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Chris Sale SP | ATL
Braves' Chris Sale: Dominates Dodgers with shutout
Sale (13-9) earned the win over the Dodgers on Thursday, allowing five hits and striking out 11 batters without issuing any walks over nine scoreless innings.
Sale was magnificent against the defending champions, racking up 20 whiffs while throwing 80 of 109 pitches for strikes. The veteran left-hander logged his first complete game and first shutout since 2019, and it was also just the ninth complete-game shutout by an MLB pitcher this season. Sale entered the contest on a three-game losing streak despite tossing three quality starts during that span, so he took matters in his own hands and got back into the win column even with just one run of support from Atlanta's offense. He's been one of the top hurlers in baseball during his 16th big-league campaign, ranking second among qualified starters with a 2.06 ERA, sixth with a 1.00 WHIP and seventh with 177 strikeouts over 144 innings spanning 24 starts.
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Christian Walker 1B | HOU
Astros' Christian Walker: Smashes 24th homer in win
Walker went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Yankees.
The 35-year-old first baseman put forth a rare effort of at least three hits, which was his first since June 27 and eighth of the year. Walker is closing in on his fifth straight 25-homer, 80-RBI campaign in his second season with the Astros, slashing .233/.308/.441 with 24 long balls, 25 doubles, 75 RBI and 64 runs scored across 530 trips to the plate.
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Jac Caglianone RF | KC
Royals' Jac Caglianone: Keeps mashing in five-hit, six-RBI game
Caglianone went 5-for-6 with a home run, a double, six RBI and two additional runs scored in Thursday's 13-2 win over the Blue Jays.
It was arguably a career-best showing by the slugging outfielder, who tallied career highs in both knocks and RBI on Thursday. Caglianone has been on an absolute tear since the start of August, batting .415 with six big flies, seven doubles, 26 RBI and three stolen bases in his last 82 at-bats. He's now slashing a strong .282/.332/.500 with 23 homers, 24 doubles, 66 RBI and six steals over 479 plate appearances in 2026.
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Jeremy Pena SS | HOU
Astros' Jeremy Pena: X-rays negative on hand
Pena underwent X-rays on his left hand, which came back negative, following Thursday's 5-1 win over the Yankees, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Pena took a 96.3 mph fastball from Gerrit Cole off his left hand in the top of the third inning, but he was able to remain in the game. He finished his day 1-for-4 with the hit-by-pitch, an RBI and two runs scored. The ball hit Pena in the knuckle on both his pinkie and ring finger, and he underwent X-rays to determine if he suffered any significant damage. He appears to have avoided a major injury, and he can be considered day-to-day ahead of Friday's series opener against the Mets.
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Jackson Chourio LF | MIL
Brewers' Jackson Chourio: Monster performance in rout
Chourio went 4-for-5 with a pair of two-run home runs, a stolen base and two additional runs scored in Thursday's 8-2 win over the Mets.
It was perhaps a season-best performance by Chourio, who delivered his third multi-homer game of the year and matched a season high in RBI. Additionally, the four-hit effort was his third of 2026. The dynamic outfielder is slashing a healthy .283/.345/.477 with 19 long balls, 54 RBI, 14 stolen bases and 68 runs scored over 447 plate appearances.
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Noah Cameron SP | KC
Royals' Noah Cameron: Fires six strong innings in win
Cameron (9-8) notched the win against the Blue Jays on Thursday, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out three.
The southpaw was taken yard in the sixth inning Thursday for the first time since July 19 against the Padres, but he kept Toronto in check amid an otherwise strong performance. Cameron is putting together an excellent run on the bump, working to a 1.29 ERA and 0.72 WHIP in his last 48.2 innings (seven outings). He'll next set his sights toward improving on his season 3.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 131:48 K:BB over 149.1 innings in a home matchup against Miami.
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Spencer Arrighetti RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Spencer Arrighetti: Jumped early in seventh loss
Arrighetti (7-7) took the loss against the Royals on Thursday, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks in four innings. He struck out four.
Kansas City pounced on Arrighetti right away Thursday, plating four runs in the first two innings. The right-hander produced a 1.34 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in his first eight starts of the year but has seen his effectiveness fall off a cliff since the beginning of June, posting an 8.19 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in his last 48.1 innings (11 outings). He'll try to right the ship his next time out in Cleveland, where he'll take a season 4.81 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 95:54 K:BB over 95.1 innings.
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Sean Manaea SP | NYM
Mets' Sean Manaea: Stumbles in sixth loss
Manaea (4-6) took the loss against the Brewers on Thursday, allowing six runs on eight hits and one walk in 5.2 innings. He struck out three.
Manaea was working with a slippery mound at rainy Citi Field on Thursday, failing to work at least six innings for the first time in his last seven starts. The left-hander coughed up six runs -- tying a season high -- and even gave up a season-worst eight knocks, including three extra-base hits. He'll look to bounce back in his next scheduled appearance against the Rays in pitcher-friendly Tampa Bay, where Manaea will carry a 4.55 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 120:40 K:BB over 122.2 innings.
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Jacob Misiorowski SP | MIL
Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski: Punches out six in 14th win
Misiorowski (14-5) notched the win against the Mets on Thursday, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out six.
Misiorowski battled a slick mound at times at wet Citi Field on Thursday, but the rainy conditions didn't stop him from firing six strong innings. The All-Star right-hander extended his streak of quality starts to five, and he's now fanned at least six in all but one of his 25 outings on the year. He's set to take an outstanding 1.73 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 222:35 K:BB over 151 innings into a tough road assignment against the division-rival Cubs.
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Hayden Wesneski SP | HOU
Astros' Hayden Wesneski: Strikes out six in fourth win
Wesneski (4-1) notched the win against the Yankees on Thursday, allowing one run on three hits and two walks in five-plus innings. He struck out six.
Wesneski worked into the sixth inning Thursday, keeping the Yankees quiet until Ben Rice came across for New York's first run in the sixth. The right-hander appears to be just about ready to handle a full starter's workload following his 2025 Tommy John surgery, reaching the 90-pitch marker in back-to-back starts now. Wesneski has yielded a lone run during that stretch, and he's set to bring a quality 3.86 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 28:12 K:BB over 32.2 innings into a home assignment against the White Sox.