MLB Player News

Clase gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday to record his eighth save of the season in an 8-6 win over the Nationals.

After some early-season struggles, Clase appears to be regaining his usual form. The right-hander has converted four straight save chances, and he's given up just one earned run over his last six appearances with a 7:0 K:BB. He still has some work to do to dig out from the statistical hole he dug, however -- through 16.1 innings on the season, Clase carries a 5.51 ERA and 1.71 WHIP.

Booser (0-3) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk while recording only one out to blow the save and take the loss Tuesday against the Royals.

Booser was brought in to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning and suffered from a combination of poor pitching and bad luck. He walked the leadoff man, but Chase Meidroth had a pop fly bounce off his head one batter later. A subsequent pair of singles -- one of which didn't leave the infield -- gave the Royals the walk-off win. Booser started the season decently but has allowed six earned runs across his last 4.1 innings of work and doesn't look likely to continue to see save chances.

Leasure retired the only batter he faced in the eighth inning to earn a hold Tuesday against the Royals.

Leasure entered the game with the tying run at second base in the eighth inning and retired the only batter he faced on three pitches to escape the jam. He was surprisingly not brought back out for the ninth inning despite the light workload, with Cam Booser instead blowing a save chance and taking the loss. This usage suggests that Leasure is the White Sox's preferred highest-leverage reliever -- rather than designated closer -- though it's difficult to speculate on the closer role given that the team has only one save for the season.

The Guardians optioned Kent to Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday.

As expected, Kent was sent back to Columbus after he was called up Tuesday to serve as the 27th man in the Guardians' doubleheader versus the Nationals. Kent tossed a scoreless ninth inning in the Guardians' 9-1 win in Game 2, giving up one hit while striking out a batter.

Wilson allowed one earned run on one hit and one walk while striking out one over 1.1 innings to earn a hold Tuesday against the Royals.

Wilson was the first White Sox reliever to appear after Sean Burke was pulled following 6.1 innings of work. Wilson entered the game with runners on first and second base and managed to escape the jam, but he then allowed a two-out rally before being pulled with two outs in the eighth inning. He has seemingly settled into a key setup role in the Chicago bullpen but has not gotten save chances.

Vargas allowed two hits and struck out two in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Athletics.

The Mariners likely wanted to avoid turning to regular closer Andres Munoz after his 28-pitch outing Monday. Vargas had 34 pitches in Monday's game, but he had not pitched for five days before that appearance, and he was able to get the job done. Vargas has a 2.60 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 12:5 K:BB over 17.1 innings this season. He's not an established reliever in the majors yet, but the Mariners have given him some high-leverage looks. Vargas has earned four holds, a 1-1 record and a blown save over 13 appearances, though he's not a serious threat to Munoz's status as the closer.

Urena allowed two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two over 4.1 innings in a no-decision versus the Angels on Tuesday.

Urena did fine, throwing 52 of 74 pitches for strikes in his Blue Jays debut. The right-hander has starting experience but has rarely been able to maintain a full-time gig in any team's rotation. He's allowed seven runs with a 5:2 K:BB over 7.1 innings between the Mets and the Blue Jays this season. Should Urena stick in the rotation for another start, he is tentatively scheduled for a road outing in Seattle this weekend.

Jansen was unavailable for Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays due to an illness, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Jansen hasn't pitched since he collected his seventh save of the season Saturday. Manager Ron Washington said after Tuesday's game that the veteran reliever should be available out of the bullpen in Wednesday's contest, though that will ultimately depend on how the right-hander is feeling. Jansen owns a 5.79 ERA and 1.39 WHIP through 9.1 innings on the season, though all the runs scored against him came during a six-run barrage from the Tigers on Friday.

Triple-A Columbus placed Bolton on its 7-day injured list Thursday due to an unspecified injury.

The Guardians optioned Bolton to Triple-A on April 29, but he never made an appearance for Columbus before being shut down with the unspecified injury. The reliever faces an uncertain timeline for a return to action.

Triple-A Columbus reinstated Aleman (hip) from its 7-day injured list Monday.

Aleman has been cleared to make his 2025 debut after he required a left hip inguinal hernia repair in February. The 24-year-old right-hander is regarded as one of the Guardians' top reliever prospects and was added to the 40-man roster over the winter after submitting a 1.99 ERA and 34:10 K:BB in 22.2 innings with Columbus in 2024.