MLB Player News
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Anthony Kay SP | CHW
White Sox's Anthony Kay: Earns win vs. Seattle
Kay (2-1) earned the win Saturday against the Mariners after allowing one unearned run on three hits and two walks across five innings. He struck out five.
Kay struggled in two late-April starts with 12 earned runs allowed, but he seems to have turned things around with a 1.80 ERA in his past two outings. Kay has given up two earned runs or fewer in six of his eight starts this season, though his overall numbers remain a bit shaky with his matchup with the Mariners reducing his ERA to 4.89 and WHIP to 1.57. He is expected to make his next start on the road against the Cubs next weekend.
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Jalen Beeks RP | TEX
Rangers' Jalen Beeks: Earns win in relief
Beeks (2-1) earned the win in relief Saturday against the Cubs after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings. He struck out one with no hits or walks allowed.
Jack Leiter tossed 4.2 scoreless innings but finished just one out short of securing the win, and Beeks was credited with it after finishing the fifth frame and pitching the sixth. Beeks, who improved to 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA, was sharp, needing just 13 pitches (nine strikes) to record four outs. This was a bounce-back effort for Beeks, as he allowed two runs in one-third of an inning against the Yankees in his previous outing last Thursday.
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Paul Sewald RP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Paul Sewald: Clean inning for save
Sewald struck out two in a perfect inning to earn the save in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Mets.
This was Sewald's first save since April 17 versus the Blue Jays. Over his last six appearances, he's given up three runs across 5.1 innings with a 6:4 K:BB. The lack of recent saves is simply because the Diamondbacks are producing too few opportunities -- Saturday's victory was just their second win through eight games in May. Sewald is at a 3.29 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 17:4 K:BB across 13.2 innings this season. He's converted all eight of his save chances this year despite some hiccups in non-save situations and remains Arizona's No. 1 option to close out games.
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Clay Holmes RP | NYM
Mets' Clay Holmes: Takes hard-luck loss
Holmes (4-3) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six over 5.2 innings to take the loss Saturday versus the Diamondbacks.
Holmes ran into some trouble in the third inning, giving up a two-run single to Ildemaro Vargas, and that ended up being the difference in the game. Over eight starts this season, Holmes has yet to allow more than two runs in any outing. He's at a 1.86 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 37:16 K:BB through 48.1 innings. Holmes will look to keep rolling in his next start, which is projected to be at home versus the Yankees.
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Brock Stewart RP | LAD
Dodgers' Brock Stewart: Looking at three-week timeline
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that he expects Stewart (foot) will be out for approximately three weeks, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Stewart landed on the 15-day IL earlier in the day due to a left foot bone spur. Given the estimated recovery timeline, Stewart will be on the shelf until at least late May, though it's unclear whether he'll need to go on a rehab assignment before rejoining the Dodgers.
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Luis Garcia RP | MIN
Twins' Luis Garcia: Shuts door for first save
Garcia secured the save Saturday against Cleveland, retiring all three batters he faced with no strikeouts during the 11th inning.
The journeyman reliever nabbed his first save of the season in extra innings Saturday, which was highlighted by an impressive play by Kody Clemens at second base for the game's final out. With a 10.64 ERA, 2.00 WHIP and 4:4 K:BB over 11 innings for the Mets and Twins this year, Garcia doesn't appear to be in the mix for steady high-leverage work going forward despite Saturday's showing.
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Huascar Brazoban RP | NYM
Mets' Huascar Brazoban: Serving as opener again
Brazoban will serve as the Mets' opening pitcher for Sunday's series finale against the Diamondbacks, Andrew Tredinnick of The Bergen Record reports.
Brazoban operated as the Mets' opener against the Rockies this past Monday, when he tossed one scoreless inning before handing things off to Austin Warren and David Peterson, the latter of whom was credited with the win. The Mets will likely go with a similar setup for Sunday's contest, with Peterson expected to serve in a bulk-relief role after Brazoban is done for the day. Brazoban sports a 1.53 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 14:5 K:BB across 17.2 innings this season, though he's given up one earned run in three of his last six outings that has spanned seven frames.
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Janson Junk SP | MIA
Marlins' Janson Junk: Overcomes early struggles Saturday
Junk did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 8-7 win over the Nationals, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts over six innings.
Junk was tagged for three runs in the first inning but still managed to complete six frames while tying a season high with six strikeouts. The 30-year-old has now yielded three earned runs or more three times while limiting opponents to just five earned runs across his other five outings this year. He'll carry a 3.25 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 33:10 K:BB over 44.1 innings into a road matchup against the Rays next weekend.
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John King RP | MIA
Marlins' John King: Earns one-out save Saturday
King retired the only batter he faced in the ninth inning to earn a one-out save in Saturday's 8-7 win over the Nationals.
King entered to protect a one-run lead with a runner on first and two outs in the ninth inning and got CJ Abrams to fly out for his first career save. It was likely a lefty-on-lefty matchup play by manager Clayton McCullough, but the 31-year-old southpaw also owns a stellar 0.54 ERA, 0.54 WHIP and 15:6 K:BB across 16.2 innings this season. Closer Pete Fairbanks (hand) is hopeful to return soon, but King has at least worked his way into the ninth-inning equation until that happens.
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Pierce Johnson RP | CIN
Reds' Pierce Johnson: Picks up save Saturday
Johnson threw a perfect ninth inning to earn the save in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Astros. He did not record a strikeout.
With Emilio Pagan (hamstring) expected to miss significant time and presumed replacement Tony Santillan struggling, the Reds turned to Graham Ashcraft in the eighth inning and then Johnson in the ninth. Johnson needed just 12 pitches to retire the heart of the Astros' order, and he now owns a 3.38 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 15:5 K:BB across 16 innings with two holds and a save. While the Reds' closer situation is likely still unsettled, the 34-year-old certainly helped his case for future save chances with Saturday's performance.