What happened: Brayan Bello's recent outing put his repertoire back in focus after he worked 8.0 innings, allowed five hits and one earned run, walked none and struck out 11. The line matched his personal best for strikeouts and followed another strong turn earlier this month.

Why it matters: That jump matters because Bello struck out seven on 103 pitches in his Sept. 9 return to the rotation, suggesting his stuff has sharpened quickly in September. Missing bats without issuing walks can lengthen starts, lighten bullpen demand and raise a starter's value late in the regular season.

What to watch: His next start will show whether the strikeout spike holds and whether the command stays this clean. Another efficient outing would turn this from a one-game spike into a stronger late-season trend.