MLB Player News
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Grant Holmes RP | ATL
Braves' Grant Holmes: Starting second game for Atlanta
Holmes will start the second game of Monday's doubleheader versus the Mets, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
He will sub in for Chris Sale -- who had to be scratched due to back spasms -- with a postseason berth on the line. Holmes made six starts and 19 relief appearances for Atlanta this season, posting a 3.78 ERA and 63:14 K:BB over 64.1 frames. His last start came on Sept. 22 when he went four innings and threw 62 pitches against the Marlins. Holmes also threw 1.2 innings and 21 pitches in a relief outing Sunday, so he will be quite limited in what he can offer length-wise Monday.
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Julian Merryweather RP | CHC
Cubs' Julian Merryweather: Shifted to 60-day injured list
The Cubs transferred Merryweather (knee) to the 60-day injured list Sunday.
The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster. Merryweather underwent right knee surgery earlier this month to address tendinitis.
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Anthony Bender RP | MIA
Marlins' Anthony Bender: Earns first save
Bender issued one walk over 1.1 scoreless innings Sunday, striking out two and earning a save against the Blue Jays.
Bender threw just 13 of 25 pitches for strikes but still closed out the 3-1 win without much trouble. It was his first outing of more than one inning pitched since July 26. Bender finishes his 2024 season at 5-2 with a 4.08 ERA, one save, 15 holds and a 59:18 K:BB through 53 frames.
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Buck Farmer RP | CIN
Reds' Buck Farmer: Nabs save in season finale
Farmer picked up the save Sunday against the Cubs, walking one batter with no strikeouts across a scoreless 10th inning.
Farmer logged his first save of 2024, taking the mound in the 10th inning to close out the Reds' regular-season finale. He'll finish the campaign with a 3.04 ERA and a 70:29 K:BB across 71 innings.
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Edgardo Henriquez RP | LAD
Dodgers' Edgardo Henriquez: Picks up first big-league save
Henriquez walked one and struck out two over a scoreless and hitless inning to earn the save in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Rockies.
Henriquez was able to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning, earning his first big-league save in just his third appearance in the majors. He has allowed one run and two hits with a 5:2 K:BB over 3.1 innings since his call-up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. The flame-throwing prospect raced through five levels in 2024, and it's not clear yet if the Dodgers plan to keep him in the bullpen for their postseason run.
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Jose Ruiz RP | PHI
Phillies' Jose Ruiz: Notches first save of career
Ruiz allowed two hits and a walk in a scoreless ninth inning against the Nationals to pick up his first save of the season. He struck out two.
Ruiz was extremely shaky in his first save opportunity of 2024, loading the bases with zero outs before producing a pair of clutch strikeouts. He induced a Juan Yepez flyout to end the threat and pick up the first save of his eight-year career. The 29-year-old veteran was a serviceable bullpen arm for Philadelphia this season, logging a 3.71 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 52:17 K:BB in 51 innings, adding five wins and one save.
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Anthony Banda RP | LAD
Dodgers' Anthony Banda: Opening for Knack on Sunday
Banda is opening Sunday's game against the Rockies, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Landon Knack will serve as the primary pitcher after Banda exits, foreshadowing how the Dodgers might use Knack in the postseason. Banda returned from the injured list Thursday to throw 1.1 scoreless innings against the Padres.
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Landen Roupp RP | SF
Giants' Landen Roupp: Optioned to Triple-A
Roupp was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday.
With Roupp unavailable after starting Friday and the Giants' bullpen lacking fresh options, Trevor McDonald was summoned to take the roster spot. Roupp has legitimate starter stuff, led by an elite curveball, but he has never logged 110 innings in a season and is already 26.
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Tyler Gilbert RP | PHI
Phillies' Tyler Gilbert: Sent down Sunday
Gilbert was optioned to the Phillies' spring training complex Sunday.
Gilbert logged a 3.24 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and four strikeouts in 8.1 innings across six appearances for the big club. He was unlikely to be used Sunday, so the Phillies opted to summon a bench bat (Buddy Kennedy) for the final game of the regular season.
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Michael Burrows RP | PIT
Pirates' Mike Burrows: Earns first win
Burrows (1-0) allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and three walks while striking out two to earn the win Saturday against the Yankees.
Burrows followed Paul Skenes into the game to make his major-league debut. Despite his final line, he began 11 of the 14 batters he faced with a strike and managed to throw 60 percent of his pitches over the plate. Most importantly, he has proved healthy and capable of handling a normal workload across the second half of the season after returning from Tommy John surgery. That should put him in a position to compete for a rotation spot in 2025.