MLB Player News

Chapman pitched a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout to earn the save in Friday's 5-3 win over Cleveland.

Chapman has allowed just two hits and three walks over seven innings to start 2021. He's racked up 17 strikeouts -- Friday was the first time this year he didn't fan multiple batters in an outing. The Yankees' closer has four saves and a 1-0 record across seven appearances.

Yarbrough will serve as a bulk reliever behind opener Brent Honeywell in Saturday's game against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Yarbrough made his first three appearances as a traditional starter, but he'll work behind an opener for a second consecutive outing Saturday. The southpaw has posted a 5.40 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 21.2 innings across his first four appearances of the year.

Honeywell will serve as the opener in Saturday's game against Toronto, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Honeywell will serve as an opener for the second time in his first three major-league appearances, working ahead of left-hander Ryan Yarbrough. Honeywell has allowed one run on two hits and two walks while striking out two in 3.1 innings.

Rogers struck out one batter over a perfect 0.2 innings while picking up a save over the Pirates on Friday.

Rogers came into a 2-0 game and quickly finished off the last two Pirates to preserve the win. The 30-year-old southpaw owns a 0.00 ERA and 10:1 K:BB over 8.1 frames. He has one save and three holds on the year, but Rogers could see more save chances moving forward with Alex Colome (5.63 ERA and three blows saves in five chances) struggling out of the gate.

Honeywell, who made his second appearance of the season Tuesday against the Royals after being recalled from the alternate training site, could stick with the big-league club while logging modest workloads out of the bullpen or as an opener for now, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

Honeywell threw 27 pitches over 1.1 innings in Tuesday's outing after making a two-inning debut as an opener against the Yankees back on April 11. Berry notes Honeywell, who's undergone four elbow surgeries since 2017, has pitched about once every five days between the alternate site and the majors thus far, but manager Kevin Cash notes that frequency could shorten and the volume could rise the more acclimated to relief work Honeywell's arm becomes. "If he's bouncing back and he feels good, I think down the road there's a chance to put a bigger workload on him," Cash said.

McHugh (back) threw off a mound Friday and will do so again Sunday, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE reports.

McHugh has been on the injured list since Sunday with a lower-back strain, but the fact that he's already advanced to mound work suggests it won't be a long absence. He'll be eligible to return Wednesday, though it's not yet clear if that's his target return date.

Fairbanks (shoulder) is close to returning, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE reports.

Fairbanks has been out for two weeks with a strained right rotator cuff. He was initially expected to be completely shut down for two or three weeks, but he's evidently ahead of that schedule. The Rays still haven't provided a clear timeline for his return, however.

Kay was optioned to Toronto's alternate training site Friday.

Kay made a single start during his time with the team, giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings of work. He hasn't pitched in over a week. Tyler Chatwood (triceps) was activated in a corresponding move.

Wittgren (0-1) was charged with the loss Thursday after giving up two runs on two hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning versus the Yankees.

He entered the game in the seventh inning but was in trouble almost immediately, and a two-run single from Rougned Odor was enough to stick Wittgren with the loss. The right-hander has struggled with six earned runs allowed in 5.1 innings so far. He's got a 5:4 K:BB, one save and three holds. Fantasy managers looking for closing options from Cleveland would do better to check on the availability of Emmanuel Clase.

Montero (2-0) struck out a batter in a perfect ninth inning Thursday, ultimately earning the win in a 7-3 extra-inning victory over Boston.

The righty lowered his ERA to 2.61 and his WHIP to 0.77 in 10.1 innings. Montero boasts a four-pitch repertoire that's slightly unusual for a reliever, but it has proven effective thus far in 2021. Seattle's surprising early-season success has given Montero high-leverage innings, but blowing three of his first six save opportunities has opened the door for Kendall Graveman and Keynan Middleton to become part of the closing picture for the Mariners as well.