MLB Player News
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Michael Tonkin RP | MIN
Braves' Michael Tonkin: First MLB win since 2016
Tonkin (1-1) picked up the win in Tuesday's victory over the Reds, allowing one hit and striking out three over three scoreless innings of relief.
Kyle Wright lasted only three innings in his 2023 debut, but Tonkin took over in the top of the fourth and shut down Cincy's offense, giving Atlanta a chance to come back from a 4-2 deficit. It's the right-hander's first big-league win since 2016, and he's looked great in his return to the majors in a long-relief role, posting a 2.16 ERA and 7:1 K:BB through 8.1 innings for four appearances.
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Edwin Diaz RP | LAD
Mets' Edwin Diaz: Hopes to pitch in October
Diaz (knee) said Wednesday that he's progressing well after surgery and believes he can return from the 60-day injured list in October, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports. "If everything goes well, I think I can be back quicker than eight months... I might throw this year," Diaz said.
Diaz tore the patellar tendon in his right knee back on March 15 while celebrating Team Puerto Rico's victory over Team Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic and later underwent surgery. The hard-throwing closer is presumed to be out for the regular season, and even a chance to help in the postseason should the Mets qualify seems unlikely at this juncture. Still, it's a positive sign that Diaz is making progress from the operation on his knee, and assuming he steers clear of any setbacks in the months to come, he looks like he'll at least be ready to go for the start of spring training next year.
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Nick Anderson RP | ATH
Braves' Nick Anderson: Earns first save
Anderson picked up his first save of the season in Tuesday's 6-5 win over the Reds by retiring the side during a perfect ninth inning. He struck out one.
Anderson came on in the ninth inning with a one-run lead and retired Tyler Stephenson, Wil Myers and Jason Vosler to earn his first save. Although the 32-year-old right-hander delivered an impressive performance, Atlanta is expected to rely on A.J. Minter to handle the bulk of the save opportunities while Raisel Iglesias recuperates from a shoulder injury.
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Josh Hader RP | HOU
Padres' Josh Hader: Notches fourth save
Hader gave up one run on one hit and two walks while striking out two in the ninth inning Tuesday, but he still recorded his fourth save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Mets.
Only 16 of his 31 pitches found the strike zone as Hader made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth, and his line would have been worse had a hit-by-pitch on Mark Canha not been ruled a swing that resulted in the closer's first punchout of the night. Hader's a perfect 4-for-4 on save chances to begin the season with a 1.80 ERA and dominant 10:3 K:BB through five innings.
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Ryan Weathers SP | NYY
Padres' Ryan Weathers: Collects first win
Weathers (1-0) picked up the win in Tuesday's 4-2 victory over the Mets, allowing one run on three hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out three.
New York opened the scoring in the fourth inning on a Mark Canha sacrifice fly, but San Diego struck back with two runs in the top of the fifth to get Weathers his first win of the year. The 23-year-old southpaw has yet to last longer than five innings in a start, exiting after 89 pitches (55 strikes) Tuesday. If San Diego opts to keep a six-man rotation in tact, Weathers should get at least one more start, though he could move to the bullpen or Triple-A El Paso immediately after that if Joe Musgrove (toe/shoulder) is ready to return from the 15-day injured list before the end of April.
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Miguel Castro RP | CHW
Diamondbacks' Miguel Castro: Dinged for first time
Castro allowed two runs on two hits and one walk over two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's 7-1 loss to the Brewers.
Castro entered with Arizona trailing 1-0 and allowed a pair of inherited runners to score, then two of his own. The outing was the first blemish in four appearances for the right-hander, who typically works in the final third of close games.
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Giovanny Gallegos RP | LAD
Cardinals' Giovanny Gallegos: Records four outs to earn win
Gallegos (1-0) earned the win Tuesday versus the Rockies, striking out two over 1.1 perfect innings.
Gallegos got the last out of the seventh inning and set down the side in the eighth before the Cardinals' ninth-inning rally for the lead. After dealing with a back issue to begin the season, Gallegos has been used sparingly with the Cardinals' starters struggling to put the team in a position to need high-leverage relievers. He's delivered with 2.1 scoreless innings so far, striking out four and walking none while allowing just one hit.
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Pierce Johnson RP | CIN
Rockies' Pierce Johnson: Takes loss Tuesday
Johnson (0-1) was charged with the loss Tuesday against the Cardinals after he allowed three runs on three hits and one walk over two-thirds of an inning.
Johnson entered for the ninth inning with the game tied 6-6, only to surrender a home run to Nolan Gorman on his first pitch, and St. Louis then struck for two more runs. The right-hander has served as Colorado's closer to begin the season with Daniel Bard on the injured list due to anxiety, and he has three saves with four runs allowed and a 7:4 K:BB across 4.2 innings.
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Ryan Helsley RP | BAL
Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Secures second save
Helsley earned the save Tuesday in Colorado after he allowed two hits and no walks during a scoreless ninth inning. He struck out two.
Helsley gave up singles to the first two batters he faced, but he rebounded to retire the next three hitters on just 10 pitches. The 28-year-old surrendered two runs and took a blown save in his season debut, but he's been unscored upon with two saves in his past three outings.
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David Bednar RP | NYY
Pirates' David Bednar: Blows save but gets win
Bednar (1-0) blew the save, but he picked up the win anyway in Tuesday's 7-4 victory over Houston. He allowed two runs on two hits with one walk while striking out one over one inning.
Bednar was given a two-run lead in the ninth inning, but the right-hander gave up a two-run double to Chas McCormick to blow his first save of the season. Fortunately for Bednar, Ji-Hwan Bae blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning, so it did allow him to pick up his first victory of 2023.