MLB Player News

Pitcher Hector Santiago was an Angel out of the bullpen for the Angels on Saturday. Santiago was called into relief duty in the second inning with the Angels down 7-0 to the Yankees.

Santiago, who was pitching on two-days rest, twirled 3 2/3 innings of shutout baseball, allowing two hits and striking out three. He lowered his season ERA to 2.55.

With a couple of scheduled off-days coming up, the Angels already planned on pushing Santiago's next start back to Friday, so it wasn't a surprise to see him come out of the bullpen. Still, it was a solid performance to help save some of the other relief corps in the Angels' bullpen.

Athletics pitcher Jesse Chavez got knocked around in his start against the Red Sox on Saturday. The right-hander worked five innings, giving up four runs on a season-high 10 hits. He walked one and struck out five. 

Chavez (2-6, 2.51 ERA) got into an early hole when he gave up a two-run home run to Hanley Ramirez in the first inning. He then allowed two more runs in the third, and did not record a 1-2-3 inning all afternoon.

This was a step back for Chavez, who had entered the game having allowed just one unearned run over his last two starts (16 innings).

"The only small difference I saw was he was a little bit up," A's catcher Stephen Vogt said, per MLB.com. "Typically, if he makes a mistake over the plate, it's down, and today he made a couple out and over the plate that he doesn't do, so that was a little different. But if you go back and watch, he still made some good pitches."

He'll look to right the ship in his next start, scheduled for Friday in Los Angeles against the Angels.

Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly had another positive start as he looks to turn his season around. On Saturday, Kelly limited the A's to one run on four hits over six innings. He struck out six and walked two, as he was pretty much dominant from the get-go. The solid outing lowered his ERA to 5.40.

The only run Kelly allowed came on an RBI triple from Billy Burns in the third inning. But he was able to stifle the A's offense the rest of the way to pick up his second win of the season.

"I was commanding [my fastball]," Kelly said, per MLB.com. "If I felt like I needed a little extra [velocity], I went for it in key situations where I needed a big out. I threw some good changeups today, got some early outs from those, some swings and misses. So that was a really big help using that secondary pitch today."

The win was Kelly's first since his first start of the season, snapping a nine-game winless streak.

"Whether it's the last couple of starts or even going back to when he first arrived here last year, Joe's got the ability to rise to an occasion inside of a game," Red Sox manager John Farrell said.

He is likely to make his next start next Saturday at home against the Blue Jays.

Yankees reliever Esmil Rogers had a rough outing on Friday against the Angels. Rogers entered the contest in the top of the ninth, with the Yankees leading 8-1. 

But, he was unable to retire a batter, allowing five runs on four hits and a walk before getting the hook. The Yankees were able to hang on for the 8-7 win. 

Despite the nightmare outing, manager Joe Girardi is supporting his 29-year-old right-hander.

"I believe the stuff is there," Girardi said Saturday, per the Star-Ledger. "We've seen it. He gets swings and misses, and he can get quick outs, and he has a good fastball, and a good curveball. But his stuff has been inconsistent, and part of that could be not working on a normal basis sometimes as a long man. But you've got to figure out a way to do that and be ready to pitch when you're called upon."

The poor performance on Friday lifted Rogers' ERA from 4.94 to 6.39, though he has struck 8.4 batters per-nine innings this season. 

The Rays announced they have optioned pitcher Andrew Bellatti to Triple-A Durham after Friday's game. Bellatti made four appearances for the Rays, and was the winning pitcher on Friday. 

The only runs Bellatti has given up this season came in his previous outing on June 1. After pitching three innings on Friday, however, the team will look to have a more fresh arm out of the bullpen.

In a corresponding move, the Rays recalled pitcher Enny Romero. Romero made a three-inning appearance for the Rays earlier this season. 

Rays reliever Andrew Bellatti earned a win over Seattle on Friday with three scoreless innings of relief. 

Bellatti moved to 2-0, scattering two hits and two walks, while striking out three. 

Mariners closer Fernando Rodney suffered a loss in a non-save situation on Friday. 

Rodney entered a scoreless game in the ninth inning. He allowed a leadoff solo home run for the only run scored by either team on the night.

Rodney dropped to 2-3 on the year.  

White Sox closer David Robertson preserved a tie game with Detroit for two innings, setting up a walk-off win in the eleventh. 

Robertson pitched a perfect ninth and tenth inning, striking out three of the six batters he faced. 

Dellin Betances struggled but managed to earn a save in the Yankees ' win Friday over the Angels. 

Betances entered in the ninth inning, with the bases loaded and no outs, protecting an 8-3 lead. 

He promptly gave up a single and two walks. All three of his inherited runners scored, and Betances gave up a run of his own, his first allowed this season, before retiring the side. 

"When we had the bases loaded and Kirk was up, I was like ‘Man, this is right at our fingertips,’" Angels infielder Johnny Giavotella said. “But then Betances closed the door and put the game away. He’s a stud pitcher out there. He has really good stuff. It wasn’t any of our faults."

Betances earned his second save, and first since May 2. 

Athletics reliever Pat Venditte made his Major League debut in Friday's loss to Boston, pitching two scoreless innings to finish the game. 

Venditte, an ambidextrous pitcher with a special six-fingered glove, became the first MLB pitcher to record an out pitching right-handed and an out pitching left-handed in the same inning since September 28, 1995.

"That was truly amazing tonight," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "To watch Venditte, it's a remarkable thing to see what one person's body is capable of doing. Even guys in the dugout were kind of marveling. It's clear he's able to get both lefties and righties with whatever arm he chooses. He's got quality stuff."

Greg Harris, who was the last pitcher to do so, was in attendance for the game.