MLB Player News

Ottavino picked up the save after allowing one run on three hits while striking out two across 1.1 innings Monday against the Marlins.

Ottavino was called upon with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, and while he was able to escape without issue, he surrendered a run on a pair of doubles and an infield single in the ninth. He ultimately induced a groundball for the final out of a 5-3 victory. Per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, after the game, manager Alex Cora praised Ottavino's effort on a day their usual closer, Matt Barnes, wasn't available after pitching three straight days. "He's in a great place right now," said Cora. "We were short (without Barnes), to have a guy who can do that is huge." Ottavino owns a 2.88 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and a 30:17 K:BB across 25 frames in 2021.

Chargois secured his fifth hold in a win over the Angels on Sunday, firing a perfect sixth inning.

Chargois mowed through his frame on just six pitches, posting his sixth straight scoreless effort and coaxing his ERA under 2.00 in the process. The 30-year-old did not log a majors appearance last season and looks like a completely different pitcher than in his last big-league tenure with the Dodgers in 2019 (6.33 ERA across 14 appearances).

Montero secured his fourth hold in a win over the Angels on Sunday, allowing an earned run on two hits and a walk over one inning.

Montero needed 24 pitches to get through his one frame, creating some trouble for himself by allowing the first two hitters he faced to reach safely. The right-hander is still seeing save opportunities -- he's 3-for-3 in such scenarios across his last 10 appearances -- but he's also garnered three holds in that sample.

Diekman, who fired a scoreless seventh inning during which he recorded a strikeout in a loss to the Rockies on Sunday, has a 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, one save and one hold across the 7.2 innings covering his last seven appearances.

The left-hander has been much more hittable overall this season than during a career-best 2020, but he set a near-impossible bar with an 0.42 ERA and 0.94 WHIP a year ago. Diekman's current strong stretch of pitching has his 2021 figures in those categories at a solid 3.20 and 1.22, respectively, and he's also benefited fantasy managers by successfully converting six of eight save chances after only logging one such opportunity across 21 appearances last season.

Fairbanks fired a scoreless ninth inning in a win over the Rangers on Sunday, allowing two hits and recording two strikeouts.

Fairbanks has now generated scoreless efforts in his last eight appearances, a span of 7.1 innings during which he's also posted an 11:4 K:BB and secured three holds. The hard-throwing right-hander is once again missing plenty of bats with his high-90s fastball, as he sports an 11.6 K/9, 90.0 percent LOB rate and 14.6 percent swinging-strike rate across 14 frames.

Kowar's contract was selected as expected ahead of his big-league debut Monday against the Angels.

Heading into this season, Kowar was a real prospect but not an elite one, as he'd produced a 3.50 ERA and a modest 22.8 percent strikeout rate in 35 minor-league starts. He burst out of the gate this season for Triple-A Omaha, however, striking out 33.9 percent of opposing batters en route to a 0.85 ERA through six starts, thanks in part to an improvement in his previously fringy curveball. If he pitches well enough in his debut start to earn a permanent place in the Royals' rotation, he'd line up for a two-start week this week, as he'd likely pitch during the weekend series in Oakland. Jakob Junis was optioned to clear a spot for him on the active roster.

Luetge struck out two batters but allowed two runs on one hit and one walk over 1.1 innings Sunday and was charged with the blown save against Boston.

The left-hander wasn't used in a traditional save situation, coming in with two outs and New York clinging to a two-run lead in the top of the sixth inning. Luetge struck out Rafael Devers to end that frame, but he served up a two-run homer to Marwin Gonzalez in the seventh to allow Boston to tie the game. Despite a rough start to the campaign, Luetge has been mostly solid in his first MLB action since 2015, posting a 3.03 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 30:4 K:BB across 29.2 innings.

Rodriguez (wrist) tossed two scoreless innings for Double-A Frisco on Saturday in his return from the 7-day injured list. He scattered three hits and a walk and struck out one over the 36-pitch start.

Rodriguez ended up missing the minimum amount of time due to what was apparently a minor right wrist injury. Through five outings with Frisco this season, the 23-year-old Rodriguez owns a 3.55 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 18:7 K:BB in 12.2 innings.

Mejia will make his second turn through the rotation Wednesday against the Cardinals.

Since Mejia had worked out of the bullpen in his prior three appearances with Cleveland, he faced a limited pitch count in his first MLB start Friday in Baltimore. Before giving way to the bullpen, the rookie impressed over his 50-pitch outing, holding the Orioles scoreless while permitting one hit and one walk and striking out two. He should push up his pitch count to around 65 to 75 on Wednesday, and another solid showing would likely increase his security in the Cleveland rotation.

Barnes (2-1) blew the save but won Sunday's 6-5 victory over the Yankees, pitching the ninth inning and allowing one run on one hit and two walks with two strikeouts.

Pitching for the third consecutive day, Barnes entered in the ninth to protect a 4-3 lead and coughed up a Gleyber Torres RBI double to knot the score and send the game to extras. Boston was able to plate two runs in the 10th to award Barnes the win despite the blown save. It's safe to say Barnes won't pitch in a make-up game at home against Miami tomorrow, but he should be good to go for a three-game set against Houston starting Tuesday.