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Brandon Pfaadt SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt: Logs quality start Saturday
Pfaadt allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out four batters over 6.1 innings in a no-decision against Houston on Saturday.
Pfaadt was behind 3-2 when he exited with one out in the seventh inning, but Arizona scored a run in the eighth to take him off the look for a loss. The right-hander finished with his second straight quality start and his seventh such effort across his past nine outings, a span during which he's posted a 2.47 ERA while going 3-1. Pfaadt will look to extend the strong stretch his next time out, which is projected to be a home tilt versus Texas.
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Seth Lugo SP | KC
Royals' Seth Lugo: Goes five frames in no-decision
Lugo allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out one batter over five innings in a no-decision against Toronto on Saturday.
Lugo began his outing poorly, giving up two runs on five hits in the first inning. The veteran righty settled down from there, yielding only one more run and three more hits over his remaining four frames. While this wasn't Lugo's sharpest outing, it was a clear improvement over the nine-run, 3.2-inning start he registered his previous time on the mound. Lugo will carry a 5.04 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 119:51 K:BB over 159 innings spanning 29 starts into his next outing, which is slated to be a road matchup in Boston.
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Taj Bradley SP | MIN
Twins' Taj Bradley: Punches out six in 11th win
Bradley (11-6) notched the win against the White Sox on Saturday, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out six.
Bradley continued to deliver in the strikeout department in a shaky outing, tallying at least six punchouts for a fourth consecutive start. The right-hander has pitched at least five frames in 15 of his last 16 outings, but he's walked multiple batters in all but one of his last 11. He'll carry a career-best 3.95 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 184:68 K:BB over 159.1 innings into his next scheduled appearance against Cleveland.
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Anthony Kay SP | CHW
White Sox's Anthony Kay: Labors again in eighth loss
Kay (9-8) took the loss against the Twins on Saturday, allowing five runs on six hits and one walk in 4.1 innings. He struck out three.
Kay hasn't been particularly economical with his pitch count as of late, working fewer than five innings despite throwing at least 80 pitches in three consecutive starts. The southpaw has coughed up at least four runs each time out during that period, and he's yet to turn in a single outing this year with zero walks. He'll take a 4.47 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 116:50 K:BB over 141 innings into his next scheduled appearance in St. Louis.
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Max Scherzer SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Hangs tough after rough first inning
Scherzer allowed three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two batters over 5.2 innings in a no-decision against Kansas City on Saturday.
Scherzer began his outing by allowing four straight batters to reach base on a hit-by-pitch, a double and two singles. That resulted in two Royals runs before the veteran hurler had recorded an out. Scherzer was able to bounce back, however, allowing just one more run and completing 5.2 frames on a an efficient -- especially in light of how his start began -- 76 pitches. This wasn't anywhere close in quality to the 10-strikeout, seven-inning scoreless appearance Scherzer posted in his previous start, but it was nonetheless a gritty effort that ultimately helped his team to a win. After registering a 10.23 ERA across his first six starts this season, Scherzer has given up three or fewer earned runs in seven of his subsequent eight outings.
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Sonny Gray SP | BOS
Red Sox's Sonny Gray: Seven shutout innings in 17th win
Gray (17-4) earned the win against the Orioles on Saturday, allowing no runs on three hits and three walks in seven innings. He struck out seven.
Gray stayed dialed in Saturday, pitching at least five innings while yielding two runs or fewer for the fifth time in his last six starts. The veteran right-hander has been incredibly consistent all year long, conceding more than three runs just four times across 26 outings. He'll carry an excellent 2.69 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 135:40 K:BB over 150.2 innings into his next scheduled appearance versus the Royals.
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Chris Bassitt SP | BAL
Orioles' Chris Bassitt: Falls short of quality start in loss
Bassitt (6-5) took the loss against the Red Sox on Saturday, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out six.
Bassitt has provided the Orioles with steady length since coming off the injured list, tossing at least 5.1 innings in five consecutive starts. However, the veteran right-hander continues to let plenty of traffic get aboard, allowing at least seven baserunners each time out during that five-start stretch. He'll take a 4.96 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 61:33 K:BB over 85.1 innings into his next scheduled appearance versus Toronto.
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Jacob deGrom SP | TEX
Rangers' Jacob deGrom: Fans seven in six strong innings
DeGrom took a no-decision against the Rays on Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out seven.
That makes it back-to-back starts for deGrom of at least six innings and two runs or fewer allowed. The veteran right-hander did serve up a pair of home runs Saturday, which is a bit surprising after he gave up just one homer in his prior nine outings. He'll try to further improve on a career-worst 3.96 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 174:38 K:BB over 143.1 innings in his next scheduled appearance versus the Diamondbacks.
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Drew Rasmussen SP | TB
Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Spins seven strong innings
Rasmussen took a no-decision against the Rangers on Saturday, allowing one run on three hits and no walks in seven innings. He struck out seven.
Rasmussen continued to deal Saturday, firing at least six innings while giving up two runs or fewer for a third consecutive start. The right-hander has yielded fewer than five hits and three runs in all but of one of his last eight outings as well. He'll bring a 2.88 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 156:27 K:BB over 153.1 innings into his next scheduled outing versus the Astros.
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Braxton Ashcraft SP | PIT
Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Strikes out nine in loss
Ashcraft (14-6) took the loss against the Angels on Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks with nine strikeouts over five innings.
Ashcraft opened with three scoreless frames but stumbled late, departing with a 3-0 deficit at just 67 pitches. The 26-year-old has now yielded three earned runs or fewer in seven straight outings, but he's exceeded 90 pitches just once in that span and appears to be having his workload limited down the stretch. He owns a 3.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 173:35 K:BB across 165.1 innings this season and lines up for a road matchup with the Cubs next weekend.