Latest news with #bullpen
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- General
- Washington Post
Red Sox manager Alex Cora proclaims his team 'not getting better' following 8th loss in 10 games
BOSTON — Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been proclaiming recently that he didn't think his team was far from putting good baseball together following a dismal stretch of games. Those days of optimism appear to be dwindling after Boston's latest setback. The Red Sox lost their 17th one-run game of the season on Tuesday, this time falling 4-3 to the Los Angeles Angels in 10 innings filled with missed opportunities, poor execution defensively and another inconsistent night from the bullpen. It was their eighth loss in 10 games. They are now 9-10-1 in series play, including 4-5-1 at Fenway Park.
Forbes
11 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
As Trade Season Starts, Look For The Phillies To Shop For A Closer
Rejoice! It's nearly trading season. And this go-around, it's a guarantee the Phillies will be a busy participant in trade talks leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. And also a guarantee: The Phils will be looking to upgrade its weakest unit — the bullpen. The buzzy name already attached to the Philly is Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks. ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan calls Fairbanks 'the best fit' for Philadelphia, saying: 'Maybe it's Fairbanks. Maybe it's [Washington's Kyle] Fairbanks, who has 10 saves and a 2.05 ERA and who's better option than anyone the Phillies currently have, is a proven late-inning weapon, tallying 68 saves since 2023. He does it with a power heater and also wields one of the nastiest pitches in baseball: a 95-mph changeup. (Not a typo, that's a 95-mph changeup). Take a gander at the Ninja-worthy pitch: As Passan notes, with Jose Alvarado gone for 80 games and out for the postseason after a PED suspension, the need for relief help "is that much more grave' in Philly. Yes, it's only June 3 and the Phillies' bullpen already looks zonked, with a collective ERA of 4.65, the third-worst in the National League. Current closer Jordan Romano, who has improved after a nightmarish start to his Phillies career, still gives queasy vibes, and neither Matt Strahm (3.70 ERA) nor Orion Kerkering (3.18 ERA) look like lockdown guys. So it will be Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski's mid-summer gig to find a swing-and-miss reliever (or two or three) that his team desperately needs. It's been a looming priority after Philadelphia's bullpen blitzed its postseason run last year. And if Dombrowski looks to trade from a surplus — which is starting pitching — he has a pretty good trade chip in Phillies rookie Mick Abel, who has reestablished his prospect pedigree with a sensational 2025 at Triple-A. Abel also aced his big-league debut with six shutout innings against the Pirates in a spot start on May 18. And on Sunday, the Phillies recalled the kid and inserted him into the rotation as Aaron Nola gets healthy from an ankle ailment. So, if Abel pitches well during his extended audition, it's a solid bet he'll be included in a deadline deal for a closer. In addition to Fairbanks and Finnegan, other potential trade targets include Baltimore's Félix Bautista, Boston's Aroldis Chapman and the Angels' Kenley Jansen. Phillies fans have clamored for A's closer Mason Miller since last year's trade deadline but the A's are unlikely to deal the low-salaried reliever; plus, Miller is having a down season (5.49 ERA). But no matter who it is, Dombrowski and staff will be busy looking for a new lights-out closer before July 31.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Injury-stricken Los Angeles Dodgers trade for pitcher Will Klein after Evan Phillips was ruled out for season
The Los Angeles Dodgers desperately need some help in the bullpen, with 15 pitchers currently on the injured list. A reinforcement arrived Monday, but it was a surprising name as the World Series holders acquired right-hander Will Klein in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, sending minor league left-hander Joe Jacques the other way. Klein, 25, has eight career major league appearances, all last season for the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics when he had an 11.05 ERA in 7 1/3 innings of relief. He had a 7.17 ERA in 22 appearances at Triple-A Tacoma this season. Those numbers might not spark huge excitement among the fanbase of the World Series winners, especially with their bullpen besieged by injuries at present. Last Friday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that reliever Evan Phillips was ruled out until deep into 2026 with an elbow issue that requires Tommy John surgery. 'It's surprising,' Roberts said, shortly before his team played the New York Yankees. 'More disappointed for Evan, but he just wasn't responding to the rest and then [trying] to ramp back up. 'Ultimately, that was kind of the advice and the route he decided to go.' The Dodgers added Klein and right-hander Ryan Loutos to the active roster in advance of Monday's series opener at home against the New York Mets, while right-hander Noah Davis was optioned to the minor leagues and right-hander Chris Stratton was designated for assignment. Loutos, 26, was recalled after he had one appearance with the Dodgers earlier this season, when he gave up two runs in one inning. He had three appearances with the St. Louis Cardinals last season and has a career 5.40 ERA in 3 1/3 innings. Davis, 28, had a 5.79 ERA in four relief appearances with the Dodgers this season, while Stratton, 34, had a 6.00 ERA in two relief appearances for Los Angeles. Jacques, 30, is 2-1 with a 5.46 ERA and one save in 25 career games (one start) with the Boston Red Sox (2023-24) and Arizona Diamondbacks (2024).
