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Bryan Baker RP | TB
Rays' Bryan Baker: Secures 39th save
Baker earned the save in Saturday's 7-6 win over the Padres, allowing one walk and no hits with one strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning.
Baker was summoned to protect a one-run lead and worked around a one-out walk to close the door. The 31-year-old has converted 28 straight save chances dating back to May 13, and his 39 saves on the year lead the majors by four. It's been a dream first season in the closer's role, as he's posted a dominant 1.53 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 59:17 K:BB across 53 innings.
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Carmen Mlodzinski RP | PIT
Pirates' Carmen Mlodzinski: Collects win in bulk relief Saturday
Mlodzinski (7-6) picked up the win Saturday, allowing one unearned run on one hit over 3.1 innings of relief in a 6-2 victory over the Cardinals. He struck out two without walking a batter.
Lake Bachar got the start for the Pirates and lasted 2.1 innings before turning things over to Evan Sisk, who loaded the bases while getting just one out before getting the hook. Mlodzinski was brought in to shut down the St. Louis and did it on just one pitch, getting Jordan Walker to fly out, and the right-hander was the pitcher of record when Pittsburgh took the lead for good in the fourth inning. It was Mlodzinski's first win since July 11, and over 10 appearances and 28.1 innings since the All-Star break he's stumbled to a 6.35 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 23:8 K:BB.
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Daniel Lynch IV RP | KC
Royals' Daniel Lynch: Labors in no-decision
Lynch didn't factor into the decision against Cleveland on Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks in 3.1 innings. He struck out three.
Most of the damage came via a second-inning two-run home run by Angel Martinez, and Lynch wasn't particularly efficient either. The left-hander did make progress on building himself up, however, as he reached the 70-pitch threshold for the first time this season on a positive note. He'll be aiming to increase his pitch count his next time out against Toronto, but Lynch now has a 6.32 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 11:7 K:BB in 15.2 innings since joining the rotation Aug. 7.
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Didier Fuentes RP | ATL
Braves' Didier Fuentes: Holds on for rare save
Fuentes allowed one hit and one walk in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Saturday against the Rockies. He struck out two.
Closer Raisel Iglesias was presumably unavailable after notching the save in Friday's win over Colorado, opening the door for Fuentes to tally his third save of the year (nine chances). Although Fuentes doesn't see consistent ninth-inning work, the 21-year-old right-hander has emerged as a weapon out the Atlanta bullpen with a 2.39 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 77:19 K:BB and 15 holds in 60.1 innings.
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Bryan Hudson RP | CHW
White Sox's Bryan Hudson: Notches seventh save
Hudson worked a perfect ninth inning Saturday without striking out a batter to record his seventh save of the season in a 3-2 win over the Twins.
The southpaw has picked up the White Sox's last two saves, and his usage Saturday didn't seem matchup-based as all three Minnesota batters due up in the ninth hit from the right side. Grant Taylor did throw 27 pitches over 2.2 innings Friday to pick up the win and may have been unavailable, but Hudson secured the save in that contest and still got the call Saturday. The duo seem likely to split closing duties the rest of the way, and over 13 appearances in August, Hudson has delivered a 3.75 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 9:0 K:BB in 12 innings with one win, three holds and three saves in three chances.
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Erick Fedde RP | CHW
White Sox's Erick Fedde: Pockets seventh win
Fedde (7-8) picked up the win Saturday in a 3-2 victory over the Twins, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out four.
The right-hander lasted just long enough to qualify for the win and benefit from Andrew Benintendi's go-ahead solo shot in the top of the sixth inning. Fedde tossed 57 of 88 pitches for strikes in his first win since July 31, and over seven appearances (one start) in August he's put together a 4.29 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 14:9 K:BB in 21 innings. If Davis Martin (finger) comes off the IL when rosters expand in September, Fedde is likely to shift back into a long-relief role.
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Kenley Jansen RP | DET
Tigers' Kenley Jansen: Picks up one-out win over former club
Jansen (4-5) recorded the win in Saturday's 2-1 victory over the Dodgers, retiring the only batter he faced.
The Tigers closer was brought in to get the final out in the top of the ninth inning with a runner on base and barely escaped, as Teoscar Hernandez drove a cutter into the left-center field gap that Javier Baez was just able to track down. Baez then doubled to lead off the bottom of the frame and came around to score the winning run, handing Jansen his third win since the All-Star break. In 12 innings over that stretch, Jansen has converted six of seven save chances with a 3.00 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 16:7 K:BB.
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Seth Lonsway RP | SF
Giants' Seth Lonsway: Back to Triple-A
The Giants optioned Lonsway to Triple-A Sacramento following Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks.
Lonsway was promoted from the minors ahead of Saturday's doubleheader and officially made his major-league debut in Game 1, when he allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out two batters across two frames. He'll head back down to Triple-A in order to make room on the active roster for Yunior Marte, the latter of whom will start in the nightcap.
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Zach Agnos RP | COL
Rockies' Zach Agnos: Fares well as opener
Agnos didn't factor into the decision against Atlanta on Saturday, allowing no runs on two hits and one walk in 2.2 relief innings. He struck out one.
The Rockies went with a bullpen game, and Agnos opened the contest as well as Colorado could have hoped for. It was the right-hander's third starting assignment of the year, and he's been effective with a 1.69 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 6:5 K:BB in 10.2 innings out of the rotation versus a 6.09 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 46:22 K:BB across 68 innings from the bullpen. He's worked at least five innings just one time this season and has yet to reach the 80-pitch marker, so Agnos may struggle for streaming appeal if he draws another start.
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Louie Varland RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Louis Varland: Secures 31st save
Varland picked up the save in Saturday's 4-3 win over Seattle, striking out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning.
The Blue Jays rallied from a 3-0 deficit to score four runs across the fifth and sixth innings, prompting the call for Varland to close things out in the ninth. The right-hander needed 12 pitches (eight strikes) to secure the save, striking out Taylor Ward in the process. Varland has logged a save in seven of his last eight outings and is up to 31 saves on the year, which is tied with David Bednar for fifth-most in the majors. Varland sports a 1.18 ERA, 0.98 wHIP and 84:18 K:BB over 68.2 innings this season.