MLB Player News
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Luke Weaver SP | NYM
Yankees' Luke Weaver: Taking over closer role
Manager Aaron Boone said Sunday that Weaver will "get a lot" of the Yankees' save chances moving forward due to Devin Williams being removed from the closer role, Max Goodman of NJ.com reports.
Williams' disastrous start to the campaign culminated in him allowing three runs Friday for his first blown save of the season, bringing his ERA to 11.25 and prompting the Yankees to make a change. Weaver was dominant in the closer role late last year and will now reclaim the job, at least until Williams is back on track. Weaver has carried that dominance into 2025 with a 0.62 ERA and 13:5 K:BB across 13 scoreless innings.
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Devin Williams RP | NYM
Yankees' Devin Williams: Demoted from closer role
Manager Aaron Boone announced Sunday that Williams has been removed from the closer role "for right now," Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.
The writing was on the wall after Williams blew his first save of the season Friday against Toronto, which was the second straight appearance in which he allowed three earned runs. The right-hander has yet to truly look like himself in 10 outings with the Yankees and has an 11.25 ERA and 8:7 K:BB across eight innings. New York presumably plans to return Williams to the closer job at some point this year, but he'll need to right the ship in a lesser role before getting that opportunity. Luke Weaver, who took over as the Yankees' closer down the stretch last season, has yet to allow a run through 11 outings this year and could get the bulk of the save chances in the meantime.
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Marc Church P | TEX
Rangers' Marc Church: Sidelined at Triple-A
Church is on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Round Rock with an oblique injury, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
It was reported April 22 that he would be shut down for 7-to-10 days. Church was optioned to Triple-A on April 16 after walking more batters (six) than he struck out (five) in 4.2 innings with the big club. The 24-year-old relief prospect showed roughly the same velocity on his pitches as in 2024, using his 87 mph slider slightly more than his 96 mph fastball. He could still figure into the high-leverage mix in a year or two.
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Yerry De Los Santos RP | NYY
Yankees' Yerry De Los Santos: Promoted for twin bill
The Yankees recalled De Los Santos from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to serve as the 27th player for Sunday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays.
The right-hander will temporarily join the big club as bullpen depth following Saturday's postponement. De Los Santos has given up one earned run over 8.1 innings for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year, though he hasn't pitched in the majors since 2023, when he posted a 3.33 ERA in 22 outings with Pittsburgh.
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Brant Hurter P | DET
Tigers' Brant Hurter: Picks up first 2025 win
Hurter (1-0) gave up one run across 2.1 innings of relief to earn the win in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader with the Orioles. He allowed a hit and two walks.
After Keider Montero covered 4.1 innings to start the game, Hurter finished the fifth then worked into the seventh to earn his first win of the season. The lefty has been solid with a 2.65 ERA across 17 innings, which is in line with the 2.58 ERA he posted across 45.1 regular-season innings in 2024. Hurter isn't missing many bats, however, with only 11 strikeouts across those 17 frames.
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Pete Fairbanks RP | MIA
Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Notches save No. 5
Fairbanks earned the save Saturday in San Diego as he struck out one and gave up a hit in a scoreless ninth inning.
The right-hander allowed a one-out double to Manny Machado but otherwise had no issues with the heart of the Padres lineup. Fairbanks has delivered three straight scoreless appearances and has converted all five of his save chances this year. He has a 2.61 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 10:6 K:BB across 10.1 innings as he's looking to produce his third straight year of 20-plus saves.
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Colin Selby RP | BAL
Orioles' Colin Selby: Returning to Triple-A
Selby will return to Triple-A Norfolk after serving as the Orioles' 27th man for Saturday's doubleheader against the Tigers, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Selby got the call for Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader, during which he struck out two batters on 11 pitches (eight strikes) in a scoreless ninth inning. He'll go back to Norfolk after his brief stint in the majors, and in Triple-A this season he has a 1.69 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 8:1 K:BB across 5.1 innings.
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Carlos Estevez RP | KC
Royals' Carlos Estevez: Sharp in seventh save
Estevez struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Saturday's 2-0 win over the Astros.
Estevez retired the side on six pitches, all strikes, to earn his seventh save of the season. The right-hander ceded a save chance to Lucas Erceg on Friday, but that was likely because Estevez had pitched two of the previous three days. He's still got the upper hand for save chances in the Royals' bullpen, having converted seven of nine opportunities so far this season. Estevez has a steady 2.77 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 11:9 K:BB over 13 innings. He's no stranger to having a high walk rate -- his 2.0 BB/9 over 55 innings last year was by far the lowest mark of his career. That said, it could become an issue if he starts allowing more hits.
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Emmanuel Clase RP | CLE
Guardians' Emmanuel Clase: Pitches eighth inning Saturday
Clase (shoulder) tossed a scoreless eighth inning in Game 1 of the Guardians' doubleheader against the Red Sox on Saturday, striking out two batters without allowing a walk or a hit.
Clase was experiencing right shoulder discomfort following his last outing against the Pirates on April 20. He was not used out of the Guardians' bullpen this past week, but he felt good enough to come in for the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, striking out the first two batters he faced before forcing a Blake Sabol ground out to record his first hold. It appears to be a temporary break from ninth-inning duties for Clase, with Guardians manager Stephen Vogt saying after Game 1 that Clase "will be back in that closer role... he was great," per Brian Dulik of The Associated Press. Clase has a 7.15 ERA, 2.03 WHIP, four saves and an 11:3 K:BB across 11.1 innings this season.
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Cade Smith P | CLE
Guardians' Cade Smith: Collects third save
Smith recorded his third save of the season in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Red Sox, giving up a hit and a walk in a scoreless ninth inning. He struck out one batter.
Emmanuel Clase, who had been dealing with a sore shoulder, struck out two in a perfect eighth inning during the matinee as he saw his first game action since Sunday, leaving the ninth to Smith. Smith has been by far the more effective pitcher of the two in the early going, posting a 1.29 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 17:5 K:BB through 14 innings while converting all three of his save chances and adding seven holds, but the Guardians would prefer for Clase to regain his form and settle back in to closing duties.