Hernandez (17-8) yielded three hits and walked four in a 5-0 blanking of the Rangers on Thursday. He struck out eight.

EDGE Analysis

It was the third straight strong performance for King Felix, who improved his home record to 11-5 while recording his seventh shutout of the season. Despite the four walks, Hernandez managed to throw 67 of his 109 pitches for strikes, and induced 18 swings-and-misses in the process. The free passes were the most he'd given up since a July 19 start against the Yankees, but Hernandez overcame the extra base runners with superior stuff and by not surrendering a gopher ball for the first time in three starts. With the likelihood of at least three more trips to the mound in 2015, the veteran has a chance at the first 20-win season of his 11-year career.