Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Joe Jimenez picked up his first save of the season in Monday's Game 2 5-3 win over the Guardians. Jimenez came in to pitch the ninth inning with a two-run lead and ended the game with a 1-2-3 inning and a strikeout. Gregory Soto has been the team's clear closer this season, but he closed out the Tigers' first game of the day. Jimenez has pitched well this season with a 3.23 ERA over 30 2/3 innings pitched, but his fantasy value is very limited at this time given his limited role.
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb was superb on Saturday, tossing eight-shutout frames in his club's 2-0 win over the Pirates. He struck out nine batters on the evening while walking two and giving up five hits, throwing 99 pitches in the sharp outing. Webb only ran into trouble in the eighth when he loaded the bases with two outs, but he got Ben Gamel to strikeout and end the threat to improve his record to 11-5 on the season. The 25-year-old owns an even 3.00 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with a 124/39 K/BB through 150 IP as he'll look to keep his dominance going in his next start versus the Diamondbacks next week.
New York Yankees reliever Scott Effross closed out his club's 3-2 win over the Red Sox on Saturday, picking up his second save of the year and first with his new club. The 28-year-old made it interesting by allowing a pair of singles, but he ultimately got Xander Bogaerts to pop out to end the game and stranding the tying run at third base. The Yankees have had trouble closing out games recently, but Effross isn't likely to pick up anything close to a lion's share of saves the rest of the way. He has had a nice season by sporting a 2.88 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 55 K through 50 IP, but Clay Holmes or Aroldis Chapman are still better suited for the role despite their struggles.
Texas Rangers reliever Jonathan Hernandez pitched a clean ninth inning on Saturday to close out the team's 7-4 win over the Mariners. The right-hander needed just 10 pitches to retire the side as he's now collected his third save of the season after missing the first half of the year recovering from Tommy-John Surgery that he underwent last April. He's allowed three earned runs over 10 frames so far in 2022 (2.70 ERA) to go along with a fine 1.10 WHIP while lighting up the radar gun with a fastball that can touch triple-digits. Hernandez appears to be the favored closing option in Texas, and should be scooped up for anyone looking to catch up in the save column.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Andrew Heaney is expected to make his next scheduled start according to manager Dave Roberts after he was lifted from Saturday's contest early. The lefty took a comebacker off his throwing arm in the third inning, but he admitted after the game that nothing tightened up afterwards and the team just wanted to be cautious. Makes sense since Heaney has struggled with injuries and they were up 8-2 at the time of his removal. His next turn up in the rotation will come Thursday against the Brewers, but managers will still want to monitor his availability through the week since the club won't push the 31-year-old if there's any lingering pain.
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco (wrist) will begin a rehab assignment in Port Charlotte within the next few days as he recovers from a broken hamate bone in his wrist. The 21-year-old underwent surgery in mid-July, so it stands to reason that he'll need at least a week's worth of at-bats to get his swing back up to speed before rejoining the Rays for a playoff push. Through 58 games in 2022, Franco has hit a middling .260 with five homers and 23 RBI, but he would still be a welcomed addition to the Rays and to fantasy rosters during the final stretch of the regular season.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was removed from the second game of a doubleheader Saturday with knee soreness, but the club insists it was precautionary and he should be considered day-to-day. The 24-year-old played the full nine innings of game one, and made it through seven innings of the evening tilt before getting lifted after going 2-for-4 with a homer. Acuna mentioned that playing on the turf in Miami had an impact on his soreness, so managers should monitor his situation before tomorrow's finale to see if the Braves give him a day off before returning home for a series against the Mets starting on Monday.
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager was 1-for-4 Saturday with a walk and a solo home run that turned out to be the winning run of the 7-4 against the Seattle Mariners. It was his 26th homer of the season, tying his career high from 2016. During his first season in Texas, Seager's slashing .252/.331/.475 with 61 runs, 59 RBI, and three stolen bases across 107 games. Some were worried about how a move to Globe Life Field would affect the 28-year-old, but he's still a productive fantasy option at short in every format.
New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom allowed two hits while striking out 10 across six scoreless innings during Saturday's 1-0 win against the Philadelphia Phillies. He picked up his second win of the season. The Mets ace threw 76 pitches, landing 57 for strikes. He has shown no signs of rust since returning to the mound on August 2. The 34-year-old owns a 1.62 ERA, 0.42 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts across 16 2/3 innings in 2022. He had been sidelined most of the year while recovering from a stress reaction in his right scapula. deGrom will keep things rolling in his next start against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman/outfielder Harold Ramirez (thumb) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Sunday. He took batting practice on Saturday and reportedly felt good. The 27-year-old has been sidelined since July 17 with a broken thumb. He slashed .329/.379/.446 with four homers and 35 RBI in 78 games before landing on the injured list. He will provide the Rays' first base and outfield depth once activated. Ramirez is on track to return to action within the next few weeks and is a speculative add in deep-league formats.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Andrew Heaney (arm) exited Saturday's game against the Kansas City Royals due to a left arm contusion. He took a line drive off his left arm and was removed from the game. The 31-year-old allowed two runs on three hits while striking out five over three innings before exiting. The severity of his injury is unknown, and he is considered day-to-day. He owns a 1.16 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts over 31 innings in 2022. It is unclear if Heaney will make his next scheduled start on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Stay tuned for further updates.
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