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 Playback.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
Brayan Bello (BOS) vs NYY (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 114 pitches.
It’s about dang time we had something fun to talk about with Brayan Bello. He had the game of his season yesterday, catalyzing the sweep of the Yankees in Fenway with 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 114 pitches, and yes, there were new parts of his game we need to discuss.
This was the first outing we’ve seen where Bello had three legit pitches working in tandem, but not the three you’re thinking. The sinker and changeup were both stellar and landed on the armside edge consistently, his four-seamer was more effective than usual and generally upstairs to take advantage of its flat 1.5 HAVAA, while the sweeper…wait. Just two thrown. No, today here we saw a cutter appear at 89 mph for a whopping 33% overall usage and that thing cooked. 34% CSW. 68% strikes. 0/38 hits allowed. It wasn’t even the best spotted pitch and it worked. This is a huge upgrade.
The main question at this point is repeatability. As a cross-thrower who steps toward third during delivery, it’s tough to buy into Bello nailing the edges with multiple pitches across a long stretch of games. At the very least, he’ll get the Giants next in Oracle Park (AWKWARD) and it’s worth the grab to see if the cutter is the golden ticket we’ve been waiting for.
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Emerson Hancock (SEA) vs CLE (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 85 pitches.
Okay. So. As much as I want to tell you that Hancock unlocked something new with his changeup or slider or fastballs or whatever, this was a game of Koufax being an absolute darling. Also, I dig Hancock saving the four-seamer as a strikeout pitch and featuring it nearly exclusively upstairs. Don’t chance this against the Guardians.
Shane Baz (TBR) @ NYM (W) – 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 106 pitches.
YES. Baz has fulled moved on from the slider and as I was hoping, he’s introduced a cutter into the mix. Was it good? No! But that’s okay, he wasn’t so far away from nailing the edges and it’s a great bridge pitch at 90 mph that should be the glue to tie everything together. And the changeup wasn’t terrible either! Meanwhile, his heater and curve are still dope and I’m very in moving forward. Those walks will disappear in the future (his four-seamer kept barely missing upstairs).
Kumar Rocker (TEX) vs CHW (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 82 pitches.
I was so pumped about Rocker after his previous outing despite the final line. Why? Because he leaned heavily into a new cutter that looked awesome. A foundational pitch for the future. Well, that pitch appeared and was effective, but at 22% usage while the four-seamer and sinker led the way…without much help from anything else. Sure, 20% curveballs, but those went 44% strikes and were more of a “here you go” flip into the zone for a called strike. Those heaters weren’t well located over the plate, save for the four-seamer generally getting upstairs to LHB, and I’m not as excited as you may have thought I would have been about Rocker. I’m not a huge believer in 55% fastballs without a great breaking pitch.
Noah Cameron (KCR) vs ATH (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 83 pitches.
Cameron, you beautiful man. The four-seamer, cutter, and changeup command to RHB was phenomenal, while sliders did work to LHB. The curve was…odd but produced a 38% CSW in the end and we’re now holding tight, even with the Padres and Dodgers ahead. Good luck. Maybe don’t start him for the Dodgers, eh?
Austin Gomber (COL) @ ATL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 76 pitches.
Um excuse me?! That’s a Gold Star for Gomber (Ha, the Star and Goal in the same game!) in what I called one of the clearest Still ILL outings you’ll ever see. Whoops. You know what is incredibly strange? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a pitcher feature a distinctly different splitter and changeup intertwined as their #2/#3 pitches and they combined for 10/32 whiffs. Whoa. Right?! He also went just 25% fastballs at 89 mph and the whole think is a fun huh. Welp, it’s the Sneks and Dodgers in Coors now and they’ll put him in his place, I’m sure.
Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN) @ HOU (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 53 pitches.
Wow, 53 pitches for five frames eh? I don’t want to buy into this at all – spotty four-seamers and curveballs but good sliders and rare splitters – and I’m preaching caution even with the Brewers up next.
Tyler Holton (DET) vs CIN (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 11 pitches.
Holton opened for Sawyer Gipson-Long, who didn’t do a whole lot despite getting the gift of the Reds Carpet: 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 55 pitches. His velocity tailed off to 90/91 mph by the end of this one + the changeup feel he had against the Orioles was gone as it went 0/6 strikes. Ooof. It seems that the Tigers are being incredibly cautious with SGL, and rightfully so given his velocity dip across the outing. Sigh. I’m not sure what to do here. If he’s continuing to go just 50-60 pitches, then he’s not worthwhile. However, at some point, the gloves will come off and he’ll become a Top 40 SP in my view. I guess that’s not worth the hold, is it? NOOOOOO.
Brandon Walter (HOU) vs MIN (ND) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 97 pitches.
