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Justin Steele SP | CHC
Cubs' Justin Steele: Falters again in short start
Steele (16-5) allowed six runs on eight hits and struck out six without walking a batter over three-plus innings, taking the loss Wednesday versus the Pirates.
Steele was cruising through three innings, but he allowed six straight singles to open the fourth. That produced four runs, and two more were tacked onto Steele's line when Jose Cuas allowed a three-run home run to Josh Palacios. It appears Steele may be wearing down late in the year, as he's allowed 12 runs over his last nine innings while taking back-to-back losses for the first time. He's throw 168 innings this year, 49 more than his previous high in a season, which was set last year. Despite this poor outing, he still has a 3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 170:35 K:BB over 29 starts. The southpaw is projected for a challenging road start in Atlanta next week.
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Mitch Keller SP | PIT
Pirates' Mitch Keller: Wins despite yielding seven runs
Keller (13-9) allowed seven runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out six over 5.2 innings, earning the win Wednesday over the Cubs.
Keller benefited from the Pirates storming ahead to an 8-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning, as he almost gave it all back. He's allowed 15 runs over his last 18.2 innings across three starts, one of which saw him throw eight shutout innings against the Nationals. The right-hander is now at a 4.25 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 204:53 K:BB through 188.1 innings through 31 starts. He's projected for a road start versus the Phillies early next week.
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Adrian Houser SP | SF
Brewers' Adrian Houser: Grabs seventh win
Houser (7-4) allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out four over six innings to earn the win over the Cardinals on Wednesday.
Houser has won both of his starts since returning from an elbow injury, allowing three runs over 11 innings in those outings. He limited the damage to an RBI single from Paul Goldschmidt in the first inning. Houser is at a 4.35 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 86:30 K:BB through 101.1 innings across 21 appearances (19 starts), but he's limited opponents to two runs or fewer in four of his last seven outings. The 30-year-old is lined up for a rematch at home versus the Cardinals next week.
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Seth Lugo SP | KC
Padres' Seth Lugo: Settles for no-decision Wednesday
Lugo came away with a no-decision Wednesday in the Padres' 3-2 win over the Rockies, allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out seven.
The right-hander continued a strong run that has seen him deliver six quality starts in his last seven outings while posting a 2.90 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 39:12 K:BB through 40.1 innings, but Lugo only escaped seeing his 7-7 record fall below .500 when the Padres took their first and only lead of the game in the seventh inning. San Diego has stubbornly refused to be eliminated from the NL wild-card race, winning seven straight games, so Lugo's final start of the season -- likely to come next week in San Francisco -- could carry additional drama if his team continues its desperation push through the weekend.
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Chase Anderson RP | TEX
Rockies' Chase Anderson: Remains winless
Anderson (0-6) took the loss Wednesday as the Rockies fell 3-2 to the Padres, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks over 6.1 innings. He struck out three.
The veteran right-hander has now made 16 starts in 2023, plus two relief appearances, and he's still looking for his first win. Anderson has at least given the Rockies two straight quality starts, and over 20.2 innings since coming off the IL in early September, he's managed a 4.80 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 16:11 K:BB. With Colorado playing seven games in six days during the final week of the season, Anderson could take the mound twice more against the Dodgers and Twins, but both starts would come at Coors Field.
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Merrill Kelly SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly: Sharp in 12th win
Kelly (12-7) picked up the win in Wednesday's 7-1 victory over the Giants, allowing one run on three hits and three walks over 6.2 innings. He struck out five.
A solo homer by LaMonte Wade in the first inning was the only blemish on Kelly's line as he delivered his sixth quality start in 10 outings since the beginning of August. The 34-year-old right-hander has a 3.62 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 68:24 K:BB through 59.2 innings over that stretch, helping Arizona stay ahead of the pack in the battle for a wild-card spot in the NL. Kelly figures to make what will be his last start of the regular season early next week on the road against the White Sox.
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Logan Webb SP | SF
Giants' Logan Webb: Takes loss despite quality start
Webb (10-13) took the loss Wednesday as the Giants fell 7-1 to the Diamondbacks, giving up three runs on nine hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out four.
The right-hander wasn't at his best, but he still reeled off his fifth straight quality start on 102 pitches (69 strikes). Webb has gone just 1-3 during that stretch despite a 2.48 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 24:4 K:BB through 32.2 innings, as San Francisco has scored only four total runs for him in the four outings he didn't get into the win column. Webb's next start lines up for a home tilt against the Padres early next week.
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Kyle Harrison SP | MIL
Giants' Kyle Harrison: Will start Thursday
Harrison will start Thursday's game against the Dodgers, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Harrison was recalled Wednesday from Triple-A Sacramento as a rotation replacement for Alex Cobb, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2023 regular season because of a left hip impingement. Harrison is an exciting young prospect, but he carries a 5.18 ERA through his first 24.1 major-league innings and is a risky fantasy streaming bet versus Los Angeles.
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Colin Rea SP | CHC
Brewers' Colin Rea: Sent to Triple-A
Rea was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday, Sophia Minnaert of Bally Sports Wisconsin reports.
The 33-year-old earned the win Tuesday after he allowed one run over 4.2 frames of long relief, but he'll be sent down in order for the team to bring up a fresh arm. Rea has a 4.78 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 102:38 K:BB across 118.2 innings as a swingman for the Brewers this season.
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Julio Teheran SP | BAL
Brewers' Julio Teheran: Activated from 15-day IL
Milwaukee activated Teheran (hip) from the 15-day injured list Wednesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
Teheran will return to the Brewers in a long-relief role after missing several weeks because of a right hip impingement. He had posted a 4.74 ERA and 44:11 K:BB in 62.2 innings (11 starts) prior to landing on the IL in late July.