It's time for another edition of the SP Roundup, where we dive into the performances of starting pitchers across the league. Today, we're focusing on Shane Bieber, who has been on a roll since returning from the IL. But first, let's take a look at some of the other notable performances from Thursday's games.
Gavin Williams (CLE) vs MIN (ND)
Gavin Williams had a stellar outing, throwing 7.0 IP with 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, and 11 Ks. His four-seamer was sitting at 99 mph, and his sweeper returned 83% strikes. Curveball? 78% strikes. It was an immaculate inning, and the Twins' offense just couldn't get going. Williams is feeling it, and I'm all for letting him ride the wave.
Randy Dobnak (KCR) @ DET (ND)
Randy Dobnak had a fun outing, throwing 89/90 mph heaters with 5.7 feet of extension and getting sink on his changeup and true sinker. He's not a legit starter, but he's creating a non-zero chance for six frames with his 71% groundball rate and bowling-ball sinker/change combo. Maybe the Twins will roll over slowballs for two straight games?
Taj Bradley (MIN) @ CLE (ND)
Taj Bradley was peppering 99 mph darts, even hitting 100.4 mph in the first frame. His cutter did its job with a Canibal McSanchez approach at the top of the zone to LHB for 76% strikes, and even his splitter successfully kept hitters at bay. This is good enough for me to keep starting him indefinitely.
Ian Seymour (TBR) @ TOR (L)
Ian Seymour had a better feel for his changeup and four-seamer this time around, separating the zone into two triangles of heaters and slowballs like a true fruit ninja pro. He should be fine for another productive outing against the Rangers up next.
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) @ STL (W)
Brandon Pfaadt got Singled Out in the first on three singles and a double across his first four batters, then cruised through six as the Cardinals knocked themselves into outs constantly. He threw strikes, had a solid changeup, located the sweeper well to RHB, and kept the cutter inside to LHB. But yes, he's not missing many bats outside of the fun sweeper or changeup here and there.
Troy Melton (DET) vs KCR (ND)
Troy Melton struggled with his four-seamer in this one, especially to LHB, where it held a horrid 44% strike rate on 28% usage. The cutter, splitter, and slider stepped up as best as they could, but all of Melton's five hits came against them. He shouldn't have been there, and we pay the price.
Chris Sale (ATL) vs SDP (W)
Aces gonna earn a PQS with a Golden Goal. Sale had himself a dumb second frame with a trio of singles, a HBP, and a walk to score all three runs, then allowed two baserunners and recorded ten strikeouts in his other five innings. We're absolutely fine.
Michael McGreevy (STL) vs ARI (L)
Ouch. This was really a HR away from being normal McGreevy, outside of his four-seamer being a rascal all game with a horrible 39% strike rate at 24% usage. It just kept sailing up and beyond the realm of dreams.
Griffin Canning (SDP) @ ATL (L)
We had a glimpse of Kyle Hart in this one as Canning's opener, but the true headliner was our boredom. As much as I wish it were, but, sadly, his 2025's first half is oh-so-far away.
Game of the Day: Matthew Boyd vs. Jared Jones
One for my Boyd Boyz, one for Mr. Jones and me. But where are the streaming picks? I've moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article. So, if you have questions, join my morning Twitch.tv livestream! I answer all questions there for free: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET Monday through Friday.
In my opinion, the standout performance of the day was Gavin Williams. His four-seamer was sitting at 99 mph, and his sweeper returned 83% strikes. It was an immaculate inning, and the Twins' offense just couldn't get going. Williams is feeling it, and I'm all for letting him ride the wave. Personally, I think he's a must-start for the rest of the season, and I wouldn't be surprised if he continues to dominate.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the variety of performances we saw on Thursday. From the stellar outing of Gavin Williams to the fun outing of Randy Dobnak, and the dominant performance of Taj Bradley, there was something for everyone. It's a reminder that in fantasy baseball, anything can happen, and you never know who might step up and surprise you.
From my perspective, the most important takeaway from Thursday's games is the importance of staying up-to-date with your pitchers' performances. As we saw with Gavin Williams, a pitcher can go from being a benchwarmer to a must-start in a matter of days. So, make sure to keep an eye on your pitchers and adjust your lineups accordingly. One thing that immediately stands out is the importance of having a deep bench of pitchers. With the way the game is going, you never know when a pitcher might get hot or struggle, and having a few options on hand can make all the difference.
What many people don't realize is that fantasy baseball is not just about the big names. It's about finding hidden gems and taking advantage of opportunities. As we saw with Randy Dobnak and Taj Bradley, there are always pitchers out there who are ready to step up and surprise you. So, don't be afraid to take a chance on a lesser-known pitcher, and you might just find yourself with a winner on your hands.
If you take a step back and think about it, the beauty of fantasy baseball is that it's a game of chance and opportunity. You never know who might step up and surprise you, and that's what makes it so exciting. So, make sure to stay up-to-date with your pitchers' performances, and don't be afraid to take a chance on a lesser-known pitcher. Who knows? You might just find yourself with a winner on your hands.
