• Allows two runs in loss
    Scherzer (1-1) took the loss against the Orioles on Friday, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

    Advice: Scherzer surrendered a solo home run to Colton Cowser in the fourth inning and an RBI single to Gunnar Henderson in the fifth. He retired the first batter of the sixth frame but was pulled at 77 pitches, as he is still building up his pitch count. The 39-year-old passed Greg Maddux for 11th on the all-time strikeout list and now has 3,375 career punchouts. In two starts this season, he owns a 1.74 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 8:2 K:BB over 10.1 innings and lines up to face the Padres next week. Rotowire.com 27 minutes ago
     
  • Earns 13th save
    Fairbanks earned a save against the Nationals on Friday, walking one in a scoreless ninth inning.

    Advice: Fairbanks was asked to protect a 3-1 lead in the ninth inning and worked around a one-out walk to secure his 13th save of the season. The closer has rebounded from a blown save June 20 to nail down three consecutive scoreless saves. He is now 13-for-15 in save chances with a 3.14 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 30:13 K:BB over 28.2 innings this season. Rotowire.com 44 minutes ago
  • Marcus Stroman yanked in fifth inning
    Marcus Stroman allowed three earned runs across 4 1/3 innings on Friday against the Blue Jays. He struck out three, walked three in a no-decision.

    Advice: Stroman labored through two very long innings against the Blue Jays. He could not put them away despite not allowing much hard contact and many long-at bats drove his pitch count up. Stroman’s strikeouts have sunk this year while he’s allowing more walks showing diminished velocity overall. His 3.29 ERA may be a bit of a mirage. Rotoworld 46 minutes ago
     
  • Yusei Kikuchi’s night ruined by Juan Soto
    Yusei Kikuchi lasted five-plus innings on Friday against the Yankees. He allowed four earned runs, struck out seven, and walked one in a loss.

    Advice: Kikuchi was cruising to the highest degree of the word through the first five innings. He had seven punch outs, faced two batters over the minimum, and the Yankees only run came from a run-down. Then, Juan Soto clobbered a three-run home run to spoil his great night. He had great command of his fastball and this start was an encouraging step back in the right direction for him despite the costly mistake to Soto. Rotoworld 47 minutes ago
     
  • Carves up Pirates in victory
    Morton (5-4) earned the win Friday against Pittsburgh, throwing 6.1 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. He allowed three hits and one walk.

    Advice: The 40-year-old looked sharp over a 104-pitch outing, generating 15 whiffs -- including seven on his curveball alone -- to collect seven punchouts. Morton wrapped a successful June, firing a 3.10 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 28:13 K:BB across 29 innings. The Atlanta right-hander is slated to face the Giants at home in his next start. Rotowire.com 51 minutes ago
     
  • Nick Pivetta tagged for five runs by Padres
    Nick Pivetta surrendered five runs in four-plus innings Friday in a loss to the Padres.

    Advice: Pivetta pitched four scoreless innings, striking out four, before giving up four straight hits and a walk to begin the fifth. He was pulled at that point, and the Padres ended up scoring nine times in the frame. Pivetta has allowed 15 earned runs over 19 1/3 innings in his last four starts, taking his season ERA from 3.40 to 4.52. We would say he’s droppable in mixed leagues at this point, but since he faces the Marlins in Miami next time out, it’s probably worth giving him one more chance. Rotoworld Today, 7:22 pm
    Nick PivettaBOS - SP,RP
    L, 2-9 vs SD
     
  • Surrenders six runs in loss
    Perez (1-4) took the loss Friday versus Atlanta, allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks over four innings with four strikeouts.

    Advice: The 33-year-old veteran looked rusty in his return from the injured list after leaving a May 26 start -- coincidentally, also against Atlanta -- with a groin injury. Perez managed to last 92 pitches, finding the zone with only 39.1 percent of them, down significantly from his previous season average of 54.8 percent. The Pittsburgh southpaw's ERA now stands at 5.28 across 61.1 innings. He looks to bounce back in his next start, currently scheduled to be against the Cardinals at home. Rotowire.com Today, 7:21 pm
     
  • Ronel Blanco can’t overcome red-hot Mets
    Ronel Blano was pulled after 5 2/3 innings after allowing six runs, three earned, on Friday against the Mets. He struck out five and walked three in a loss.

    Advice: Blanco pitched fine Friday. His three unearned runs came as a result of an Alex Bregman two-out error that allowed Jeff McNeil to sneak a ball just over the right field fence in the next at-bat. That was the Mets’ third home run of the game as Tyrone Taylor and Pete Alonso also left the yard. He still missed plenty of bats with 12 whiffs on the day and would have earned his fourth straight quality start if Bregman had fielded that ground ball cleanly. Rotoworld Today, 7:21 pm
    Ronel BlancoHOU - SP,RP
    L, 2-7 @NYM
     
  • Jose Quintana chased in fifth inning
    Jose Quintana allowed two earned runs in four-plus innings on Friday against the Astros. He struck out seven and walked three in a no-decision.

    Advice: Quintana has struck out 15 batters in his last two starts. He’s also been throwing far more curveballs over his last two starts, 33% and 23% respectively after throwing it under 20% of the time so far this season. While the strikeouts are a nice development, he still nibbles outside the zone far too much to regularly pitch deep into games. Rotoworld Today, 7:20 pm