MLB Player News

Saiki just allowed two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in Game 3 of the Japan Series. The 26-year-old was impressive this season with a 1.55 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 122/44 K/BB ratio in 157 innings. Since coming back from Tommy John surgery in 2022, Saiki has posted a sub-2.00 ERA in every season. Despite his poor strikeout rate, he has a five-pitch mix that features a slider, curveball, cutter, forkball, and a four-seam fastball that can get up to 98 mph. It’s unclear if the Hanshin Tigers are going to post Saiki this offseason, but he would certainly attract plenty of interest in free agency if they did.

Gusto was up while Pete Fairbanks was on the Paternity List, so he will now head back to Triple-A after throwing one scoreless inning out of the bullpen for the Marlins.

Fairbanks missed the beginning of the Reds’ series to be with his growing family, but he will return in time for the final game of the series. Make sure he’s back in your lineups.

Stowers has been managing a hamstring strain and has not yet debuted this season. It sounds like the Marlins may also look to manage his hamstring by allowing him to play some games at first base as he returns. That could open up more at-bats in the outfield for Griffin Conine, who is off to a good start.

It’s just a routine day off for both, but it does come against a left-handed pitcher, so it makes sense for Aaron Boone to choose today as a rest. It’s a little shocking that Jazz has a day off, but struggling Ryan McMahon will be in the lineup against a lefty. Amed Rosario will play second base, and Randal Grichuk will play left field with Cody Bellinger in center.

With left-hander Jeffrey Springs on the mound, the Yankees will give Jazz Chisholm the day off and let Rosario play second base and lead off. Rosario has been playing well to start the season and could push Ryan McMahon for playing time at third base if he keeps hitting well.

Hunter Brown (shoulder) is out for at least a month, and Cristian Javier left his start yesterday with an injury, so the Astros need to fill innings in their rotation. France has been pitching in a multi-inning role in Triple-A, so it’s unclear if he would move into the rotation or perhaps keep his bullpen role, which would allow Ryan Weiss to enter the rotation. Weiss looked good in spring training and could be an interesting name in fantasy leagues if he gets a chance to start.

The left-hander was pulled early from his rehab start on April 2nd because of continued blister issues. Reds manager Terry Francona said that how aggressive Lodolo gets in this bullpen will be determined by how he’s feeling. If the bullpen goes well, he may start his rehab assignment again.

Despite a 50% hard-hit rate, Buxton was 6-for-38 this season coming into the game. He didn’t crush the ball tonight, with just one of his four balls in play topping 80 mph, but he picked good spots to improve to .214/.292/.333 on the young season. Somewhat disappointing is that he’s yet to attempt a steal after going 24-for-24 last year.

Ober got six runs of support in the first and didn’t face many threats afterwards. His velocity was particularly bad tonight, as he averaged 88.1 mph on his 35 fastballs on a chilly night in Minneapolis. The Tigers just didn’t capitalize, and when he did get into trouble in the sixth, Justin Topa came on and stranded two inherited runners. Ober has a two-start week next week at home against the Red Sox and Reds, but he still seems too risky in mixed leagues at this point.

After a scoreless eighth, Cody Laweryson got Jahmai Jones to fly out to open the ninth. The Twins preferred a lefty at that point, so in came Funderburk. He walked Riley Greene and plunked Dillon Dingler, but he then retired Parker Meadows for the second out. That brought up Zach McKinstry, who delivered a liner into what would have been the gap between first and second, except Luke Keaschall was pulled way over towards the line and managed to snare it to end the game. It’s Funderburk’s first save. He could get more opportunities when the situation calls for a left-hander, but he probably won’t ever be the Twins’ primary closer.