Walter has taken the Yarbrough formula and juiced it about 4-5 ticks with just 24% fastballs (sinker and four-seamer) at 92 mph in the mix. This was cutter + sweeper + changeup with the latter used as a chase pitch and the former pair landing well over the plate and (mostly) getting away with it. Thing is, his wide arsenal made for a guessing game for hitters, leading to at least three whiffs on all five of his pitches
Zack Wheeler (PHI) vs TOR (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 94 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. I have incredible respect for Wheeler to set an end date for his career to focus on his family after the 2027 season. There’s more to life than baseball.
Quinn Priester (MIL) vs STL (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 88 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! Priester’s slider to RHB was immaculate as he incessantly spotted it down-and-away going 0/31 hits allowed and nine total outs. Meanwhile, the sinker avoided the heart of the plate more than usual and his cutter hung out in the upper half for solid Canibal McSanchez action. And now it’s @MIN and Rockie Road…yeah okay. Let’s take a shot.
Eury Pérez (MIA) @ WSN (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 0 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 15% CSW, 79 pitches.
It’s rare to see a pitcher with a 66% overall strike rate walk three in four frames without a single strikeout, but here we are. HAISTBMBWT?! Eury is going to have a tough time against LHB until he can figure out his changeup as the curveball went 0/19 whiffs, even if it did generate plenty of outs and was located well at the bottom of the zone. The four-seamer and hook both landed in the zone often, the Nats attacked, and it led to a TON of foul balls off the fastball (15/39 is absurd), which limited strikeouts and extended at-bats. The changeup is just not something he knows how to execute, sadly, and his slider isn’t doing him any favors against LHB. It’s kinda tough to watch right now, even if that four-seamer is at 97/98 mph with a good attack angle and vert. I wouldn’t go after his starts against Atlanta or in Arizona next, though the moment Eury has a secondary he can trust (it used to be the slider), then he’s ready to go. Seriously, this is not Post-TJ = command bad. People who say that are just looking at the box score.
Nick Pivetta (SDP) @ ARI (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 94 pitches.
Yesssss. Sure, he allowed a HR off the heater. Whatever. Said heater was dope at 11/47 whiffs here and we saw more of the 92 mph cutter in this one, which I love that he’s testing out. Weird to see plenty of sweepers to LHB in this one too, though that’s mostly due to the heavy LHB lineup that needed to see something new as he traveled through the lineup across seven frames. I’m awfully scared of HR regression hitting in time, though the increased drag on the ball may the real reason for his HR dip this season and I’ll just hold that thought close to my heart.
Max Fried (NYY) @ BOS (L) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 106 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. He did what he could and that oppo taco on a low heater to Devers is one he wants back. Yep, Devers. I’ll still dream of a world where Fried has his peak changeup along with everything else and let me have my dreams, thank you.
Grant Holmes (ATL) vs COL (L) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 15 Ks – 25 Whiffs, 45% CSW, 93 pitches.
Okay. You know what this Golden Goal should tell you from REB? That he’s an auto pickup? Nah, sadly not. Sure, I like him against the Marlins, but there’s still some question @NYM and LAA after given that he barely faced LHB in this one where I need confirmation that his curveball can still cook after his previous outing. Nope, this adds haze to the previous game, Spencer Strider’s success. In fact, both pitchers had absurd results on their sliders – 16/39 whiffs for Holmes’ slide piece at 85.8 mph & 17/35 whiffs at 84.5 mph – and paired it with a ton of four-seamers for strikes. I wrote in the roundup for Strider that I still had some questions moving forward and this outing should back that up. All that aside, this was incredibly fun and at least the upside is clear as day at this point (and he didn’t even need the curve!). But he didn’t get a Win. HOW BONKERS IS THAT?!
Colin Rea (CHC) vs PIT (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 81 pitches.
Ayyyy, nicely done Rea! Now with the Mariners and Astros, we toss him back to the wire. Thanks for the good times that outweighed the bad.
Mitch Keller (PIT) @ CHC (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 88 pitches.
I didn’t expect the ratios to help you here and I’m happy for everyone who took the shot. The Cubs attacked so many four-seamers from Keller and with a paltry 3/37 SwStr rate but across thirteen foul balls and nine in play, just one landed for a hit. Koufax, you wonderful man.
Miles Mikolas (STL) @ MIL (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 88 pitches.
Okay, y’all do what you want with Mikolas. No, I don’t really grasp how he gets away with starts like these – his fastballs should not combine for eight whiffs and five strikeouts – and even with the Reds Carpet in front of him, I don’t think he can walk comfortably in those shoes.
MacKenzie Gore (WSN) vs MIA (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 97 pitches.
Ehhhhh. The secondaries let him down, especially the curve at a horrible 44% strike rate as his predominant secondary at 26% usage. That’s really the difference here as the four-seamer did its job. Make the adjustment, Gore.
