MLB Player News

Faucher gave up a hit, a walk and a hit-by-pitch in a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday to record his second save of the season in a 6-4 win over the Reds.

The right-hander was far from dominant, needing 29 pitches (14 strikes) to get through the frame, but he escaped a bases-loaded jam by getting Jeimer Candelario to ground out. Faucher is getting the first chance to become the Marlins' new closer in the wake of the Tanner Scott trade, and he's been tagged for earned runs in only one of his last 11 appearances, posting a 2.31 ERA and 12:5 K:BB through 11.2 innings over that stretch despite a shaky 1.46 WHIP.

Diaz picked up the save in a win over the Rockies on Wednesday, allowing one run on one hit over one inning while striking out two.

Diaz entered the contest in the bottom of the ninth with a three-run lead and surrendered a leadoff triple to Michael Toglia on the first pitch he threw before then seeing the runner come home on a Jake Cave groundout two batters later. However, the veteran reliever was able to wrap things up with a swinging strikeout of Charlie Blackmon to end the game and secure his 14th save of the campaign. Diaz has now converted each of his last six save opportunities, posting multiple strikeouts in three of his last four appearances. However, he's also allowed a run in two of his last five outings.

Bednar blew a save opportunity against the Padres on Wednesday, giving up one run on one hit and one walk while striking out one batter over one inning.

Bednar entered in the top of the ninth frame with the Pirates clinging to a one-run lead. He retired one batter before Jackson Merrill knotted the score with a solo shot to center field. Bednar then got into more trouble with a hit-by-pitch and a walk, but he was able to bounce back with consecutive outs to send the game into an extra inning. The blown save was his first since April 9 and just his third in 23 chances this season. That's a perfectly acceptable save percentage, but Bednar hasn't been as sharp this year as in seasons past, as evidenced by his 5.17 ERA and 1.23 WHIP through 38.1 innings.

Morejon earned a save against the Pirates on Wednesday, striking out one batter in a perfect inning of work.

Robert Suarez has worked as the Padres' closer this season, but he was deployed in the ninth inning with the score tied Wednesday. The contest ended up going to an extra frame, and San Diego took the lead with a three-run top of the 10th. Recently acquired Tanner Scott was asked to preserve the lead in the bottom of the frame, but he walked three straight batters to force in a run before Morejon was called upon to clean up the mess. The southpaw's outing didn't begin well -- his first offering was a wild pitch that allowed another Pirate to cross the plate to make the score 9-8 -- but Morejon rebounded impressively, retiring the next three batters without allowing the tying run to score. As a reward, he earned his first career save in his 90th MLB appearance. Morejon has been a solid bullpen piece for the Padres this season, posting a 2.66 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 52:16 K:BB through 47.1 innings.

Helsley allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two over a scoreless inning to earn the save in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Rays.

Helsley allowed multiple baserunners for the third time in four appearances in August, but he was able to work out of the jam to earn his second save in as many days. Since the start of July, he's given up 11 hits and five walks over 11.2 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) while converting six of eight save chances in that span. The prolonged shakiness has led to his ratios looking less dominant than they did early in the year, but he's still posted a 2.72 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 57:21 K:BB across 49.2 innings while converting 36 of 40 save chances.

Martinez earned the save in a 5-3 win over the Guardians in the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday, working around a hit and a walk while striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning.

Martinez found himself in some trouble in the ninth before ultimately striking out Lane Thomas, who represented the go-ahead run, to seal a 5-3 Arizona victory. The 23-year-old Martinez has been entrusted with back-to-back save chances for the Diamondbacks and has delivered five consecutive scoreless appearances, allowing just two hits while striking out 11 in that span (five innings). Overall, the right-hander sports a 1.97 ERA with a 1.21 WHIP and 61:26 K:BB through 50.1 innings this season. Martinez could continue to see work in the closer's role alongside the likes of A.J. Puk and Ryan Thompson, with Paul Sewald working in lower-leverage situations.

Lopez (2-2) tossed two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win Wednesday against the Twins. He allowed two hits and struck out two.

After starter Javier Assad covered only four innings, Lopez swooped in for the win against his former team. The righty struggled with the Twins, Orioles and Marlins last season, and he was released by the Mets earlier this year, but he's seemingly found a home in Chicago. In 14 relief appearances for his new team, Lopez has turned in a sparkling 0.54 ERA and he's struck out 14 batters across 16.2 innings.

Manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Graterol is dealing with a Grade 1 strain of his right hamstring, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Graterol was initially believed to have suffered a Grade 3 strain during his outing Tuesday, but the Dodgers' skipper corrected his previous statements. The news gives the 25-year-old reliever a significantly greater chance of pitching again for the Dodgers this season, though it remains unclear how far he is from a return.

The Dodgers placed Graterol on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a Grade 3 right hamstring strain.

Graterol suffered the injury while making his season debut Tuesday, and although he hasn't yet been ruled out for the rest of the season, the timing and severity of his strain leave him with a very slim chance of pitching again in 2024. His spot on the active roster will be given to Michael Grove (ribs), who returned from the IL on Wednesday.

The Dodgers reinstated Grove (ribs) from the 15-day injured list Wednesday.

A right intercostal strain forced Grove onto the injured list in mid-June, and he began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on July 21. In six appearances in the minors, he allowed two earned runs in 5.1 innings while striking out seven batters and walking two. Now fully recovered, he'll take on a middle-relief role with the Dodgers in place of Brusdar Graterol (hamstring), who landed on the injured list in a corresponding move.