{"id":679304,"date":"2026-04-19T18:43:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T18:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/679304\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T18:43:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T18:43:06","slug":"fantasy-baseball-sp-roundup-4-18-the-will-of-the-many","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/679304\/","title":{"rendered":"Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 4\/18: The Will Of The Many"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher\u2019s 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<\/a> weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.<\/p>\n

Will Warren<\/a> (NYY) vs KCR (W) \u2013 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 11 Ks \u2013 11 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 93 pitches.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a struggle to figure out what to do with\u00a0Will Warren<\/a>,\u00a0but he sure made it easy after Saturday\u2019s start against the Royals:\u00a07.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 11 Ks \u2013 11 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 93 pitches (W).\u00a0For a pitcher with solid runway in the rotation (it\u2019s going to be a while before both Cole and Rod\u00f3n are back), a start like this certainly gives him a buffer before moving on from him.<\/p>\n

And yet, I have to express that this\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0the start I expected it to be when I watched it. When we saw Warren exhibit brilliant K\/BB marks early last season, it was a product of his breakers and changeup leading the way and fastballs acting as supplemental pitches. It flipped during the year and my hope for a secondary ascension has waned with each outing, and this start didn\u2019t do much to fill the cup with 70% fastballs.<\/p>\n

But those fastballs. Oh my. His four-seamer was a menace to LHB per usual, but what I loved the most was his shift to save the sinker as a surprise two-strike pitch to both LHB and RHB, which returned four\u00a0strikeouts on the day with two extra inches of ride (19\u2033!). It was\u00a0delicious.\u00a0Yes, I wish he had a better feel for the sweeper as he didn\u2019t spot it well to either lefties or righties, and I wish the changeup that fanned two late in the game was present for the full outing. And still, that four-seamer\u2019s flat attack and solid 15\/16\u2033 vert at his low arm angle continues to mess up hitters. We\u2019re holding and hoping that sinker\u2019s movement sticks with\u00a0some\u00a0gains on his secondaries. Just a little, please.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s see how every other SP did Saturday:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cristopher S\u00e1nchez<\/a> (PHI) vs ATL (L) \u2013 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks \u2013 18 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 93 pitches.<\/p>\n

Aces gonna ace. I hate that the WHIP is\u00a0still\u00a0an issue. Groundball pitchers, y\u2019all.<\/p>\n

Yusei Kikuchi<\/a> (LAA) vs SDP (ND) \u2013 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks \u2013 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 86 pitches.<\/p>\n

Hot dang, look at you! That\u2019s a Gold Star for Kikuchi as it wasn\u2019t just productive, but elite.\u00a0Now he\u2019s going to get the Royals + 2x CHW matchups and it sure looks tempting. Sadly, I can\u2019t endorse it. This was four-seamers getting hit a ton, while his splitter, cutter, and curve were far more effective than usual. Not lucky \u2013 the splitter and curve specifically were commanded beautifully at the bottom of the zone to RHB \u2013 this was Kikuchi having an outlier day of feel that I\u2019m not ready to fully endorse. That said, we\u2019ve see him go on a run in the past and if you want to see how it goes, by all means. That usually comes with his slider leading the way, though, and it\u2019s harder to believe he\u2019ll thrive with a different approach.<\/p>\n

Germ\u00e1n M\u00e1rquez<\/a> (SDP) @ LAA (ND) \u2013 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks \u2013 10 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 88 pitches.<\/p>\n

Ohhhh snap, that\u2019s fun. M\u00e1rquez nailed his curveball in this one, despite what the 57% strike rate will tell you \u2013 he hung right around the edge of the plate down-and-away, making it tougher for the Angels to take advantage of the terrible pair of heaters that have very little difference between them. Yes, there is a\u00a0little\u00a0bit of temptation when I see @ARI, CHW, @SFG ahead\u2026I can\u2019t. This feels like the realistic ceiling and the floor is\u2026bad.<\/p>\n

Paul Skenes<\/a> (PIT) vs TBR (ND) \u2013 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks \u2013 5 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 64 pitches.<\/p>\n

Aces gonna get his start cut short by rain on his own bobblehead day.\u00a0That\u2019s so cruel.\u00a0Huh, I said the same thing when he was drafted by the Pirates.\u00a0COME ON, NICK.<\/p>\n

Chris Sale<\/a> (ATL) @ PHI (W) \u2013 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks \u2013 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 101 pitches.<\/p>\n