Jeffrey Springs (ATH) @ KCR (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 89 pitches.
The changeup did work and the slider was better than usual against LHB. The four-seamer remains a major issue, and it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. I’d prefer to chase something else against the Guardians.
Aaron Civale (CHW) @ TEX (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 104 pitches.
It was his debut for the White Sox and we saw a larger emphasis on breakers at a 39% clip for 73% strikes. That’s fantastic. The problem? Four-seamers were horrible at 46% strikes, while the breakers failed to end at-bats that turned into walks. So it goes. This is a better version of Civale and hopefully he can peel back the fastball emphasis and go cutter + breaker for 80% of his offerings in the future. That would be swell. I don’t love a matchup against the Jays next, sadly.
Wade Miley (CIN) @ DET (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 89 pitches.
What a dude. He spotted everything except for a handful of changeups, cutters, and sweepers, nailing the edges with four-seamers and getting through a productive five frames LIKE A CHAMP. Does that mean we start him against the Cardinals next? Probably not. But maybe it works. Maybe.
Sean Hjelle (SFG) @ LAD (ND) – 3.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 54 pitches.
Hjelle started on short notice due to Kyle Harrison getting dealt as he was warming up in the pen. I know. Harrison was sent to Triple-A and you can drop him if you were still holding on. I’m awfully curious how he develops with the Red Sox later this year – you have to believe a cutter is coming.
Scott Blewett (BAL) vs LAA (ND) – 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 38 pitches.
We saw an opener for Povich and Scott, uh, failed. Povich did his just fine with 3.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks, 4 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 57 pitches (W)) and while the Win is cool, it’s a bit of a shrug for me. I’m glad he got some strikeouts and did a good job in his limited time, but he didn’t spot pitches incredibly well and it brings some haze to his future usage. It’s the Yankees up next anyway, so let’s just not do this.
Dustin May (LAD) vs SFG (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 94 pitches.
A VVPQS with a dub is ehhhhh. He also hit batters and the command just isn’t where we want it to be. one whiff on 60 sinkers + four-seamers + cutters is not the life we want. I’m worried about a start against the LHB-focused Nationals next, but the Royals, White Sox, and Brewers follow, making May a hold just for the Win potential. Sigh.
Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) @ BAL (L) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 92 pitches.
After fanning the first two of the sixth, the next three batters got on base and scored, albeit with an error involved. Still, Careful, Icarus with a two-run shot earlier. BUT THE STRIKEOUTS! Yeah, I know, that’s what really matters here. Kikuchi earned at least three whiffs on all four pitches, including 5/14 whiffs on the changeup. That’s a surprise and I’d be a bit skeptical of it sticking, especially as the minority landed inside loLoc. It’s an odd moment for Kikuchi. I want to buy into a moment of bliss but the overall approach seems a bit hectic and I’m not sure what we can lean into among the mix for the future. His slider command wasn’t spectacular and a 44% zone rate on his four-seamer isn’t what we want. He’ll get a ton more RHB against the Astros and I’m iffy there, too. He may try the changeup again, which sounds great given the results here, but I don’t think it’ll have the same success. It’s just not a consistent pitch.
Merrill Kelly (ARI) vs SDP (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 93 pitches.
Blegh. Nothing to be alarmed about, baseball is baseball. We still love the man.
Luis L. Ortiz (CLE) @ SEA (L) – 6.0 IP, 6 ER, 5 Hits, 5 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 104 pitches.
Annnnnnd he’s such a PEAS. Sigh. It’s just too risky to roster him.
José Berríos (TOR) @ PHI (L) – 4.2 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 88 pitches.
Ah yes, The Great Undulator. Probably an easier start to say no to than others and the White Sox are next if you’re still rolling with this. Curveball is still looking great, after all.
Griffin Canning (NYM) vs TBR (L) – 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 4 Hits, 5 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 89 pitches.
I’ve been bamboozled. I took forever to actually believe it and I WAS BAITED. On the real, this was the worst slider I’ve seen all year from Canning, who has suddenly adapted a cutter into his mix for LHB at a whopping 24% usage (up from 2%). I don’t hate it, while the changeup was fantastic. This was really a game of his four-seamer, slider, and cutter all combining for sub 53% strikes and that ruined the fun. He’ll get the Phillies and Yankees across two of his next three and while I recognize he’s stepped up many times before, you should know that he’s returned a sub 1.40 WHIP in just four starts this year. FOUR.
Game of the Day
Dylan Cease vs. Shohei Ohtani – Yes, you read that right. The Dodgers are letting Ohtani open this game and we’re hosting a watch party at 10pm ET tonight on Playback. COME THROUGH. It’ll be Ben Casparius following, FWIW, and I’m curious if Cease has it in him to replicate his prior outing.
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)
