Valdez surrendered two runs on seven hits and a walk in the ballgame. Piling up strikeouts led to an increased pitch count though, which is why he was pulled after just five frames at 95 pitches (67 strikes). Edgar Quero did all of the damage against him with a pair of RBI singles after Miguel Vargas extra-base hits in the third and fifth innings. The 31-year-old left-hander got 20 whiffs on the night — 12 of them on his curveball — while posting an elite CSW of 36 percent. He’ll see if he can eclipse double-digit strikeouts in three straight starts when he takes on the Athletics in West Sacramento on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old southpaw scattered five hits and three walks on the evening. The Pirates scratched out single runs in the third and fifth innings against him — both driven in by Oneil Cruz — but aside from that they were completely stifled. Valdez got a whopping 23 swings and misses on 99 pitches on the night — 18 of them on his curveball — while posting an elite CSW of 38 percent. He’ll look to carry over this fine performance as he does battle against the White Sox at home on Wednesday.

A complete game! And Valdez was fortunate to be credited with one because this game was knotted at one with two outs in the ninth inning before Yainer Diaz hit a walk-off homer. The Astros also scratched across a run in the eighth on a throwing error from Curtis Mead. He did only have 83 pitches to his ledger though, so it’s likely he would’ve come back out for the 10th inning. Funny enough, the only run he allowed was off a lead-off home run by José Caballero. After that, he retired 27 of the 30 hitters he faced for the rest of the game. In classic Valdez fashion, 15 of the 19 balls in play by Rays were on the ground as he threw maybe five total pitches above the belt in this game. All in all, it was a tremendous, old-school start by the talented left-hander. His next start is scheduled to come against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

After a clean first inning, a triple and a groundout put the Mariners on the board with a run in the second. That would be all Seattle to do against Valdez. He settled in for four more scoreless frames, scattering four hits and four walks with five strikeouts. The 31-year-old southpaw will take a 3.39 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and a 64/23 K/BB ratio across 69 innings into a start against the Rays in Houston on Friday.