Several starting pitchers have delivered exceptional performances each week, capturing the attention of fans and analysts alike. From established aces reaffirming their dominance to emerging talents making significant impacts, these pitchers have set the tone for excellence on the mound. Let’s take a look at who tore it up and made noise last week around the league, in no particular order.
Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies
Week’s Line: 14.0 IP, 1.29 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 17 K, 10.93 K9, 2 QS
In my opinion, Wheeler is the best pitcher in baseball (all due respect to Mr. Skubal). And quite possibly the best week of any SP all year. Elite fastballs upstairs, and a cutter that returned 53% CSW against the Rays on Tuesday is just unfair.
Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers
Week’s Line: 13.0 IP, 0.69 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 14 K, 9.69 K9, 2 QS
I thought Eovaldi was cooked. Man was I wrong. He’s been nothing short of sensational in his nine starts this season. And he shined again this week, throwing 13 innings of fantastic baseball. Fastball/splitter is his bread and butter, and that fastball is nasty. 31 swings and misses last week. Thirty-one. 18 of which came Tuesday against the Red Sox.
Ronel Blanco, Houston Astros
Week’s Line: 14.0 IP, 1.93 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 17 K, 10.93 K9, 2 QS
Blanco got touched Monday in Milwaukee, but it’s his second start that I want to highlight – 8.0, three baserunners, and 11 strikeouts Sunday at home against the Reds. Yes it was Cincyand the fastball was kinda trash, but the secondaries cooked – the slider and changeup were filthy.
Matthew Boyd, Chicago Cubs
Week’s Line: 12.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 15 K, 11.25 K9, 2 QS
Matthew Boyd. Yawn. Not super sexy, but for sure getting the job done. Like me. No? OK. Moving on. ERA right at 3.00, WHIP under 1.00, more than a strikeout per inning – the numbers track for a feature. But you know what else? Big boy games against big boy teams. The Giants and Mets are two of the top teams in baseball, and Boyd did his job.
AJ Smith-Shawver, Atlanta Braves
Week’s Line: 13.2 IP, 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 12 K, 8.18 K9, 1 QS
Let’s stay picking on the Reds. Who, btw – are uber generous to opposing starters. Case in point – Smith-Shawver’s near no-hitter Monday. The no-hit bid was broken up in the eighth, and he did walk four batters. The arsenal isn’t no-hitter worthy, and he’s kinda messy with it as well. But hey, the Reds. Am I right? His second start Saturday in Pittsburgh also returned solid results, courtesy of the home team’s willingness to swing, miss, and take meatball pitches.
Griffin Canning, New York Mets
Week’s Line: 11.0 IP, 1.64 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 11 K, 9.00 K9, 1 QS
Another feature with some big boy games last week was my man Griff – on the road against the D-Backs on Monday and at home against one of the hottest hitting teams in baseball, the Cubbies on Sunday. In general, I think Griff has been pretty lucky in his results – the pitch profile isn’t spectacular. But the secondaries looked good (especially against the Cubs) against two big-time teams.
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Week’s Line: 7.0 IP, 1.29 ERA, 0.29 WHIP, 12 K, 15.43 K9, 1 QS
Skubal is ridiculous at the moment, and the stuff is just filthy. Two hits in seven innings, with 12 strikeouts (on 54% whiffs, I might add) is just mean. And he hit 100 MPH with his four-seamer in this one, while the sink (7/11 whiffs) nearly hit 99 MPH. My god. There’s just not much else that needs said here. Skubal is in the zone, so get used to seeing him featured here.
Erick Fedde, St. Louis Cardinals
Week’s Line: 9.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 8 K, 8.00 K9, 1 QS
I’m on record saying baseball players in general are soft. And maybe it’s not the players but how the players (and the game) managed. Average length of start has been in steady decline for years, and pitchers just don’t go the distance anymore. Case in point: In 2024, there were a record-low 26 complete games pitched in Major League Baseball. So when it happens – and it’s a shutout – I’m going to give flowers. Welcome to my features, Mr. Fedde.
Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
Week’s Line: 12.1 IP, 1.46 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 18 K, 13.39 K9, 1 QS
So it looks like Sale is kinda back, right? The last four starts have been pretty Sale-esque – a steady diet of fastballs and wipeout sliders racking up the swings and misses. Like Smith-Shawver, Sale had the good fortune of facing the Reds and Pirates last week. And while the Bucs knocked him around a bit (especially in the third frame), he got out of the start in decent shape. Still makes me mad my White Sox traded him. And Crochet. Let’s just change the subject.
Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals
Week’s Line: 7.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.43 WHIP, 8 K, 10.29 K9, 1 QS
Closing out my SP features this week is Sonny Gray, and yeswe’re picking on the Pirates again. Seven innings. Seven different offerings. A fantastic sweeper (5/8 whiffs). A superbly located curveball. And it all worked. Gray was also super efficient in this one – pounding the zone all day – needing only 89 pitches to record 21 outs.
