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Albert Suarez RP | BAL
Orioles' Albert Suarez: Keeps dealing
Suarez didn't factor into the decision Sunday against Tampa Bay, allowing four hits and one walk with five strikeouts across 6.2 scoreless innings.
Suarez has been outstanding since taking Grayson Rodriguez's (lat) spot in the rotation, delivering back-to-back scoreless starts with an 11:3 K:BB during that span. With Rodriguez not expected to return until September, Suarez looks to be locked in for several starts. However, fantasy managers should proceed with caution considering the 34-year-old gave up three or more runs in five of eight starts prior to the scoreless outings and has a 72:33 K:BB on the year. Suarez is tentatively scheduled to face the Red Sox next.
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Jeffrey Springs SP | ATH
Rays' Jeffrey Springs: Punches out eight
Springs didn't factor into the decision Sunday against Baltimore, allowing one run on six hits and no walks over five innings. He struck out eight.
Springs rebounded from a four-run start against St. Louis with Sunday's gem, fanning eight batters after combining for six Ks in his first two starts since returning from Tommy John surgery. The left-hander was pulled after 83 pitches (58 strikes) and hasn't reached the 90-pitch threshold since being activated. In 13.2 innings, Springs has yielded seven runs with a 14:4 K:BB. He's on track to face the Diamondbacks next time out.
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Hayden Birdsong P | SF
Giants' Hayden Birdsong: Takes second loss
Birdsong (3-2) allowed five runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five over 4.1 innings to take the loss versus the Tigers on Sunday.
Birdsong has stumbled in consecutive starts since joining the Giants' rotation on a more firm basis, allowing 12 runs over his last 6.1 innings. His command was better Sunday with 51 of his 85 pitches going for strikes, but he gave up multiple home runs for the second outing in a row. The right-hander is now at a 5.40 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 44:19 K:BB through 36.2 innings over eight starts in the majors. Birdsong is tentatively scheduled for a road start in Oakland for his next outing, though he may be on a short leash if his performance doesn't improve soon.
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Spencer Schwellenbach P | ATL
Braves' Spencer Schwellenbach: Quality start at Colorado
Schwellenbach allowed two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven over six innings in a no-decision versus the Rockies on Sunday.
Schwellenbach was initially expected to be skipped for this start, but Atlanta changed plans to keep him on turn this time. He rewarded that faith with his fifth quality start in his last six outings, but Atlanta's bullpen imploded in the eighth inning to cost him the win. Schwellenbach is now at a 3.95 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 77:12 K:BB through 70.2 innings over 12 starts in the majors. The 24-year-old is at a total of 115.2 innings across all levels this year after throwing just 65 innings in 2023, so it's still possible his workload gets trimmed back at some point. Consider him tentatively penciled in to make his next start on the road versus the Angels.
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Keider Montero SP | DET
Tigers' Keider Montero: Earns another win Sunday
Montero (3-5) allowed four runs on five hits across five innings of work to earn the win Sunday against the Giants. He walked four and struck out two.
While Montero managed to earn his second straight win, he was much less effective Sunday compared to his last outing Tuesday, when he allowed just one run over six innings. Overall, the rookie now has a 5.76 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 54.2 innings, making him a risky fantasy proposition moving forward. He at least has been a little bit better lately, turning in a 4.50 ERA across his last three appearances. Montero will aim for his third straight win when he takes the mound again next weekend against the Yankees, which projects to be a tricky matchup for the young righty.
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Clarke Schmidt RP | NYY
Yankees' Clarke Schmidt: Eyeing Aug. 22 for rehab assignment
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Sunday in an appearance on SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio that Schmidt (lat) will begin a rehab assignment around Aug. 22 and is tracking toward a return from the 60-day injured list in the second week of September, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Schmidt and manager Aaron Boone had both recently expressed optimism that the right-hander would return from the IL before the end of August, but that now appears unlikely, unless the Yankees opt to have Schmidt prepare for a bullpen role upon his activation. At least for the time being, the Yankees seem content to have Schmidt get stretched back out for a starting role, which means he'll need to build up his pitch count over two or three minor-league outings before rejoining the big club. Schmidt is slated to throw around 30 pitches in a live batting practice session Wednesday, and perhaps another after that before reporting to an affiliate.
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Matthew Boyd SP | CHC
Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Set for season debut Tuesday
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said Boyd (elbow) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday's contest at home versus the Cubs, Nick Camino of 3 News Cleveland reports.
Boyd has missed the entirety of the 2024 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he looks set to make his season and Guardians debuts Tuesday. The left-hander has completed five rehab starts with multiple minor-league affiliates, including Triple-A Columbus, producing an impressive 0.83 ERA with 27 punchouts over 21.2 innings. Boyd reached 63 pitches in his most recent start Wednesday with Columbus, so he'll likely still be on some sort of pitch limit against Chicago.
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Chris Bassitt SP | BAL
Blue Jays' Chris Bassitt: Sunk by nightmare first inning
Bassitt (9-11) took the loss against the Athletics on Sunday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts over four innings.
The Athletics brought 11 batters to the plate in the first inning, scoring six runs and crushing two homers before Bassitt was finally able to escape. It's been a frustrating year for the veteran, who was coming off a seven-inning gem against one of baseball's best lineups in Baltimore. However, that outing was his only quality start in seven chances since July 4, a period in which his ERA has grown from 3.24 to 4.30. He'll try to rebound in a road matchup with the Cubs next week.
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Kyle Freeland SP | COL
Rockies' Kyle Freeland: Yields two homers in no-decision
Freeland allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out one over 3.2 innings in a no-decision versus Atlanta on Sunday.
Freeland was limited to 65 pitches (40 strikes), though he gave up a solo home run to Austin Riley and a two-run homer to Travis d'Arnaud in a shaky start. This was the third time in four outings Freeland failed to complete five innings -- he's allowed 13 runs over 19.1 innings in that span. For the season, the southpaw has a 5.75 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 56:18 K:BB through 67.1 innings over 13 starts. He's projected for a home start versus the Padres in his next outing.
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JP Sears SP | SD
Athletics' JP Sears: Wins third straight
Sears (10-8) earned the win against the Blue Jays on Sunday, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts over seven innings.
Sears completed seven innings for the third consecutive outing and was even pushed into the eighth, but he walked two batters without recording an out in the frame. The southpaw has gone 6-1 since the calendar flipped to July, allowing three or fewer earned runs in each of the victories. On the season, he owns a 4.32 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 101:37 K:BB across 133.1 innings and lines up for a home matchup with the Giants next week.