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Sonny Gray SP | BOS
Cardinals' Sonny Gray: Blanks defending champs
Gray (7-1) earned the win against the Dodgers on Friday, allowing eight hits while striking out five across 6.1 scoreless frames. He did not issue a walk.
Gray yielded at least two baserunners in three of the seven innings he pitched, but he maneuvered out of trouble without allowing a run. He generated 16 whiffs and 19 first-pitch strikes on 90 pitches (63 strikes) while inducing seven grounders. Gray has not given up a run over his last two starts and sports a 3.35 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 75.1 innings this season, and his 81 strikeouts rank ninth in the National League. He's lined up to face the Brewers on the road next week.
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Will Warren SP | NYY
Yankees' Will Warren: Mixed results in win
Warren (4-3) earned the win against the Red Sox on Friday, allowing four runs on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts over 5.1 innings.
Warren was given an early lead and looked poised for his first quality start since May 9 before allowing four runs over his final two innings. He struggled with command and control, issuing four walks for the second straight outing while generating just six whiffs on 84 pitches. The 25-year-old now carries a 5.34 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 75:28 K:BB across 57.1 innings and is slated to face the Royals on the road next week.
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Walker Buehler SP | SD
Red Sox's Walker Buehler: Crushed early in loss
Buehler (4-4) took the loss against the Yankees on Friday, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts over two innings.
Buehler surrendered five runs on two homers in the first inning and needed 67 pitches to get through just two frames, marking his shortest outing of the season. The 30-year-old has now yielded 10 earned runs over his past two starts, pushing his ERA from 3.95 to 5.18. He also owns a 1.44 WHIP and 44:17 K:BB across 48.2 innings and is slated for a home matchup with the Rays next week.
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Zack Littell RP | ARI
Rays' Zack Littell: Sharp in sixth win
Littell (6-5) picked up the win Friday, allowing one run on six hits over six innings in a 4-3 victory over the Marlins. He struck out four without walking a batter.
The only blemish on Littell's line was a fourth-inning solo shot by Agustin Ramirez. The right-hander delivered his third straight quality start and ninth of the season in 13 trips to the mound, and he hit the showers after an efficient 72 pitches (47 strikes), getting a bit of a break after he tossed a 117-pitch complete game his last time out. Littell will take a 3.68 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 52:11 K:BB through 80.2 innings into his next start, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in Boston.
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Bailey Ober SP | MIN
Twins' Bailey Ober: Yields two homers in loss
Ober (4-2) took the loss against Toronto on Friday, allowing five runs on five hits and one walk while striking out four across seven innings.
Ober looked to be in control after breezing through the first three frames. However, he gave up two runs in both of the next two frames -- including a two-run home run to Addison Barger in the third -- before serving up a solo shot to George Springer in the sixth. Ober was efficient with his 87 pitches (64 strikes) and generated 13 whiffs and 23 first-pitch strikes, but he wasn't able to get enough run support to avoid the loss. Ober has a 3.78 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 54:15 K:BB across 69 innings this season, and he is slated to start against the Rangers at home next week.
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Edward Cabrera SP | CHC
Marlins' Edward Cabrera: Early exit in Friday's loss
Cabrera (2-2) took the loss Friday as the Marlins were downed 4-3 by the Rays, giving up three runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out five.
The right-hander got lifted after only 63 pitches (41 strikes), his lightest workload of the season. While the early hook was unusual, Cabrera's inefficiency remains the biggest obstacle to a true breakout as he has yet to complete six innings in any of his 10 trips to the mound. He'll take a 3.99 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 53:21 K:BB through 49.2 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come on the road next weekend against the Nationals.
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Keider Montero SP | DET
Tigers' Keider Montero: Working in bulk relief Saturday
Montero is expected to pitch as a bulk reliever Saturday against the Cubs, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
The Tigers will send Tyler Holton to the mound to begin Saturday's contest before turning to Montero to provide length out of the bullpen. Montero has been on a nice run recently, pitching 9.2 shutout frames across his last two outings.
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Ben Brown RP | CHC
Cubs' Ben Brown: Goes seven innings in loss
Brown (3-4) took the loss against the Tigers on Friday, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over seven innings.
Brown generated 15 whiffs on 92 pitches and held his own against Tarik Skubal before surrendering a solo homer in the sixth inning. It marked the 25-year-old's first quality start since May 2, and he's now allowed just two earned runs over 13 frames in his past two outings. He'll carry a 5.37 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 78:20 K:BB across 63.2 innings into another tough matchup with the Phillies next week.
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Tarik Skubal SP | LAD
Tigers' Tarik Skubal: Strikes out six in win
Skubal (6-2) earned the win against the Cubs on Friday, allowing one run on eight hits and no walks with six strikeouts over 7.2 innings.
Skubal carried a 21-inning scoreless streak into the sixth before surrendering an RBI double to Kyle Tucker. The lefty ace threw 64 of 95 pitches for strikes and generated 12 whiffs, completing at least seven innings for the third straight start. On the season, he sports a 2.16 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and an outstanding 105:7 K:BB across 83.1 innings. He'll look to keep rolling in a road matchup with the Orioles next week.
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Logan Taylor Allen RP | CLE
Guardians' Logan Allen: Falters late in loss
Allen (3-4) took the loss against the Astros on Friday, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts over six innings.
Allen opened with four scoreless innings before giving up four runs over his final two. The southpaw generated just four swinging strikes on 88 pitches but managed to complete six frames for only the second time in 11 starts this season. He'll carry a 4.42 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 40:27 K:BB across 55 innings into a home matchup with the Reds next week.