Aces gonna ace. Just. Stay. Healthy.<\/p>\n

Brandon Woodruff<\/a> (MIL) @ MIA (W) \u2013 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks \u2013 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 92 pitches.<\/p>\n

Oh dang, seven innings? 92 pitches?! It\u2019s my favorite thing in life \u2013 pleasant surprise. I can\u2019t be alone in wondering if he can make a 92 mph set of heaters and an 89 mph cutter work for this long, though his 83 mph changeup is a gamechanger, which he\u2019s found recently, with a massive 47% usage to LHB here (26% last year!) at an 85% strike rate and 6\/20 whiffs.<\/p>\n

Gavin Williams<\/a> (CLE) vs BAL (W) \u2013 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 11 Ks \u2013 18 Whiffs, 41% CSW, 100 pitches.<\/p>\n

YOOOO. 70% strikes on everything. His four-seamer was the lowest of all five pitches\u00a0(I feel like I\u2019m cheating include the one cutter for a strike, but it\u2019s technically correct, the best kind of correct. Also, one cutter?! I guess why move away from the rest that is clearly working?). It was awfully fun seeing Gavin throw 78% breakers to RHB, with just one hit allowed\u2026off a sinker. This is the prince who was promised, becoming the King Cole he should be and more \u2013 he\u2019s even going sweepers under the nitro zone to LHB for 9\/19 whiffs. That\u2019s\u00a0absurd.\u00a0Man, I really hope he can keep up this command. We just saw an ace. Now we hope we get it often enough to get the AGA label.<\/p>\n

Tarik Skubal<\/a> (DET) @ BOS (W) \u2013 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks \u2013 19 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 89 pitches.<\/p>\n

Aces gonna ace for a Gallows Pole. That changeup was as good as ever at 12\/25 whiffs. Yes, you\u00a0did\u00a0just hear me laugh through the screen.<\/p>\n

Jameson Taillon<\/a> (CHC) vs NYM (W) \u2013 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks \u2013 14 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 100 pitches.<\/p>\n

Whoa, he\u2019s at 20\u2033 of vert on his four-seamer now and his cutter has insane -7\/8\u2033 cut that demolished the depleted Mets lineup. Sadly, he gets the Dodgers up next and I can\u2019t endorse holding for the Padres after\u2026wait, Reds Carpet\u00a0after that.\u00a0Yeah, I\u2019m not holding for two weeks.<\/p>\n

George Kirby<\/a> (SEA) vs TEX (W) \u2013 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks \u2013 14 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 96 pitches.<\/p>\n

He had a few whiffs with the slider to RHB, but he\u2019s not consistently locating it right to\u00a0dominate\u00a0with it, while the sinker hung a bit too much over the plate. These are the little things that take a Dusty Donut (that WHIP is annoying) and turns it into a stud outing. He\u2019s so close.<\/p>\n

Andre Pallante<\/a> (STL) @ HOU (W) \u2013 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks \u2013 11 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 87 pitches.<\/p>\n

Massive props to Pallante for this Birthday Party, who spotted his slider and sinker beautifully to the RHB-lineup, and allowed\u00a0all three hits\u00a0to LHB (Yordan for two, of course). Maybe that\u2019s something to note \u2013 he has a decent chance against RHB-exclusive lineups.<\/p>\n

Cade Cavalli<\/a> (WSN) vs SFG (ND) \u2013 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks \u2013 9 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 92 pitches.<\/p>\n

An early error in the third extended the inning, though all four frames featured at least 20 pitches as Cavalli didn\u2019t have stellar command, locating too much over the plate. Koufax did him no favors with his four-seamer (1\/6 outs in play), but don\u2019t forget how hittable that fastball can be.<\/p>\n

Taj Bradley<\/a> (MIN) vs CIN (ND) \u2013 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks \u2013 12 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 99 pitches.<\/p>\n

When will you start respecting Bradley?\u00a0Uh, this was a stroll down the Reds Carpet with a velocity drop of\u00a0two ticks\u2026that is likely a product of 41 degree weather. Jeez, get it together, Minnesota. Seriously. This might have been the best game I\u2019ve seen from his cutter, while the splitter is still an overleveled Blastoise who is disobeying orders, leaving you slack-jawed as it floats well above the zone for the seventh time. I\u2019m glad Bradley will get a revenge game in Tampa Bay (dome!) next time out and sure, start him if you\u2019ve got him. I hope his success continues for ages.<\/p>\n

