Mitch Keller strikes out four in no-decision

Keller’s season is officially over and he’s facing a lengthy recovery process after being diagnosed with a serious shoulder ailment. It’s a bit unclear how much time he’s going to miss, but it’ll definitely be a multi-month absence given the nature of the injury. The 30-year-old starter finishes with an underwhelming 5.29 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 89/42 K/BB ratio across 115 2/3 innings over 22 starts.

Keller performed well in his first two starts to begin the second half, but with this outburst, his ERA is now higher than ever at 5.29. Some of the blame today surely goes to the rain; his velocity was down by about 1.5 mph and he walked four. Still, this just isn’t a very good pitcher. In his last 14 starts, Keller has given up 58 runs and struck out 54 in 69 2/3 innings. He’ll face the Mets next.

He left with a 2-0 lead, but it went away in the eighth. Still, it was an unusually strong showing from Keller, who left without allowing a run for the first time since Apr. 8. He generated 15 whiffs and struck out six for just the fourth time in his 20 starts. The no-decision keeps him 6-7 with a 4.90 ERA on the season. He’ll face the Diamondbacks next time out.

Not good. Keller’s ERA in his last seven starts is now 6.69 and he’s carrying a 1.63 WHIP with it. Keller was yanked after 72 pitches, and managed just five whiffs on 32 swings. Perhaps the rest of an All-Star break will help him rediscover the inning-eating form of the past two seasons.

Keller gave up a solo homer to Luis Garcia Jr. with one out in the bottom of the first inning to put the Nationals up 1-0. It would be the only run Keller would allow in the frame, but the Nationals would continue to jump all over him in the ensuing innings. Keller surrendered another solo homer to Daylen Lile in the second inning and gave up a two-run homer to José Tena in the second inning, as the Nationals put on an early power surge against the righty. Keller would make it through six innings before being pulled, but his struggles looked all too familiar in this one. He has now allowed five earned runs or more in four of his last seven outings, and has seen his ERA balloon to 5.02 after ending May with a 4.35 ERA. He faces another tough matchup in his next start, which is scheduled for Thursday against the Braves.

Keller held the Reds scoreless through three, then gave up two runs, one earned, in the fourth on an error and two hits. He gave up two more runs in the fifth on a walk and two hits. Keller gave the Pirates one more scoreless frame, ending his day after six with four strikeouts. The 30-year-old right-hander will take a 4.87 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a 73/33 K/BB ratio across 94 1/3 innings into a road start against the Nationals on Friday.

It was one run through six, but Keller gave up a double, a go-ahead homer and a walk before being pulled in the seventh. At least it still rates as Keller’s first quality start in a month, as he had a 9.50 ERA in his previous four starts. The loss, his first in a quality start this year, drops him to 5-5 with a 4.89 ERA overall. That’s quite a change from last year, when he was 1-10 with a 4.02 ERA on this date. He’ll face the Reds next.

Keller loaded the bases on three walks in the first inning before Zack Gelof cleared them all with a base hit. Lawrence Butler followed with a double to make it a four-run first inning for the A’s. Keller settled in to pitch into the sixth before giving up solo homer to Gelof. That would do it for Keller, ending his day with one out in the sixth with seven strikeouts. The 30-year-old right-hander will take a 5.25 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 65/31 K/BB ratio across 82 1/3 innings into a start against the Mariners in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Keller also issued four free passes in the contest while striking out three. After navigating a pair of scoreless innings to start the day, the Dodgers broke through for three runs in the third including a solo homer by Shohei Ohtani then tacked on another pair in the fourth inning. Keller generated four swings and misses on 98 pitches on the night, posting a miserable CSW of only 18 percent. He’ll try to put this one behind him and bounce back as he carries a 5.14 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and a 58/27 K/BB ratio (77 innings) into Tuesday’s matchup against the Athletics in West Sacramento. Given how poorly he has pitched over his last three starts, fantasy managers should avoid that one at all costs.

Keller narrowly avoided trouble in the first inning after allowing two batters to reach base, but didn’t enjoy the same fortunes in the second inning. After putting two men on again in the inning, Keller would allow an RBI single to Ronald Acuña to give the Braves their first run of the night. Keller would surrender a two-run homer to Mauricio Dubón in the third inning and was lit up for three more runs in the fifth before being pulled with two outs. Keller is in a bit of a funk after allowing 13 earned runs over his last 8 2/3 innings. Things won’t get any easier for him in his next start, which is scheduled for Thursday against the Dodgers.