MLB Player News
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Chase Lee RP | TOR
Tigers' Chase Lee: Optioned in between doubleheader
The Tigers optioned Lee to Triple-A Toledo on Thursday.
Lee has appeared in five games since being recalled from Triple-A Toledo on April 22. After allowing no earned runs across his first 4.1 innings in the majors, he gave up his first run in Detroit's 10-2 win in Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader against Colorado. The 26-year-old pitched two innings and allowed the run on one hit with two strikeouts. Having just been utilized in the matinee, the righty is being demoted so the Tigers can recall an extra bat in Brewer Hicklen for Game 2.
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Jhoan Duran RP | PHI
Twins' Jhoan Duran: Locks down sixth save
Duran earned the save in Thursday's 5-2 win over Baltimore, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
Duran is now 6-for-6 in save chances to start the year. The right-hander has been impressive in the early going, allowing just one earned run in his last 17 innings. Duran's ERA now sits at 1.04 with a 0.98 WHIP and 21:8 K:BB across 18 appearances this season.
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Yariel Rodriguez P | TOR
Blue Jays' Yariel Rodriguez: Picks up third hold
Rodriguez gave up a hit and struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings Wednesday to record his third hold of the season in a loss to the Angels.
Jeff Hoffman wound up blowing the save in the ninth, but not before Rodriguez breezed through the top of the Halos' order in the seventh and eighth innings to pick up his first hold since April 1. Both Hoffman (six runs allowed in his last two appearances) and Yimi Garcia (seven runs in his last two) have begun to crack under heavy early-season workloads, and while Rodriguez hasn't been particularly consistent himself, he has pitched better over the last few weeks, posting a 3.48 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 10:5 K:BB over his last 10.1 innings. The 28-year-old righty could be in line to become a regular part of Toronto's high-leverage crew.
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Jeff Hoffman RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Has second straight poor outing
Hoffman (3-1) took the loss and blew a save against the Angels on Wednesday, allowing three runs on three hits and one walk while striking out one batter in one-third of an inning.
Hoffman had the opportunity to notch his eighth save in eight chances when he entered with a two-run lead in the ninth inning, but he instead walked away with his first blown save of the campaign. The right-handed closer allowed the first three batters he faced to reach base, and after striking out Taylor Ward, he served up a bases-clearing, walk-off double to Jorge Soler. It was the second straight blow-up for Hoffman against the Angels -- on Tuesday, he also surrendered three runs over one-third of an inning in a non-save situation. Prior to the pair of ugly outings, Hoffman had allowed just two runs over 16.1 frames to begin the season.
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Brock Burke RP | CIN
Angels' Brock Burke: Notches victory in relief
Burke (3-0) earned the win over the Blue Jays on Wednesday, walking one batter in a scoreless and hitless inning of work.
Burke pitched the ninth inning for the Angels, who were down 4-2 at the time. He threw just four of 11 pitches for strikes but did his job by keeping Toronto off the scoreboard and was rewarded when Jorge Soler's walk-off double gave Los Angeles a comeback victory. Burke's 4.85 season ERA is marred by a four-run blowup against St. Louis in early April, but he's otherwise been a mostly positive part of the Angels' bullpen with three wins and four holds over 14 appearances.
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Jhoan Duran RP | PHI
Twins' Jhoan Duran: Nabs save Wednesday
Duran struck out all three batters he faced to earn a save against the Orioles on Wednesday.
With Minnesota holding a three-run lead heading into the ninth inning, Duran was summoned to close things out. He did so in impressive fashion, throwing 11 of 14 pitches for strikes and fanning the side in order. After a lack of opportunities limited Duran to just two saves in April, he's already notched three saves through the first week of May. The right-hander has been impressive this season with a 1.10 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 20:8 K:BB over 16.1 innings.
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Carlos Estevez RP | KC
Royals' Carlos Estevez: Hangs on for save Wednesday
Estevez picked up the save Wednesday against the White Sox after allowing one run on three hits in the ninth inning. He struck out two.
It wasn't easy for Estevez, who struggled with his command as 15 of his 21 pitches hit for strikes. The hard-throwing right-hander has still managed to successfully convert his last six save opportunities, which would figure to give him a pretty long leash as Kansas City's closer going forward. Despite posting a shaky 15:9 K:BB this season, Estevez has a 2.65 ERA and 1.24 WHIP and hasn't allowed a single home run over 17 innings.
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Devin Williams RP | NYM
Yankees' Devin Williams: Punches out three in win
Williams (1-2) came away with the win in Wednesday's extra-inning contest against the Padres, allowing one walk while striking out three batters in a scoreless 10th inning. He did not allow a hit.
With Luke Weaver being deployed in the ninth inning, the Yankees turned to Williams in the 10th to keep the game tied at 3-3. Williams struck out two of the first three batters he faced, and after loading the bases on a hit-by-pitch, he closed things out with a six-pitch punchout of Xander Bogaerts. Williams has started the season poorly with a 9.24 ERA across 12.2 innings, but he's been unscored upon in four of his five outings since being removed from the closer role.