Mitch Keller - Strikes out eight in loss Keller (9-7) took the loss Friday, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks over 5.2 innings against the Phillies. He struck out eight. Impact Keller recorded at least eight strikeouts for the ninth time across 22 starts this season, but he finished one out away from a quality start and suffered his seventh loss. The right-hander came into the contest having allowed 14 runs over his past two starts, so Friday's outing was certainly a bounce-back performance, though still not good enough to pull out a win against Zach Wheeler and the Phillies. At one point, Keller was in the midst of a breakout campaign and the Pirates were contending for a division title, but his recent struggles have marred some of the excellent work he did earlier in the campaign. Either way, he's already eclipsed the career-high strikeout mark he set last year (138) and is poised to continue adding to that total despite Pittsburgh falling completely out of the playoff picture.
JULY 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
