Jeff Karstens tossed six innings of one-run ball Saturday in the Pirates' defeat of the Phillies.

Karstens held a weak Phillies lineup to five hits, striking out two and walking just one. He was left with a no-decision because the Bucs didn't break through until extra innings. But it was a promising 2012 debut nonetheless. The right-hander will face off against the Giants next time out.

Jeff Karstens yielded one run in four innings Sunday in Pittsburgh's 3-1 victory over Toronto.

Karstens ends the spring with a 2.12 ERA. The Pirates' No. 2 starter, he'll get the Phillies on Saturday in his season debut. He'll be a borderline play in NL-only leagues most weeks.

Jeff Karstens is expected to be named as the Pirates' Opening Day starter.

The assignment could have gone to A.J. Burnett (eye) if he was healthy, but Karstens will get the call after posting a surprising 3.38 ERA over 162 2/3 innings last year. His command gives him a chance to be useful, but we're not optimistic about his chances for a comparable follow-up campaign.

Jeff Karstens pitched three scoreless innings Wednesday in his start versus the Blue Jays.

Karstens is now locked into the rotation as a result of A.J. Burnett's injury, though he may not have had to worry regardless. He allowed two hits, walked none and struck out one today.

Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette thinks the Pirates could move Jeff Karstens to the bullpen if they acquire A.J. Burnett from the Yankees.

Karstens registered a solid 3.38 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 162 1/3 innings last season for the Pirates in 2011, though he struggled down the stretch and his ERA is likely to go up significantly in 2012. The reality is that with Charlie Morton (hip surgery) a question mark for Opening Day and Erik Bedard always a candidate for the disabled list, the Bucs should have no trouble squeezing Burnett into their rotation.

The Pirates and RHP Jeff Karstens avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract.

The deal will pay him $3.1 million. Karstens registered a solid 3.38 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 162 1/3 innings last season for the Pirates while earning $1.1 million.

Jeff Karstens held the Diamondbacks to one run on five hits in six innings on Monday, but got stuck with the loss as the Pirates lost 1-0 in Arizona.

He struck out three and walked one, with his only mistake coming in the sixth, where he served up a solo home run to Justin Upton. The quality start was his first in three outings, and just his third in seven starts since August 1. The owner of a 3.38 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 96/33 K/BB ratio in 162 1/3 innings, Karstens will have had a career year no matter what he does in his final start of the season against the Reds on Sunday.

Jeff Karstens (shoulder) will rejoin the Pirates rotation on September 13 for a start against the Cardinals.

It was reported earlier this week that Karstens would return on September 19, but evidently he has progressed ahead of schedule. The right-hander, who has missed his past two turns due to shoulder fatigue, will be part of a six-man rotation for the Bucs down the stretch. Karstens holds a 3.32 ERA and 1.19 WHIP this season but sported marks of 7.46 and 1.74, respectively, in August.

Jeff Karstens (shoulder) will rejoin the Pirates' starting rotation on September 19.

Karstens has been idle for the past week due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder and will continue to rest until a September 19 night game in Arizona. The Pirates will go with a six-man rotation when he returns.

Jeff Karstens (shoulder) will not make his scheduled start Wednesday.

He'll have missed two straight outings due to a sore shoulder. Karstens played catch without any issues, though, and should make it back later this month. However, the 28-year-old isn't a recommended fantasy play down the stretch.

The Pirates are leaning towards skipping Jeff Karstens (shoulder) for a second straight start.

Karstens disclosed after his last start, which came on August 28, that he's dealt with some shoulder soreness recently, which surely has contributed to his struggled lately. He played catch Friday without any issues. Brian Burres started in Karstens' place Friday and looks poised to get another shot next week. "Right now everything feels good. I just want to make sure I don't really rush it," Karstens said. "I thought I felt fine after the last game, then I felt a little bit of fatigue."

The Pirates will skip Jeff Karstens in the starting rotation this week.

Understandable, as Karstens will finish August with a 7.46 ERA over five starts. He's likely being shut down for precautionary reasons, though he did complain of some shoulder soreness after his start last Monday. Go ahead and drop him in mixed leagues, if you haven't already.

Jeff Karstens got roughed by the Cardinals on Sunday, allowing five runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings of a Pirates loss in St. Louis.

The start was Karstens' second shortest of the season. The 28-year-old righty will finish August with a 7.46 ERA compiled over 25 1/3 innings. For the season, he's now 9-8 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 91/30 K/BB ratio in 152 innings of work. He'll get the Cubs in Chicago next Friday.

Jeff Karstens had his right shoulder examined on Tuesday after he felt a cramp in the back of it following his final pitch of Monday's start.

All tests came back negative, and the righty went through his regular long-toss session Tuesday without any issues. It appears this is nothing to worry about, but it is something to file away.

Jeff Karstens lasted just 5 1/3 innings Tuesday, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks but picking up a no-decision in the extra-innings, 5-4 win over the Cardinals.

Karstens was pitching OK until the sixth, when he was chased after an Albert Pujols home run and David Freese RBI double. It's his third non-quality start in the last five outings, as he's finally succumbing to his inevitable decline. Karstens will take a 3.12 ERA into next week's start against the Brewers.

Jeff Karstens got battered by the Padres on Friday evening, allowing nine runs in just 3 1/3 innings of Pirates loss.

The disastrous outing balloons Karstens' 2.49 ERA all the way to 3.05. Coming into this evening, he had allowed three or fewer runs in 17 of his past 19 starts going back to April 23. Although it's tempting to say this is the beginning of Karstens' seemingly inevitable regression to the mean, he's pitched well enough this season to not be written off after just one poor start, even if it came against the light-hitting Padres.

Jeff Karstens allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings of work on Sunday afternoon, taking a no-decision in Pittsburgh's 6-5, 10-inning loss to the Phillies.

He struck out five and walked two, allowing a solo home run to Raul Ibanez in the second. The quality start was Karstens' 10th in 11 outings going back to May, and brings his ERA to 2.49 and WHIP to 1.08. The longer you wait for Karstens to fall off, the more stubbornly valuable he seems to remain.

Jeff Karstens tossed five innings of three-run ball in a no-decision against the Braves on Tuesday night.

He struck out three and walked three, allowing six hits. Pittsburgh's bullpen pitched 13-plus scoreless innings in the 19-inning affair until Daniel McCutchen gave up the game-winning run in the 19th. Karstens owns a spectacular 2.41 ERA and 1.07 WHIP.

Jeff Karstens took a loss to the Reds after allowing three runs -- one earned -- in seven innings on Wednesday.

The Pirates had pitched back-to-back shutouts against the Reds, but Karstens wasn't able to keep it going and he took his first loss since way back on May 29. A pair of Chase d'Arnaud errors led to unearned runs in the first and fifth innings.

Jeff Karstens baffled the Astros on Friday evening, allowing just five hits in his second career shutout, a 4-0 Pirates win in Houston.

Karstens struck out two, walked none and threw just 83 pitches - an astounding 64 of which went for strikes - in what will almost surely prove to be the zenith of his improbable season. The dazzling outing gives him an 8-4 record, 2.34 ERA and 1.03 WHIP through his first 107 2/3 innings of work.