Max Scherzer<\/a> (TOR) @ ARI (ND) \u2013 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks \u2013 6 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 74 pitches.<\/p>\n

Ah yes, the ole \u201cJust because he was terrible today doesn\u2019t mean he\u2019s terrible tomorrow,\u201d adage.\u00a0But it was one strikeout,\u00a0HAISTBMBWT?!\u00a0For this streaming pick? Your bread deserves a better master. He\u2019ll get the Guardians next and it\u2019s a coin flip once again.<\/p>\n

Ryan Feltner<\/a> (COL) vs LAD (ND) \u2013 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks \u2013 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 87 pitches.<\/p>\n

Hosting the Dodgers in Coors?! That\u2019s cool, Feltner. You should be proud.\u00a0But my velocity was down.\u00a0Enjoy the moments you have.<\/p>\n

Zac Gallen<\/a> (ARI) vs TOR (ND) \u2013 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks \u2013 7 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 88 pitches.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s not putting batters away effectively and his slider is failing against RHB plenty (four hits, though one was an unlucky single on a good slider out of the zone). The changeup still struggles to LHB. He\u2019s not dominating. Yet. He has two more starts to get it together \u2013 SDP, @ CHC \u2013 before he faces the Pirates and I\u2019d\u00a0love\u00a0to feel cool with that.<\/p>\n

Emmet Sheehan<\/a> (LAD) @ COL (ND) \u2013 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks \u2013 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 77 pitches.<\/p>\n

Oh, so we\u2019re back to 93.8 mph, are we? And failing to hit 96 mph once? Cool cool cool. At least the worse velocity didn\u2019t open the door for destruction in Coors, and I\u00a0guess\u00a0we\u2019re trying this out against the Cubs, but man. Just let me feel good about this.<\/p>\n

Nathan Eovaldi<\/a> (TEX) @ SEA (L) \u2013 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks \u2013 9 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 95 pitches.<\/p>\n

He did a good job of going BSB with cutters and splitters, while two hits to RHB were both under 80 EV off inside sinkers. Koufax was a cruel fella here and it\u2019s just a Dusty Donut at the end of the day. All good here.<\/p>\n

Dean Kremer<\/a> (BAL) @ CLE (L) \u2013 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks \u2013 14 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 95 pitches.<\/p>\n

He was my streaming pick of the day and was flexing a no-hitter through four, until a walk, single, and poor 2-2 heater inside left the yard for all three runs.\u00a0So close.\u00a0I was hoping Kremer\u2019s excellent splitter would return for another LHB-heavy start and that\u2019s what we got, with 11\/45 whiffs across 47% usage, and he commanded everything else well to make it work, outside of that one fastball. He\u2019ll get an even split of LHB\/RHB against the Red Sox up next, which may be something to avoid given his Dean Wolf nickname, but he could be a new guy this year, too. I hope he is, for Baltimore\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n

Freddy Peralta<\/a> (NYM) @ CHC (L) \u2013 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks \u2013 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 93 pitches.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be honest Peralta, the Mets really needed you to step here. It\u2019s been a\u00a0rough\u00a0two weeks for the orange and blue. This wasn\u2019t a terrible start, of course, just not \u201cput the team on my back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sandy Alcantara<\/a> (MIA) vs MIL (L) \u2013 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 6 BBs, 1 Ks \u2013 10 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 97 pitches.<\/p>\n

Oh. Oh.\u00a0Is he okay? He walked a batter in four straight frames, including\u00a0three\u00a0in the second, and he truly had nothing working outside of sinkers and four-seamers, which didn\u2019t always listen, either. I\u2019m\u00a0shocked\u00a0he was able to go unscathed until a two-out single in the fourth. I know how amped we were after 17.2 IP in two games, but that\u00a0was\u00a0CrySox + Reds Carpet. It\u2019s so disheartening to see both his cutter and changeup return exatly 33% strikes, which explains why he went just 1\/20 earning a strikeout in two-strike counts (HAISTBMBWT?!). I\u2019m going to hope for the best in Oracle Park next time out and take it from there.<\/p>\n

Andrew Abbott<\/a> (CIN) @ MIN (ND) \u2013 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks \u2013 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 97 pitches.<\/p>\n

