Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Friday 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.
Andrew Abbott (CIN) vs NYM (L) – 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 98 pitches.
I’ve said it so often and I’m sure you hear it from many other baseball analysts out there – Andrew Abbott and his fantastic 2025 campaign hasn’t made a whole lot of sense. He sports a questionable four-seamer in the low 90s, a meh changeup armside, and an average curveball around the zone, outlining a middling pitcher instead of the 2.15 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 22% strikeout arm we saw through his first nineteen starts entering August 1st.
However, it hasn’t been so pleasant lately. Abbott had allowed 15 ER in five games entering Friday’s start against the Mets and it only got worse: 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 98 pitches (L). Well there you go! It’s all collapsing and he’s not rosterable anymore. Uhhh, let’s not go that far.
Sure, @SDP isn’t ideal up next, but it’s not like Abbott hasn’t had a bump in the road here and there this season. In fact, he averaged seven innings per start across three games before the 4.0, 5.0, and 4.2 frames of his last three, including Friday’s disappointment. And let me tell you, this was a frustrating game where Abbott deserved better.
The man was Singled Out. The first frame returned three runs with multiple hits off changeups out of the zone and poorly hit. It wasn’t the greatest commanded game from Abbott, but the ratios are inflated vs. the quality of his pitches, possibly due to the Mets’ offense being on a heater (like Vientos for his HR, ayyyyy. But seriously that pitch was outside and off the plate. Just one of those days.).
This wasn’t anything new. I’m rolling with Abbott against the Padres and excited to start him @STL after that. This isn’t the end of the magical season.
Let’s see how every other SP did Friday:
Kyle Freeland (COL) vs SDP (W) – 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 10 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 88 pitches.
Freeland has limited upside–wait. Ten strikeouts in eight innings of shutout ball?! In Coors?! Hold on a second, I gotta open my drawer and get you the goldest Gold Star I’ve got. Freeland was so outraged by the Devers HR that the very next chance he got to spin the pearl, he spun a web of destruction. This was all about the curveball fooling Padres hitters incessantly, returning 13/34 whiffs despite an 18% zone rate. Yeah, they went fishing more than the time you faced a cheating seven-year-old playing their favorite card game. Throw in a four-seamer aided by Koufax for 11/13 outs in play despite plenty of hard contact, and that’s your ballgame. What a fantastic Birthday Party without a single guest.
Johan Oviedo (PIT) vs MIL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 78 pitches.
Yes, it’s another successful start from Oviedo, but 48% strikes on the four-seamer has me reluctant to celebrate. This was a day of Dancing With The Disco at 36% sliders + nearly 20% curveballs and I do want to give him props for returning so many strikes with the two breakers (does anyone else find it odd that his curveball doesn’t have that much more movement than his slider, despite coming in nine ticks slower?). That said, I have yet to see a game where the heater and the breakers are doing what he intends them to do, and until then, he remains a Questionable Start for good matchups and a Do Not Start for poor.
Shohei Ohtani (LAD) @ BAL (ND) – 3.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 70 pitches.
Surprise! It’s Shohei! And he needed 70 pitches to get the hook in the fourth. Ugh. Yeah, what gives? Can we just get a normal routine and hopefully prevent inefficent starts like this? Dodgeritis is very real and it may mean you’re better off adding a player with a locked start you know is good instead of holding tight and roll the dice on Shohei’s volume. Blegh.
Dean Kremer (BAL) vs LAD (ND) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 56 pitches.
Kremer was looking great until he felt something wrong and left early with a forearm issue. Those generally don’t mean he’s back in his next start, but then again, Cristopher Sánchez exists, so what do I know. If he were to start regularly, it would be @TOR and NYY, so let’s not?
Griffin Jax (TBR) vs CLE (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 18 pitches.
He opened for 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 89 pitches (L) of the rookie southpaw Ian Seymour, who was bamboozled in his first frame for five runs (four unearned) before settling down after. Not his best command with changeups floating a bit too up over the plate (three of his five hits), and I don’t quite grasp the need for the opener here (I guess to avoid JoRam?), but it’s possible he gets the role again for the White Sox in Chicago. I’m fine with that outing (not in Tampa!) and if it is an opener, that’s a better Win chance, right? I’m in a QS league. YOU CAN’T PLEASE EVERYONE.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) @ NYY (W) – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 105 pitches.
HA. Look at the HIPSTER as he told us to hold his PBR and cruise for eight innings against the mighty Yankee offense. It’s nice to see 95+ mph heaters that had a ton of good fortune (8 crushed balls on 17 balls in play, just four hits allowed!), while the splitter did legit work around 60% strikes, eight whiffs, and 6/6 outs in play. Don’t overlook the influence of Koufax in this one, making his next start hosting Houston still a tough one to make.
