MLB Player News
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Keegan Thompson RP | COL
Cubs' Keegan Thompson: Twirls six scoreless frames
Thompson allowed two hits and two walks over six scoreless innings in Friday's win over Atlanta. He stuck out nine and did not factor in the decision.
The 27-year-old found himself in a duel with Charlie Morton and the Cubs' offense wasn't able to break a scoreless tie until the eighth inning. Thompson never faced much of a threat and, at one point, retired 10 straight batters. Friday was his second scoreless outing as a starter this year, lowering his season ERA to 3.27 through 55 frames. Thompson had allowed 15 runs (13 earned) over just nine innings in his previous three starts. He's lined up to start in Pittsburgh next week.
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Andrew Bellatti RP | PHI
Phillies' Andrew Bellatti: Can't finish save chance
Bellatti picked up his third hold of the year in the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Nationals, striking out two batters in two-thirds of an inning while allowing an unearned run on one hit.
He entered the game in the top of the ninth inning in position to record his first career save, as the Phillies has already used Seranthony Dominguez and Brad Hand in the first game of the day. Bellatti sandwiched a Yadiel Hernandez single between a pair of strikeouts but was pulled for lefty Jose Alvarado with Juan Soto up and the game on the line. Hernandez would eventually come around to score on a Didi Gregorius error, denying Bellatti the save and leaving him with a hold.
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Jose Alvarado RP | PHI
Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Blows save but gets win
Alvarado (1-1) blew the save but got the win in the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Nationals, allowing an unearned run in 1.1 innings of work while striking out one and giving up two walks and a hit.
The Phillies used both Seranthony Dominguez and Brad Hand in the matinee, so they were down to the less reliable members of their bullpen in the nightcap. After Andrew Bellatti retired two of the first three batters in the ninth inning, Alvarado was tasked with retiring Juan Soto to finish the game. He wound up walking him, as he's done against 17.1 percent of the batters he's faced this season, but he appeared to have gotten the job done by getting Nelson Cruz to ground out before Didi Gregorius threw the ball away. Alvarado got out of the inning without further damage and allowed only the ghost runner to score in the bottom of the 10th, which was good enough for a win after the Phillies had scored twice in the top of the frame. As long as Dominguez and Hand remain effective, it's unlikely Alvarado will see many more save chances.
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David Robertson RP | PHI
Cubs' David Robertson: Escapes with save
Robertson issued two walks and struck out one batter in a scoreless inning while earning a save over Atlanta on Friday.
Robertson threw just 10 of 26 pitches for strikes and loaded the bases after a pair of walks and a hit batter. He escaped the threat with his eighth save of the year and first since May 31. The veteran righty lowered his season ERA to 1.82 with a 34:13 K:BB through 22 appearances.
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Joan Adon SP | WAS
Nationals' Joan Adon: Knocked around in return to majors
Adon (1-11) took the loss in the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Phillies, giving up four runs on seven hits across five innings. He struck out six batters and walked one.
Adon's strikeout total matched his season high, but that was about the only positive he can take from another unimpressive outing. The Phillies got to him early, with Nick Castellanos doubling in the top of the first inning and two more runs coming around in the third. The outing raised Adon's ERA slightly to 6.97, which doesn't make a good case for him sticking around after the doubleheader.
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Seranthony Dominguez RP | CHW
Phillies' Seranthony Dominguez: Pitches clean eighth inning
Dominguez picked up his 10th hold of the year in the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Nationals, striking out two in a perfect eighth inning,
The Phillies are using a closer committee for now, and while Dominguez's underlying numbers suggest he's been easily the Phillies' most dominant reliever this year, it was instead Brad Hand who got the save while Dominguez pitched in the eighth. The right-hander had the tougher assignment, as he faced the middle third of the Nationals' order while Hand came in against the bottom third, and Dominguez did his job admirably, getting Nelson Cruz and the red-hot Josh Bell to strike out before retiring Maikel Franco on a flyout. It's possible Dominguez gets the higher-leverage assignments regardless of whether they come in the ninth inning or an earlier frame.
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Brad Hand RP | ATL
Phillies' Brad Hand: Secures second save
Hand picked up his second save of the year in the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Nationals, striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning while allowing one hit and one walk.
The Phillies announced their intention to drop Corey Knebel from the closer role in favor of a committee Wednesday, and it's Hand who got the first opportunity in the new arrangement. Despite his 1.86 ERA, he's been outpitched by Seranthony Dominguez this year judging by the pair's underlying numbers, but Hand nevertheless got the ninth inning here while Dominguez got the eighth. It's worth noting that Dominguez faced the heart of the order while Hand came in to handle the Nats' 7-8-9 hitters, so their respective usage in this game doesn't guarantee that it will be Hand who gets the next save chance. The veteran lefty was also somewhat shaky Friday, allowing the tying run to reach base with one out before shutting the door on the 5-3 win.
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Brad Boxberger RP | CHC
Brewers' Brad Boxberger: Escapes with first save
Boxberger allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning to earn a save over the Reds on Friday.
Boxberger allowed a leadoff single to Kyle Farmer before issuing a one-out walk to Nick Senzel, but he was able to maintain a 5-4 lead and secure his first save of the year with Josh Hader (paternity list) away from the Brewers. Boxberger's now sporting a 2.49 ERA with a 23:8 K:BB through 26 games.
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Reiss Knehr RP | SD
Padres' Reiss Knehr: Back in big leagues
Knehr was recalled by the Padres on Friday.
Knehr has spent most of the season with Triple-A El Paso, where he's struggled to a 7.84 ERA in 10 starts and two relief appearances. In his lone appearance at the major-league level Saturday against the Rockies, he threw 4.2 scoreless innings of relief. He was demoted the next day but is now back with the big-league squad, with Joe Musgrove hitting the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move.
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Ty Blach RP | CHC
Rockies' Ty Blach: Slated for rehab assignment
Blach (wrist) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Blah threw a bullpen session recently and will be able to return to game action with the Triple-A club next week. The southpaw isn't eligible to return from the injured list until June 26, but he seems to be trending toward a relatively brief absence.