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Michael McGreevy SP | STL
Cardinals' Michael McGreevy: Impressive in big-league debut
McGreevy (1-0) earned the win over Texas on Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out three batters over seven innings.
McGreevy wasn't overpowering, but he had good control and allowed just one extra-base hit over his seven frames. The right-hander has never posted big strikeout numbers in the minors, and he recorded a 4.45 ERA across 109.1 innings with Triple-A Memphis this season prior to his call-up Wednesday, so fantasy managers are likely best served tempering expectations rather than rushing to the waiver wire to claim the 24-year-old. This was likely just a spot start in the majors for McGreevy, though he certainly showed enough to be a consideration for St. Louis the next time a spare arm is needed.
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Tyler Mahle SP | ATL
Rangers' Tyler Mahle: Builds up to 74 pitches
Mahle (elbow) struck out four over 4.2 innings and gave up two earned runs on three hits and one walk in his rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Round Rock.
Making what could be his final rehab start before being activated from the 60-day injured list, Mahle tossed 74 pitches (48 strikes) and sported a four-seam fastball that sat around 92-93 mph for most of the night before dipping into the upper 80s in the fourth and fifth innings. Though Mahle's most recent two rehab starts weren't as sharp as his first four, he's likely done enough to prove that he's healthy again coming off Tommy John surgery and ready to join the big-league rotation. Mahle, who signed a two-year, $22 million contract this winter, could make his Rangers debut as soon as Monday versus the Astros in Arlington.
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Nick Lodolo SP | CIN
Reds' Nick Lodolo: Hit hard Wednesday
Lodolo (8-4) allowed eight runs on 11 hits and struck out six over 5.2 innings without walking a batter to take the loss versus the Cubs on Wednesday.
Lodolo had allowed a total of eight runs across his previous three starts spanning 17.2 innings. The Cubs got to him early with multiple runs in the second and third frames, and Ian Happ's two-run homer in the sixth ended Lodolo's outing. The southpaw's ERA spiked up from 3.45 to 3.99, and he now has a 1.15 WHIP and 100:26 K:BB across 97 innings over 17 starts. Lodolo will look to bounce back in his next start, which is projected to be at Miami next week.
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Kyle Hendricks SP | LAA
Cubs' Kyle Hendricks: Grabs third win
Hendricks (3-9) allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings to earn the win over the Reds on Wednesday.
Aside from a three-run home run by Jake Fraley in the fifth inning, Hendricks had a strong start. He didn't allow a baserunner the first time through the order and got through his five frames on 73 pitches (44 strikes). Hendricks ended July with a 5.25 ERA over 24 innings, winning two of his five starts and allowing a total of four homers. For the season, he has a 6.86 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 60:26 K:BB through 20 appearances (15 starts). He is projected to make his next start at home versus the Twins.
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Joey Estes SP | ATH
Athletics' Joey Estes: Going back in rotation
Estes is scheduled to start Friday's game against the Dodgers in Oakland.
Estes had started in each of his first 13 appearances with the Athletics this season before he was deployed for 2.2 innings of relief this past Friday against the Angels behind starter Paul Blackburn, who was lifted after five innings in his first outing back from the 60-day injured list. The Athletics traded Blackburn to the Mets on Tuesday, so Estes' brief run in the bullpen will come to an end as he reclaims the vacated rotation spot.
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Yusei Kikuchi SP | LAA
Astros' Yusei Kikuchi: Team debut coming Friday
Kikuchi is scheduled to make his first start with the Astros on Friday versus the Rays in Houston, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
The Astros didn't need to open up a spot in their rotation for Kikuchi, as fifth starter Jake Bloss was sent back to Toronto along with outfielder Joey Loperfido and infielder Will Wagner in Monday's trade that landed the veteran southpaw in Houston. Kikuchi had cruised to a 2.64 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while delivering quality starts in six of his first 10 outings with Toronto this season, but aside from a career-best 13-strikeout effort July 9 in San Francisco, he had often been knocked around by opposing lineups over the past two months before being traded. He posted a strong 69:17 K:BB in 57.2 innings in his final 12 starts with Toronto but he also gave up 13 home runs during that stretch, which led to an inflated 6.87 ERA and 1.56 WHIP.
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Yariel Rodriguez RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Yariel Rodriguez: Getting start Sunday
Rodriguez will start Sunday's road game against the Yankees, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
After posting a 2.01 ERA and 0.76 WHIP over his first four starts of July, Rodriguez unraveled in his latest outing Monday. Taking the hill for Game 1 of a doubleheader with the Orioles, Rodriguez failed to escape the first inning while exhibiting a complete loss of control. He spotted just 21 of his 43 pitches for strikes and recorded two outs while allowing four runs (three earned) on four walks and one hit. Toronto optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo following the outing, only to recall him Tuesday as a replacement for Yusei Kikuchi, who was traded to Houston. Despite the rough outing Monday, Rodriguez will stick in the rotation for another turn, though he might have a shorter leash. Bowden Francis started the second game of Monday's doubleheader and tossed 5.2 innings of three-run ball, and while he's not in line to start this weekend against the Yankees, the Blue Jays could elect to have him piggyback with Rodriguez if the latter struggles to find the strike zone early on in Sunday's contest.
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Freddy Peralta SP | TB
Brewers' Freddy Peralta: Produces quality start Wednesday
Peralta came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to Atlanta, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out seven.
The right-hander served up back-to-back homers to Matt Olson and Travis d'Arnaud in the fourth inning, but otherwise Peralta went unscathed as he delivered his ninth quality start of the year on 101 pitches (59 strikes). Over his last eight outings, he's given up more than three runs only once, posting a 3.05 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 51:18 K:BB through 44.1 innings. Peralta lines up for a road rematch with Atlanta next week.
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Chris Sale SP | ATL
Braves' Chris Sale: Falls short of quality start
Sale came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the Brewers, giving up two runs on six hits and three walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out six.
The veteran southpaw wasn't quite efficient enough to record his 12th quality start of the season or his 14th win, getting the hook after 100 pitches (68 strikes) with the score still tied 2-2. Sale did extend his streak of starts allowing two runs or fewer to nine -- since a rough outing against the A's on June 1, he's delivered a 2.28 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 73:18 K:BB over his last 55.1 innings. Sale will look to keep rolling in his next outing, which lines up to come at home early next week in a rematch with Milwaukee.
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Drew Thorpe SP | CHW
White Sox's Drew Thorpe: Routed by Royals
Thorpe (3-3) took the loss Wednesday, coughing up six runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings as the White Sox were downed 10-3 by the Royals. He failed to strike out a batter.
The rookie right-hander got tagged for at least one run in each of the first three innings, with a two-run shot by Freddy Fermin in the second being the biggest blow. Thorpe reeled off five straight quality starts at one point, but over his last two outings he's been crushed for 14 runs in only 5.2 innings, sending his ERA soaring from 3.03 to 5.48. He'll try to turn things around in his next trip to the mound, which is scheduled to come on the road early next week in Oakland.