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.
Mason Montgomery (PIT) @ CLE (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 14 pitches.
Amid a doubleheader, an MLB debut from an unassuming prospect nearly went unnoticed. If a tree falls in a forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound? I’m in the boat that it does not make a sound. I’m here to make sure Khristian Curtis’ bulk relief outing on Saturday gets the proper recognition it deserves, so that he doesn’t just become a tree in limbo waiting to be perceived.
Khristian Curtis (PIT) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 68 pitches (ND) in a losing effort in Cleveland.
The Pirates’ #21 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Curtis followed Mason Montgomery with a stellar performance. A 2023 12th-round pick, the 24-year-old right-hander has dealt with injuries throughout his collegiate and professional career, but he’s showcased strikeout potential throughout his rise up the Pirates’ farm system. Between Double-A and Triple-A this year, he pitched to a 4.96 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with a 30% strikeout rate and a 12% walk rate across 18 appearances (16 starts).
Curtis’ minor league numbers align with his performance in his first taste of the Majors. He displayed dope stuff without the best command of it. It’s always smart to start by looking at a pitcher’s primary fastball. He relies on a four-seamer that sat 95+ mph with 17-18″ iVB, 1.1 HAVAA, and 6.8′ of extension. That’s pretty awesome, but he was only able to return 55% strikes on the pitch, as he didn’t earn chases because his misses were so far out of the zone.
The complement to his amazing heater is a signature 92 mph cutter that he locates much better, with the ability to land it gloveside or upstairs at will. The non-fastball sidekicks are a changeup, slider, and curveball. The slowball wasn’t commanded well, but it plays off his fastballs with 16-17″ of armside run at 85 mph. The gyro slider may be his best offspeed pitch. He slings it at 85-86 mph and does a great job of keeping it downstairs. The 77 mph hook was thrown just three times and was bounced every time. It could be a pitch used to steal called strikes in the future, but it’s likely not a key contributor to his arsenal.
Put that all together, and you have a pitcher with two elite fastball variants and a secondary to complement them for both handedness (changeups for LHB, sliders for RHB). I think he has plenty of potential to become a strikeout machine in the future, and prospect reports have even suggested he has the best overall stuff in the Pirates’ minor league system (which means a lot given they have MLB’s #1 RHP prospect, Seth Hernandez). That being said, his lack of command will likely prevent him from consistently performing at his peak, making him a PEAS and a HIPSTER if he sticks in the Majors.
Therein lies the biggest concern with the prospect of targeting Curtis in fantasy. The Pirates already feature a five-man rotation, and as much as I’d like to see Mitch Keller traded or Bubba Chandler demoted to get more seasoning, it’s unlikely that Curtis gets a shot to establish himself as a full-time starter. Maybe injuries or trades open things up a little, but for now, he’s on the outside looking in. Ultimately, his exceptional stuff, lack of command, and undetermined role project him as a reliever in the long run.
Tarik Skubal (DET) @ LAA (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 87 pitches.
Aces gonna ace for a Golden Goal. That #2 spot on The List looks nice on you.
J.T. Ginn (ATH) vs WSN (W) – 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hit, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 82 pitches.
This is pretty awesome for Ginn in Sacré Verde against the mighty Nationals after he’s been struggling recently with reduced velocity. He didn’t return to the 94+ mph we saw in the season’s first two months, but he’s back to being north of 93 mph. The main focus of this start was a significant change in his pitch usage, as he cut back on his signature sinker (-24% to 11% usage) and threw just six cutters (-11% to 7% usage). Instead, he threw a bunch of high four-seamers (+21% to 33% usage), going BSB with changeups (+11% to 31% usage) and sliders.
The approach change makes sense against an almost exclusive LHB lineup (though I’d rather see cutters than sliders), but I’m not sure it’s the solution. Changeups cooked for six whiffs and 36% CSW, but this was all the doing of Koufax, who allowed Ginn to return 12 outs on 13 balls in play, while a 64% putaway rate fueled his seven strikeouts. Ginn may be worth a stream away from Sacré Verde @MIN next, but without his velocity returning, I’m skeptical it’ll be worth your time.
Shane Bieber (TOR) vs CHW (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 80 pitches.
It’s no walk of fame star, but here’s a Gold Star for your first productive performance of the year. We got a glimpse of the old Bieber as he continues to take steps to recover the form that made him one of the game’s most feared pitchers. While he faced mostly LHB, it’s still like nails on a chalkboard to see him force changeups to be thrown more than a quarter of the time when they returned just 52% strikes. The good news is that four-seamers and breakers are looking great, combining for 36% CSW and 72% strikes. The movement on those pitches hasn’t returned to 2025 levels, making him susceptible to batted-ball damage, but he continues to move in the right direction. He’s a start or two away from earning my stamp of approval, but I don’t blame you if you have a thin waiver wire and want to go with your gut to give him a chance before he truly takes off.
Trevor Rogers (BAL) @ HOU (ND) – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BB, 8 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 99 pitches.
This looks like Rogers in the same form we saw last year when he went on an insane second-half run. Not quite the 94+ we’ve seen recently, but still sitting closer to 94 than 93 while pulling off the BSB with changeups and sweepers. His hot streak began when the calendar flipped to June, and he’s since pitched to a 1.69 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 21% K%. As we saw last year, this could last for the rest of the season.
Matthew Boyd (CHC) vs MIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BB, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 91 pitches.
Speaking of a SWATCH with the ability to produce a hot streak that lasts multiple months, Boyd appears to have settled in since spending almost two months on the IL. Don’t get too comfortable, buddy, you’ve still got some work to do. We can’t be having so many pitches middle-middle, and you were lucky the Twins were so polite and passively allowed you to steal 21 called strikes. I know you’re a southpaw, but Koufax won’t always have your back to the tune of 13 outs on 15 balls in play. Work out those kinks @PIT and @STL next so we can start you comfortably vs LAD afterward.
