MLB Player News
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Nick Sandlin RP | LAA
Guardians' Nick Sandlin: Snags win Saturday
Sandlin (1-0) struck out two and hit one batter in a scoreless inning to earn the win Saturday over the Athletics. He did not walk a batter or allow a hit.
Tanner Bibee was inefficient with five walks in a four-inning start. Sandlin took care of the fifth inning and was credited for the win as the Guardians' bullpen pitched five hitless innings. Sandlin has four strikeouts over two innings this season, and he's yet to walk a batter or give up a hit. He's not in the high-leverage mix for 2024, but he had a 3.75 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 10 holds over 61 appearances in 2023.
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Jose Quijada RP | LAA
Angels' Jose Quijada: Continues progress toward return
Quijada (elbow) is in Arizona to continue his throwing progression and could return by midseason, per MLB.com.
Quijada underwent Tommy John surgery last May, so he's now over 10 months into his recovery. The lefty hurler has been throwing from 60 feet as he takes incremental steps toward a return. If all goes well for Quijada, he could rejoin the Angels' bullpen around the beginning of July.
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Cionel Perez RP | WAS
Orioles' Cionel Perez: Placed on 15-day IL
Perez landed on the 15-day IL on Sunday with a right oblique strain, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.
Perez was removed from Saturday's appearance against the Angels due to lower-back discomfort. After further evaluation, it was revealed he has an oblique strain. In a corresponding move, Baltimore recalled Jonathan Heasley from Triple-A.
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Robert Stephenson RP | LAA
Angels' Robert Stephenson: Set for bullpen session Monday
Stephenson (shoulder) is lined up to throw a bullpen session in Miami on Monday, per MLB.com.
Stephenson threw off a mound Friday, using all of his pitches in a session that went well, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. With the expectation that he'll throw again Monday, it appears that the veteran reliever is progressing well in his recovery from right shoulder inflammation. Stephenson has indicated that he hopes to join the major-league club by the end of April, and when he does so he should have a high-leverage role in the Angels' bullpen.
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Jon Heasley RP | KC
Orioles' Jonathan Heasley: Recalled from Triple-A
Heasley was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.
Heasley is getting recalled with Cionel Perez (oblique) landing on the 15-day injured list. The 27-year-old was optioned to minor-league camp after posting a 3.52 ERA and 4:2 K:BB over 7.2 innings in spring training. The righty last played in the majors for Kansas City last season, recording a 7.20 ERA in 15 innings.
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Genesis Cabrera RP | PHI
Blue Jays' Genesis Cabrera: Appeals three-game suspension
Cabrera has been suspended three games and fined by MLB on Sunday for his role in an altercation Saturday against the Rays, though he'll remain available as he appeals the suspension, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Cabrera got in an altercation with Rays' Jose Caballero in Saturday's game that resulted in the benches clearing, and he's now facing a suspension.
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Tayler Saucedo RP | LAA
Mariners' Tayler Saucedo: Wiggles through trouble for win
Saucedo (1-0) was credited with the win in the extra-inning victory over the Red Sox on Saturday, allowing a hit and issuing an intentional walk over one-third of a scoreless inning.
Saucedo was called on to put out the fire with a man on second and two outs in the 10th inning, and although he surrendered a game-tying RBI single to Masataka Yoshida that plated a run charged to Trent Thornton, he managed to get Trevor Story to fly out to snuff out the threat. Saucedo then became the pitcher of record when Julio Rodriguez laced a game-winning hit in the home half of the frame, giving the southpaw his first victory in what was already his second appearance of the young season.
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Shelby Miller RP | CHC
Tigers' Shelby Miller: Earns first 2024 win
Miller (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings to earn the win in relief during Saturday's 7-6, 10-inning victory over the White Sox. He struck out one.
Detroit starter Kenta Maeda was tagged for six runs over 3.1 innings, but the Detroit bullpen was lights out the rest of the way, punctuated by Miller at the end. The righty has now tossed three scoreless innings across the team's first two games, so he may be unavailable Sunday. However, Miller looks like he'll be a heavily used and valuable reliver for the Tigers moving forward.
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John Brebbia RP | COL
White Sox's John Brebbia: Works ninth in 2024 debut
Brebbia pitched a perfect ninth inning in Saturday's 7-6 extra-inning loss to the Tigers.
The 33-year-old right-hander was bothered by a calf strain early this spring, but Brebbia was able to make a couple Cactus League appearances late in camp and seems healthy to begin the season. He was viewed as a potential closing candidate in an unsettled White Sox bullpen heading into 2024, so his high-leverage usage Saturday is encouraging, but the better news for Brebbia's fantasy outlook might have been how manager Pedro Grifol has deployed his competition. Rookie Jordan Leasure worked the sixth Saturday and got a hold, while Michael Kopech pitched the eighth Thursday with the team down by a run.
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Will Smith RP | KC
Royals' Will Smith: Takes first loss
Smith (0-1) was charged with the loss after he surrendered four runs on two hits and two walks during the ninth inning Saturday versus the Twins.
Smith entered for the ninth inning with the game tied 1-1 and immediately induced a groundout, but Minnesota then rallied for four runs as five of the next six batters reached base. Notably, he was lined up for the save chance before James McArthur, who is also in the mix at closer, blew a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning, but Smith's rough season debut certainly won't help his standing. John Schreiber is the third option in the potential closing committee and delivered a scoreless seventh Saturday.