PLAYING TIME: McDonald leads list of rotation-spot losers

NATIONAL LEAGUE

James McDonald loses rotation spot

With wild card aspirations, the Pirates decided they would be better off down the stretch without James McDonald (RHP, PIT) in their starting rotation. After a sterling first half (2.44 ERA, 0.98 WHIP), McDonald has had a reversal of fortune in the second half (6.12 ERA, 1.59 WHIP). The skills show that McDonald was not that good (3.57 xERA) in the first half nor was he that bad in second (4.70 xERA). Still, his performance left a lot to be desired in the second half. Though McDonald's overall PQS-DOM/DIS is a respectable 52%/34%, over his last 12 starts, those figures had flipped. McDonald had four DOM starts against six DIS (33%/50%), sealing his fate with three straight PQS-DIS...

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