MLB Player News
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Carlos Estevez RP | KC
Royals' Carlos Estevez: Unlikely to be used Sunday
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that he would be "surprised" if Estevez is available out of the bullpen for Sunday's game in Atlanta, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Estevez was seen wearing a walking boot Sunday after taking a line drive off his left ankle Saturday, when he suffered a blown save after allowing six earned runs while recording just one out in the Royals' 6-2 loss. Though Estevez been diagnosed with nothing more than a contusion after getting X-rays on his ankle, the Royals appear content to stay away from the 33-year-old reliever, at least for one day. Per Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City, Quatraro added that he's "not averse to putting [Estevez] in a lower-leverage situation" once he's deemed available, which suggests that the right-hander may not have a stranglehold on the closer's gig after Saturday's blowup. Before the rough showing in his season debut, Estevez was coming off a discouraging spring training in which he noticed a steep decline in his velocity.
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Connor Seabold RP | DET
Tigers' Connor Seabold: Effective in team debut
Seabold tossed 2.1 scoreless innings of relief in Saturday's 3-0 loss to the Padres. He allowed one hit and struck out three.
After Detroit starter Jack Flaherty allowed three runs (two earned) while covering only 4.1 innings, Seabold was needed to cover a few frames. The righty looked sharp across 50 pitches in his team debut, and he managed to keep the Tigers in the game after Flaherty's ineffective outing. It looks like Seabold, who has made 19 starts at the MLB level in his career, will be tasked with a long-relief role in Detroit.
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Ryan Watson RP | BOS
Red Sox's Ryan Watson: Memorable MLB debut
Watson allowed three walks while striking out one over 2.1 hitless and scoreless innings in Saturday's 6-5 extra-innings loss to Cincinnati.
Watson, a Rule 5 pick, made his major-league debut in the sixth inning in a not so low-leverage situation. The Red Sox were trailing by two runs when the rookie entered with two outs and two runners on. After walking the first batter he faced, Watson twice thought he'd struck out Eugenio Suarez on called third strikes and walked off the mound, but both calls were challenged and overturned. The right-hander eventually gathered himself and got the slugger to ground out to second base before working scoreless seventh and eighth innings. Despite the tension surrounding Saturday's appearance, Watson is expected to remain in a low-leverage role.
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Carlos Estevez RP | KC
Royals' Carlos Estevez: X-rays negative on ankle
Estevez had X-rays come back negative on his left ankle after being struck by a comebacker during Saturday's loss to Atlanta, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander blew the save in his season debut, surrendering six runs on four hits and two walks in one-third of an inning. With the X-rays returning negative, the injury is now a secondary concern for the Royals and Estevez, who averaged just 91.2 mph with his fastball Saturday, down nearly five ticks from last season. The horrid outing doubled his worst performance from 2025, in which he gave up three runs. Estevez will likely have some leash as Kansas City's closer after recording 42 saves with a 2.45 ERA last year, but that leash is likely to be shorter if the velocity woes continue.
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Connor Brogdon RP | CLE
Guardians' Connor Brogdon: Picks up save Saturday
Brogdon earned a save against Seattle on Saturday, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit while striking out two batters in one inning.
Closer Cade Smith blew a save opportunity in the ninth, pushing the game into bonus time. Cleveland struck for three runs in the top of the 10th, and the Guardians chose to turn to Brogdon in the bottom of that frame. The right-hander made things interesting by serving up a two-run homer to Luke Raley, but Brogdon was able to convert the save by striking out the subsequent two batters he faced. Fantasy managers need not read into Brogdon's chance to close Saturday, as Smith isn't likely to move out of the closer role anytime soon.
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Edwin Uceta RP | TB
Rays' Edwin Uceta: Progressing in throwing program
Uceta (shoulder) threw live batting practice Friday, per MLB.com.
Another session is on tap for Uceta on Tuesday, and the hope is that a minor-league rehab assignment will be on the horizon shortly thereafter. The right-hander was in contention to begin the season as one of Tampa Bay's closer options, and it sounds like Uceta has a chance to return from right shoulder soreness and make his season debut by late April. It's worth noting that Griffin Jax has already blown two saves in as many appearances to start the year.
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David Bednar RP | NYY
Yankees' David Bednar: Registers second save
Bednar earned the save Saturday against the Giants, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk in one inning. He struck out one.
It was Bednar's second save in as many outings to begin the new campaign. The right-hander wasn't at his sharpest Saturday, throwing just 12 of his 20 pitches for strikes, but he was able to induce a Patrick Bailey double play to seal the deal. Bednar tossed five scoreless appearances during Grapefruit League play, and he appears to be picking up right where he left off this spring.
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Carlos Estevez RP | KC
Royals' Carlos Estevez: Implodes in season debut
Estevez (0-1) took the loss and a blown save Saturday against Atlanta, allowing six runs on four hits and two walks in one-third of an inning.
It was a nightmarish season debut for Estevez, who failed to protect a two-run lead in the ninth inning. After showing diminished velocity during spring training, the right-hander's fastball topped out at 92.3 mph Saturday over his 23 pitches, which appears to be a major concern after he averaged 95.9 mph on his four-seamer last season. There's still time for him to find his form as Kansas City's closer, but the Royals have capable alternatives in Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm if Estevez can't steady the ship.
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Robert Garcia RP | TEX
Rangers' Robert Garcia: Unable to close door on Phillies
Garcia surrendered two unearned runs on one hit and one walk while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning during Saturday's 5-4 win over the Phillies.
With the Rangers leading 3-0 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, manager Skip Schumaker called Garcia's number in Texas' first save situation of the season. Garcia struck out Kyle Schwarber and got Bryce Harper to ground out to begin the frame. After dispatching those tough lefty batters, the southpaw reliever ran into trouble against two righty batters. Alec Bohm singled ahead of a walk by pinch hitter Edmundo Sosa. Garcia was then pulled in favor of Chris Martin, but Martin was unable to close the door after a Jake Burger error opened the flood gates. The early pull helped Garcia avoid a blown save, but it's clear he was the first option to close out the game. Both he and Martin are expected to get save chances for Texas this season.
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Chris Martin RP | TEX
Rangers' Chris Martin: Blows first save opportunity
Martin (1-0) blew the save but came away with the win in Saturday's 5-4 victory over the Phillies. He allowed one unearned run on two hits and struck out one while recording one out.
With the Rangers up 3-0, manager Skip Schumaker actually called on Robert Garcia to open the ninth inning. However, Garcia recorded just two outs while allowing one hit and one walk with one strikeout before giving way to Martin to protect the 3-0 lead. Martin surrendered two hits and three runs, two of which were charged to Garcia, to send the game to an extra inning. With neither pitcher faring well in their first outing of the season, Garcia would seem to continue to hold the slight edge for save opportunities for Texas.