MLB Player News
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Dennis Santana RP | PIT
Pirates' Dennis Santana: Will not be full-time closer
Pirates manager Don Kelly indicated Monday that Santana will not be the only reliever he uses for save opportunities, Jose Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
Santana notched 16 saves for Pittsburgh last season, with 10 of those coming in the final two months after David Bednar was traded. The 29-year-old is the heavy favorite to lead the Pirates in saves in 2026, but Kelly noted that he could use Santana earlier in games at times if the situation calls for it. Gregory Soto looks to be next in the pecking order and could be used to close when the opposition has lefty bats due up.
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Aroldis Chapman RP | BOS
Red Sox's Aroldis Chapman: Ready to close
Chapman has allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out eight over 5.2 spring innings.
Chapman is ready to resume his role as Boston's closer in 2026. The 38-year-old is coming off a stellar 2025, when he converted 32 of 34 save opportunities, lowered a consistently pesky walk rate to a career-low 2.2 BB/9 and was named the AL Reliever of the Year.
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Robert Suarez RP | ATL
Braves' Robert Suarez: Wrapping up strong spring
Suarez has allowed one run on four hits with a 9:1 K:BB over five Grapefruit League innings this spring.
The 35-year-old right-hander racked up 76 saves for San Diego with a 2.87 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 9.0 K/9 over the prior two seasons, but he'll begin his time in Atlanta as the top setup man for closer Raisel Iglesias. Suarez could still see ninth-inning action when Iglesias is unavailable, and if the incumbent struggles again early as he did in 2025, it wouldn't be a surprise if the two switched roles.
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Ryan Watson RP | BOS
Red Sox's Ryan Watson: Emerges from camp with roster spot
The Red Sox informed Watson on Monday that he will be included on the Opening Day roster, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
The 28-year-old righty won a spot in the Boston bullpen after submitting a 5.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 7:3 K:BB over 11.1 innings during the Grapefruit League. A Rule 5 Draft selection over the winter, Watson will need to be stashed on the major-league roster throughout the 2026 season, or else the Red Sox will have to offer him back to the Giants.
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Tyler Samaniego RP | BOS
Red Sox's Tyler Samaniego: Optioned to Triple-A
The Red Sox optioned Samaniego to Triple-A Worcester on Monday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Samaniego spun 5.1 scoreless innings in Grapefruit League play, collecting a 6:2 K:BB with just one hit allowed. It wasn't enough to capture a spot on the Opening Day roster, but Samaniego is poised to make his major-league debut at some point this season.
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Jeremiah Estrada RP | SD
Padres' Jeremiah Estrada: Dominant in Cactus League action
Through nine spring appearances, Estrada has tossed 9.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits while posting a 16:7 K:BB.
Estrada has looked nearly unhittable in exhibition action while racking up a 14.9 K/9. The walks are a bit concerning, though the flamethrowing reliever is coming off a 2025 regular season during which he posted a career-best 8.9 percent walk rate. Estrada also recorded a career-high 30 holds last year and is slated to again be a key high-leverage arm for San Diego in 2026.
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Kyle Leahy RP | STL
Cardinals' Kyle Leahy: Makes Opening Day rotation
Leahy will open the season in the Cardinals' rotation, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Leahy's regular-season debut will occur March 30 with a start at home against the Mets. The right-hander has not been used as a starting pitcher regularly since 2022, but he often worked multiple innings out of the Cardinals' bullpen last season and was stretched out as a starter this spring, finishing with a 4.58 ERA and 20:5 K:BB over 17.2 frames. Leahy has not reached 90 innings in any of the last three seasons while being used in the bullpen, so he's sure to face some form of workload restrictions in 2026.
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Reynaldo Lopez RP | ATL
Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Blames velocity dip on mechanics
Lopez said Monday that he is fine physically and mechanical issues are to blame for his diminished velocity during Sunday's Grapefruit League outing versus the Twins, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Lopez averaged just 89.2 mph with his four-seamer in the start, yielding four runs on five hits and two walks over 4.2 frames. The right-hander's velocity has been down all spring, though not to the level it was Sunday. Lopez could see an uptick in velocity after the regular-season adrenaline kicks in, but it's also possible this is the new normal for him as he comes back from shoulder surgery. The 32-year-old is scheduled to make his season debut Saturday against the Royals and should probably be left on fantasy benches for the time being.
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Joe Ross RP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Joe Ross: Clinches roster spot
The Diamondbacks informed Ross on Sunday that he'll be included on the Opening Day roster, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
Ross, who had been attending camp as a non-roster invitee, submitted a 7.71 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 6:5 K:BB in seven innings during Cactus League play. The 32-year-old has worked primarily as a starter during his career but will operate as a multi-inning reliever for Arizona.
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Danny Coulombe RP | BOS
Red Sox's Danny Coulombe: Set to pitch Monday
Coulombe (illness) is scheduled to make a relief appearance in Monday's exhibition against the Twins, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
The Red Sox sent Coulombe home from camp Saturday after he fell ill, but the veteran reliever has apparently made a full recovery following a couple days of rest. After signing with Boston just under two weeks ago, Coulombe made just one Grapefruit League appearance, but he should still be on track to make the Red Sox's Opening Day bullpen if he checks out fine following Monday's outing.