MLB Player News
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Devin Williams RP | NYM
Yankees' Devin Williams: Nabs extra-inning save Wednesday
Williams recorded his 18th save of the season in Wednesday's 6-4 extra-inning win over the Rays, giving up an unearned run on two hits in the 10th inning. He struck out three.
David Bednar blew the save in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras, and after the Yankees slugged two more homers in the top of the 10th to reclaim the lead, Williams found himself in another save situation. He allowed back-to-back hits to lead off the frame, bringing home the phantom runner and making things very dicey, but the Airbender proceeded to strike out the side and escape the jam. Bednar is still likely the top choice for closing duties, but Williams has gone five straight appearances without giving up an earned run while delivering an 11:1 K:BB over 4.1 innings, and he could be working his way back into the mix.
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Pete Fairbanks RP | MIA
Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Hit hard in 10th inning
Fairbanks (4-4) allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits while striking out one across one inning to take the loss Wednesday against the Yankees.
Fairbanks entered the game in the 10th inning with the score knotted at 3-3. He allowed homers to the first two batters he faced, the first pair he's surrendered in his last six appearances. While his strikeouts remain down, Fairbanks has still been very effective this season by maintaining a 2.85 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 47.1 frames.
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David Bednar RP | NYY
Yankees' David Bednar: Blows save but snags win Wednesday
Bednar (4-5) picked up the win after blowing the save in Wednesday's 6-4 extra-inning victory over the Rays, coughing up two runs on two hits and a walk in the ninth inning. He struck out three.
Called upon to protect a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth, Bednar struck out the side, but not before serving up a two-run double to Hunter Feduccia. The right-hander then backed into the win when the Yankees slugged a couple more homers in the top of the 10th off Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks. The stumble ended a seven-appearance scoreless streak for Bednar, but the blown save was his third since he was dealt to New York at the trade deadline, against three successful conversions. Devin Williams secured the save in the 10th inning, and the Yankees' closer role still appears unsettled with September rapidly approaching.
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Dylan Smith P | SF
Tigers' Dylan Smith: Possible late-season option?
Smith (shoulder) is a candidate to get called up to the majors late in the season if he's healthy enough, Sam Dykstra and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com report.
Smith has been on the shelf at Triple-A Toledo since July 6 with a shoulder strain, though there is some optimism that he'll be able to return in September, which could make him a candidate to help the Tigers out of the bullpen if a need arises. Prior to getting hurt, the 25-year-old righty had posted a 1.38 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 13 innings across two stints with Detroit before being sent back to the minors in early July.
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Raisel Iglesias RP | ATL
Braves' Raisel Iglesias: Notches 21st save
Iglesias struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Wednesday to record his 21st save of the season in a 1-0 win over the White Sox.
All eight of Iglesias' pitches found the strike zone in a ruthless performance from the veteran closer. The right-hander held a 6.75 ERA as late as June 5, but since then Iglesias has been one of the best late-inning arms in baseball, posting a 1.52 ERA, 0.61 WHIP and 33:4 K:BB over his last 29.2 innings while converting 13 of 14 save chances.
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Seth Halvorsen P | COL
Rockies' Seth Halvorsen: Not making much progress
Halvorsen (elbow) is continuing his rehab, but he will not begin the next steps toward his return to the field until early September, MLB.com reports.
The Rockies continue to say that Halvorsen could return this season, but it appears that he will only be available for a few weeks at best. His role upon his return could also be murky, as Victor Vodnik has turned in five consecutive scoreless appearances, piling up four saves and a win.
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Hurston Waldrep SP | ATL
Braves' Hurston Waldrep: Blanks Pale Hose for fourth win
Waldrep (4-0) picked up the win Wednesday, allowing four hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory over the White Sox. He struck out seven.
The rookie right-hander was impressive once again, firing 60 of 87 pitches for strikes as he tied his career high in Ks. Waldrep has won all four of his starts since being brought up at the beginning of August, producing a stellar 0.73 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 24:6 K:BB over 24.2 innings. The 2023 first-round pick will look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road early next week in Miami.
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Nabil Crismatt RP | TEX
Diamondbacks' Nabil Crismatt: Draws another turn through rotation
Crismatt is slated to start Saturday's game against the Reds at Chase Field.
A journeyman reliever for most of his first six seasons in the big leagues, Crismatt had been getting stretched out in the Triple-A Reno rotation before the Diamondbacks called him up this past Sunday to make his second career MLB start. The 30-year-old righty was unfazed by the harsh pitching conditions at Coors Field, taking a no-decision and striking out five batters over five innings while limiting the Rockies to one run on three hits and one walk. He'll return to a slightly more forgiving pitching environment in Arizona for his second turn through the rotation, though Crismatt's lack of a track record as a starter in the big leagues will make him difficult to trust as a streaming option until he strings together a few more promising appearances.
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Elijah Morgan RP | KC
Cubs' Eli Morgan: Begins rehab assignment
Morgan (elbow) tossed a perfect inning in his first rehab appearance with High-A South Bend on Wednesday.
Morgan initially went down with a right elbow impingement in mid-April and then suffered a setback while on his initial rehab assignment in mid-June. He's now getting back on track and could rejoin the Cubs' bullpen around Sept. 1 if all goes well.
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Jose Ferrer RP | SEA
Nationals' Jose Ferrer: Collects third save
Ferrer gave up a hit in a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday to record his third save of the season in a 5-4 win over the Mets.
The southpaw was able to erase a one-out single by Cedric Mullins with a game-ending double play thanks to a 97.9 mph sinker. Ferrer has pocketed three of the Nationals' four saves in August, with Cole Henry notching the fourth, and the former is the clear top option for closing duties in the bullpen. Over 17.1 innings since the beginning of July, Ferrer has posted a 2.08 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 15:2 K:BB.