MLB Player News
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Joe Ross RP | ARI
Phillies' Joe Ross: Finding success as middle reliever
Ross threw two scoreless relief innings in Wednesday's 9-5 win over the Rockies. He struck out three.
Ross continues to operate as a multi-inning reliever for the Phillies, and he's pitched well in recent weeks. After logging a 9.39 ERA over his first 7.2 innings of the year, the veteran right-hander holds a 1.72 ERA and 13:2 K:BB across his last 15.2 frames. Ross still remains without a clear pathway to fantasy appeal, as he remains out of Philadelphia's rotation and high-leverage picture despite the absences of Aaron Nola (ankle) and Jose Alvarado (suspension).
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Tanner Banks RP | PHI
Phillies' Tanner Banks: Continues to work in middle relief
Banks threw a scoreless sixth inning in Wednesday's 9-5 win over the Rockies. He struck out one.
That's now seven scoreless outings out of nine appearances in May for Banks, but he's still given up five runs this month. On the season, the 33-year-old owns a 3.97 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 25:5 K:BB. With Jose Alvarado out of action due to an 80-game suspension, Banks could see more action as a setup man as opposed to a middle reliever, but he remains well out of contention for regular save chances.
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Colin Holderman RP | CLE
Pirates' Colin Holderman: Consultation for thumb on tap
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Holderman has been diagnosed with right thumb tenosynovitis and is scheduled to visit a specialist in Arizona next week, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
Pittsburgh had initially labeled Holderman's injury as thumb inflammation when he was placed on the injured list Tuesday, but follow-up tests revealed that the right-hander is actually dealing with tenosynovitis, a condition Tomczyk said is "very debilitating for anybody that has a career in gripping and throwing a baseball." The upcoming visit with a specialist should shed more light on a treatment plan for Holderman, but based on Tomczyk's foreboding comments, the 29-year-old reliever appears likely to be sidelined beyond the minimum 15 days.
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Justin Lawrence RP | PIT
Pirates' Justin Lawrence: Set for three more weeks of rest
Lawrence recently received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right elbow and will rest for three weeks before beginning a throwing program, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
Lawrence has resided on the injured list since April 23 after being diagnosed with inflammation in his right elbow. Though he's been out for nearly a month, Lawrence's condition hadn't shown much improvement, but the Pirates are hopeful that the PRP injection will provide some relief. The right-hander will likely operate as a middle reliever or setup man once he's ready to return from the IL, perhaps shortly before the All-Star break or soon after.
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Dennis Santana RP | PIT
Pirates' Dennis Santana: Notches fifth save
Santana struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Wednesday to record his fifth save of the season in a 3-1 win over the Reds.
David Bednar worked Monday and Tuesday and collected the save in the latter game, leaving him unavailable Wednesday afternoon. Santana also worked the eighth inning Tuesday but was still fresh enough to remain a perfect 5-for-5 in converting save chances this season. Bednar appears to have inched back ahead in the pecking order for the Pirates' closer job, but Santana's 1.77 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 13:3 K:BB through 20.1 innings on the year will keep him firmly in the high-leverage mix.
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Daniel Palencia RP | CHC
Cubs' Daniel Palencia: Earns first 2025 save
Palencia tossed a scoreless ninth inning to record the save in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Marlins.
After blowing a save and taking the loss Monday, Palencia pitched much better Wednesday, earning his first save of the season and just his second ever at the MLB level. The righty is seeing some time in the closer role with Porter Hodge (oblique) currently on the injured list and Ryan Pressly struggling. Palencia could strengthen his grip on the job if he pitches well while Hodge is on the shelf, and he's mostly done that in 2025, as he's now sitting with a 2.16 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 16 strikeouts across 16.2 innings.
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John King RP | MIA
Cardinals' John King: Relegated to low-leverage role
King has been scored upon in seven of 16 appearances this season out of the Cardinals' bullpen.
King was a trusted reliever for manager Oliver Marmol the previous two seasons, collecting a 2.75 ERA across 75 appearances. The sinker baller is still inducing grounders at an elite 64.3 percent rate, but an ugly 4.91 ERA, 1.84 WHIP and 8:6 K:BB over 14.2 frames has reduced the southpaw to low-leverage appearances in 2025, as King's lone hold this season came back on Opening Day.
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Drey Jameson RP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Drey Jameson: On Triple-A IL with elbow injury
Jameson was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Reno on Tuesday due to a lateral right elbow issue, Jack Sommers of SI.com reports.
The good news is that the injury is in an area of the elbow unrelated to the UCL, so it's not any sort of setback from last year's Tommy John surgery. Still, Jameson will be shut down for a few weeks before ramping things back up, so he won't be an option for the Diamondbacks for some time.
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Calvin Faucher RP | MIA
Marlins' Calvin Faucher: Rocked in loss to Cubs
Faucher (2-2) took the loss Tuesday, failing to record an out while coughing up six runs on five hits and a walk in a 14-1 loss to the Cubs.
The right-hander entered the game with the score tied 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning and walked the first batter he faced before getting tagged for five straight singles, with all the runners eventually coming around to score. The disastrous performance snapped a streak of 12 straight appearances without allowing a run for Faucher, but despite that run of success he hasn't recorded a save since April 22 and appears to be firmly behind Jesus Tinoco in the pecking order for closing opportunities.
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Victor Vodnik RP | COL
Rockies' Victor Vodnik: Throws live batting practice
Vodnik (shoulder) threw a live batting practice session Monday, MLB.com reports.
Vodnik is likely to be cleared for a rehab assignment next, although that has not yet been confirmed by the Rockies. The reliever has been shelved since mid-April with right shoulder inflammation but is on pace to return before the end of May.