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) @ MIA (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 82 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Honestly, if he didn’t have an easy outing against Miami, we would have been upset.
Gavin Williams (CLE) @ TBR (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 95 pitches.
Huh. He didn’t earn a single whiff on his four-seamer and his breakers combined for 47% usage at sub 60% strikes, but the Rays couldn’t handle it. The cutter and sinker also appeared as surprise pitches and generated eight outs between them on just 27% usage, which is a lovely gift from his #4 and #5 pitches. You know the drill – he’s a HIPSTER and it’s up to you if you want to take the gamble against the Royals.
Merrill Kelly (TEX) vs HOU (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 94 pitches.
You can’t stop the man. His changeup command was stupid against LHB, nailing the outside corner at will, while landing the rest of his arsenal around the edges. He’s so locked in.
Chris Sale (ATL) vs SEA (ND) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 40% CSW, 92 pitches.
Aces gonna ace for a Golden Goal. This was too good of a matchup that neither stud got a Win. Well that’s not fun. I mean, it is, but not for your fantasy teams. Sorry. He’s at 95 mph, by the way. All lovely here.
Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) vs BOS (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 96 pitches.
Mmmmm that’s some good ole public EDU. The command was everything you’d expect, save for the four-seamer to LHB that I’m kinda shocked returned just one hit as it made camp in the heart of the zone. This looks like as good a patch as any. We should see stars over here! Yes, the stars above your head as it gets smacked, but nope! The Sawx just let you hang out as a thank you gift for the years spent with the squad. Or something. Now he’ll head to San Francisco and that looks like a decent stream to me. Good ole low-90s southpaw with a changeup.
Logan Gilbert (SEA) @ ATL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 86 pitches.
Aces gonna earn a co-share of the Gallows Pole with their opponent (and Mason Barnett?!) via high four-seamers and low sliders. IT’S ABOUT DANG TIME. Wait. Zero strikeouts on four-seamers with four hits and just four whiffs…? Ohhhhh the splitter. It went 8/19 whiffs and recorded all seven strikeouts. Huh. I guess Atlanta hunted heaters and got burned by the good splitter. So glad you had that one ready to go.
Michael Wacha (KCR) vs MIN (W) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 83 pitches.
Wacha, you’re such a Toby and I love it. So much so, that I’ll stream you in Cleveland next time out. Knock yerself out.
Carson Seymour (SFG) @ STL (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 75 pitches.
He threw hard with just 2/55 whiffs on his four-seamer + sinker and returned eleven outs between the two. He stayed away decently well to RHB without a great slider, and I’m a little shocked he had 3/9 whiffs with the breaker to LHB as this felt like a game of heaters that Koufax guided toward gloves. I’m not trusting this.
Quinn Priester (MIL) @ PIT (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 96 pitches.
Oh wow. On a day where his slider was off and thrown as his #4 pitch (his #1 pitch, generally), Priester gives us this beauty. He was called up to pick up the slack and didn’t fare much better, leading to the cutter and sinker doing most of the work. The sinker got outs while the cutter was a CSW monster – 39% clip across 33 thrown. This feels a lot like Blame it on the Pirates as the Priester train keeps chugging along and guess what? It’s @TEX next. ALL ABOOOOARD.
Pablo López (MIN) @ KCR (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 92 pitches.
It’s so great to have you back. No, this wasn’t his prime self – 94.3 mph with poor sweeper feel and some hanging changeups – but he got through the nerves of the Still ILL with a fully stretched out pitch count. You should have no reservations for his next outing against the Angels.
Nick Pivetta (SDP) @ COL (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 99 pitches.
Aces gonna survive. In former seasons, Pivetta may have struggled in Coors, BUT NOT TODAY. But that’s a 1.50 WHIP. Okay fine, eat the Dusty Donut all you want, just be happy he’s going to have a sub 4.00 ERA, alright?
Valente Bellozo (MIA) vs PHI (L) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 48 pitches.
Where is Snelling. There was no news suggesting he’d be called up for this. WHERE IS HE.
Colton Gordon (HOU) @ TEX (ND) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 71 pitches.
We thought this would be Hunter Brown a day early, but the Astros went with Gordon instead, who didn’t become the latest 90 mph southpaw with a changeup to pick up. Don’t expect him to stick around – you wouldn’t start him for @ATL if he did, anyway.
Javier Assad (CHC) vs WSN (W) – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 81 pitches.
And once again, Assad found a way to get a Win. Pretty? Nah, but it could have been. He was pulled with two on and both inherited runners scored, ruining his ERA. But for the most part, this was the Assad you’re used to. A Toby for a winning team. Thing is, the Cubs don’t need Assad at the moment with five healthy arms – do they keep him and go six-man? If so, he’d get the Rays in Wrigley, which is a decent stream (not one to target). Take note for deeper formats.
