MLB Player News
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Rafael Montero RP | NYY
Braves' Rafael Montero: Shipped to Atlanta
The Astros traded Montero and cash to Atlanta on Tuesday in exchange for a player to be named later.
Montero has made three appearances out of the bullpen so far this season, giving up two earned runs while striking out five batters across four innings. Now in Atlanta, the 34-year-old reliever will likely remain in the major-league bullpen, but he isn't expected to see many high-leverage opportunities.
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Connor Thomas RP | ATL
Brewers' Connor Thomas: Hits injured list
The Brewers placed Thomas on 15-day injured list Tuesday due to left elbow arthritis.
The Rule 5 pickup earned a spot on the Brewers' Opening Day roster, but he struggled over his two relief appearances so far this season, allowing 12 earned runs over 5.1 innings. He'll cede his spot on the 26-man active roster and in the bullpen to right-hander Nick Mears (illness), who was activated from the IL in a corresponding move.
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Nick Mears RP | KC
Brewers' Nick Mears: Returns from IL
The Brewers reinstated Mears (illness) from the 15-day injured list Tuesday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Mears missed a significant amount of time during spring training due to an illness, and he began the season on the injured list in order to regain his strength. After throwing 3.2 scoreless innings during a rehab assignment at Triple-A Nashville, the 28-year-old righty is now ready to rejoin the Brewers' bullpen. He'll replace Connor Thomas (elbow), who landed on the injured list Tuesday.
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Camilo Doval RP | NYY
Giants' Camilo Doval: Struggles with control Monday
Doval (1-1) was charged with the loss Monday, allowing two earned runs on no hits and a walk across one-third of an inning during San Francisco's 2-0 loss to the Reds. He also hit one batter.
Doval walked the first batter he faced before hitting the second. Both runners came around to score after the right-handed reliever was pulled. The 27-year-old faced three hitters Monday, throwing only three strikes across 11 pitches. Doval has given up all three of his earned runs in the Giants' last two games, logging a 5.06 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and a 2:3 K:BB over 5.1 frames in six appearances.
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Tony Santillan RP | CIN
Reds' Tony Santillan: Logs first save
Santillan retired the lone batter faced over a third of an inning to pick up the save in Monday's 2-0 win over the Giants.
Hunter Greene attempted to finish what he started but allowed a two-out single and walk, which prompted manager Terry Francona to send in the cavalry. On this night, that was Santillan, who got Heliot Ramos to line out on a 3-1 four-seamer. The save was Santillan's first of the season and first since 2022. He's the third Reds reliever to log a ninth-inning save opportunity, as Francona does not appear to have a go-to guy since Alexis Diaz (hamstring) was removed from the role amid command issues this spring. Diaz is expected to make at least two more appearances while on rehab at Triple-A Louisville but is not guaranteed to get the closer's job back.
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Zack Thompson RP | STL
Cardinals' Zack Thompson: Throws from 100 feet on flat ground
Thompson (lat) has progressed to throwing from 100 feet on flat ground, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Thompson was diagnosed with a left lat strain in early March and will require a standard spring training buildup before he's ready for games. The left-hander was shifted to the 60-day injured list Monday, so he won't be eligible for activation until late May. Thompson is likely to be assigned to Triple-A Memphis once he's healthy.
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Robert Suarez RP | ATL
Padres' Robert Suarez: Picks up another save
Suarez earned a save against the Athletics on Monday, striking out one batter in a perfect inning of work.
Suarez successfully protected a one-run, ninth-inning lead, needing just nine pitches to retire three batters. The right-hander had a rough spring, but he's been lights-out in the regular season, tossing five scoreless and hitless frames while posting a 7:1 K:BB. Suarez has gotten a save in each of his five outings to date, and he's tied with Luke Jackson for the MLB lead in saves in the early part of the season.
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Ryne Stanek RP | STL
Mets' Ryne Stanek: Collects rare save
Stanek picked up the save in Monday's 2-0 victory over Miami, pitching a clean inning with a strikeout.
The veteran reliever secured the save efficiently, throwing just nine pitches -- eight of which were strikes -- to retire the side in order. Edwin Diaz is still firmly planted the Mets' closer but earned Monday off after firing 34 pitches over back-to-back outings the previous two days. However, this outing is a good indicator that Stanek would be next in line for save chances if anything happens to Diaz.
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Kyle Finnegan RP | DET
Nationals' Kyle Finnegan: Converts five-out save
Finnegan picked up the save in Monday's 6-4 victory over the Dodgers, allowing two hits and a walk over 1.2 innings. He struck out two.
Finnegan tossed 32 total pitches to collect his fourth save of the season, tying San Diego's Robert Suarez for the National League lead. The Washington reliever entered in the eighth inning with two runners on, allowing one to score on a Will Smith single, but managed to escape before polishing off the win in the ninth. Finnegan, who re-signed with the Nationals on Feb. 25, is cemented as the team's closer, securing all four save opportunities this season.
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Brad Lord RP | WAS
Nationals' Brad Lord: Set for spot start Tuesday
Lord will start Tuesday's game against the Dodgers, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Lord hasn't pitched more than one inning in an outing this season, but the Nationals are targeting him for 45-to-50 pitches in Tuesday's contest. Orlando Ribalta and Jackson Rutledge are two candidates to cover an inning or more behind Lord. Both pitchers should be fresh, as Rutledge hasn't pitched in a game since April 1 at Triple-A Rochester, while Ribalta hasn't been used out of the bullpen since Friday.