MLB Player News

Pagan (2-3) earned the win in Saturday's 4-3 win over Baltimore, allowing no runs on no hits while striking out one and walking one over one inning of relief.

Pagan pitched a clean ninth inning to help secure a win for the Twins. He entered the game with his team down 3-2 but picked up the win thanks to two ninth-inning Minnesota runs. This was a step in the right direction for Pagan, who pitched to an 11.42 ERA for the month of June. The good performance helped the righty reliever shave his season ERA to 5.06.

Lopez (3-5) blew the save and took the loss Saturday against the Twins, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out one and walking none over one-third of an inning.

Lopez allowed a home run to Jorge Polanco to tie the game, followed by a walk-off single to Jose Miranda that scored Alex Kirilloff, giving the reliever a blown save and a loss. Lopez now has a blown save and a loss in back-to-back appearances. Before giving up four earned runs in his last two appearances, the righty had not allowed an earned run since May 19. His ERA now sits at 1.69 after he had a 0.73 ERA at the end of June.

Payamps (2-2) allowed two runs on two hits and struck out two over 1.1 innings, taking the loss Saturday versus the Tigers.

Payamps pitched the eighth inning and stayed in the contest, giving him a chance at a two-inning save. That backfired when he allowed back-to-back solo shots to Victor Reyes and Riley Greene, the latter being a walkoff homer. It was a rude welcome back for Payamps after he spent nearly three weeks on the COVID-19 injured list. The 28-year-old has a 2.96 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 21:11 K:BB through 27.1 innings this year, pitching mainly in a low-leverage role. The homers he allowed Saturday were the first two he's given up all year after yielding six long balls in 50.1 innings last season.

Chapman pitched in the seventh inning in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Guardians and walked all three batters he faced. He was charged with two earned runs.

Chapman, in his return from a bout with Achilles tendinitis, couldn't find the strike zone. He threw just seven of his 19 pitches for strikes. While Chapman didn't issue a walk during his minor-league rehab assignment, he was all over the place before hitting the IL, and until he starts showing some resemblance to his old self, it will be an easy call for manager Aaron Boone to keep Clay Holmes as the top option for saves.

Winckowski (3-2) allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings, taking the loss Saturday versus the Cubs.

Winckowski had some trouble in the second inning, but he was otherwise solid. His six strikeouts were a season high, though his winning streak was snapped at three starts. The rookie right-hander has a 3.12 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP and 19:7 K:BB through 26 innings in five outings this year. The Red Sox's rotation remains in shambles, with Rich Hill (knee) hitting the injured list Saturday -- that bodes well for Winckowski to remain in a starting role even once Nathan Eovaldi (back) and Chris Sale (ribs) are ready to return. Winckowski is projected for a tough home start versus the Yankees next week.

Hatch (0-1) took the loss in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Rays, allowing 10 runs on 12 hits and two walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out four.

The Rays swept the twin bill, and Hatch didn't really give his team a chance in the nightcap. He gave up runs in each of his first three innings, and Isaac Paredes and Francisco Mejia added on with homers in the fifth. Hatch was not the designated 27th man -- that was Casey Lawrence -- but it would not be a surprise to see Hatch sent down after this showing.

Holmes recorded the final out of a 6-1 win over the Guardians in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday, earning a save.

Wandy Peralta initially entered the game with a five-run lead, but allowed two singles and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases with two outs. Holmes was able to escape the bases-loaded jam without trouble, earning his third save in the last five days and his 15th of the year. The right-hander has a 0.49 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 38:5 K:BB through 37 innings, and it's expected he'll continue to see save chances even with Aroldis Chapman (Achilles) back in action. Chapman has been designated to pitch in the last three innings of games, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, which suggests Holmes may have a slight upper hand in the bullpen hierarchy for now.

Marinaccio will be placed on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.

Manager Aaron Boone described the issue as "dead arm" earlier Saturday. The diagnosis has changed, but either way, Marinaccio's excellent rookie season will be put on hold for at least a couple weeks. Marinaccio threw a scoreless inning in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader and now has a 2.33 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in his first 17 MLB appearances.

Graveman saved Saturday's 5-3 win against the Giants, allowing one run on three hits in the ninth inning. He failed to record a strikeout.

After tossing 12 pitches while closing out Friday's win, Graveman struggled Saturday but still delivered the save as he was spotted a three-run lead. The 31-year-old had thrown seven outings of one inning apiece without surrendering an earned run since Liam Hendriks (forearm) went down, though he's failed to register a strikeout in each of his last two appearances. With Hendriks scheduled to return Monday, this was probably Graveman's last game in the closer role.

Brieske didn't factor into the decision during Saturday's 4-3 victory over Kansas City, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts in six innings.

Brieske rebounded nicely from a two-run first-inning to permit only one more run while pitching at least six innings for the fourth time in 13 turns. He could've gone deeper with an efficient 82 pitches through the six frames, but manager A.J. Hinch opted to turn to the bullpen with his team behind and the top of Kansas City's order due up. The performance was a nice rebound from nine total runs allowed during his previous two starts, and Brieske will look to keep it going with a start projected for midweek against the White Sox.