MLB Player News

The tall right-hander didn’t allow a single baserunner while striking out one and picking up his seventh save of the season. He has been solid since taking the closer’s job from Will Smith, posting a 2.63 ERA on the year. While there have arguably been better pitchers in the Royals’ bullpen, McArthur is the clear favorite for saves and that isn’t likely to change any time soon.

The Dodgers scored all of their runs in the third, an inning that also featured homers from Kiké Hernandez and Will Smith. Freeman’s slam was the sixth of his career. He actually went his first 10 seasons without one, but he’s been playing catchup after finally collecting his first in Sept. 2020.

Maybe he’s no Shota Imanaga, but Yamamoto improved to 5-1 with a 3.17 ERA with his latest quality start. He’s struck out 61 and walked just 11 in 54 innings, and his ERA would stand at 2.38 if one discarded his March 21 start in South Korea.

Hudson fanned two of the three batters he faced against his former team. He’ll likely resume working in a setup role once Evan Phillips rejoins the Dodgers next week, but until then, he’s a worthy play in mixed leagues.

Mantiply did his part in the first and Cecconi kept it going with a scoreless second, but he went on to five up three homers in the third inning. It was impressive how Cecconi rebounded with three scoreless innings afterwards, but the damage was done. Cecconi is now 1-4 with a 6.12 ERA, and his rotation spot appears to be in jeopardy.

McCarthy’s homer was hit 106.6 mph off Eliezer Hernández, edging out his previous season high. He’s off to a pretty encouraging start offensively, hitting .283/.357/.414 in 114 plate appearances. Unfortunately, he hasn’t delivered in the stolen base department, collecting just three in 40 games, and there just isn’t much reason to think he’ll remain a factor once Alek Thomas is healthy.

Schanuel’s exit velocity numbers aren’t the least bit impressive, but he’s having enough success pulling flyballs that he’s now hit five homers, even though his longest drive of the year is 381 feet. We still wouldn’t want to roster him in mixed leagues at the moment, but it bodes well for the future.

Victimized by a couple of infield singles, Detmers was unfortunate not to be out of the inning before José Altuve hit a three-run homer in the second. Still, this was another disappointing outing for the 24-year-old, who has given up 32 earned runs over 31 2/3 innings in his last six starts. We still believe in Detmers as a useful mixed-league option, what with his 59/19 K/BB ratio in 54 1/3 innings this season, but he certainly doesn’t make it easy.

Estévez gave up two hits and a walk after the outstanding fortune of Jo Adell denying Yainer Diaz a possible homer or at least a double to begin the inning. Estévez is sporting a 5.17 ERA through 15 2/3 innings this season, and he’s lucky that neither Robert Stephenson (out for the season) or José Soriano (in the rotation) is currently an alternative in the closer’s role for the Angels.

Valdez allowed just one run on four groundball singles through four innings tonight, but the fifth was a vastly different story. All three homers came in that inning, and it was really pretty amazing that he got to finish the frame while allowing seven runs. Valdez had a 2.88 ERA going into the fifth tonight, only to finish the game at 4.32. It’s the first time in his career that he’s allowed three homers and the second time that he’s allowed eight runs, with the other instance also coming against the Angels in 2020.

Pressly hadn’t pitched in six days because of a sore finger. He has a 5.19 ERA in his setup role this season.