Abbott is having a nightmarish start to the season, and it feels cruel to have him endure 41 degree temperature when he\u2019s trying to get back on the horse. He\u2019ll get the Tigers next, and feel free to skip that and hope it\u2019s a step up. The good news? He\u2019ll likely stick on the waivers, allowing you to swoop in for Rockie Road the start after.<\/p>\n

Erick Fedde<\/a> (CHW) @ ATH (ND) \u2013 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks \u2013 5 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 75 pitches.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t trust him. You know the deal.<\/p>\n

Adrian Houser<\/a> (SFG) @ WSN (ND) \u2013 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks \u2013 7 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 88 pitches.<\/p>\n

The Nationals are LHB-heavy and it doesn\u2019t play into Houser\u2019s hand, even if he\u2019s sporting a strong changeup, as the fastballs and breakers struggle. I know how it looks here, but the Marlins are more evenly spread and should be an easier time for Houser in Oracle Park. I\u2019d stream that one in 15-teamers.<\/p>\n

Lance McCullers Jr.<\/a> (HOU) vs STL (L) \u2013 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks \u2013 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 91 pitches.<\/p>\n

This was the classic McCullers experience of a ton of pitches scattered across the zone, but you can generally make out what he\u2019s trying to do. And for what it\u2019s worth, he executed better than the three walks look like, but it can\u2019t be good, it needs to be great.<\/p>\n

Brayan Bello<\/a> (BOS) vs DET (L) \u2013 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks \u2013 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 84 pitches.<\/p>\n

After a start like this, would you consider starting Bello against the Yankees, @ TOR, @ DET? Didn\u2019t think so. Move on.<\/p>\n

Drew Rasmussen<\/a> (TBR) @ PIT (ND) \u2013 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks \u2013 4 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 64 pitches.<\/p>\n

Whoa, this was weird. Rasmussen couldn\u2019t throw cutters for strikes (52% rate?!) and his four-seamer failed to support it at 50% strikes to LHB. This wasn\u2019t consistent, though, it was in isolated moments, like the first with a walk and HR, then the fourth with\u2026a walk and HR. Dude. If there\u2019s ever a moment to call a start a \u201cGlitch in the Matrix,\u201d I think we\u2019ve found it. You should have no worries.<\/p>\n

Luis Severino<\/a> (ATH) vs CHW (ND) \u2013 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks \u2013 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 96 pitches.<\/p>\n

Sevy did a fantastic job against RHB, where he walked one batter on a close 3-2 four-seamer, and two doubles on inside sinkers to\u00a0Everson Pereira<\/a>\u00a0with exit velocities under 75 mph.\u00a0Seriously?!\u00a0When it rains, it pours. He didn\u2019t help things by pitching poorly to LHB and that\u2019s your ballgame. I\u2019m thrilled he\u2019ll be out of Sacr\u00e9 Verde and in Arlington for the Rangers up next, where I\u2019d circle him as a potential streamer.<\/p>\n

Noah Cameron<\/a> (KCR) @ NYY (L) \u2013 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks \u2013 10 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 74 pitches.<\/p>\n

This was some of the worst Cameron command (you said that last time Nick.\u00a0That was extreme weather!), and I\u2019m surprised it was paired with 93\/94 mph four-seamers. That\u2019s pretty great to see, honestly. It came out hot at 94+ mph and stuck to 92-94 mph in the fourth.\u00a0But this was a bad game.\u00a0Right, the command. It was the Yankees and he\u2019ll get LAA, Sacr\u00e9 Verde, and the Guardians up next. I\u2019m totally fine ignoring him until Cleveland (the Angels are hot + Sacr\u00e9 Verde), though I\u2019m not ready to count out Cameron.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Game of the Day<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cole Ragans<\/a> vs. Ryan Weathers<\/a> \u2013\u00a0Well hot dang, that\u2019s one fun matchup of southpaws.<\/p>\n

But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? \u2013\u00a0I\u2019ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Have Questions? \u2013 Join my morning Twitch.tv livestream!<\/a> I answer all questions there for free: 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm ET Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n

Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher\u2019s performance from every Saturday…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":679305,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2290],"tags":[5],"class_list":{"0":"post-679304","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-baseball","8":"tag-baseball"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116432850398160474","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/679304","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=679304"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/679304\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/679305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=679304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=679304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=679304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}