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Jesus Luzardo SP | PHI
Marlins' Jesus Luzardo: Knocked around in Colorado
Luzardo (3-5) took the loss against the Rockies on Saturday, completing 4.2 innings and allowing seven runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out two.
Many pitchers have struggled in the confines of Coors Field, but Luzardo's struggles Saturday had as much to do with his lack of control as with the elevation. The southpaw didn't allow any homers but threw only 47 of 81 pitches for strikes and tied a season high with four walks, with his final free pass forcing in a run and leading to Luzardo's exit from the game. The once-heralded prospect has struggled through a rough 2021 campaign, posting a 7.36 ERA through 15 big-league appearances and a 6.52 ERA in eight outings at Triple-A. The Marlins are likely to give him ample leeway given the fact that they are out of the playoff picture and gave up Starling Marte to acquire him, but Luzardo simply isn't a viable option in fantasy leagues right now given his poor results this season.
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Kwang Hyun Kim SP | STL
Cardinals' Kwang Hyun Kim: Pitches four innings in no-decision
Kim allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three across four innings in the win over the Royals on Saturday. He did not factor into the decision.
Kim surrendered two two-out singles, allowing a pair of runs to cross in the fourth inning. He has been inconsistent over his last three starts after having three straight scoreless outings. The 32-year-old has a 3.36 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP over 91 innings. He is scheduled to receive another start against the Royals next weekend.
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Julio Urias SP | LAD
Dodgers' Julio Urias: Decent against Halos
Urias didn't factor into the decision during Saturday's 5-3 win over the Angels, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts in five innings.
Urias pitched well aside from a rough third inning that saw him permit all three runs on three hits and an error. He departed down 3-2 but the Dodgers eventually rallied to get the 24-year-old off the hook for the loss. Urias has now gone at least five innings and allowed four runs or less in eight straight starts, lowering his ERA from 3.99 to 3.41 in the process.
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Brandon Woodruff SP | MIL
Brewers' Brandon Woodruff: Shines in quality start
Woodruff went six innings Saturday against the Giants, allowing one run on six hits and a walk with eight strikeouts. He did not factor into the decision.
Woodruff has now struck out at least eight batters three times in his last four outings. The only blemish on Woodruff's box score in this one was a solo home run by Brandon Belt in the fourth inning that squared the game at 1-1. Woodruff exited with a 2-1 lead but the Giants rallied to tie the game off Brent Suter in the ninth. The 28-year-old Woodruff boasts a 2.23 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with a 160:33 K:BB in 137.1 innings this season and is lined up for a road matchup against the Cubs in his next scheduled start.
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Charlie Morton SP | ATL
Braves' Charlie Morton: Dominates but takes no-decision
Morton did not factor in the decision against Washington on Saturday despite pitching six scoreless innings during which he gave up three hits and two walks while striking out seven.
The Nationals struggled to figure out Morton throughout his six frames, as they managed only three hits against him. When the right-hander got himself in trouble by allowing two walks and a single in the sixth, he responded by striking out the side to keep Washington off the scoreboard. The dominant outing put Morton in line for his 11th win of the season, but typically steady closer Will Smith couldn't shut the door in the ninth. Morton continues to perform well in his age-37 campaign, posting a 3.52 ERA and 148:44 K:BB across 128 innings. His next start will likely come in a rematch versus the Nationals next Friday.
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Josiah Gray RP | WAS
Nationals' Josiah Gray: Fans 10 batters Saturday
Gray struck out 10 batters over five innings in a no-decision against Atlanta on Saturday. He surrendered two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks.
In the best outing of his young career, Gray induced 20 swinging strikes in just five frames and racked up a career-high 10 punchouts. He allowed a solo homer to Jorge Soler in the first inning but was otherwise difficult to score upon, with the only other run against him coming as a result of an error in the third frame. The right-hander has looked superb in his first two starts with Washington, allowing a total of two earned runs over a combined 10 innings. He's tentatively lined up to face the Braves again -- this time at home -- next Friday.
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Mitch Keller SP | PIT
Pirates' Mitch Keller: Tagged with ninth loss
Keller (3-9) gave up four runs on seven hits and four walks over five innings in Saturday's loss to the Reds. He had four strikeouts.
Cincinnati got to Keller for three runs in the third inning and tacked on another with Nick Castellanos' solo home run in the fifth. Keller has yielded eight runs and 15 hits over 10 innings in his first two starts since returning from Triple-A Indianapolis, giving him an ugly 7.06 ERA and 1.81 WHIP in 57.1 frames on the year. Opponents are hitting .305 off of Keller and he's issued 33 free passes.
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Yu Darvish SP | SD
Padres' Yu Darvish: Whiffs 12 in no-decision
Darvish didn't factor into the decision during Saturday's 6-2 victory over Arizona, allowing two runs on four hits with 12 strikeouts in seven innings.
Darvish limited the damage to a Christian Walker second-inning two-run home run and scattered only two more hits across the other six innings in an excellent rebound outing. Though he didn't earn the win, this was Darvish's first quality start since June and the 12 strikeouts tie his season high. The veteran righty will look to build on the solid performance as he lines up to face the Snakes again next week.
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Vladimir Gutierrez SP | BOS
Reds' Vladimir Gutierrez: Logs another quality start
Gutierrez (7-3) allowed one run on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts over six innings to get the win Saturday against the Pirates.
That's now five quality starts in the last six outings for Gutierrez, who held the Pirates to a Bryan Reynolds run-scoring triple in the third inning to earn his third straight win. The 25-year-old Gutierrez has done a better job of limiting traffic on the bases in recent starts, but his 4.39 ERA and 1.34 ERA -- not to mention peripherals like his 5.68 xFIP -- suggest he's still more of a matchup-dependent option for the time being. His next start is tentatively scheduled for next week at Atlanta.
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Chris Paddack RP | TEX
Padres' Chris Paddack: Throws from flat ground
Paddack (oblique) threw on the field Friday but remains without a timeline for a return, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The right-hander is technically eligible to come off the injured list, but he has yet to throw off a mound and doesn't appear close to a return. However, Paddack said Friday that he's headed in the right direction in his recovery. "It feels good," Paddack said of his oblique. "I'm not 100 percent throwing yet, but I'm gradually getting back."