These are the hottest SP and RP from the past week in MLB:
Starting Pitchers:
Seth Lugo (KC – SP): Week’s Line: 12.1 IP, 1.46 ERA, 0.49 WHIP, 16 K, 11.9 K9, 2 QS
The Royals staff doesn’t get enough credit, and maybe it’s because they have grinders instead of bangers. Whatever. Lugo went out last week and handled two great offenses.
Jose Soriano (LAA – SP)
Week’s Line: 13.2 IP, 0.66 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 16 K, 10.91 K9, 2 QS
Is this the breakout? Huge game in the Bronx on Monday, and Jose doubled down against a resurgent Astros offense on Saturday. The strikeouts are catching up with his elite groundball rate. This could be something.
Ryan Pepiot (TB – SP)
Week’s Line: 13.0 IP, 1.38 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 18 K, 12.46 K9, 1 QS
Different guy, same question. Is Pepiot here? His stuff has always been standout, but he’s been on a stretch where he seems to be clicking all the way around. Giddy up. Just five against Detroit Saturday, but we’ll take that in the little league park the Rays call home this year.
Lucas Giolito (BOS – SP)
Week’s Line: 12 IP, 1.50 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 15 K, 11.25 K9, 2 QS
Big boy quality starts against two playoff hopefuls (@ SEA, @SF). Besides a couple blow ups, Gio has been solid since coming back from the IL. He’s got stupid extension, and he’s starting to hit a rhythm not seen from Lucas since they took his sticky stuff away.
Clarke Schmidt (NYY – SP)
Week’s Line: 14.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.41 WHIP, 8 K, 5.07 K9, 2 QS
Yes it was the Halos and the Orioles, but so what. Both lineups can smash (not smush), and Clarke simply didn’t care. Barely a strikeout (8 in 14.2 innings), but also barely a baserunner (six). Shame his offense let him down in Los Angeles, because that should have been a win.
Logan Webb (SF – SP)
Week’s Line: 7.0 IP, 1.29 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 9 K, 11.57 K9, 1 QS
Webb has been superb this year and is in the conversation for top five starters IMHO. Good for 6.0+ every time out (7.0 this week), three or fewer runs (just one Thursday) and a handful of strikeouts (nine). He’s one of the surest bets you’ll see.
Chris Sale (ATL – SP)
Week’s Line: 8.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 7 K, 7.68 K9, 1 QS
Sale’s longest outing in half a decade was just a pinch too long – he fractured a rib diving for a dribbler in the ninth. Prior to that? Vintage Sale – fastballs located and sliders running. And against the Mets. Yes, please.
Jesus Luzardo (PHI – SP)
Week’s Line: 11.2 IP, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 11 K, 8.84 K9, 1 QS
Was he tipping? Probably. Has he fixed it? Maybe. Mixed bag this week, with a shelling in Miami (WHAT?) and a GEM against the Mets. Hopefully he keeps it going, because he’s so fun to watch when he’s cooking.
Garrett Crochet (BOS – SP)
Week’s Line: 6.0 IP, 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 8 K, 12.0 K9, 1 QS
I love Crochet, and I still weep my White Sox traded him away for peanuts. All he does is dominate. Seriously. Went into T-Mobile and did his job Wednesday. What was the number… six straight Abs fanning Aaron Judge? Yes Judge smoked him in the next AB, but still. Pretty sure a pitcher has NEVER done that against Thanos. (Checks tape. Confirms). Skenes who?
Will Warren (NYY – SP)
Week’s Line: 12.1 IP, 3.65 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 17 K, 12.64 K9, 2 QS
Almost didn’t feature Warren, because I didn’t love the ERA. Butthe book on Warren is an inflated ERA but pure unbridled filth in the stuff department. 17 strikeouts in just over 12 innings, Will continues to mystify hitters with his fastball variation and ridiculous break. Like I said – filthy.
Relief Pitchers:
Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox: Week’s Line: 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 6 K, 18.00 K9, 3 S/H
The Cuban Missile was missile’ing last week, striking out six and hitting 100 MPH on over 30% of his pitches. He’s Boston’s best reliever, by far.
Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians
Week’s Line: 0.00 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 3 K, 6.75 K9, 4 S/H
Clase got knocked around a little bit, but who cares? He shut the door four times this week, and isn’t that the point of a closer? His cutter still may be the best pitch in all of baseball.
Carlos Estevez, Kansas City Royals
Week’s Line: 3.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 0 K, 0.00 K9, 3 S/H
I mean, zero strikeouts? Really? It’s whatever, I guess. Like Clase, he did his job this week with three saves. But buddy was certainly lacking in the swing-and-miss department.
Orion Kerkering, Philadelphia Phillies
Week’s Line: 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 3 K, 9.00 K9, 3 S/H
Phiily’s best reliever with Alvarado serving time, Orion has recently positioned himself to be the featured guy at the back end of ball games.
Michael Kopech, Los Angeles Dodgers
Week’s Line: 0.00 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3 K, 10.11 K9, 3 S/H
One of my all-time favorite fastballs, Kopech returned from the IL last week and was immediately inserted into high-leverage situations. Skill? Last guy standing? Does it matter?
Felix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles
Week’s Line: 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 5 K, 15.00 K9, 2 S/H
Not. One. Baserunner. All week. I think it’s safe to say Bautista is settling into his rhythm in one of the more underrated bullpens in the bigs.
Tyler Rogers, San Francisco Giants
Week’s Line: 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 2 K, 6.00 K9, 2 S/H
Rogers isn’t sexy, and his a relic of years gone by with his sidearm, submarine delivery. It certainly doesn’t rack up strikeouts, but it’s super effective. He’s been one of the most reliable relief arms in the game for years now.
Phil Maton, St. Louis Cardinals
Week’s Line: 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 5 K, 15.00 K9, 2 S/H
Phil Maton has been around for a while, but it’s finally clicked for him in 2025. The strikeouts have always been a thing, but so has the inflated ERA and WHIP. Not this season, and not this week.
Gregory Soto, Baltimore Orioles
Week’s Line: 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 7 K, 27.00 K9, 2 S/H
Soto has been phenomenal as of late, surrendering only one earned run all month. He’s also only given up four hits and two walks during that span. And he struck out nearly every batter he faced last week.
Randy Rodriguez, San Francisco Giants
Week’s Line: 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 5 K, 11.25 K9, 2 S/H
I’m starting to consider Randy Rodriguez in the conversation for best reliever in baseball. The guy is basically untouchable, and the Giants have finally moved him from the bridge. Smart choice, because the Stuff+ (120) is off-the-charts good.
