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Joe Kelly RP | LAD
Red Sox's Joe Kelly: Impressing in September
Kelly (4-1) struck out the side in the 10th inning to earn the victory in Boston's 1-0 win over Baltimore in 11 innings Tuesday.
The Red Sox have no shortage of relievers putting up impressive numbers during the month of September. Add Kelly to that mix. He pitched three perfect innings in an extra-inning win over Tampa Bay last Friday and is looking like he'll be a key bullpen piece should the Red Sox qualify for the postseason.
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Carson Smith RP | BOS
Red Sox's Carson Smith: Throws consecutive games
Smith struck out both batters faced in Tuesday's 1-0 win over the Orioles.
This was noteworthy as it marked the first time we've seen Smith throw on consecutive nights since his return from an elbow injury. When the Red Sox activated him, there were few expectations, but the right-hander hasn't permitted a run in five outings (4.1 innings) and has thrown himself into consideration for a postseason roster spot, should the Red Sox qualify.
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Matt Barnes RP | WAS
Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Picks up extra-inning save
Barnes closed out Tuesday's game to pick up his first save of the season in Boston's 1-0 win over Baltimore in 11 innings.
Having used closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning, manager John Farrell had to rely on second-tier relievers for a second consecutive night. On Monday, it was Carson Smith closing out an 11-inning affair. Barnes faced the heart of the Baltimore order Tuesday, setting them down 1-2-3. He's capable of pitching in any situation and has pitched better than his 3.82 ERA might suggest.
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Blake Treinen RP | LAD
Athletics' Blake Treinen: Nabs ninth save with A's
Treinen pitched around a hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth for his 12th save of the year Tuesday against Detroit.
Nine of those saves have come with Oakland, and Treinen's 2.45 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with the A's are certainly a far cry from the hideous stats he put up for the Nationals earlier this season. As one of the league's hardest-throwing pitchers, the 29-year-old righty possesses tantalizing fantasy upside and should continue returning value over the season's remaining days.
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Chih-Wei Hu RP | TB
Rays' Chih-Wei Hu: Will join Rays on Thursday
Hu will be recalled from Triple-A Durham on Thursday.
The minor-league season ended Tuesday, so Hu will pack his bags and join the Rays prior to Thursday's game against the Orioles. The 23-year-old posted a 3.06 ERA over 61.2 innings with Durham this year and will likely round out the front end of the Rays' bullpen upon his arrival to the majors.
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Aroldis Chapman RP | BOS
Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Pitches scoreless frame for 20th save
Champan worked around a hit with one strikeout in a scoreless inning to earn his 20th save of the season Tuesday against the Twins.
Staked to a three-run lead, Chapman hardly broke a sweat when Chris Gimenez doubled with two outs, buckling down to get Max Kepler to end the game. The flamethrower has been in dominant form of late, throwing seven consecutive scoreless outings while converting four straight save opportunities during that span.
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Ken Giles RP | ATL
Astros' Ken Giles: Strikes out side for 32nd save
Giles allowed a hit but was able to strike out the side Tuesday against the White Sox to pick up his 32nd save of the year.
Giles allowed a single to Tim Anderson to open the ninth inning, but was able to strike out the next three batters on 13 pitches to preserve the Astros' 3-1 lead and pick up his fifth save of the month. Following the game, manager A.J. Hinch reported that Giles wouldn't be available for Wednesday's contest after appearing in four of the past five games, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports. Will Harris or Chris Devenski would likely get the ninth-inning nod if a save opportunity were to arise.
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Collin McHugh RP | ATL
Astros' Collin McHugh: Defeats White Sox on Tuesday
McHugh (3-2) picked up the win after allowing just one run on five hits and a walk while striking out five over five innings Tuesday against the White Sox.
McHugh was sharp in his first start back after suffering a detached fingernail during his Sept. 8 appearance. He struck out four batters over the first two frames and allowed just one extra-base hit in his five innings of work before departing with a 2-1 lead after throwing 87 pitches (56 for strikes). The effective outing lowered his ERA to 3.44, a figure he'll look to improve upon in his upcoming matchup with the Angels on Sunday.
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Drew Pomeranz RP | CHC
Red Sox's Drew Pomeranz: Silences Baltimore bats in quality start
Pomeranz tossed 6.1 scoreless innings in a no-decision Tuesday against the Orioles, allowing five hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Pomeranz was sharp in this one, allowing just three men past first base as he lowered his ERA to a superb 3.15. Unfortunately, Kevin Gausman tossed a gem on the other side, so the left-hander wasn't in line for a win despite his third quality start in the last four turns. Pomeranz is in strong form down the stretch and will look to keep it going Monday against the Blue Jays.
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Liam Hendriks RP | CHC
Athletics' Liam Hendriks: Tallies fourth victory Monday
Hendriks (4-2) picked up the win in Monday's 8-3 victory over the Tigers, allowing two hits over 1.2 scoreless innings while recording a strikeout.
Hendriks got six key outs as part of a multi-reliever effort following emergency starter Raul Alcantara's early exit. The veteran righty now has five consecutive scoreless outings and hasn't walked a batter in his last 10 appearances.