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Alex Wells RP | BAL
Orioles' Alexander Wells: Faces extended absence
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Sunday that Wells was diagnosed with a Grade 1 UCL strain of his left elbow and will miss 8-to-12 weeks, Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Sun reports.
The projected timeline means that the southpaw reliever likely won't be ready to return from the 10-day injured list until after the All-Star break. A more definitive target date for Wells' return likely won't come into focus until several weeks down the road, when he'll presumably be ready to start up a throwing program again. The Orioles plan to have Wells conduct his rehab at their spring training facility in Sarasota, Fla.
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Matt Barnes RP | WAS
Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Coughs up lead
Barnes allowed one run on two hits in the eighth inning of Saturday's 2-1 extra-inning loss to the Orioles.
Barnes entered to pitch the eighth after seven dominant innings from starter Nathan Eovaldi and got two quick outs. However, Cedric Mullins blooped a double, which was followed by a Anthony Santander run-scoring single. While Saturday's outcome can be attributed to bad luck -- Mullins' double had an 83.1 mph exit velocity -- Barnes has been unreliable thus far. He has a 5.87 ERA with four walks (1.2 K/BB) over 7.2 innings.
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Joe Barlow RP | TEX
Rangers' Joe Barlow: Secures first save
Barlow earned the save against the Braves on a Saturday with a perfect inning during which he struck out one batter.
Rangers manager Chris Woodward called Barlow the team's closer last weekend, but the right-hander hadn't gotten the chance to prove himself in the role until being called upon Saturday versus the Braves. That was largely due to circumstance -- through their first 20 games, the Rangers had won just six contests and provided only one save opportunity, which went to Matt Bush. Barlow finally got his first chance to close Saturday and did well, needing just 11 pitches to retire the side in order. More opportunities should come in time, and Barlow has demonstrated good stuff so far this season, allowing just five hits while posting a 9:1 K:BB across 6.1 innings.
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Javy Guerra RP | ATL
Rays' Javy Guerra: DFA'd by Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay designated Guerra for assignment Sunday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
The Rays will replace Guerra on the 40-man roster and in the big-league bullpen with Robert Dugger, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move. After being acquired from the Padres on April 16, Guerra appeared in six games and gave up five earned runs on eight hits and a walk over 5.1 innings.
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Beau Brieske RP | DET
Tigers' Beau Brieske: Quiets Dodgers over five innings
Brieske did not factor into the decision in Saturday's win over the Dodgers. He allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out three over five innings.
It wasn't the most dominant effort -- Brieske had only three swinging strikes on 90 pitches -- but five innings of one-run ball against this team (in Los Angeles no less) is impressive for a 24-year-old rookie. The right-hander now has a 3.60 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in his first 10 innings. Brieske has allowed a homer both times out so far and has served up three homers total, and he will need to get the long ball in check in a hurry to enjoy similar results moving forward.
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Carlos Hernandez RP | CLE
Royals' Carlos Hernandez: Walks five in loss
Hernandez (0-1) took the loss during Saturday's 3-0 loss to the Yankees, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and five walks with three strikeouts in four innings.
Hernandez got through a clean first inning but permitted a run apiece in each of the next three frames and was lucky to do so as he escaped a bases-loaded no-out jam in the second with just the one run crossing the plate. Walks weren't an issue prior to Saturday's performance, though run prevention has been as the 25-year-old has now allowed at least three runs in every start and owns a 6.00 ERA through 18 innings across four turns. He's tentatively lined up to make his next appearance Friday against the Orioles.
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Aroldis Chapman RP | BOS
Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Registers fifth save
Chapman saved Saturday's 3-0 win over the Royals, pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Chapman came on in the ninth to protect a 3-0 lead and made quick work of the three Royals he faced, firing seven of 11 pitches for strikes in the process. The 34-year-old still is yet to surrender a run through 8.1 innings while allowing eight baserunners and punching out 11 batters.
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Jordan Romano RP | COL
Blue Jays' Jordan Romano: Ties league lead in saves
Romano tossed a scoreless ninth inning and picked up his 10th save of the season in Saturday's victory over the Astros.
Romano needed just nine pitches -- all strikes -- to retire the Astros in order and tie Milwaukee's Josh Hader for the league lead in saves. Romano has now tossed 11.1 innings this season and has allowed just eight hits and two walks to date.
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Liam Hendriks RP | CHC
White Sox's Liam Hendriks: Back in business
Hendriks (back) tossed a scoreless ninth inning in Saturday's 4-0 victory over the Angels.
Hendriks did not enter in a save situation, but with the White Sox up only four runs and Hendriks not having pitched since April 24, he got the call and sealed the deal. Hendriks was a bit rusty, throwing only 11 of his 20 pitches for strikes, but consider him good to go moving forward.
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Josh Winder RP | ARI
Twins' Josh Winder: Set to start Sunday
Winder will start Sunday's game against the Rays, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
The Twins are down a couple starters at the moment, so Winder will get a chance to make his first big-league start. He tossed four innings and 5.1 innings of relief in his last two appearances, so he could stay out there long enough to qualify for the win if he is put in position to do so.