Hunter Brown strikes out eight against Blue Jays

This was another strong start for Brown. He faced very little trouble before the sixth inning when Joc Pederson got him for a home run before another double and single. Brown was pulled with runners on second and third and two outs with one of those came home to score after he’d departed. Still, he showed excellent command of his sinker and broke off a few great sliders when he needed them on a night where his knuckle-curve was a bit erratic. He’s moving in the right direction and is scheduled to face the Blue Jays at home next time out.

Brown gave up two hits, walked none and struck out seven. He improved to 2-1 with the win. The 27-year-old right-hander was excellent against the White Sox, lowering his ERA to 3.45 in the process. Brown bounced back in a big way after walking six batters in his last start. He’s lined up to face the Rangers at home on Friday.

Brown gave up three hits, walked six and struck out four. He fell to 1-1 with the loss. Injuries have limited the 27-year-old right-hander to eight starts this year. In July, he’s allowed 13 runs in 14 2/3 innings over three starts. Brown has a 4.05 ERA. He’s lined up to face the White Sox on the road next weekend.

The 29-year-old right-hander had a terrific first half for the Astros, compiling a 3.14 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and an 81/33 K/BB ratio across 86 innings through his first 15 starts. At this stage, he should be considered a viable weekly option in all mixed leagues. Spencer Arrighetti will follow him on Saturday with Hunter Brown getting the ball in Sunday’s series finale in Houston.

Brown didn’t look right this entire start. He set the tone poorly by walking Joc Pederson to start the game which led to a two-run Rangers rally in the first. From there, his command was a complete mess. He never found the feel for either his knuckle-curve or slider and really had to grit his teeth to fight out of some jams. Still, he turned in a quality start and gave his team a chance to win the game.

Brown served up the daily Junior Caminero homer on a solo shot in the first inning. He then gave up a two-run homer to Richie Palacios in the second. Things really got away from Brown in the third, as he gave up three more runs on two walks, two hits, and a double steal. The Rays put one more run on the board against Brown on a hit, walk, and fielder’s choice in the fourth. That would do it for Brown, ending his day after four frames with three strikeouts. The 27-year-old right-hander will take a 3.68 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and a 35/17 K/BB ratio across 29 1/3 innings into a start against the Rangers in Texas on Friday.

Brown punched out four batters in the ballgame while issuing a pair of walks. He served up a two-run homer to Zach McKinstry in the second inning, then the Tigers scratched out an unearned run against him in the fifth. That was the extent of the damage. Brown got 10 swings and misses on 103 pitches on the afternoon, registering a CSW of 25 percent. He’ll carry a stellar 1.78 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and a 32/13 K/BB ratio (25 1/3 innings) into Saturday’s matchup against the Rays.

Brown gave up four hits, walked two and struck out four. The 27-year-old right-hander took a line drive off his lower back and was checked out by trainers, but remained in the game. Brown then only lasted three innings after the Blue Jays forced him to throw 85 pitches. He’ll look to be more efficient in his next start against the Tigers on the road this weekend.

Brown stranded a runner in his first inning back in action with the help of an outfield assist by Cam Smith. The Tigers brought one run in to score in the second on a walk and a base hit. He settled in and got better deeper into the game, tossing two clean innings, stranded one walk in the fifth, then left with two outs on 92 pitches after walking a batter in the sixth. The 27-year-old right-hander’s velocity was right in line with his pre-injury form, at 96 mph. He generated 12 whiffs to collect seven strikeouts in his impressive return. Brown will take a 1.10 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 24/9 K/BB ratio across 16 1/3 innings into a start against the Blue Jays in Toronto on Monday.

Brown returns to Houston’s rotation to face former teammate and current Tigers southpaw Framber Valdez on Tuesday night at Daikin Park. The 27-year-old fantasy ace wound up missing 10 weeks recovering from a shoulder strain that he suffered back in early April. It’s a strong home matchup right out of the gate, even if Detroit has been scoring plenty of runs recently. He shouldn’t have any restrictions from a workload standpoint after throwing 74 pitches during his final minor league rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land last week.