Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher's performance from every Saturday game. I apologize for the jokes written in my delirium in advance. Have questions? Ask me during my office hours on Twitch.tv (https://twitch.tv/pitcherlist) weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
Trevor McDonald (SFG) @ ATH (W) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 90 pitches.
In my opinion, Trevor McDonald's performance against the Dodgers and Sacramento was solid. He displayed a sinker/slider arm that looked impressive, with 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, and 90 pitches. Yes, you should pick him up. His breaker, labeled a curve last year, is arguably a sweeper or slurve, and it did a wonderful job against RHB. However, it took a step back against LHB. The sinker was fearless over the plate to RHB with its elite sub 1.0" vert, and churned outs galore without a single flyball. I wish I could praise his slowball more, but he spiked the pitch a ton, requiring him to nail the edges of the zone with his sinker and grind as he failed to give in. It forced sub 60% strikes across everything to LHB, and it's his biggest area for improvement.
There's concern that McDonald is out of the rotation in the near future if Logan Webb is able to return on Friday, and it's truly the only hurdle before I can get properly hyped. My feeling is that Houser will get bounced from the rotation instead of McDonald, not to mention it's not 100% clear that Webb will be able to return so soon. If McDonald starts against the White Sox on Friday, he's a probable start for me. It seems like a good stash to make for a few days as the haze clears.
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) @ PIT (W) – 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 13 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 40% CSW, 108 pitches.
Aces gonna ace for a King Cole. He's brought his WHIP all the way down to 1.20 with a 1.82 ERA. The sinker is back to 95/96 mph. This is so dope.
Casey Mize (DET) vs TOR (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 71 pitches.
This was a Still ILL and look at him go, gliding through six frames at just 71 pitches. And guess what? The slider I was hyped about is still here. 48% CSW across 30% usage is hot while the sinker got inside to RHB, the splitter down to LHB, and the four-seamer upstairs. Dude had it all working and now gets the Guardians, where that splitter should roll up its sleeves and get er done. Sign me up.
Nick Martinez (TBR) vs MIA (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 77 pitches.
Martinez, what a gift you have been for so many fantastic managers. Now comes the hard part: Do you start him against the Yankees? He’s so BABIP reliant with few HRs allowed that I’m awfully hesitant, but over 50 frames of a 1.51 ERA is staring you in the face. Good luck, everyone. The changeup is rocking, for what it’s worth.
Sandy Alcantara (MIA) @ TBR (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 101 pitches.
The world is better when Sandy is rolling. We saw a different version here with two different sliders – one a cutter around 90 mph, and one more like a poor 81-83 mph curveball – with the former steering the way for the rest of his arsenal. The changeup stayed low, too, while the sinker and four-seamer did a fantastic job of avoiding the heart of the plate, unlike many other previous outings. In fact, it seemed as though Sandy was being ultra-cautious against RHB, throwing changeups and sliders aplenty, while the sinker stayed backdoor or elevated. I wonder if that sticks. We have a tough decision ahead with Hotlanta on the docket and that’s your call. I like this version more, but I’d personally bench and be happy if he performs.
Kai-Wei Teng (HOU) vs TEX (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 4 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 76 pitches.
Teng was finally given a longer leash and he didn’t waste any time to go frolicking into the fifth frame. He earned a ton of whiffs with his big sweeper away to RHB, while he got away with many sinkers and four-seamers over the plate, though he sequenced the former effectively for a massive 53% called strike rate. Sadly, the walk rate isn’t going to disappear overnight and his massive per-batter putaway rate of 64% (as opposed to his season average of 43%) does plenty to showcase his unreliability. He’s peak McCullers at best, current McCullers at worst. So he’s McCullers… Yes.
Spencer Miles (TOR) @ DET (L) – 3.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 56 pitches.
Miles stepped in after the Jays DFA’d Lauer and I can’t say I’m a big fan of what he does. It’s an 90 mph curve, 85/86 mph guyro slider, and a pair of 95 mph fastballs that overperformed here. It’s way too meh.
Connor Prielipp (MIN) vs MIL (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 86 pitches.
This is what happens when it’s 80 degrees outside for Prielipp. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MEET A STRANGER IN THE ALPS. What are you on about?! Sorry, dude, I was out of my element. He didn’t even have his prime slider command (so many floated up and gloveside), and his changeup + curve are both still a work in progress, but said slider killed it at 41% CSW, with his four-seamer cleaning up the rest. Relax, go bowling or something. Just abide.
Davis Martin (CHW) vs CHC (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 91 pitches.
Cubs? No problem. Apparently, Martin added not just a tick of velocity, but also half a foot of extension to 6.9 ft instead of 6.4ft…?! What. I know, right?! He’ll head to Oracle Park next and we’re obviously starting him there and we can see if that’s in any way real. Boy, that would be fun. A 95 mph four-seamer with roughly seven feet extension (poor vert, though) and three other pitches to mix to both LHB and RHB. Makes it more real if true.
Kyle Leahy (STL) vs KCR (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 90 pitches.
Wow. That’s two runs total across his last three and as much as I want to celebrate, I still don’t see sustainability. Nooooo. I know, this is the process, y’all. I don’t just look at the results (I mean, 1.33 WHIP here, too), I need validation in his approach to buy in. I see a lot of strikes and whiffs only on his changeup to LHB. Everything else is either a hope for an out or called strike and that’s not it. I can’t even bank on that changeup getting more whiffs.
