Rangers left-hander Derek Holland pitched a four-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Blue Jays for his fourth shutout in his last 11 starts.
He matched Cliff Lee for the major league lead with four shutouts this season, and he has as many shutouts in two months as possible Hall of Famer Andy Pettitte did in 16 seasons.
Even with all of his recent success, Holland has a 4.14 ERA for the season. He’s allowed five earned runs or more in seven of his 22 starts.
Still, today’s performance should make him pretty close to untouchable in trade discussions (supposedly, the Padres have asked for him in the Heath Bell talks). Holland is just 24, and he has the stuff to shut down any offense when he’s on. His inconsistency is a concern, but he’s someone the Rangers are likely to need if they’re going to make another deep run into the postseason.