Mariners' James Paxton: Dominant in win

Paxton (8-2) allowed two hits and two walks while striking out 11 across eight scoreless innings to earn the win Sunday against the Royals.

Paxton generated 27 swinging strikes in Sunday's dominant effort, his second-highest total for the season. Though he was going against one of the weaker lineups in the league, his ability to rack up strikeouts is nothing new, and his 145 on the season rank fourth in the American League. While he did stumble in consecutive starts against the Red Sox and Yankees, Paxton has stayed healthy this season and emerged as a reliable asset.