Brandon McCarthy allowed one hit, two runs (one earned), walked three, and struck out four in 6 1/3 innings Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals. 59-of-85 pitches were thrown for strikes. The Dodgers trainer went to the mound in the seventh inning to check on McCarthy's calf. Although it did not look serious and McCarthy was able to walk on his own accord, the Dodgers did not take any chances and shut him down for the night.
Fantasy Impact
Another good outing for McCarthy since returning from Tommy John surgery. He is now posting a 1.61 ERA, 0.72 WHIP with 26 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings. The 85 pitches thrown on Friday were a season high. The .226 BABIP and 85% LOB% are not sustainable, so expect some regression to come. With that said, there has been a shift in how McCarthy is pitching this year. He is throwing the fastball less and the curveball much more. That would explain the lower contact percentage in the zone. If that can keep the home runs in check, then McCarthy will be a very valuabe fantasy asset, because the strikeout rate is still elite at 12.38-per-9 innings.