MLB Player News
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Aroldis Chapman RP | BOS
Red Sox's Aroldis Chapman: Agrees to contract extension
Chapman and the Red Sox agreed Saturday to a one-year, $13.3 million contract extension with a vesting option for 2027, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.
Chapman has re-emerged as one of the most dominant closers in baseball this season, posting a 1.04 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 74:14 K:BB over 52 innings spanning 57 outings while racking up 26 saves in 28 chances. The 37-year-old joined Boston on a one-year contract last December and will now be with the club for at least one additional campaign. Romero relays that the option for 2027 is a vesting option based on innings pitched that will become a mutual option if it doesn't get triggered.
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Bryan Baker RP | TB
Rays' Bryan Baker: Picks up first Tampa save
Baker struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to record his third save of the season in a 4-1 win over the Nationals.
Pete Fairbanks threw 22 pitches the night before and was presumably unavailable, but Griffin Jax handled the eighth inning after Mason Englert gave up Washington's only run, while Baker took care of the ninth. It was Baker's first save since being acquired by the Rays in early July, and after some initial struggles with his new team, he's posted a 1.50 ERA, 0.42 WHIP and 15:1 K:BB over 12 August innings.
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Jeff Hoffman RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Hurt by long ball again
Hoffman (8-6) took the loss Saturday, coughing up three runs on three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning as the Blue Jays were downed 4-1 by the Brewers.
Called in for the top of the ninth inning in a 1-1 tie, Hoffman instead served up back-to-back homers to Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich before Isaac Collins added an RBI double. The long ball remains Hoffman's bugaboo this season -- he's been taken deep 14 times in 56.1 innings, leaving him with a 5.11 ERA, and he's given up two homers twice in his last three appearances.
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Albert Suarez SP | BAL
Orioles' Albert Suarez: Trending toward Monday return
Suarez (shoulder) could be activated from the 60-day injured list Monday, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Suarez has been on the IL since late March with a subscapularis strain in his right shoulder, but he's on the cusp of rejoining the big club. The 35-year-old right-hander began a rehab assignment Aug. 12 and has since given up five earned runs over 12.2 innings while striking out five batters and walking six over five appearances between Double-A Chesapeake and Triple-A Norfolk. He had built up to five innings by his third rehab outing but has been limited to less than two frames in both of his last two appearances, which indicates that the Orioles plan to use him out of the bullpen once he's activated.
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Cody Poteet RP | BAL
Orioles' Cody Poteet: Activated, outrighted to Norfolk
The Orioles reinstated Poteet (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list Saturday and sent him outright to Triple-A Norfolk, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Poteet surrendered five earned runs in 2.2 innings during his lone appearance of the season for the Orioles on April 20, and he landed on the injured list shortly afterward with right shoulder inflammation. Now fully healthy, he'll stay put in the minor leagues while also giving up his spot on the Orioles' 40-man roster. If he bounces back well at Norfolk, the 31-year-old righty may receive another look with Baltimore at some point in September.
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Justin Bruihl RP | STL
Blue Jays' Justin Bruihl: Sent down to Triple-A
The Blue Jays optioned Bruihl to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday.
Bruihl struggled in his most recent outing, allowing two runs on three hits over one inning against Milwaukee on Friday, and he has now been sent down to Triple-A in a corresponding move to Easton Lucas' call-up. Bruihl could be back with Toronto later in the campaign if the team needs to fortify its lefty bullpen depth.
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Pete Fairbanks RP | MIA
Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Notches 23rd save
Fairbanks gave up two hits and struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning Friday to record his 23rd save of the season in a 4-1 win over the Nationals.
After blowing his fifth save of the season Wednesday, Fairbanks shook it off and fired 15 of 22 pitches for strikes in Friday's successful conversion. The right-hander has a 2.70 ERA in 10 August innings thanks to three home runs allowed, but he's otherwise been dominant with a 0.80 WHIP and 17:0 K:BB.
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Justin Slaten RP | BOS
Red Sox's Justin Slaten: Shaky first outing off IL
Slaten allowed two hits and one walk while striking out one over a scoreless inning in Friday's 4-2 loss to the Pirates.
This was Slaten's first appearance since he was activated off the injured list Thursday, and understandably, it was shaky. He allowed a leadoff single to Oneil Cruz, who was then erased on a double play, but Slaten then issued a two-out walk and allowed a single before wriggling out of the threat. Slaten's previous appearance in the majors was May 28.
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Liam Hendriks RP | BOS
Red Sox's Liam Hendriks: On throwing program
Hendriks (hip) has progressed out to 105 feet in his throwing program and expects to increase his distance to 120 feet Saturday, MLB.com reports.
Hendriks is hoping to throw off a mound next week and is aiming to return before the end of the regular season or for the postseason.
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Kyle Finnegan RP | DET
Tigers' Kyle Finnegan: Records win in relief Friday
Finnegan (4-4) tossed 1.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win Friday against the Royals. He walked one and struck out three.
Detroit starter Chris Paddack only lasted 3.2 innings, which led the Tigers to use four relievers. Finnegan was the second-to-last one used, picking up his fourth win of the season when Will Vest closed things out behind him in a 5-3 victory. Finnegan has been a strong addition to Detroit's bullpen, as he's yet to be scored on in 13.1 innings since joining the team at the trade deadline. He and Vest should continue to see save opportunities, giving both pitchers fantasy value moving forward.