Weekly MLB Pitcher Highlights: Top Performers and Blunders

WHO:

MLB.com - Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft expressed concern about his performance after allowing a career-high eight runs in a game against the Yankees.

MLB.com - Esmerlyn Valdez became the fastest Pirate to reach 13 home runs in his first 32 career games.

MLB.com - Victor Mederos recorded his first career save.

MLB.com - Braves manager Walt Weiss praised Mederos for his performance.

Sportskeeda - The article discusses MLB pitchers, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal.

Razzball - Dylan Cease is highlighted as the top starting pitcher for the upcoming week.

WHAT:

MLB.com - Ashcraft allowed a total of 13 runs (12 earned) in his past eight innings pitched.

MLB.com - Valdez's two-run homer had an exit velocity of 106.6 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 436 feet.

MLB.com - Mederos pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings to secure a 3-2 win over the Padres.

MLB.com - Mederos had previously recorded a hit against a position player in a game against the Rangers.

Razzball - Dylan Cease is noted as the SP1 for the upcoming week, following his performance in the All-Star game, which included a nine-pitch walk to Freddie Freeman and three strikeouts against Kyle Schwarber, Juan Soto, and C.J. Abrams.

Sportskeeda - The fourth installment of the MLB Pitcher Drop Tracker ranks the five best performances and the worst blown save of the week among MLB pitchers.

Razzball - Dylan Cease is noted as the SP1 for the upcoming week, following his performance in the All-Star game.

Sportskeeda - The article ranks the five best performances and the worst blown save of the week among MLB pitchers.

Razzball - Dylan Cease had a dominant showing in the All-Star game, including a nine-pitch walk to Freddie Freeman and three strikeouts against Kyle Schwarber, Juan Soto, and C.J. Abrams.

WHEN:

Razzball - The two-start pitcher rankings cover the period from "7/20 – 7/26".

HOW:

MLB.com - Ashcraft stated, “I didn’t have much of a feel for anything. I just have to be better there.”

MLB.com - Mederos retired seven of the nine batters he faced during his save appearance.

Razzball - The article emphasizes that Dylan Cease's performance included a strategic nine-pitch walk to Freddie Freeman and three strikeouts against Kyle Schwarber, Juan Soto, and C.J. Abrams, showcasing his pitching dominance.

Razzball - The article notes that Dylan Cease's performance included a strategic nine-pitch walk and multiple strikeouts, showcasing his pitching dominance.

Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft is expressing concern about his recent performance after allowing a career-high eight runs in a game against the Yankees, bringing his total to 13 runs, 12 of which were earned, over his last eight innings pitched. Meanwhile, Esmerlyn Valdez has made headlines by becoming the fastest Pirate to reach 13 home runs in his first 32 career games, with his latest two-run homer registering an impressive exit velocity of 106.6 mph and traveling a projected 436 feet. Reflecting on his struggles, Ashcraft admitted, “I didn’t have much of a feel for anything. I just have to be better there.”