MLB Player News
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Jose Leclerc RP | ATH
Athletics' Jose Leclerc: Blows late lead in A's debut
Leclerc (0-1) blew the save and took the loss in Thursday's 4-2 loss against Seattle. He allowed three runs on two home runs and a walk while striking out one over one-third of an inning.
Leclerc was protecting a one-run lead in the eighth inning but needed 28 pitches to record just one out. Despite the setback, he may be the A's best setup man until Michel Otanez (shoulder) returns from the injured list.
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Griffin Jax RP | TB
Twins' Griffin Jax: Not sharp in regular season debut
Jax allowed a run on a home run and a walk while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning Thursday against the Cardinals.
Jax wasn't sharp in his first outing of the season as he was pulled after 21 pitches. Jax will reprise his late inning setup role again this season and should see some save chances when Jhoan Duran is used earlier in the game or unavailable.
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Aroldis Chapman RP | BOS
Red Sox's Aroldis Chapman: Works eighth inning Thursday
Chapman (1-0) allowed one hit and struck out one over a scoreless inning to pick up the win over Texas on Thursday.
Chapman, who was named Boston's primary closer earlier this week, entered a 2-2 game in the eighth inning. It appears the decision to use the closer in the eighth was because the Rangers had the top of the order due up. Chapman worked around a one-out, broken-bat single, throwing seven strikes among his 11 pitches. After the Red Sox took a 5-2 lead in the top of the ninth, Justin Slaten shut the door for Boston.
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Paul Sewald RP | DET
Guardians' Paul Sewald: Earns save in Cleveland debut
Sewald earned the save in Thursday's 7-4 extra-inning win over the Royals, striking out one in a perfect 10th inning.
After Kansas City tied the game off Emmanuel Clase in the bottom of the ninth, Sewald successfully preserved a three-run lead in the 10th to earn the save in his first appearance with the Guardians. Sewald, who signed a one-year deal with Cleveland in the offseason, started the 2024 season as the Diamondbacks' closer, though he struggled in the second half before eventually losing the ninth-inning job. While Sewald won't overtake Clase, it looks like the 34-year-old right-hander will be trusted with a high-leverage role.
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Liam Hendriks RP | BOS
Red Sox's Liam Hendriks: Positive outlook confirmed
Hendriks was diagnosed with a compressed nerve in his right elbow and expects to resume throwing early next week, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Hendriks landed on the injured list Thursday after a tough spring, though the team was optimistic his absence would be brief. The initial diagnosis confirms that outlook, and Hendriks could be back after the 15-day minimum if his recovery goes smoothly.
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Emmanuel Clase RP | CLE
Guardians' Emmanuel Clase: Blows save, grabs win in opener
Clase (1-0) blew the save but picked up a win in Thursday's 7-4 extra-inning victory over the Royals. He allowed one run on three hits while striking out one in the ninth inning.
Clase was nearly perfect last season, converting 47 of 50 save opportunities while pitching to a pristine 0.61 ERA. However, it was a rocky start to the 2025 campaign for the right-hander. Tasked with protecting a one-run lead, Clase gave up back-to-back hits to start the ninth before Michael Massey tied the game with a sac fly. While he'd eventually earn the win after Cleveland scored three runs in the top of the tenth, it certainly wasn't the start to the year that fantasy managers expected. Still, there's little cause for concern here as Clase has proven to be one of the game's elite closers, posting 40 or more saves in each of his previous three seasons.
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Josh Hader RP | HOU
Astros' Josh Hader: Escapes with Opening Day save
Hader earned the save Thursday after giving up one run on two hits and one walk in the ninth inning to close out a 3-1 win against the Mets. He struck out two.
Entering the ninth inning up three runs, Hader found himself in immediate trouble after giving up back-to-back singles before allowing a walk to load up the bases. He steadied himself by punching out Hayden Senger, and after giving up a sacrifice fly to Francisco Lindor, Hader managed to close things out by striking out Juan Soto. It took Hader 35 pitches to come away with the Opening Day save, which will affect his availability out of the bullpen Friday and potentially Saturday.
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Devin Williams RP | NYM
Yankees' Devin Williams: Labors through first save
Williams earned the save Thursday after giving up one run on two hits and a walk over one inning in a 4-2 win over the Brewers. He struck out two.
The All-Star closer's debut with the Yankees was almost disastrous, as nearly blew a three-run lead against his former team. Williams loaded the bases in the ninth inning before recording an out via a sacrifice fly, and he then proceeded to strike out Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich to end the game. Friday's team off day will provide Williams with a breather after he threw 36 pitches, but such a heavy workload early in the schedule could still affect his availability for Saturday.
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Liam Hendriks RP | BOS
Red Sox's Liam Hendriks: Absence expected to be brief
Hendriks will get his right elbow examined in Texas, likely on Thursday, but the Red Sox are optimistic the injury isn't serious, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Hendriks was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier Thursday with a previously undisclosed elbow injury. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said the reliever "wasn't bouncing back" as hoped and his stuff "wasn't where he wanted it to be." More will be known following Hendriks' visit with Dr. Keith Meister, but Breslow is optimistic the righty will return "pretty quickly."
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Erik Sabrowski P | CLE
Guardians' Erik Sabrowski: Heads to injured list
The Guardians placed Sabrowski (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.
Sabrowski missed most of the Cactus League schedule while dealing with inflammation in his elbow, but he has resumed throwing from flat ground up to 105 feet, per MLB.com. The 27-year-old lefty doesn't have a defined return timeline just yet, but that may change once he receives the green light to begin throwing off a mound.