeting with Atlanta next.
Adam Wainwright (STL) @ CHC (ND) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 9 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 102 pitches.
Great stuff from Wain—-wait. Zero strikeouts?! ZERO?! “HAISTBMBWT?! Seriously, that’s OUTRAGEOUS and I don’t know how he did it. And pair that with a 1.57 WHIP and that’s a Dusty Donut. I’ve never felt so upset about a 7 IP, 2 ER game. Wild. Keep starting him with Cincinnati next.
Justin Steele (CHC) vs STL (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 94 pitches.
Wow. Him and Wainwright managed to combine for just one strikeout across fourteen innings, both holding poor WHIPs along the way and I’m once again astounded to hate on 7 IP, 1 ER game. This is just madness. MADNESS.
Eric Lauer (MIL) vs SD (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 100 pitches.
Ehhhh his velo was all the way down to 92.6 mph (we want 94!) and I’m not loving the slider & cutter at the moment. It does seems like the magic has been fading from Lauer across the last month and while I’d still start him, it may be the perfect time for a sell high, especially if the velocity keeps trending this way. If you can’t sell him, you’re obviously holding him and I hope his stuff turns it around a touch against the Nationals.
Frankie Montas (OAK) vs BOS (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 104 pitches.
Montas has now had three starts tallying 14 ER and 10 ER across his nine other starts. I feel like he’s deserving of an AGA label after this defiant outing against the Red Sox, but I’ll wait just one more — take down the Guardians and it’s yours. By the way, he featured a cutter suddenly in this start and returned 36% CSW with the pitch. Hmmmmm, if it’s more consistent than the slider to earn strikes (18/25 = 72% here!) then it could be a gamechanger.
Rich Hill (BOS) @ OAK (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 78 pitches.
Wow, six frames in just 78 pitches. Clevinger, you could learn a thing or two from old man Hill. His curveball landed for 12/31 called strikes and the Athletics didn’t have an answer for it. Hill has been far better across the last few weeks, but is it good enough to trust against a solid lineup in Seattle? I’m not sure I’d say that.
Jakob Junis (SF) @ MIA (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 96 pitches.
Hey, it worked! Junis was the streaming pick of the day and while the changeup was barely touched, his slider was nasty and the sinker earned effective strikes galore. Sadly it’s the Dodgers next so it’s back to the wire for you.
Julio Urías (LAD) vs NYM (ND) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 90 pitches.
Yep, that’s an Urías start these days — solid ratios but not as many strikeouts as you’d like. Just accept it.
Mike Clevinger (SD) @ MIL (ND) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 60 pitches.
So he performed well, but he needed all sixty pitches of his limited pitch count to go three frames. Whatever, it’s Rockie Road next and that’s such a clear start as he’ll likely hover 75 pitches.
Jordan Montgomery (NYY) vs DET (ND) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 90 pitches.
It’s hard becoming seduced by The Bear, but Montgomery continues to get the job done, even if Detroit made it easier than usual. The changeup was as good as we’ve seen with 50% CSW and the sinker was solid, too. You love to see it.
Lucas Giolito (CWS) @ TB (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 109 pitches.
Aces gonna ace but ruin your WHIP along the way. 14 whiffs should translate to more strikeouts than three, and you can blame the mediocre changeup for that one. He’s fine.
Zach Plesac (CLE) @ BAL (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 99 pitches.
The slider has been great for a little bit now and while the changeup didn’t earn whiffs, it earned a whole lot of strikes once again, going 15/16 on the day. Huh. He gets the Athletics next and there may be some sneaaaaky value there.
Martín Pérez (TEX) vs SEA (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 105 pitches.
You can’t stop Pérez. Seriously, you can’t. Just start the man — this is all command based and he’s KILLING IT.
George Kirby (SEA) @ TEX (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 90 pitches.
Another good matchup and another solid start for Kirby. It’s a really good four-seamer and now he gets a tough matchup against the Red Sox for the second time in his short career. I’d say take the chance, but those in a close matchup may want to bench him. I get it — he’ll be in my questionable start tier — and it’s up to you if you believe he can pull it off.
Framber Valdez (HOU) @ KC (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 82 pitches.
Another solid start from Framber and there’s not much else to say. This is what he’s supposed to do against a team like the Royals. And now he gets Miami?! Sheesh, y’all have it easy.
