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Paxton Schultz RP | WAS
Nationals' Paxton Schultz: Shuttled to Rochester
Schultz was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday.
Schultz threw three innings and 48 pitches Friday, a long enough outing that he will likely be unavailable for a few days. The Nationals' bullpen was taxed heavily again Saturday, likely creating a need for fresh arms Sunday. Schultz has been fairly effective across eight innings this season, and he'll almost certainly be back in the majors at some point later on.
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Giants' Ryan Walker: Blows save against Washington
Walker suffered a blown save Saturday against the Nationals, allowing one run on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts across two innings.
With the Giants leading 6-5 headed into the bottom of the ninth, Walker was called on to protect the one-run lead. He gave up a leadoff double to Jorbit Vivas and later the game-tying single to Brady House. Walker allowed two more baserunners in a scoreless 10th inning. Prior to Saturday, Walker hadn't entered in a save situation since March 30. Three different Giants are tied for the team lead with one save apiece, so Walker's position in the closer committee is tenuous, at best. The right-hander has a 4.00 ERA and 10:5 K:BB across nine innings this season.
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Kirby Yates RP | PIT
Angels' Kirby Yates: Will need several rehab appearances
Yates (knee) still needs to gain weight and add velocity before being activated from the injured list, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Yates made his first rehab appearance Friday night and said the outing went as planned despite allowing one earned run on a hit and a walk. He also noted he'll need a few more rehab appearances before returning. Yates projects to work in a high-leverage role once fully healthy and could threaten closer Jordan Romano for saves.
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Abner Uribe RP | MIL
Javier Sanoja 3B | MIA
Trevor Megill RP | MIL
Agustin Ramirez DH | MIA
Jake Woodford RP | CHC
Brewers' Abner Uribe: Clutch save against Miami
Uribe earned the save in the Brewers' 5-2 win over the Marlins on Saturday, recording the final two outs of the ninth inning.
The Brewers held a 5-1 lead going into the ninth, and manager Pat Murphy initially elected to keep Jake Woodford in the game after the latter pitched a scoreless eighth. Woodford proceeded to load the bases on three-straight singles, prompting Murphy to turn Uribe to record the final two outs. Uribe got Agustin Ramirez to groundout into a fielder's choice that drove in a run, but the right-hander came away with the save after retiring Javier Sanoja. Both of Uribe's saves have come over his last three outings, but Trevor Megill may not have been available Saturday -- he worked the prior two days and converted his previous save chance Friday. Uribe and Megill appear to be splitting ninth-inning work, at least for now.
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Blake Treinen RP | LAD
Dodgers' Blake Treinen: Struck by errant batted ball
Treinen was struck in the head by a batted ball during practice before Saturday's game against Colorado, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Treinen is being evaluated for a potential head injury, but the team believes he is okay. However, it remains unclear if he will be available for Saturday's matchup against the Rockies. While Treinen hasn't figured into the saves picture for the Dodgers, he does have four holds without allowing an earned run across 6.2 innings to begin the season.
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Cubs' Caleb Thielbar: Locks down first save Saturday
Thielbar struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to record his first save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Mets.
Daniel Palencia (oblique) landed on the IL on Friday, and Thielbar got the call for the Cubs' first save chance in his absence with two left-handed hitters due up for the Mets in the ninth. While the veteran southpaw didn't end up facing either of them as New York emptied its bench for pinch hitters Tommy Pham and Tyrone Taylor, Thielbar still got the job done. It's not yet clear how Cubs manager Craig Counsell intends to navigate closing situations without Palencia, but Thielbar has staked a strong early claim to being the primary option. Through eight appearances and seven innings this season, he sports a 2.57 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 10:4 K:BB.
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Kenley Jansen RP | DET
Willson Contreras 1B | BOS
Tigers' Kenley Jansen: Picks up save vs. former team
Jansen earned the save in the Tigers' 4-1 win over the Red Sox on Saturday, allowing one hit with no strikeouts or walks in a scoreless ninth inning.
Jansen gave up a single to Willson Contreras but needed just nine pitches to record the next three outs, earning the save against the team he suited up for in 2023 and 2024. Jansen has converted five of six save opportunities this season (including four straight) and has a 1.59 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over 5.2 innings.
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Cole Sands RP | MIN
Taj Bradley SP | MIN
Twins' Cole Sands: Stuck with loss against Cincy
Sands (0-1) took the loss Saturday, giving up one run on two hits in the ninth inning as the Twins were downed 5-4 by the Reds. He didn't walk or strike out a batter.
None of Minnesota's high-leverage relievers were particularly effective while trying to protect the 4-2 lead they got handed by Taj Bradley, and Sands got left holding the bag after allowing a pair of singles that were sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt. Sands headed into the season as the nominal favorite to close for the Twins and did convert his only save chance so far back on March 28, but since then he's collected three holds in eight appearances while posting a 4.91 ERA, 1.64 WHIP and 5:3 K:BB over 7.1 innings.
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Tony Santillan RP | CIN
Emilio Pagan RP | CIN
Reds' Tony Santillan: Notches first save of season
Santillan struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to record his first save of the season in a 5-4 win over the Twins.
Emilio Pagan was able to pitch Friday night after sustaining a minor hamstring strain earlier in the week and picked up up his sixth save, but he was held out Saturday afternoon while Santillan handled the ninth. Santillan has gotten better results in the early part of the season -- he has yet to allow a run in 10 innings with a 0.90 WHIP and 12:6 K:BB, compared to Pagan's 4.35 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 10:6 K:BB in 10.1 frames -- but as yet, there's been no suggestion the Reds are thinking about making a switch at closer as long as their incumbent is healthy.
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Cole Henry RP | WAS
Nationals' Cole Henry: Begins throwing
Henry (shoulder) played catch Saturday, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
Saturday marks the first time Henry has done any sort of throwing since he landed on the injured list Monday with a right rotator cuff strain. He said afterward that he felt good while throwing and remains optimistic that his stay on the injured list will be brief.