MLB Player News

Hand (1-0) earned the win Friday against Arizona after pitching a scoreless inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.

Hand had to keep the game scoreless in the top of the ninth and that's exactly what he did, as he tossed 11 of his 17 pitches for strikes en route to posting his fourth straight scoreless outing of the campaign. The 31-year-old left-hander has gone 1-for-1 in save opportunities but has also been reliable every time Washington has needed him.

Garcia notched his third save of the season Friday against Miami after pitching a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit and fanning one.

Garcia allowed a two-out single to Alex Dickerson, but he retired Buster Posey on a groundout to close things out. The 30-year-old right-hander has now gone 3-for-3 in save opportunities this season, and while manager Don Mattingly hasn't named him the team's official closer just yet, he seems to be locking down the role based on his recent performances.

Bass (1-2) was credited with the win Friday against the Giants after tossing a scoreless inning, striking out one.

Bass was called upon to pitch the eighth inning and only needed eight pitches to get the job done -- he tossed seven of those deliveries for strikes, as he was in complete command of the zone. The right-hander lost the closer job a few days ago following a woeful start to the season, but he seems to be turning things around and has now pitched four straight scoreless outings since being removed from the closer role.

Castano gave up one run on three hits and two walks across five innings Friday against the Giants. He didn't factor into the decision.

Castano limited the damage to just one run in his season debut, and while he didn't strike out anyone, he's never been a pitcher with high strikeout numbers, as evidenced by his 3.6 K/9 last season. The southpaw is unlikely to serve as a regular starter for the Marlins, but he delivered when called upon and notched decent numbers in 2020, posting a 3.03 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP across 29.2 innings during seven appearances (six starts).

Smith allowed no hits and three walks while striking out three in the ninth inning to earn the save against the Cubs on Friday.

Smith has now put together three consecutive scoreless outings, and he earned his third save of the year in Friday's series opener. The southpaw has also been charged with two losses in his first eight appearances and has posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 12 strikeouts in seven innings this year.

Lamet (elbow) threw 70-75 pitches in a sim game Thursday and will toss a bullpen session this weekend, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Lamet has been increasingly ramping up and now appears close to making his season debut for the Padres. If his bullpen session goes well, he could return to pitch in San Diego's upcoming series against Milwaukee. The most logical target date would have Lamet starting Wednesday in the spot previously occupied by the injured Adrian Morejon (elbow).

Hernandez (biceps) has been able to throw from 60 feet, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Hernandez failed to complete the third inning of his first start of the year before being forced to exit with biceps tendon inflammation. He remains without a clear timeline for his return, but the fact that he's begun throwing in some capacity represents a step in the right direction.

Doval was recalled by the Giants on Friday.

Doval has yet to pitch above High-A, but he's produced strong numbers in the lower minors, recording a 3.31 ERA and a 33.7 percent strikeout rate in 163.1 innings of relief. He'll likely be used in low-leverage situations due to his lack of upper-minors experience. Johnny Cueto (lat) landed in the injured list in a corresponding move.

Howard was optioned to the Phillies' alternate site Wednesday.

Howard's first major-league appearance of the season came in a one-inning relief stint during Tuesday's doubleheader against the Mets. He allowed a run on two hits, walking one and striking out one. He's still seen by the Phillies as one of their top pitching prospects and he's likely to join the active roster for good at some point this year, but it's not clear when that time will come.

Floro (0-1) allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one across a third of an inning Thursday against Atlanta, blowing the save and taking the loss.

Floro was called upon to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning but faltered. He struggled with his control, with his second walk of the frame forcing in the tying run. Floro is considered an option for to pick up saves after Anthony Bass struggled in the role early this season, and he had not allowed an earned run across 6.1 innings while accruing an impressive 8:1 K:BB prior to Thursday's outing. However, Yimi Garcia -- who was likely unavailable to pitch in this game -- has the club's only two saves of the season to this point.