Roto Riteup: April 17, 2023

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April 17, 2023

In Soviet Russia, sometimes Nimmo finds you:

On the Agenda:

  1. News and Notes
  2. Pizza Throw Day?
  3. A Day of Duels
  4. Streaming Pitchers

News and Notes

Stop me if you’ve heard this before:

Will Smith was placed on the 7-Day IL with a concussion after sitting all weekend. While he did pass the initial tests after getting hit in the mask with multiple foul balls, his symptoms persisted. The move was retroactive to April 13 making Smith eligible to return on Thursday. Austin Barnes now moves into the starting job while Austin Wynns was signed to provide depth. Neither Austin should, nor will, be on your fantasy radar.

Kris Bubic (third-degree burns from national FAAB bonfire flexor strain) hit the 15-day IL shortly after tricking a nation into blowing up their ERAs.

But now for some good news – Brett Baty is being called up!

He is very good. Baty has been absolutely raking at Triple-A, driving Mets fans nuts with every hit (never a bad thing ; ). In nine games and 42 PA, Baty is slashing .400/.500/.886, with 5 HR, 9 R, 15 RBI, and 2 SB. I believe the scientific term is, “nothing left to prove”.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit yet another home run on Sunday, bringing his total to six in eight minor league games. Tick-tock, tick-tock, a 4/20 return burns ever closer.

After playing back-to-back rehab games, Jorge Polanco seems to finally be moving closer to his season debut, looking to be activated in about a week. Hopefully, no one spent a bunch of money on a hot prospect that might just be out of a job in a few weeks.

Brad Boxberger picked up his first Save for the Cubs, with Michael Fulmer instead getting the eighth and a hold.

And Cody Bellinger, while still not his previous MVP self, continues to make his drafters feel good about getting in on his bargain basement price. After going 1-for-4 on Sunday with a home run and stolen base, Bellinger now has 3 HR – 10 R – 10 RBI – 3 SB, with a .245 AVG.

AND WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS ‽‽‽

Pizza Throw Day?

You might think that missing a foul ball and getting your own beer spilled all over you would be as bad as it could get.

And you would be wrong. Skip to the replay at the end to see my favorite part – unbridled conviction:

A Day of Duels

Yu Darvish was up to his whiffiest tricks against the Brewers, striking out 12 and allowing just 1 ER in 7 IP, helped out by a  dominant splitty. Darvish threw the split-finger 18 times, generating 11 swings and nine whiffs. Aaa-nd he lost… because Wade Miley threw seven shutout innings for Milwaukee in the 1-0 win, allowing just four hits and striking out eight. That’s right, folks; it’s officially time to trick ourselves into thinking Wade Miley is good again.

Luis Castillo was again masterful in a 1-0 win over the Rockies, allowing just two hits and striking out nine over seven shutout innings. And the Mariners needed every bit of that dominance as they were nearly as helpless against rookie, Noah Davis, making his first major league debut by striking out five over five shutout innings. Davis’s stuff is mostly meh, though, throwing six pitches but mostly a sinker/slider combo. He generated just six whiffs on 95 pitches, while also walking three; I’m not racing to see if he can replicate things in his next start against Philadelphia.

Gerrit Cole had his unhittable stuff on Sunday, throwing a two-hit, complete-game shutout against the Twins, striking out 10. Hitters couldn’t hang with any of his repertoire but the fastball simply could not be handled, finishing with a 25% SwStr%. And it’s not like they weren’t trying – Cole’s four-seamer had an 87% zSwing% against it, with an outrageous 35% zWhiff%.

Poor Pablo López, who had the misfortune of being opposite Cole’s dominance. López took the loss despite allowing just 2 ER over 6 IP and striking out eight. But while he might have lost the battle, those drafting him are winning the war; López now has a 1.35 ERA and 0.65 WHIP over his first four starts, with 33 strikeouts in 26 IP.

Reid Detmers performed well against the Red Sox, striking out seven and walking just one while allowing 2 ER in 7 IP. But unfortunately, Detmers took the loss, getting outdueled by Garrett Whitlock making his second start of the season. Whitlock was much sharper than in his debut, allowing just 1 ER over 7 IP on three hits and two walks, striking out five. And the slider was cooking, generating 11 of Whitlock’s 13 whiffs, good for a 35% SwStr%. A tough matchup in Milwaukee awaits for his next turn but it’s clear that Whitlock is on his way to fantasy dominance in 2023 (he said, trying to noodle out some of that magic from “The Secret”):

Streaming Pitcher(s) for Today

None

High Risk: Hayden Wesneski, CHC @ OAK (31% on Yahoo)

Nothing went right for Wesneski in his last start, getting run after just 1.1 IP after allowing 7 R (2 ER) on seven hits and four walks. But a matchup in Oakland is a soft landing spot for a bounceback, as the A’s have so far been bottom-five vs RHP in wOBA, with a 25% K%.

Stream(s) for Tomorrow: Bailey Falter, PHI @ CHW (high risk)





 

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