Chesapeake Baysox left-handed starter Joseph Dzierwa was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of Aug. 11-16, 2026, Minor League Baseball announced Aug. 17. Dzierwa earned the honor after striking out seven across six scoreless innings in Reading on Wednesday while allowing one hit.
Joseph Dzierwa delivers another scoreless start
Dzierwa struck out the side in the first inning and recorded five strikeouts through his first two frames. He worked around two second-inning walks before retiring seven consecutive batters and allowing another walk to begin the fifth inning.
The only hit Dzierwa allowed came on a one-out single in the sixth inning. He generated an inning-ending double play and finished the outing with 76 pitches, including 44 strikes.
The performance marked Dzierwa’s second consecutive six-inning start without allowing a run. He has not allowed an earned run in his past three starts with the Chesapeake Baysox, dating to July 31 in Altoona, and he has pitched 19 innings since surrendering his last earned run on July 24 against Erie.
Baysox starter among Eastern League leaders
Dzierwa earned the winning decision in Reading and recorded the sixth quality start of his debut professional season. Four of those quality starts have come with the Chesapeake Baysox.
Dzierwa’s 1.98 ERA at the Double-A level this season is the best among pitchers with at least 60 innings at that level. He has recorded 82 strikeouts with the Chesapeake Baysox and 132 total strikeouts this season.
Dzierwa’s outing was the longest scoreless performance by an Eastern League pitcher during the week. He also allowed the second-fewest baserunners and recorded the third-most strikeouts among league starters during that period.
Chesapeake Baysox set for Richmond series
Dzierwa is the projected Chesapeake Baysox starter for Wednesday night. The Chesapeake Baysox will host the Richmond Flying Squirrels in a six-game series beginning Tuesday night at Prince George’s Stadium.
The Richmond Flying Squirrels are the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Single-game tickets, ticket plans and group offers for the 2026 season are on sale.
Maryland Sports Blog take
Joseph Dzierwa’s Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honor follows three consecutive starts without allowing an earned run with the Chesapeake Baysox. His 19-inning scoreless stretch and 1.98 Double-A ERA provide measurable context for the award.
Dzierwa’s projected Wednesday start comes during the Chesapeake Baysox’s six-game home series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. His recent scoreless outings, strikeout totals and ability to limit baserunners will be the main areas to watch at Prince George’s Stadium.
Source: Original report
