MLB Player News
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Aroldis Chapman RP | BOS
Red Sox's Aroldis Chapman: Agrees to contract extension
Chapman and the Red Sox agreed Saturday to a one-year, $13.3 million contract extension with a vesting option for 2027, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.
Chapman has re-emerged as one of the most dominant closers in baseball this season, posting a 1.04 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 74:14 K:BB over 52 innings spanning 57 outings while racking up 26 saves in 28 chances. The 37-year-old joined Boston on a one-year contract last December and will now be with the club for at least one additional campaign. Romero relays that the option for 2027 is a vesting option based on innings pitched that will become a mutual option if it doesn't get triggered.
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Tyler Phillips RP | MIA
Marlins' Tyler Phillips: Earns third save
Phillips earned the save in Saturday's 11-8 win over the Mets. allowing one hit and one walk while recording one strikeout in the ninth inning.
With closer Calvin Faucher deployed earlier in the game, Phillips was summoned to protect a three-run lead in the ninth and did so on 15 pitches. The 27-year-old has now closed out two of his past three outings and owns a 1.96 ERA across 18.1 innings since the All-Star break. For the year, he's logged three saves and five holds alongside a 3.20 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 42:20 K:BB over 64.2 frames.
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Bryan Baker RP | TB
Rays' Bryan Baker: Picks up first Tampa save
Baker struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to record his third save of the season in a 4-1 win over the Nationals.
Pete Fairbanks threw 22 pitches the night before and was presumably unavailable, but Griffin Jax handled the eighth inning after Mason Englert gave up Washington's only run, while Baker took care of the ninth. It was Baker's first save since being acquired by the Rays in early July, and after some initial struggles with his new team, he's posted a 1.50 ERA, 0.42 WHIP and 15:1 K:BB over 12 August innings.
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Jeff Hoffman RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Hurt by long ball again
Hoffman (8-6) took the loss Saturday, coughing up three runs on three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning as the Blue Jays were downed 4-1 by the Brewers.
Called in for the top of the ninth inning in a 1-1 tie, Hoffman instead served up back-to-back homers to Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich before Isaac Collins added an RBI double. The long ball remains Hoffman's bugaboo this season -- he's been taken deep 14 times in 56.1 innings, leaving him with a 5.11 ERA, and he's given up two homers twice in his last three appearances.
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Abner Uribe RP | MIL
Brewers' Abner Uribe: Collects fourth save
Uribe gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Saturday to record his fourth save of the season in a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays.
The Brewers broke open a 1-1 tie in the top of the ninth, and Uribe closed things out in the bottom of the frame on 13 pitches (seven strikes). The right-hander has converted two straight save chances since Trevor Megill (elbow) landed on the IL, but with Milwaukee's regular closer expressing optimism that he'll be able to return when first eligible Sept. 9, Uribe's stint as the team's top save option may not last too long. He's been outstanding in any role, not allowing an earned run in 19 innings since the All-Star break with a 0.95 WHIP and 19:7 K:BB.
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Brock Stewart RP | LAD
Dodgers' Brock Stewart: Receives another injection
Stewart (shoulder) received another cortisone injection this week, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Stewart reported pain in his shoulder when he restarted his throwing program last week, so the Dodgers sent him in for another round of injections. He is now back to throwing following a brief shut-down period, and manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that the team still believes the 33-year-old righty could return at some point this season.
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Albert Suarez RP | BAL
Orioles' Albert Suarez: Trending toward Monday return
Suarez (shoulder) could be activated from the 60-day injured list Monday, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Suarez has been on the IL since late March with a subscapularis strain in his right shoulder, but he's on the cusp of rejoining the big club. The 35-year-old right-hander began a rehab assignment Aug. 12 and has since given up five earned runs over 12.2 innings while striking out five batters and walking six over five appearances between Double-A Chesapeake and Triple-A Norfolk. He had built up to five innings by his third rehab outing but has been limited to less than two frames in both of his last two appearances, which indicates that the Orioles plan to use him out of the bullpen once he's activated.
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Kyle Hurt RP | LAD
Dodgers' Kyle Hurt: Beginning assignment Tuesday
Hurt (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Hurt has been on the injured list all season while working his way back from Tommy John surgery. He began throwing off a mound back in May and threw live batting practice to Dodgers hitters ahead of Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks. It's unclear exactly how long the Dodgers plan to keep the 27-year-old in the minors, but he will presumably require a handful of rehab appearances before being cleared to return to Los Angeles.
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Vinny Nittoli RP | MIL
Vinny Nittoli: Opts out of O's deal
Nittoli opted out of his minor-league contract with the Orioles on Saturday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Nittoli didn't perform very well in Triple-A after joining forces with the O's in late July, logging a 6.35 ERA and 1.35 WHIP while striking out nine batters and walking four over 11.1 innings. He'll now test the open market and attempt to land a new deal, but his latest stint at Norfolk didn't help his chances of pitching in the big leagues this season.
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Cody Poteet RP | BAL
Orioles' Cody Poteet: Activated, outrighted to Norfolk
The Orioles reinstated Poteet (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list Saturday and sent him outright to Triple-A Norfolk, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Poteet surrendered five earned runs in 2.2 innings during his lone appearance of the season for the Orioles on April 20, and he landed on the injured list shortly afterward with right shoulder inflammation. Now fully healthy, he'll stay put in the minor leagues while also giving up his spot on the Orioles' 40-man roster. If he bounces back well at Norfolk, the 31-year-old righty may receive another look with Baltimore at some point in September.