MLB Player News

Leclerc (2-2) earned the win Friday, striking out two over a scoreless eighth inning against Cincinnati.

Leclerc, who earlier this season lost the closer's job, has reclaimed the confidence of manager Bruce Bochy. Friday's outing was his fifth consecutive scoreless appearance, with the last three coming in the eighth inning of games.

Nardi gave up a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning Friday while striking out one, but he was charged with his third blown save of the season after allowing an inherited runner to score.

Kyle Tyler began the sixth inning but got the hook after giving up a leadoff single to Jacob Young, and Nardi wasn't able to prevent Young from coming around to score and tie the game at 1-1. Nardi hasn't been tagged with a run of his own in six straight appearances, and while he's struck out 10 batters in 5.1 innings over that stretch, he's also issued three free passes and hit a batter with a pitch. He's whittled his ratios down to a 7.71 ERA and 1.89 WHIP in the process, but the 25-year-old southpaw is still struggling to regain the form he flashed in 2023.

Finnegan struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his eighth save of the season in a 3-1 win over the Marlins.

He needed only six pitches, all strikes, to dispatch the middle of Miami's order. Finnegan hasn't allowed an earned run yet in April, converting all seven of his save chances on the month with a 9:4 K:BB through 9.2 innings. Hunter Harvey, who collected his eighth hold Friday with a clean eighth inning, has been more dominant to begin the season and has a 19:2 K:BB through 13 innings. For now, though, Nats manager Dave Martinez is content to let him handle highest-leverage spots while Finnegan takes care of business in the ninth.

Holton allowed five earned runs while retiring just a single batter in Friday's 8-0 loss to the Royals. He gave up two hits and a walk.

Holton was ineffective in this one, and his ERA jumped from 1.50 to 5.11 in the process. The lefty was good for the Tigers last season, posting a 2.11 ERA and 0.87 WHIP across 85.1 innings, so this was likely just a blip on the radar. He'll have to string together a few strong performances to get his ERA back down to a more acceptable number, however.

Thompson tossed 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Friday's 7-1 win over the Red Sox. He allowed two hits and a walk, while striking out two.

Thompson has still yet to allow an earned run this season across 9.2 innings out of the bullpen. The righty has tossed multiple innings in four of his five appearances this season, making him an effective long-relief weapon for the Cubs. His fantasy value is capped in the role, but Thompson figures to have some occasional appeal whenever he vultures a win or scoops up a save.

Yates struck out two batters in a perfect ninth inning to earn the save in Friday's 2-1 win over the Reds.

Yates struck out Jonathan India and Jeimer Candelario to begin the ninth, giving him 13 punchouts in 11 innings out of the bullpen. The 37-year-old righty still has yet to allow a run this season, and he'll likely continue receiving the bulk of save opportunities as long as that remains the case.

Helsley struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his eighth save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Mets.

The right-hander needed only nine pitches (seven strikes) to convert his eighth straight chance after blowing a save March 30. Helsley hasn't allowed an earned run in seven straight appearances, and he sports a 1.93 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 16:1 K:BB through 14 innings on the season. The 29-year-old's career high is 19 saves, but he's tracking to blow past that mark by the All-Star break.

McGough allowed three runs on two hits and two walks over one inning in Friday's 6-1 loss to the Mariners.

McGough entered the game on short notice in the sixth inning, inheriting one runner after starter Zac Gallen was removed with a hamstring injury. The reliever allowed a single, walk then a grand slam to Mitch Haniger, the second consecutive appearance in which McGough has ceded a home run. It was the fourth time in the last six outings he's allowed earned runs, and his ERA spiked to 7.30 following Friday's effort.

Sewald (oblique) will throw a bullpen session Saturday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Sewald threw 21 pitches (14 strikes) in a rehab appearance earlier in the week and felt the right kind of soreness a day later. Following Saturday's session and presuming all goes well, the reliever is likely to head out for a second rehab outing.

Bednar (1-2) took the loss Friday against the Giants after he allowed three runs on two hits and a walk without recording an out.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton turned to his closer in the bottom of the ninth of a scoreless tie, but Bednar gave up a walk and a single before serving up a walk-off, three-run homer to Patrick Bailey. Bednar entered the contest with three straight scoreless appearances, but he has now allowed at least three runs in three separate outings and has a 12.00 ERA across nine innings overall. The right-hander is 4-for-7 in save opportunities and has seen his job security decline significantly after beginning the campaign as one of the top closers in MLB with 58 saves and a 2.27 ERA in the previous two seasons.