David Peterson (NYM) @ CIN (W) – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 91 pitches.
Jeeeeez, at least he found the plate this time? He got Singled Out in the fourth via poor fastballs and just limited the damage enough to return a Win – thanks to the bullpen that stranded both his inherited runners. Sure feels wrong to keep holding Peterson with the Phillies, Padres, and Cubs up next, doesn’t it? You can find a better arm to stream, I promise you.
Mason Barnett (ATH) @ LAA (W) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 8 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 102 pitches.
Whoa whoa whoa, a co-share of the Gallows Pole for Barnett?! His sweeper and curve collected 11/41 whiffs between them as they swarmed the outside edge to RHB, while the 95 mph heater lived up a fair amount. A little too far, in fact, and it led to a 46% strike rate at 51% usage. Womp womp. I’m not trusting the strikeouts here as the RHB-heavy Angels were susceptible to Barnett’s breakers away (and antsy to swing given the low 46% zone rate heater), so don’t do anything silly like start Barnett against the Sawx in Sacré Verde on Wednesday.
Shane Smith (CHW) @ DET (W) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 91 pitches.
The heater was great save for a Parker Meadows longball but the rest of his arsenal was the problem. Smith really does have potential if he were to get his arsenal working together consistently.
Jack Flaherty (DET) vs CHW (ND) – 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 83 pitches.
So, uh, Flaherty’s velocity fell to 92.0 mph. Oh no. Yeaaaaah. It’s especially frustrating after he flirted with 94 mph for his last few starts and, yeah, he’s a HIPSTER that I’m easily dropping for the Yankees up next.
Cam Schlittler (NYY) vs TOR (L) – 1.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 66 pitches.
Stop panciking, he’s still legit. This was a product of the Jays fouling off nearly half of his 34 four-seamers + some terrible luck on balls in play, hit off well-executed pitches. Weak flares, a broken-bat double, etc. Brush this off and hold Cam for DET, @MIN, @BAL. Those should be great.
Payton Tolle (BOS) @ ARI (L) – 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 77 pitches.
Man, this was tough to watch. It’s the floor of Tolle’s ability – four-seamers sitting thigh high and failing to get elevated trying to do everything while the cutter, change, curve, and slider were a supporting cast worthy of Razzies – and it’s no fun experiencing the Shag Rug on your fantasy squads. You likely want to drop Tolle now with a date in Sacré Verde, but I’m not sure I’m going to. Say what. That four-seamer truly is elite at 7.7 feet of extension. You can even see it blink to the plate during the game with its 95/96 mph velocity, and throwing in legit 16-17″ vert with his low 33-degree arm angle and 1.4 HAVAA makes this a heater that is destined to oblierate. Yes, it allowed four runs via a pair of longballs in this one, but that’s simply due to the Sneks clearly selling out for the pitch and getting their ideal locations. This was the exception, not the rule. I’m still buying Tolle, and that’s recognizing that the secondaries may not be a whole lot better in his next start. Just locate the fastball a little higher and return strike rate on the secondaries above a 47% clip. Please.
Michael McGreevy (STL) vs SFG (L) – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 75 pitches.
Womp womp. He was a deeper streamer for 15-teamers or those chasing a QS/Win and this hurt. The sweeper got walloped by RHB, the curve by LHB (somehow) and that fourth inning was a whole lot of Koufax falling asleep in his armchair with his favorite Agatha Christie novel. How could that put you to sleep? Those books are exhilarating! I DON’T KNOW, ASK HIM. It’s @TEA and the Reds Carpet up next and he could still produce in both, though I imagine y’all will hold off for Cincy on the 16th.
Jake Irvin (WSN) @ CHC (L) – 3.1 IP, 7 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 79 pitches.
Ah yes, another signature Uh Huh start from Irvin(g).
José Soriano (LAA) vs ATH (L) – 2.1 IP, 8 ER, 6 Hits, 5 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 80 pitches.
He can’t be a HIPSTER without starts that force you to pop open that bottle of ibuprofen. It was another start of a low sinker strike rate, but without the good fortune on the strikes he did earn (just 1/6 outs in play off the sinker. Yeesh.), and the curve was horrific. We’re talking a higher 31% NC Rate than strike rate (23% clip) horrific. I’m not even sure I’ve seen that for a pitch thrown over 10 times. Maybe take a break until the strikes return, yeah? It shouldn’t be too long – the sinker was competitive, just missing a little too far out of the zone with few chases and a bit of squeezing from the ump (54% zone rate + 49% strike rate = Bad math).
Game of the Day
Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Trevor Rogers – Can Rogers actually keep this up?
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
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