Davis Martin (CHW) @ TOR (L) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 85 pitches.
Don’t let this start convince you to slide into DM’s DMs. This was his first time eclipsing double-digit whiffs in over a month, and it took an overly aggressive Blue Jays lineup swinging out of the zone 54% of the time against non-sinkers to manifest. Even still, he produced a Philly on the back of 63% weak contact, returning 12 outs on 16 balls in play. Don’t forget that he has a 5.22 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and 17% K% across his last 10 starts (including this one).
Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) vs BAL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hit, 4 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 85 pitches.
The Pasta Pirate isn’t yet al dente. He’s still throwing 68% four-seamers and curveballs, refusing to expand his arsenal to incorporate his assortment of supporting offerings. His command is also still awful, with 53% overall strikes yielding four free passes. It’s pretty obvious who’s to blame for this one. Koufax was busy on Saturday, allowing Arrighetti to escape with nine outs on 10 balls in play. Expect the home runs to return and the batted ball luck to subside, exacerbating his command issues @CHW next.
Jared Jones (PIT) @ CLE (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BB, 9 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 74 pitches.
Now, here’s a Pirate who doesn’t require an expanded arsenal. Davey Jones has decided to throw his elite four-seamer 65% of the time, supplementing it mostly with sliders (curveballs and changeups combined for 12% usage). That approach led to six perfect frames prior to the All-Star Break and continued to provide dividends for Jones on Saturday. His upper-90s heater was untouchable, as it returned nine whiffs and 40% CSW, and it only needs minimal support in the strike department from his primary breaker to lead to high strikeout totals. Even with a limited pitch count that caps Jones around 80 bullets, he’s worth rostering universally for that strikeout potential alone.
Jesús Luzardo (PHI) vs NYM (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 90 pitches.
At what point does Luzardo shake the Cherry Bomb label altogether to earn his AGA tag? He’s had just one start with more than two earned runs since May 14th, recording a 2.01 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 29% K% across his last 12 starts. It’s becoming a situation where we may have to start planning his Coronation Day.
Randy Dobnak (KCR) vs SDP (ND) – 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 96 pitches.
Dobnak had great pitch separation, but threw too many sinkers outside of the zone in three-ball counts and didn’t keep his new-look sweeper close enough to the zone to eclipse a 50% strike rate. His stuff isn’t good enough to produce a strikeout rate worth chasing, but the Royals may be forced to rely on him with so many pitching injuries.
Bryan Woo (SEA) vs SFG (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 98 pitches.
Not even at home is Woo safe from the dangers of the long ball. He was an unearned run away from this being a PQS and another frustrating outing. This was sort of a Careful, Icarus instead, as he served up two solo shots in the sixth, continuing what has been a season fraught with uncertainty. Woo should be better than this, and it may come down to his reliance on fastballs 70% of the time. Batters can afford to sit heater all game and can do tons of damage when they make clean contact with one. He hasn’t pitched like an ace, but what are you gonna do – bench him? I don’t think so!
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) vs STL (W) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 87 pitches.
After displaying a new pitch mix to take down the Dodgers, Pfaadt went right back to his old ways of sinker-sweeper reliance. The command of his breakers was gorgeous, and I’d love to see him pair that with inside sinkers and surprise four-seamers upstairs vs RHB, while going BSB with four-seamers, curveballs, and changeups vs LHB. Like the faint fruit flavor of a La Croix, there were hints of that intent on Saturday. I’ve gotta see him eclipse double-digit whiffs at least once before I can believe that he’ll be able to limit damage as consistently as he has recently. Otherwise, he’s just a 15-team Toby.
Logan Allen (CLE) vs PIT (ND) – 3.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 81 pitches.
Did someone say 15-team Toby? Allen made his second appearance and first start of the 2026 campaign. He was the 27th man in Cleveland’s doubleheader on Saturday and will return to the minors immediately. We didn’t have any interest in the southpaw anyway. Even if he is throwing a new slider (labeled as a cutter).
Max Meyer (MIA) @ MIL (ND) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 74 pitches.
Aces gonna…disappoint. We give you the AGA tag, and this is how you repay us?! Meyer hasn’t looked great in two starts since his Coronation Day, forcing us to question his ace status. This short outing was a product of 55% strikes on non-sweepers, leading to inefficiency and a hook before the fourth frame. The most concerning development was seeing his four-seamer at 16″ of iVB. The pitch’s improved vert (typically 17-19″) this year has been the key to his breakout. Without it, his fastball is hittable, putting too much pressure on his signature breakers to do all of the work. Don’t worry until this becomes a trend.
Owen Murphy (ATL) vs TEX (ND) – 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 49 pitches.
I wish Atlanta would give Murphy a legit chance in the rotation. Sale needs a sidekick! Murphy’s 93 mph four-seamer with 18″ of vert and 1.5 HAVAA should thrive alongside his well-located slider and changeup, but we’ll have to wait until he exceeds 70 pitches.
Logan Webb (SFG) @ SEA (ND) – 6.2 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BB, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 100 pitches.
That’s a textbook Careful, Icarus for Webb, who went six shutout innings before a disastrous seventh. The frame opened in promising fashion with a groundout, but a HBP and walk put multiple runners on base for the first time all game. He nearly escaped after coaxing a flyout, but the very next batter took Webb deep for a three-run shot, ruining his chance at a win. A fielding error on a routine ground ball by the next batter forced Webb out of the game. Regardless of the conclusion, this was a great bounce-back outing after he surrendered 12 runs in his previous two starts.
Tomoyuki Sugano (COL) vs CIN (W) – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 77 pitches.
Sugano has been a pleasant surprise
