Kevin Gausman (SP-TOR) took the loss on Tuesday despite pitching a gem against the Giants, holding them to one run on three hits and one walk while racking up 12 strikeouts over six innings. Unfortunately for Gausman, he got zero run support as the Blue Jays were shut out, 3-0. The loss dropped Gausman's record to 7-4, but he still lowered his ERA to 3.01 with the quality start and increased his AL-leading strikeout total to 139. The former All-Star has now allowed one earned run or less in 10 of his 17 outings this year. He's also tallied double-digit strikeouts seven times already, proving he's still a strikeout machine. Gausman is well on his way to his third straight season with over 200 whiffs and should have no trouble surpassing his career-high of 227 if he stays healthy, making him a legitimate fantasy ace. He'll look to keep rolling against the Red Sox at home this weekend.
Clayton Kershaw (SP-LAD) turned in one of his best outings of the season on Tuesday night at Coors Field, limiting the Rockies to just one hit over six scoreless innings. He walked one and struck out two. The veteran lefty was very efficient with his pitches, throwing 53 of 79 for strikes and inducing nine groundouts. He improved to 10-4 with the win while lowering his ERA to 2.55. Kershaw has been outstanding in June, not allowing any runs in three of his last four starts and yielding just four earned runs total in five outings this month. He's shown no signs of slowing down at age 35 and seems to have turned things around after a bumpy May (5.55 ERA). He'll look to extend his winning streak to five when he faces another weak road opponent in the Royals this weekend, where he'll be a top fantasy option in a plus matchup.
Sandy Alcantara (SP-MIA) bounced back from a pair of rough starts with a big win over the Red Sox on Tuesday, holding them to one run on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over seven innings. Alcantara got a three-run lead before he even threw a pitch and quickly settled down after allowing one run in the first, keeping Boston off the board after that as Miami rolled to a 10-1 victory at Fenway Park. The quality start pushed Alcantara's ERA below five from 5.08 to 4.82. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner had allowed five runs and 10 hits in each of his last two outings, so it was encouraging to see him bounce back against a tough lineup on the road. He's had trouble stringing together quality starts this season, however, so don't be surprised if he regresses in his next outing. On the plus side, at least he's been pitching deep into games, completing seven innings in four of his last five outings.
Alek Manoah (SP-TOR) got bombed during his first minor-league start on Tuesday, surrendering 11 runs on 10 hits (including two home runs) in just 2 2/3 innings in Tampa Bay against the New York Yankees' Florida Complex League affiliate. Manoah was sent down to work out his kinks after getting off to a brutal start this season, going 1-7 with a 6.36 ERA and an AL-high 42 walks in 13 starts before being demoted. It's been quite the shocking fall from grace for the 25-year-old, who looked like one of the most promising young pitchers in baseball after making the All-Star team last year. Time will tell if he can sort through his issues and get back to where he used to be, but right now he still looks totally lost on the mound. Keep an eye on his minor-league outings to see if he shows any sign of turning things around.
Carlos Rodón (SP-NYY) may be ready to finally make his Yankees debut after his next rehab start, manager Aaron Boone said on Tuesday. Rodón threw 48 pitches on Sunday in his second rehab outing, and Boone said the goal is for him to throw at least 60 pitches in his next rehab start. If he does and avoids any setbacks, the veteran southpaw could be activated during New York's next homestand and start on July 7 against the Chicago Cubs, per Boone. That would allow the team to keep him on somewhat regular rest while working around the All-Star break. Yankee fans and fantasy managers alike are eagerly awaiting the season debut of the two-time All-Star, who has yet to throw an inning in pinstripes after signing a massive six-year, $162 million contract during the offseason.
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