Saturday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

Streaking

Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels (9-1, 2.13 ERA)

Weaver is working on a 0.42 ERA in his three starts since coming off the DL. He isn’t wasting any pitches either. He fired just 78 pitches in a six-inning shutout of the Giants, tossed 96 in 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball against the Giants, then needed 107 to blank the Indians over seven innings. His 2.13 ERA is the best in the bigs.

James McDonald, Pittsburgh Pirates (8-3, 2.45 ERA)

The Pirates have won six of McDonald’s last seven turns through the rotation, with him allowing more than three runs just once over that stretch. The Pirates cruised to an 11-2 win in his last outing, but he did have some control issues. He walked five and gave up a homer in seven innings. 

Slumping

Doug Fister, Detroit Tigers (2-8, 4.61 ERA)

Fister hasn’t made it out of the fifth inning in consecutive starts, allowing 14 runs over 8 1/3 innings. The Rangers cranked three homers off him and he yielded eight earned runs before getting the hook on June 27 and then gave up six earned runs in four innings against the Twins. He could be still struggling with a rib muscle strain that forced him to the DL in late May.  

Carlos Zambrano, Miami Marlins (4-6, 4.14 ERA)

The Marlins have lost each of Big Z’s last five trips to the mound, though he has been better in his last few outings. He most recently held the Brewers to three runs over six innings in Miami’s 6-5 loss, but walks remain an issue. He handed out four free passes to first in that one and has walked 22 batters in his last five.