MLB Player News
-
Michael Kopech SP | LAD
White Sox's Michael Kopech: Blows save chance Thursday
Kopech (2-6) blew a save but earned the win over the Mariners on Thursday, allowing one run on one hit while striking out two batters over one inning.
Kopech was summoned in the ninth inning to try to protect a one-run Chicago lead but served up a one-out, game-tying solo shot to Julio Rodriguez. To his credit, Kopech bounced back to retire the next two batters and send the game to extra frames, and he was credited with a win as a result of the White Sox pushing across a run in the 10th. Kopech hasn't been very effective in a closing role for Chicago -- he hasn't notched a save since May 15 and is just 5-for-9 in save opportunities this season. He has a 4.91 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 29.1 innings, though his 13.2 K/9 is characteristic of what most teams look for from a closer.
-
Andres Munoz RP | SEA
Mariners' Andres Munoz: Returns with loss Thursday
Munoz (back) picked up the loss Thursday as the Mariners fell to the White Sox, allowing an unearned run in the 10th inning.
Munoz allowed a walk and a hit before a fielder's choice brought home the automatic runner. The good news was that Munoz didn't allow much in the way of hard contact and generated three swings and misses among his 17 pitches, 11 of which were strikes.
-
James McArthur RP | KC
Royals' James McArthur: Secures win Thursday
McArthur (3-3) allowed a hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning to earn the win over the Yankees on Thursday.
McArthur rebounded from his previous outing, which saw him take the loss versus the Mariners on Sunday after allowing three runs (two earned) in two-thirds of an inning. He's kept runs off the board in four of his five outings in June, but he has just one save this month. For the year, he's at a 5.08 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 25:5 K:BB over 28.1 innings while converting 12 of his 16 save opportunities as the Royals' primary closer.
-
Colin Poche RP | DET
Rays' Colin Poche: First hold since return
Poche didn't allow a baserunner while throwing a scoreless eighth inning to earn a hold Thursday against the Cubs.
Thursday's appearance marked Poche's fourth outing since being activated from the injured list. He has only two strikeouts while issuing two free passes across four innings in that span, though he has yet to surrender an earned run. Poche will remain in a high-leverage role, but he isn't likely to factor significantly into the saves picture for the Rays, barring an injury to Pete Fairbanks.
-
Shelby Miller RP | CHC
Tigers' Shelby Miller: Earns win Thursday
Miller (4-4) allowed a run on one hit across 1.1 innings of relief but managed to earn the win Thursday against the Nationals.
Miller was charged with his fifth blown save of the season but picked up the win since the Tigers scored five times in the bottom of the seventh inning. The veteran righty has been mostly solid this season, compiling a 3.80 ERA and 20 strikeouts across 21.1 innings. Miller would have more fantasy value if he was seeing regular save opportunities, though he has some appeal in deeper formats given his high-leverage role.
-
Pete Fairbanks RP | MIA
Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Earns ninth save
Fairbanks earned a save against the Cubs on Thursday, allowing one walk in a scoreless ninth inning.
Entering with a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning, Fairbanks walked Michael Busch with one out but induced a game-ending double play to secure the save. Since returning from an arm injury in mid-May, Fairbanks is 6-for-6 in save chances and has not allowed an earned run in 14 innings of work. On the season, he is 9-for-10 in save opportunities with a 3.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 23:11 K:BB in 21 innings.
-
Clay Holmes RP | NYM
Yankees' Clay Holmes: Blows fourth save Thursday
Holmes (1-2) allowed two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning, taking the loss and a blown save in Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Royals.
Holmes was one out away from his 20th save of the season before serving up a two-run double to Maikel Garcia. The 31-year-old closer had gone nine straight appearances without allowing a run and still carries an impressive 1.80 ERA for the season. As the ninth-inning man for the club with the most wins in MLB, he remains one of the safest options at the position, with his 19 saves being tied for third most this season.
-
Matt Brash RP | SEA
Mariners' Matt Brash: Sheds protective brace
Brash (elbow) has shed the protective brace he'd been wearing following Tommy John surgery and remains at the Mariners' complex in Arizona recovering, MLB.com reports.
There have been no reported setbacks over the first four weeks-plus of Brash's recovery, as this report seems to corroborate. While Brash remains at the team's spring training complex for now, there's a chance he joins the big-league club for intermittent periods over the course of the rest of the season. With Brash's surgery having included an internal bracing procedure that has shown to speed up the total recovery period, the team remains hopeful of getting the hard-throwing right-hander back in action as soon as next June.
-
Gregory Santos RP | SF
Mariners' Gregory Santos: Continues ramping up activity level
Santos (lat) has continued throwing bullpens in recent days and is playing catch out to 105 feet between those sessions, MLB.com reports.
Santos appears well on track to facing live hitters soon, given his cumulative level of activity recently. The right-hander remains without a timetable for return and could require a full-length rehab assignment whenever he's deemed ready to take that step since he's been sidelined since spring training.