Logan Henderson (MIL) @ MIN (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 84 pitches.
I really hope y’all didn’t miss the boat. This start marks his first Gallows Pole and his third of 2 ER to kick off his time in the rotation. The wild part? I was amped by Hender’s Bender in his first start, and he threw…once. For a called strike at 1-1 in the fifth to Jeffers. And that’s alright with me – the cutter has found new movement (3" inches depth, 2" cut) at the same velocity, turning it into a true weapon to RHB and a stabilizer for LHB. Chill, WE COOL Y’ALL. He gets the Dodgers next and despite the matchup, I’m kinda tempted. He’s on a legit heater due to his…legit heater.
Payton Tolle (BOS) @ ATL (W) – 8.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 85 pitches.
Speaking of legit heaters, Tolle leaned into it 45% of the time for just 3/38 whiffs and he had the good graces of Koufax allowing him to take down Hotlanta. He barely saw two strike counts as the Atlanta bats attacked early and often (a bit of a surprise given Tolle’s control questions in the past, but I digress), and it can be as simple as that. Sure, they hit the ball in play more, but shouldn’t Tolle force more whiffs and prevent them from hitting the ball in play so often? That’s a great point. Yes, he should. And also, he induced more weak contact than hard, and those ratios are glorious. This is beautiful for those low-whiff games.
Justin Wrobleski (LAD) @ LAA (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 103 pitches.
Oh, we’re back to making y’all tempted to hold, eh? At least he’s trying to figure out the changeup, and he added over an inch of vert to the four-seamer in this one. Still no whiffs, but the overall four-seamer and slider command was solid. Guess we roll against the Brewers, Rockie Road and Arizona. Gain the skills before the regression comes back, please.
Tomoyuki Sugano (COL) vs ARI (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 88 pitches.
It’s a real achievement for Sugano to carry a 4.02 ERA through nine starts this season, even if it comes with the 13% strikeout rate as this HAISTBMBWT?! suggests. I’m just happy for the guy.
Walker Buehler (SDP) @ SEA (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 101 pitches.
He’s such a kitchen sink guy that I think it’s helping him navigate at-bats decently well despite lacking great stuff or premium locations. The cutter’s -5" cut at 90 mph is fun, though. Mind not landing it over the heart of the plate to LHB and actually going inside with it? It’s also kinda funny to see either 2 or 4 ER in each of his last six starts with just one above 5.1 frames. Good luck against the Athletics back in San Diego, I think he’s a desperate 15-teamer stream.
Chris Paddack (CIN) @ CLE (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 78 pitches.
Oh wow, 2 ER in five frames for the new squad is kinda awesome. His velocity is back to 93 mph with seven feet of extension, and he had good pitch separation with his heater and change. The first start for a new club is generally "Give me the blueprint and we’ll play it by ear", which explains the elevated 50% usage on his heater. No, I’m not buying in. I just can’t after the season he’s already had.
David Peterson (NYM) vs NYY (W) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 82 pitches.
He’s loving the follower lifestyle, even if this is a 4.50 ERA and 2.25 WHIP. Great to see the slider cooking against LHB like it used to (48% CSW and five of those eight strikeouts), but I’m not chasing this at all. The floor is far too low.
Carlos Rodón (NYY) @ NYM (L) – 3.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 88 pitches.
Blegh. The Mets fouled off a ton and led to much longer at-bats than usual, while Rodón certainly had his wild misses along the way. He’s not back yet, but I wouldn’t worry at this point. Rust is rust and his velocity + pitch count are both where we want them to be – in fact he’s a tick up across the board with improved movement on both the sinker and four-seamer. I’m starting him against the Jays and would buy-low.
Bryce Elder (ATL) vs BOS (L) – 8.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 103 pitches.
The legend grows, and could have reached further if not for a two-run shot in the eighth (Careful, Icarus). No, this one did not make sense to me either and I’m going to stop trying to analyze and just do what everyone else is doing – starting him until this wild ride runs out of juice. Man, this party was LIT with all this juice!
Cade Cavalli (WSN) vs BAL (W) – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 94 pitches.
Cade tossed six shutout frames, allowed a solo shot to kick off the seventh, then went all Khaled and allowed another one, surrendered a single, struck out Mayo, then was relieved, where his baserunner scored. It’s all to say Cavalli was locked in for sixth, then the wheels came off in the seventh, even if the uptick in velocity at 97+ mph held in the seventh. I really want to love Cavalli – some of these strikeouts are fun with fastballs up-and-in or big breakers at 87 mph – and I’m not totally against the Mets up next. I do worry about the LHB-heavy Guardians after, though. I think he’s a decent streamer but not a hold. After all, he fanned just six across the Twins and Marlins in his last two starts.
Noah Cameron (KCR) @ STL (L) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 82 pitches.
A PQS with a low WHIP is right up our alley for Cameron. It’s good to see one with a 15% SwStr, too, and his overall command was some of the best I’ve seen all year with cutters inside and changeups away to RHB + four-seamers staying up. The curve also went 40% CSW and you can see him come out of the hole. The Mariners are a stream up next, but I understand not going for it given the low floor + NYY and @CIN after, enforcing a one-off regardless of the results.
Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) @ COL (L) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 91 pitches.
Not the worst for Coors, eh? Now you get them back at your own house, kinda like when you lose at Smash using your friend’s third-party controller and you invite them over to your place next week.
