MLB Player News

Curtiss allowed one run (zero earned) on three hits across two-thirds of an inning Saturday against the Phillies. He did not factor into the decision.

Rays manager Kevin Cash opted to use Curtiss as the team's opener Saturday despite the 27-year-old picking up a save in Friday's series opener. Curtiss allowed consecutive singles to begin the game and was charged with an unearned run after Jean Segura hit a sharp ground ball that forced Yoshi Tsutsugo to make a wild throw to first, which plated a run for the Phillies. The righty owns a 1.80 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 25:3 K:BB across 25 innings.

Robles (0-2) was tagged with the loss Saturday against the Dodgers. He allowed two runs on one hit and one walk while fanning two across one inning.

Robles enjoyed a solid stretch of five straight scoreless appearances between Aug. 5 and Aug. 15, but he has allowed runs in five of his last eight outings, including three of the five appearances he made this month. Robles enters the final day of the regular season sporting a career-worst 10.91 ERA in 15.2 innings across 17 appearances.

Kolarek earned the save Saturday against the Angels after pitching a scoreless two-thirds of an inning. He allowed one hit.

Kolarek entered the game after a two-run double from David Fletcher with one out in the ninth, and he got the job done. Despite allowing a single to Jared Walsh, Kolarek shut the door by retiring Albert Pujols and Shohei Ohtani to earn his first save of the season. Kolarek has been outstanding out of the bullpen this year and has a 0.95 ERA with a 0.79 WHIP -- both career-best marks -- in 19 innings across 20 appearances.

Hader struck out one across a scoreless ninth inning Saturday as he picked up the save against the Cardinals.

Hader had to work hard for his three outs as he needed 21 pitches to get through the ninth but ultimately had no trouble getting his 13th save of the season to pace the National League. Hader's numbers have dipped a bit in 2020 in comparison to recent seasons, but the southpaw still has done very well with a 3.79 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 31:10 K:BB across 19 innings.

Bass struck out two over 1.1 perfect innings to record his seventh save of the season in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Orioles.

Rafael Dolis got the save Thursday, but Jays manager Charlie Montoyo elected to give his regular closer some extra rest prior to the postseason and let Bass pick up his second save of the week. The right-hander's first season with the Jays has gone well, and Bass has a 3.51 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 21:9 K:BB through 25.2 innings with two wins and three holds in addition to his saves.

Herget (1-0) allowed one run on one hit while striking out a batter through an inning of work Saturday as he earned the win against the Astros.

Herget replaced Kyle Gibson in the seventh and quickly gave up a double to Aledmys Diaz to begin the inning. The Astros were able to plate him on two sacrifices before Herget struck out Myles Straw to end the inning. The right-hander has a solid 3.20 ERA, but his 17:14 K:BB across 19.2 innings is a bit concerning as he appears to have some trouble locating his pitches.

Hudson walked one and struck out one in a scoreless seventh inning to record his 10th save of the season during the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Mets.

The right-hander hadn't pitched since Tuesday and had blown his last two save chances, but Hudson was up to the task in Saturday's nightcap, His 6.10 ERA on the season has been fueled by six homers allowed in 20.2 innings, but otherwise Hudson's 1.26 WHIP and 28:11 K:BB have been solid. With one year left on his current contract, the 33-year-old will likely be back in a high-leverage role for the Nats in 2021.

Hendriks (3-1) took the loss during Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Mariners after allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits with one strikeout and zero walks over 1.1 innings.

The right-hander delivered a clean seventh inning to help force extras, but he was unable to replicate that performance during the eighth and was tagged with his first loss of the season. Hendriks still boasts an impressive 1.78 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 37:3 K:BB over 25.1 innings while going 14-for-15 in save opportunities this season.

Davidson (0-1) allowed seven runs (two earned) on three hits and four walks with two strikeouts over 1.2 innings in a loss to the Red Sox on Saturday.

Davidson got through the first inning without much trouble, but he was hit hard in the second. An error by Adeiny Hechavarria didn't help Davidson, and reliever Grant Dayton gave up a grand slam to Christian Vazquez two pitches into his outing. It was hardly an ideal first major-league start for the 24-year-old Davidson, who pitched to a 2.03 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP with 122 strikeouts in 110.2 innings as a starter at Double-A Mississippi in 2019.

Graveman, who earned his first victory of the season with a relief win over the Athletics in Game 1 of a doubleheader Saturday, is receptive to continuing to operate out of the bullpen in 2021 after being forced out of the rotation with a benign neck tumor, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "So going into this offseason, I don't know if the tumor leaves my body or if I'm healed from it," Graveman said. "But what I do know right now is I'm able to do this and feel great. So that's the mindset going in. If something changes with my body we'll reevaluate, but I feel like I can be a reliever and be a pretty good one."

The veteran right-hander has proven highly resilient, as he opened the season as a starter after missing all of last season following Tommy John surgery. The benign tumor was then discovered just two starts into the 2020 campaign, and after some recovery time and assurances from doctors he couldn't do any further damage by continuing to pitch shorter outings, Graveman reinvented himself as a reliever and posted six scoreless efforts in eight appearances. The Mariners have a $3.5 million team option on Graveman for 2021, and he's slated to meet with manager Scott Servais, pitching coach Pete Woodworth and general manager Jerry Dipoto to help determine his future shortly after the season concludes Sunday.