Outlook Michael King
Michael King looks to steady the ship as the Padres' staff anchor in a favorable road matchup.
Michael King has hit a minor bump in the road lately, posting a 5.16 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP over his last two starts. However, the second-place Padres (37-33) desperately need him to lead their rotation with Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Nick Pivetta all currently sidelined on the injured list. King is locked in as the team's top starter and should continue to see a massive workload.
Despite the elevated 4.75 ERA over the past month, King's underlying metrics remain highly encouraging. He carries a strong 3.43 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP on the season, which lines up closely with our rest-of-season projection of a 3.47 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. His strikeout stuff is still very real, pointing to this recent stretch being a temporary blip rather than a true decline.
This week, King is scheduled for one road start on Tuesday against the Cardinals. He will draw a highly favorable matchup against St. Louis right-hander Andre Pallante, who has struggled to a 4.00 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Our models project King for a strong seven-inning performance with a 3.47 ERA, making him an excellent option. Weekly Verdict: Start.
Updated 1 day ago
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Outlook Foster Griffin
Foster Griffin's superb form makes him a reliable start against Kansas City.
Foster Griffin has been outstanding of late, logging a sparkling 1.64 ERA and a microscopic 0.73 WHIP with nine strikeouts over his last 11 innings. He is locked in as a mid-rotation staple for the third-place Nationals, whose starting staff has been heavily depleted by injuries to key pitchers like Jake Irvin and Josiah Gray.
Griffin's current 3.49 ERA over 14 games is a massive step forward from his brief 2022 MLB stint, though our season-long projection of a 4.17 ERA and 1.28 WHIP suggests some regression could eventually be on the horizon. However, his superb control recently—highlighted by issuing zero walks over his last two outings—signals that his breakout is largely legitimate.
Looking at the week ahead, the lefty is lined up for a single home start on Tuesday against the fifth-place Royals and veteran Michael Wacha. With Wacha sporting a solid but reachable 3.58 ERA and our models projecting Griffin for 6.2 strong innings, this is a highly favorable spot to keep him active. Verdict: Start.
Updated 1 day ago
