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Blake Snell SP | LAD
Dodgers' Blake Snell: Expects to make another start
Snell (groin) said after Wednesday's loss to the Reds that he believes he "should be good" to make another start before end of the regular season, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
Snell left his start Wednesday after just one inning due to left groin tightness, saying that he initially felt something was wrong during his pregame bullpen session. The 33-year-old has a history of groin issues and noted that it likely would've evolved into a more serious injury if he pitched through it, so he's hopeful that Wednesday's early exit will help him avoid missing more time. Manager Dave Roberts added that it's possible Snell will be able to take the mound again before the end of the regular season, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com, but the Dodgers will first need to make sure that the southpaw's condition doesn't worsen over the next several days.
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JR Ritchie SP | ATL
Braves' JR Ritchie: Rocked for six runs in loss
Ritchie (1-3) took the loss against the Cubs on Wednesday, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five across 4.2 innings.
Wednesday's start was Ritchie's ninth start in the majors this season and first since Aug. 2 against the Nationals. He proceeded to give up a season-high six runs, all of which came off the bats of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman, including a solo homer apiece. Ritchie has a 5.03 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 62.2 innings this season, and he figures to get at least one more turn in Atlanta's rotation after Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday. Ritchie is tentatively slated to make his next start next week at home against the Reds.
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Shota Imanaga SP | CHC
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Fans eight in Wednesday's win
Imanaga (11-10) earned the win against Atlanta on Wednesday, allowing one run on four hits while striking out eight across six innings. He did not issue a walk.
The Cubs' batters provided plenty of offense for Imanaga, and the 33-year-old southpaw held up his end of the bargain by keeping Atlanta off the board until a Matt Olson RBI groundout in the sixth. It was the sixth time this season that Imanaga struck out at least eight batters, bringing him up to 164 punchouts on the year and 10 shy of matching his total from the 2024 campaign. He'll take a 3.80 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 168.1 innings into his next start, tentatively slated for next week at home against the Marlins in what projects to be Imanaga's final outing of the regular season.
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Logan Henderson SP | MIL
Brewers' Logan Henderson: Goes five innings vs. Pirates
Henderson didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against Pittsburgh, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk across five innings. He struck out eight.
While Henderson had his strikeout stuff working Wednesday, he was hurt by the long ball. After blanking Pittsburgh through three innings, Henderson gave up a solo shot to Oneil Cruz in the fourth before Brandon Lowe tied the game 3-3 with a two-run blast in the fifth. Coming into the day, the 24-year-old right-hander had not given up more than two runs in any of his previous five outings -- he posted a stellar 1.41 ERA with a 0.56 WHIP across 32 innings during that span. Overall, Henderson sports a 2.51 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 96:16 K:BB across 17 starts (93.1 innings) this season. He's tentatively in line to face the Phillies on the road his next time out.
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Jared Jones SP | PIT
Pirates' Jared Jones: Strikes out nine in no-decision
Jones didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Brewers, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk across five innings. He struck out nine.
Jones has now recorded eight or more strikeouts in each of his last three outings. Prior to Wednesday, the right-hander had delivered 13 straight scoreless frames in his previous two starts, allowing just four hits in that span. Through 19 starts (90.2 innings) this season in his first year back from elbow surgery, Jones sports a 4.17 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP and 109:31 K:BB. He's tentatively lined up to face the Cardinals at home his next time out.
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Zack Wheeler SP | PHI
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Closing in on 2,000 career Ks
Wheeler (13-5) earned the win Wednesday against the Nationals, striking out five while allowing four hits and one walk in seven scoreless innings.
Staked to an early 2-0 lead, Wheeler found himself in cruise control throughout the course of Wednesday evening. The star right-hander pitched at least six innings while yielding one or no runs for a fourth consecutive start, and he's now just three career punchouts shy of joining the 2,000-strikeout club. He'll bring a stellar 2.99 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 177:46 K:BB over 150.1 innings into his next scheduled outing against the Brewers.
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Andrew Abbott SP | CIN
Reds' Andrew Abbott: Goes 4.2 innings vs. Dodgers
Abbott did not factor into the decision Wednesday against the Dodgers, allowing one run on three hits and five walks across 4.2 innings. He struck out five.
Abbott did a good job limiting the damage, as he held Los Angeles to a lone run despite issuing five walks, matching a season high. The southpaw ultimately departed the game with two outs in the fifth inning after he threw 98 pitches (just 52 for strikes). Notably, Abbott did not give up a home run in the contest -- he had allowed seven long balls in his previous five outings. Overall, his ERA sits at 4.70 through 31 starts (159 innings) this year with a 1.47 WHIP and 125:75 K:BB. Abbott currently lines up for a road matchup in Atlanta his next time out.
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Matthew Liberatore SP | STL
Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Delivers quality start Wednesday
Liberatore didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Giants, allowing one run on six hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out two.
The left-hander tossed 51 of 81 pitches for strikes en route to his seventh quality start of the season, but he exited the mound in line for his 15th loss with the Cardinals down 1-0 before the two bullpens took turns making a mess. It's just the second time in his last eight outings that Liberatore has lasted six innings, a bumpy stretch that's seen him post a 6.42 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 41:14 K:BB through 40.2 innings. He'll look to wrap up his regular season on a high note on the road next week in Pittsburgh.
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Blake Snell SP | LAD
Dodgers' Blake Snell: Lifted due to groin injury
Snell was removed after the first inning of Wednesday's start against the Reds due to left groin tightness.
Snell went to the clubhouse with trainers after the first inning, and further tests revealed that the veteran southpaw picked up a groin injury. He'll need to be evaluated further to determine the severity of the injury, but Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic points out that Snell has a history of left groin/adductor injuries. That puts Snell in danger of missing the rest of the regular season and jeopardizes his availability for the playoffs.
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Blake Snell SP | LAD
Dodgers' Blake Snell: Leaves game with apparent injury
Snell (undisclosed) left after the first inning of Wednesday's start against the Reds, Noah Camras of SI.com reports.
Snell tossed 19 pitches and recorded one strikeout in the first inning, but he proceeded to go into the clubhouse with a trainer at the conclusion of the frame, with Blake Treinen taking the mound in the second. The Dodgers should have an update during or shortly after Wednesday's game once Snell is evaluated further.