MLB Player News

Miller struck out all three batters he faced in a perfect inning to earn a save against the White Sox on Wednesday.

Miller entered the game with a two-run lead in the ninth inning and retired the side in order on 12 pitches. White Sox batters looked overwhelmed against the fireballing closer, as all three batters Chicago sent to plate went down on strikes. Miller got six whiffs on just 12 total pitches, and he has now struck out at least one batter -- and allowed zero runs -- in all six of his outings this season. He's dominated with a 12:1 K:BB over six frames to cement his status as one of the league's top closers.

Cruz picked up the save in Wednesday's win over the Royals after allowing one hit and one walk in two innings. He struck out two.

With both closer Devin Williams and setup man Luke Weaver having worked each of the past two days, Cruz was given a rare save chance and recorded six outs to get the job done. Cody Bellinger made a spectacular diving catch in right field for the final out of the game. Cruz has a strong 2.79 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 16:3 K:BB over 9.2 innings this year, but he's unlikely to see more than a handful of save opportunities in 2025 as long as the top of the Yankees' bullpen is healthy.

Slaten earned the save after throwing a clean ninth inning in Wednesday's win over the Rays. He struck out two.

Slaten faced little resistance, retiring the side on just 11 pitches (eight strikes) for his second save of the season. Aroldis Chapman remains the favorite for save opportunities out of the Boston bullpen, although the left-hander can cede the occasional chance based on certain matchups. The right-handed Slaten, who now holds a 5.14 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 5:1 K:BB through seven innings, was called upon to face three right-handed batters Wednesday.

Long (elbow) is expected to resume playing catch this weekend, MLB.com reports.

After Long was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to left elbow inflammation, doctors advised him not to throw for five days while he waited for the swelling to subside. Assuming Long is cleared to start throwing again after the five-day shutdown, he likely won't require a lengthy ramp-up period, given that the Royals plan to deploy him as a 1-to-2-inning reliever once he's activated.

Munoz earned the save Wednesday against the Reds after tossing a scoreless ninth inning.

Munoz was called in for the ninth frame to protect a two-run lead, and he needed 19 pitches (of which 13 were strikes) to close things out. It was Munoz's seventh save of the season, which leads the American League and is second-most in the majors behind Robert Suarez (eight). Munoz has converted on all of his save opportunities this season and has not yielded a run with a 12:4 K:BB across nine innings.

Newcomb didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Rays after allowing four hits and two walks in 4.2 scoreless innings. He struck out four.

Despite falling one out shy of nabbing the potential win, Newcomb scattered four singles and didn't allow a single runner to reach third base during his time on the bump. Through 17.1 innings (four starts) this season, the journeyman southpaw holds a solid 3.63 ERA and 19:9 K:BB but a concerning 1.90 WHIP. Newcomb will be looking to work into the fifth inning for the first time this year in his next time out, currently slated for next week at home against the Mariners.

Little allowed one run and retired two batters in relief during Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Padres while also walking four.

After getting recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday with Eli Morgan (elbow) moving to the injured list, Little struggled to find the plate in his 2025 MLB debut. Command has been the lefty's weakness so far in the majors, as he posted a 5.4 BB/9 during a brief stint in 2023 and then followed that up with a 6.2 mark last year while logging 26 innings for the Cubs. Little has good stuff, but if he keeps walking batters at a high rate, he will remain a low-leverage reliever at best with limited fantasy upside.

Phillips (shoulder) struck out a batter and allowed one hit in a scoreless inning of relief during his rehab appearance Wednesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Phillips made the sixth appearance of his rehab assignment, and perhaps most notably, he pitched on consecutive days for the first time during his assignment. He was roughed up for two runs on three hits over one inning Tuesday, but Phillips was much sharper Wednesday in a high-leverage spot. He entered the game with two runners on and no outs, but after striking out a batter and then allowing a single to load the bases, he induced a game-ending double play to secure the save. Provided that the Dodgers are satisfied with the condition on his shoulder coming out of Wednesday's appearance, Phillips could be activated from the 15-day injured list this weekend to make his season debut for the big club.

Lopez was ejected from Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Lopez hit Bryan Reynolds with a pitch in the seventh inning and threw a pitch near Andrew McCutchen's head during the following at-bat. Lopez and McCutchen then had a heated exchange of words, which led to both benches clearing and the reliever's removal from the game. It remains to be seen whether he will face further discipline from Major League Baseball.

Suarez earned the save in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Cubs, not allowing a baserunner in a scoreless ninth inning while not recording a strikeout.

Suarez continued his excellent start to the season in Wednesday's win, securing his league-leading eighth save. The 34-year-old Suarez has yet to allow a run through nine innings while pitching to a stellar 0.56 WHIP with 10:2 K:BB.