Zac Gallen (ARI) @ PIT (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 98 pitches.
I know it’s just 2 ER, but a 1.33 WHIP against the Pirates with just four strikeouts is a bit underwhelming from Gallen. The changeup wasn’t great and just four-seamer/curve isn’t what we’re looking for. I want to believe his slowball & cutter are destined to blossom at some point, but boy is it hard to lean into that bet as we’ve barely seen those moments of bliss this season.
Rony García (DET) @ NYY (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 71 pitches.
Props to Rony here, I sure didn’t expect him to survive five frames against the Yankees. I can’t say I dig his approach of four-seamer & sinkers at 93/94 mph with a meh curveball, but hey, good for him today.
Trevor Williams (NYM) @ LAD (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 86 pitches.
That’ll do, Trevor. That’ll do. For the Mets, honestly. For your fantasy teams? I mean sure, but who actually started him against the Dodgers?
Devin Smeltzer (MIN) @ TOR (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 62 pitches.
He’s a Toby at best who wouldn’t warrant a start against the Jays. I didn’t anticipate a HAISTBMBWT?! but the lack of desirable result brings an odd comfort of the world being what it should be.
Luis Castillo (CIN) vs WSH (L) – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 111 pitches.
That’s a near VVPQS against the Nationals and I’m all sorts of disappointed given his incredible four-seamer approach last time. Here we saw just 14% four-seamers with sinkers taking the lead again. WHAT GIVES. I’m upset and it’s dumb. Hopefully he can flirt with the BSB again soon.
Jonathan Heasley (KC) vs HOU (L) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 102 pitches.
Honestly, a VPQS against the Astros from Heasley is kinda cool given how little I wanted in on this. He also sat over a tick harder on his heater to 95 mph and two ticks on his curveball, which may be a big deal. The Orioles are next and that could be a decent AL-Only stream. Just a thought.
Patrick Corbin (WSH) @ CIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 91 pitches.
A VPQS is a cause for celebration for Corbin. Yeah, that’s where we’re at.
Dean Kremer (BAL) vs CLE (L) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 67 pitches.
Just like in school, you don’t want anything to do with the Dean.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) vs MIN (L) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 87 pitches.
Aces gonna…allow 10 baserunners in 3.2 frames?! Huh?! His heater was very well spotted, but the splitter wasn’t getting the bites down at all and returned a paltry 7/19 strike rate. That’s incredibly weird and should be treated as an exception, not the beginning of a trend. Unless it comes out that Gausman has a blister, I’m going to cough this up to a bad day or even the popular “tipping his pitches”, which is essentially me saying “his ability is still great, don’t worry.”
Charlie Morton (ATL) @ COL (W) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 98 pitches.
Wow. A Golden Goal from Morton inside Coors?! With these ratios?! The curveball was unreal with a 53% CSW while the four-seamer got ahead plenty. A few batters got away from him + some balls didn’t go his way and BAM, that’s a 1.80 WHIP with a 7.20 ERA. It is encouraging to see such a great curveball, though, and I wonder if his start against the Pirates will be the beginning of the redemption tour — not just for Morton, but for fantasy managers coming back around on him. Please have that hook for another game or ten.
Braxton Garrett (MIA) vs SF (L) – 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 72 pitches.
Garrett has the rotation spot instead of Elieser Hernandez moving forward and it really doesn’t mean anything. Like finding the wrong Barone brother, you don’t want Garrett.
Kyle Gibson (PHI) vs LAA (ND) – 3.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 70 pitches.
Blegh. This wasn’t the best matchup, but you still held hope for something more. Keep your chin up, it’s Arizona next. That should be fine.
Ryan Feltner (COL) vs ATL (L) – 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 78 pitches.
The velocity was a little lower and it was Atlanta inside Coors. Yeah, this ain’t it. You could do worse next time out against the Padres in San Diego, but I’m sure not taking the chance in 12-teamers. Likely not 15-teamers, either.
Ryan Yarbrough (TB) vs CWS (L) – 1.2 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 68 pitches.
Does this mean The Fratty Pirate walks the plank to open the door for Jeffrey Springs to snag the rotation spot when Shane Baz returns? I hope so.
Game of the Day
Robbie Ray vs. Cristian Javier – Two underperforming players have a chance for redemption.
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)