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Ben Joyce RP | LAA
Angels' Ben Joyce: Velocity down Tuesday
Joyce was charged with a blown save against Tampa Bay on Tuesday, allowing three runs on four hits while retiring just one batter.
Joyce entered the contest in the seventh inning with the Angels ahead 2-0, and by the time he departed the Rays had taken a one-run lead. Joyce served up a Junior Caminero solo homer on his third pitch, and then gave up three more hits -- a single, a double and a triple -- to the next three batters, resulting in two more runs, before finally notching his first out. Notably, Joyce's sinker averaged just 93.5 mph in the outing, while his four-seamer averaged 99.3 mph -- both falling a couple ticks below his season average coming into Tuesday. There's been no indication that the righty is dealing with any sort of injury, but the velocity is worth keeping an eye on in Joyce's next outing.
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Hayden Birdsong P | SF
Giants' Hayden Birdsong: Strong start to season continues
Birdsong threw three scoreless innings during Tuesday's 1-0 loss to the Reds, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out two.
Birdsong threw 25 of his 39 pitches for strikes during his third appearance of the season. The 23-year-old gave up a double to begin the ninth frame, but he kept his composure and retired Cincinnati's next three hitters. Manager Bob Melvin said postgame, "The velocity's been there out of the bullpen as well, all his pitches working -- he just looks like he's really confident," according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Birdsong has recorded a 0.00 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 6:3 K:BB over seven innings so far this season.
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Pete Fairbanks RP | MIA
Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Takes loss against Angels
Fairbanks (1-1) allowed one earned run on two hits and no walks while striking out one across one inning to take the loss Tuesday against the Angels.
Fairbanks was tasked with keeping the game tied at 3-3 in the ninth inning. He surrendered only two singles, though that was enough to allow one run to score. Prior to Tuesday's outing, Fairbanks had turned in three scoreless outings and had a 6:2 K:BB across four innings, so his status as the Rays' closer shouldn't be in jeopardy.
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Porter Hodge SP | CHC
Cubs' Porter Hodge: Blows second save Tuesday
Hodge (1-0) blew the save but picked up the win Tuesday against Texas, giving up one run on two hits and no walks while striking out three in 1.1 innings.
Working with a 6-5 lead, Hodge fanned Wyatt Langford in the seventh inning but blew the save after a Josh Jung triple scored a game-tying run in the eighth frame. The Cubs then scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to get Hodge off the hook, and Ryan Pressly worked around two singles to put the game away in the ninth frame. Although Pressly has converted each of his three save chances to open the year, he's allowed six walks and 11 hits over seven innings. However, Hodge has also been shaky, having failed to convert both of his save opportunities and logging a 1.43 WHIP across his seven frames of work.
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Yuki Matsui RP | SD
Padres' Yuki Matsui: Strong start to season
Matsui allowed one run on two hits with a strikeout in an inning Tuesday against Athletics. He has a 1.80 ERA with nine strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
Matsui is working in middle relief but could be used in higher-leverage roles if he can continue his high strikeout totals and limit his walks. After striking out 12 batters per nine innings during his 10-year career in Japan, Matsui's K rate dipped after moving to the States. His 26.8 percent strikeout rate during the regular season last year was still above league average, but Matsui's 10.5 percent walk rate likely prevented possible ascension to higher-leverage work.
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Daniel Lynch IV RP | KC
Royals' Daniel Lynch: Logs first save of 2025
Lynch earned the save in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Twins, retiring the only batter he faced in the ninth inning.
Lynch was brought in for the ninth inning with two outs, and it took him only two pitches to retire Edouard Julien on a groundout to shortstop. It was Lynch's first save of 2025 and second in the majors, though he isn't expected to see many more opportunities with Carlos Estevez as the Royals' top closer. Lynch has allowed one hit and one walk while striking out three batters across 6.1 innings to start the season.
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Kenley Jansen RP | DET
Angels' Kenley Jansen: Escapes with save
Jansen allowed two hits in a scoreless inning during Tuesday's win against the Rays. He struck out two and earned a save.
Jansen recorded three straight outs to close up the 4-3 win after the Rays put runners on second and third to start the ninth inning. It was his third save of the year and first since March 30. Jansen tossed 15 of 20 pitches for strikes and generated five whiffs. He's thrown five straight scoreless innings to begin the 2025 season.
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Brad Lord RP | WAS
Nationals' Brad Lord: Tosses three scoreless innings
Lord allowed two hits and two walks over three scoreless innings in a no-decision Tuesday. He struck out four during the win over the Dodgers.
Lord was given the nod in a spot start and turned in a solid appearance. He needed 55 pitches (33 strikes) to get through three frames, but he avoided danger and kept the Dodgers off the board. Lord now owns a 1.80 ERA with a 4:4 K:BB through five innings this season. He's currently lined up to start in Pittsburgh next week.
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Raisel Iglesias RP | ATL
Braves' Raisel Iglesias: Earns first save of 2025
Iglesias secured the save in Tuesday's 7-5 win over Philadelphia, allowing one walk in a scoreless ninth inning.
Iglesias' only blemish came on a Bryce Harper walk, but the 35-year-old closer captured his first save of the 2025 campaign after getting Alec Bohm to pop out to third base. It was a nice bounce-back effort for Iglesias after he blew his first save chance against the Dodgers on April 2. He needed 15 pitches to get through Tuesday's game, so he should be available for another save opportunity should it present itself in the next game of the series.
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Bennett Sousa RP | HOU
Astros' Bennett Sousa: Returning to big leagues
The Astros recalled Sousa from Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday.
Sousa won't be available for Tuesday's game against Seattle, but he's in line to join Houston's bullpen to replace Rafael Montero, who was traded to Atlanta. Sousa missed all of last season due to thoracic outlet surgery but has looked good in four Triple-A outings this season, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out five batters across five shutout frames.