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Phillies move veteran starter Taijuan Walker to bullpen
June 2 - Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker is being shifted from the starting rotation to the bullpen as the team retools its pitching staff. "I think Tai's got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the 'pen," manager Rob Thomson told reporters Sunday. Following a 5-2 loss to the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, the Phillies' bullpen carried a collective 4.65 ERA, the sixth-worst mark of any bullpen in the majors. Walker, 32, is in his third season with the Phillies following stays with the Seattle Mariners (2013-16, 2020), Arizona Diamondbacks (2017-19), Toronto Blue Jays (2020) and New York Mets (2021-22). Walker was 2-4 with a 3.53 ERA over 10 games (eight starts) this season. He threw three shutout innings to earn his first career save May 7 in a 7-0 win at the Tampa Bay Rays. Thomson said that the team will try Walker as a one-inning reliever. Philadelphia tapped rookie Mick Abel to start Thursday at the Toronto Blue Jays in Walker's place. A 2020 first-round draft pick (15th overall), Abel made his MLB debut May 18 against the Pittsburgh Pirates; he scattered five hits and threw nine strikeouts without a walk in six shutout innings en route to a win. The Phillies also recalled right-handed reliever Seth Johnson and designated right-hander Jose Ruiz for assignment. Johnson, 26, made his major league debut last September in a start against Miami and was shelled for nine runs on eight hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. He hasn't pitched for the Phillies since, and he was 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA in 16 games (four starts) for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year. Ruiz, 30, was 1-0 with an 8.16 ERA in 16 bullpen appearances in 2025. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Yankees await veteran pitcher's return to strengthen bullpen
Yankees await veteran pitcher's return to strengthen bullpen originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Yankees are set to get a much-needed boost to the bullpen soon. Right-hander Jake Cousins prepares to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters. Advertisement Cousins has been sidelined since spring training with a right forearm strain, landing on the 60-day injured list after showing promise in previous seasons. Cousins, 30, was an important piece of the Yankees' bullpen in 2024 after they acquired him from the Chicago White Sox at the end of spring training. New York Yankees relief pitcher Jake Suanes-Imagn Images Over 38 innings, he posted a strong 2.37 ERA while striking out 53 batters. His ability to generate swings and misses helped stabilize the back end of the bullpen. The Yankees are counting on him to return to form and help shore up a relief corps that has been relied on heavily. The Yankees' bullpen has actually been a cornerstone of their success in the 2025 season, boasting a 3.67 ERA, ranking 17th in the league. Advertisement While Cousins hasn't yet appeared in a 2025 game due to injury, his presence on the mound is seen as a critical factor in the Yankees' bullpen plans for the stretch run. Boone and the pitching staff have expressed optimism about his recovery progress, though the team is cautious about rushing him back too quickly. Cousins will be the latest reliever to rejoin the bullpen. Fernando Cruz is expected back on Tuesday and Jonathan Loaisiga returned last month. As the Yankees approach the midpoint of the season and have used their bullpen heavily, getting Cousins back could be a difference-maker. Related: Could This Young Elite Third Baseman Be the Missing Piece for the Yankees? Related: Yankees Legend Gives Brutally Honest Take After Dodgers' Blowout This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
