MLB Player News
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Joey Cantillo SP | CLE
Guardians' Joey Cantillo: Tosses five innings in win
Cantillo (5-3) earned the win Saturday against the Tigers after tossing five innings of one-run ball. He gave up six hits while striking out four.
Cantillo allowed the Tigers' lone run of the game on an RBI single from Dillon Dingler in the first inning, but he cruised the rest of the way. One of the most positive aspects for the southpaw was the fact that he didn't issue a single walk for the first time this season, and he also snapped a run of three straight outings giving up four or more earned runs. Cantillo, who owns a 4.38 ERA across 72 innings this season, is set to make his next start on the road against the Astros.
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Tarik Skubal SP | DET
Tigers' Tarik Skubal: Gives up two runs in return
Skubal (3-3) was tagged with the loss Saturday against the Guardians after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk across 4.2 innings. He struck out four and hit a batter.
Skubal tied his shortest outing of the season in his first taste of major-league action since April 29. The superstar southpaw was limited to 80 pitches (53 strikes) after missing around six weeks due to loose bodies in his elbow, and it remains to be seen how long it'll take him to rediscover his dominant form after he was the first pitcher to undergo surgery using a nanoneedle that significantly reduced his recovery time. He had a 2.70 ERA and 0.95 WHIP across 43.1 innings prior to being shut down. His next start is set to come at home against a White Sox offense that has been one of the most productive in the American League in recent weeks.
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Cade Smith RP | CLE
Guardians' Cade Smith: Records four-out save Saturday
Smith earned the save in Saturday's win over the Tigers after allowing a hit and a walk across 1.1 innings, striking out two.
Smith hasn't blown a save since April 14 and leads the majors in that category with 23. The star closer has a 2.48 ERA and 1.04 WHIP across 32.2 innings and 31 outings this season, and he's been one of the best relievers in the majors with a 12.3 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and 0.1 HR/9 thus far.
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Bryan Abreu RP | HOU
Astros' Bryan Abreu: Fifth save of season
Abreu recorded the save Saturday against the Royals after tossing a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit.
Josh Hader earned the save Friday, but since he recently returned from the injured list, it seems the Astros are not comfortable using him on back-to-back days. Abreu had no problem stepping in for the ninth to secure his fifth save of the season. The right-hander might have a 6.56 ERA across 27 appearances and 23.1 innings this season, but he's gone 5-for-5 in save chances and also has five holds. He should remain a reliable late-inning option for the Astros.
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Louie Varland RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Louis Varland: Serves up game-winning homer
Varland (3-2) took the loss Saturday, giving up two runs on two hits in the ninth inning as the Blue Jays fell 3-1 to the Yankees. He struck out one.
Brought in for the top of the ninth inning in a 1-1 tie, Varland couldn't get the game to extras as Cody Bellinger led off the frame with a single before Paul Goldschmidt hooked a game-winning two-run homer to left field. It was the first long ball Varland has served up all year, and one stumble isn't going to cost him his spot as Toronto's closer. On the season, the right-hander sports a 0.96 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 49:10 K:BB through 37.2 innings, and he's a perfect 12-for-12 in converting save chances.
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Kevin Gausman SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: Strong start wasted Saturday
Gausman didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Yankees, allowing one run on one hit and two walks over seven innings. He struck out seven.
The veteran righty dominated a New York lineup missing Aaron Judge (ribs), generating 20 swinging strikes among his 105 pitches (66 total strikes), but the lone hit off Gausman was a solo shot by Jasson Dominguez in the fourth inning. It was an impressive return to form for Gausman after he'd been tagged four eight runs in 11 innings over his prior two outings, and Saturday's quality start was his first since May 22 and eighth of the year. He'll look to keep rolling in his next trip to the mound, which lines up to come on the road next weekend against the Cubs.
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Jasson Dominguez RF | NYY
Yankees' Jasson Dominguez: Goes yard in return
Dominguez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Blue Jays.
Activated from the IL earlier in the day, Dominguez produced the Yankees' only hit off Kevin Gausman when he hooked a splitter down the right-field line in the fourth inning for his second homer of the season in 10 games. Dominguez got the start in right field and hit second Saturday, and the 23-year-old figures to maintain a prime spot in the lineup due to Aaron Judge (ribs) and Trent Grisham (hamstring) both being sidelined.
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David Bednar RP | NYY
Yankees' David Bednar: Secures 14th save
Bednar struck out the side in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to record his 14th save of the season in a 3-1 win over the Blue Jays.
The Yankees closer got Andres Gimenez and Nathan Lukes to flail away at splitters, while he fanned George Springer on a 97.5 mph fastball. Bednar held a 5.14 ERA on May 18, but since then he's reeled off seven straight scoreless appearances, allowing just two hits in 7.2 innings with an 11:3 K:BB over that span to lower his ERA to a more palatable 3.77.
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Cam Schlittler SP | NYY
Yankees' Cam Schlittler: Stingy in no-decision Saturday
Schlittler didn't factor into the decision Saturday in a 3-1 win over the Blue Jays, allowing one run on six hits and four walks over seven innings. He struck out seven.
The right-hander dialed up his ninth quality start of the season on 101 pitches (65 strikes), but Schlittler's four free passes were a season high as he issued more than two walks in an outing for the first time since May 4. The breakout star will take a 1.82 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 96:18 K:BB through 89 innings into his next start, which is scheduled to come at home next weekend against the Reds.
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Royce Lewis 3B | MIN
Twins' Royce Lewis: Keeps raking Saturday
Lewis went 2-for-4 with a double and a solo home run in Saturday's 9-6 loss to the Cardinals.
The 27-year-old continues to rake since returning to the majors in early June. After an 0-for-3 showing in his first game back, Lewis has hit safely in six straight contests, batting .435 (10-for-23) with two doubles, three homers, four runs and four RBI. Five of those seven starts have come at first base, and that appears to be Lewis' new defensive home while Brooks Lee remains at third base.