Nelson (6-4) struck out 11 over seven innings of two-run ball in an 11-3 blowout win over the Reds on Thursday. He allowed just three hits and a walk, but two of the hits were homers.

EDGE Analysis

He's now collected double-digit whiffs four times in his last seven starts after achieving that feat zero times in his first nine outings of 2017. Joey Votto slugged a pair of homers off him in this one, but Nelson's cut down on the long balls this year after last season's aberrant 1.3 HR/9. Most crucially, though, he's striking out more batters (104 of 'em in 97 innings) thanks to improved fastball location as well as a more effective (and slightly harder) curve. His next turn in the rotation is slated for Tuesday at home against the Orioles.