MLB Player News

Munoz (shoulder) struck out two in a perfect inning, earning a hold in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Padres.

Munoz missed the better part of two months with a shoulder strain. He looked great in his return with a fastball that touched just over 100 mph and four whiffs on 16 pitches. Munoz has given up four hits and a walk while striking out five over 4.1 innings this season, and his usage Tuesday suggests he could immediately resume a high-leverage role. For now, Paul Sewald is the Mariners' preferred closer, but Munoz certainly has the stuff to potentially eke out his fair share of save chances.

Sewald allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Padres.

Sewald has walked a batter in three straight outings, but he hasn't been charged with a run over his last 5.2 innings. Tuesday's outing was far from efficient, but he was able to convert his 12th save in 13 tries this season. The 33-year-old now has a 2.84 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 35:8 K:BB through 25.1 innings. With Andres Munoz back from a shoulder injury, Sewald will need to continue pitching well to maintain his place as the Mariners' primary closer. Even then, it's possible this could become a two-man committee over the summer.

Estevez allowed two hits and struck out two in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Tuesday's 7-4 win over the Cubs.

Estevez worked around some traffic on the basepaths to pick up his 15th save in as many chances this year. He's now tied for second in the majors in saves after essentially being a question mark for the closer role entering the year. The 30-year-old has an excellent 1.37 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP and 34:11 K:BB through 26.1 innings, strong work that's allowed him to solidify his place in the Angels' bullpen hierarchy. Estevez has been scored on just twice in 13 appearances since the start of May.

Hendriks picked up the save Tuesday against the Yankees. He allowed one run on one hit over one inning. He did not record a strikeout.

Hendriks got off to a rough start Tuesday, giving up a solo homer to Josh Donaldson on his first pitch of the ninth inning but bounced back to force three straight groundouts to snare his first save of the season. After missing the early portions of the season, Hendriks has already received several late-inning looks and has racked up a save and a win across his last two appearances. He appears to be well on his way to reclaiming sole ownership of the closing role, as his primary competitors -- Joe Kelly and Kendall Graveman-- were called upon in the seventh and the eighth innings before Hendriks entered for the final frame.

Alexander (1-1) allowed one run on one hit across three innings to take the loss Tuesday against the Phillies. He struck out three.

Kyle Schwarber led off the game with a home run and it ended up being the only run either team would score. That left Alexander with a tough-luck loss, as this was one of his better outings of the season and his longest since going 3.1 innings on Opening Day. The lefty still has a rough 6.00 ERA overall and will likely continue to serve as a long reliever or occasional opener for the Tigers, giving him limited fantasy value.

The Mariners placed Gott on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with lower back spasms.

Gott was hit hard in his last appearance, allowing five runs on four hits and a walk in just one inning of work. A trip to the injured list will ensure that the 30-year-old reliever is feeling 100 percent during his next time on the mound. Gott currently holds a 3.38 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with 31 strikeouts through 26.2 frames out of the bullpen.

Munoz (shoulder) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list Tuesday.

As expected, the Mariners returned Munoz from the 15-day IL on Tuesday, clearing him to return to the big-league bullpen for the first time since April 9. The right-hander has appeared in four games with Seattle this season, tossing 3.1 scoreless frames, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out three batters. The 24-year-old flamethrower will likely step right into a prominent high-leverage role in Seattle's bullpen, though veteran Paul Sewald could have a strong hold on the ninth inning for the time being. Regardless of where he slots in, Munoz figures to be a strong fantasy asset coming off of a 2022 campaign where he produced a 2.49 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with a 13.3 K/9 and 22 holds over 65 frames in 64 appearances.

Wingenter (biceps) is scheduled to throw live batting practice Wednesday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Wingenter has been out since late April due to right biceps tendinitis and was recently transferred to the 60-day injured list, but he is making steady progress on the side. The 29-year-old could return to the Tigers' bullpen before the end of June if he's able to avoid setbacks within his throwing progression.

Brieske (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday with High-A West Michigan, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Brieske has been on the injured list all season, so he will likely require a handful of starts in the minors before he's ready to make his season debut. The 25-year-old righty posted a 4.19 ERA and 1.20 WHIP through 81.2 innings across 15 starts last season.

Criswell was recalled from Triple-A Durham on Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Criswell is expected to be used as a bulk reliever behind a yet-to-be-announced opener in Wednesday's game against the Twins. The 26-year-old has made five bulk-relief appearances for the Rays this season, holding a 6.11 ERA.