All articles tagged with #bullpen
Holmes tossed 7 scoreless innings and Happ delivered a three-run homer to stake the Cubs to a 4-0 lead, but a bullpen collapse — Palencia allowing three earned runs in the eighth and Webb blowing the save in the ninth — enabled the Diamondbacks to rally for a 5-4 walk-off win in Arizona.
Dodgers place closer Edwin Díaz on the injured list with neck inflammation, marking a second IL stint this year; doctors will evaluate him with spine specialist Dr. Robert Watkins, with a best-case return this season, as Tanner Scott slides into the closer role and Emmet Sheehan is called up while the team searches for the root cause of his uneven season after elbow surgery.
The Dodgers placed closer Edwin Díaz on the 15-day injured list with neck inflammation (official diagnosis TBD) and recalled Emmet Sheehan to bolster the bullpen. Díaz, who had elbow surgery earlier this year and returned in late July, has allowed 11 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings since coming off the IL. LA remains in a competitive position but is trying to stabilize the bullpen ahead of October, with Tanner Scott likely closing for now and Sheehan providing long relief.
The Atlanta Braves designated reliever Tyler Kinley for assignment and recalled AJ Smith-Shawver from Triple-A Gwinnett to start the series finale in Minnesota. Kinley, 35, had a strong 2025 campaign and posted a 3.00 ERA over 30 innings in 2026 but has struggled since early July, putting him on waivers with remaining salary obligations. Smith-Shawver, returning from UCL surgery, has been solid over two starts (11 innings, two runs, 13 strikeouts) and will start Wednesday’s game at Target Field, with Grant Holmes Thursday and Chris Sale Friday on the schedule.
Los Angeles is in a slump on offense and in the bullpen, dropping three of four to Milwaukee and slipping three games back in the NL lead. Since July the Dodgers rank near the bottom in runs per game, wRC+, walks and OBP, with stars Tucker, Freeman, Betts and Ohtani going 5-for-50 in the Brewers series. Roberts blames a lack of a consistent plan and attention to every pitch, amid injuries to Will Smith and Dalton Rushing that stress depth. Help is on the way as Skubal’s addition and a looming full-strength rotation—including Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani’s return—could restore the edge, but until offense and late-inning work tighten, a deep playoff run remains in doubt.
Shohei Ohtani threw a 34-pitch bullpen session as he inches toward returning to the Dodgers’ rotation before the regular season ends, after knee soreness and biceps discomfort sidelined him since July. Dodgers officials said the timeline remains cautious but positive, with steps including more bullpen work, live batting practice, and potential big-league appearances if he continues to rebound, all while managing his two-way role.
Mariners fall 10-7 to the Astros in extra innings after a rollercoaster game that featured Brock Rodden’s major-league debut, a bullpen that steadied in relief, and a late Mariners rally that tied the game only to see Andrés Muñoz surrender a game-winning slider to Christian Walker for the walk-off. The loss reinforces Seattle’s pattern of painful, luck-fueled losses despite the occasional late-inning push.
Tom Ley argues that the Dodgers' $69 million closer Edwin Diaz has struggled since elbow surgery, blowing saves and losing velocity, highlighting the risk of big-money relievers; despite Diaz's woes, Los Angeles remains atop its division, underscoring that money can’t guarantee success even for a team with depth, though the Diaz saga carries over a past cockfighting controversy.
Following Edwin Diaz’s ongoing struggles, Dave Roberts asks for another bullpen option, prompting a satirical, expansive list of possible relievers and highlighting the Dodgers’ overall bullpen woes, Diaz’s alarming post-injury numbers, and the tension between Roberts’ urgency and the team’s need for reliable late-inning outs as they chase the NL top seed.
Edwin Díaz blew another save in a 5-4 loss to the Brewers, pushing his season ERA to 11.57 since returning from elbow surgery and renewing calls for the Dodgers to stop using him in high-leverage moments. Manager Dave Roberts says options are needed, signaling a possible bullpen-by-committee shift or increased opportunities for Tanner Scott as Los Angeles searches for postseason reliability.
Edwin Díaz blew the save in the ninth as Milwaukee rallied to beat the Dodgers 5-4, prompting questions about the closer role as Díaz tries to regain form after elbow surgery; the loss followed Max Muncy's go-ahead homer earlier in the game.
Boston placed Garrett Whitlock on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation and recalled Greg Weissert; Whitlock has been a standout this season, and his absence hits the bullpen hard as the Sox try to snap a five-game skid and hold onto a wild-card spot.
Toronto claimed veteran reliever Paul Sewald off waivers from Arizona to bolster a thinning bullpen, and recalled Jake Bloss to clear a 40-man spot, placing Bloss on the 60-day IL after UCL surgery rehab; Sewald joins a retooled relief group as the Jays absorb his remaining salary for 2026.
Bryan Woo pitched five solid innings but Seattle’s bullpen collapsed late as the Mariners lost 4-1 to the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, with Ryan Weathers keeping Seattle at bay and only Julio Rodríguez offering a bright spot on offense.
Milwaukee re-signed right-hander Bryse Wilson to a big-league deal to return to the bullpen after a brief free-agent period, while designating Lyon Richardson for assignment to clear roster space. Wilson has been solid since joining Milwaukee, delivering 13 2/3 innings over six appearances with 10 strikeouts and zero walks, and posting a 3.37 ERA in 93 Brewers appearances. Both Wilson and Richardson are out of options, meaning waivers and potential free agency are in play if they clear, with Richardson having just pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in San Diego before the move.