Latest news with #reliefpitcher
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dodgers quietly cut ties with 33-year-old veteran pitcher
The life of a relief pitcher on the fringes of a 40-man roster can be rough sometimes. As the Los Angeles Dodgers attempt to get back to their winning ways, they're shuffling the deck on the pitching staff. That means pitchers who don't have options left are constantly living in worry about getting designated for assignment. That very thing happened on Monday evening to a six-year major league veteran who arrived with the Dodgers earlier this season because he'd already been DFA'd by a division rival. The Dodgers announced Monday that they had recalled right-handed pitcher Edgardo Henriquez from Triple-A Oklahoma City, and to make room on the active roster, veteran Lou Trivino was designated for assignment. Trivino, 33, made 26 appearances for the Dodgers, totaling a 3.76 ERA, 18 strikeouts, 29 hits, and eight walks. He wasn't close to becoming one of the high-leverage options, but he gave them some decent innings while several of his teammates were injured. Henriquez, who is a full decade younger, only has three innings of major league experience. The Dodgers are opting to roll with the upside of a pitcher who had a 5.89 ERA at Triple-A, but a significantly higher strikeout rate. Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp Trivino will almost certainly clear waivers and reject an outright assignment to the minors. He'll be a free agent again, just as he was when the Dodgers signed him two days after he left the San Francisco Giants. There was a time when Trivino was a closer for the Athletics, and a reliever who was desired at the 2022 trade deadline by the New York Yankees. After missing two years with elbow and shoulder injuries, he's just looking to keep his big-league career alive with yet another new organization.
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Best Relief Pitcher Prospect On The Planet Is A Cuban Playing In Japan
Casual baseball fans likely are not aware that Raidel Martinez – by the numbers – is the best relief pitcher on Planet Earth. The 28-year-old Cuban pitches in Japan Baseball. Martinez was on every MLB team's radar last fall. Some were prepared to offer the right-hander up to $70 million to sign. He chose to stay in Japan for $32.5 million over four years, though he left the Chunichi Dragons for the Yomiuri Giants. TOKYO: Raidel Martinez of Team Cuba celebrates getting the last out to defeat Team Australia, 4-3, ... More in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal at Tokyo Dome on March 15, 2023. (Photo by) Martinez has added to his legacy in 2025, getting 26 saves with a 0.29 earned run average, allowing one run over 30 2/3 innings. Since the start of the 2022 season. Martinez has: His contract set a record for Latino players in Japan, surpassing $26 million deals by Cuban Liván Moinelo and Mexican Roberto Osuna. His 192 saves over eight seasons in Japan are the most by a foreign pitcher. He has a 1.98 ERA over 335 relief outings overall. Why Not Sign With MLB? Martinez did not want to sever his affiliation with the Cuban Baseball Federation and has his sights set on the 2026 World Baseball Classic. His deal stipulates that the CBF gets 20% of his earnings Martinez helped his country win a silver medal at the 2019 Central American and Caribbean Games and pitched for Cuba in the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classic. The contract also put him in the so-called Group S, a selection of the most important players on the squad, who get to decide their own training regimen. That means Martinez skips the normally demanding practices and exercises in Japanese baseball. Scouting Raidel Martinez At 6-3, 189 pounds, Martinez has a near-perfect pitcher's body. He does not run into command issues that larger hurlers battle while trying to establish a consistent release point. He throws from an overhand high vertical slot that helps his fastball touch 100 mph. His large hands enable him to mix in a good splitter that induces ground balls as well as strikeouts. NEW YORK: Orlando Hernandez of the New York Yankees pitches against the Texas Rangers at Yankee ... More Stadium on Aug. 18, 1998. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) Martinez is built like Orlando (El Duque) Hernandez, who took MLB by storm as a 32-year-old rookie with the New York Yankees in 1998. Hernandez went 12-4 in the regular season. He beat Cleveland by pitching seven shutout innings in the AL Championship Series and held the San Diego Padres to one run over seven innings S THE Yanks won the World Series. Hernandez had a 90-65 record and was 9-3 in the post-season until retiring in 2007. His younger brother Livan helped the Florida Marlins win the 1997 World Series when he was 21. He had a 7-3 post-season mark and won 178 MLB games through 2012. Other Cubans In MLB History It is generally considered that Charles (Chick) Pedroes was the first Cuban in the majors, playing two games for the Chicago Cubs in 1902. Steve Bellan played from 1871 to 1873 in the National Association. Its' status as a major league is generally disputed by baseball historians, however. Thirty Cubans have played in the majors in 2025 including 12 pitchers, most notably closers Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox and Raisel Iglesias of the Atlanta Braves. The top current Cuban hitters are the Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez, Tampa Bay Rays, Yandy Diaz, Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages, Texas Rangers, Adolis Garcia, Seattle Mariners' Randy Arozarena and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Best Cubans In America Martin Dihigo, Jose Mendez, Cristobal Torriente, Tony Perez, Minnie Miñoso and Tony Oliva are in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The first three starred in the Negro Leagues. Dihigo is the only person immortalized in Hall of Fames in three countries, the U.S., Cuba and Mexico. He was a two-way player between 1922 until age 45 in 1950. Mendez was a great pitcher in Cuba, 1907-16. He then pitched in the Negro National League until 1926, primarily with the Kansas City Monarchs. Torriente was a great-hitting outfielder from 1912 until 1932 CHICAGO: Outfielder Minnie Minoso of the Chicago White Sox before a 1951 game at Comiskey Park. ... More (Photo by The Stanley) Miñoso, called the Latino Jackie Robinson as the first Afro-Latino player in MLB with Cleveland in 1949, had 195 homers, 216 steals, 1,089 RBI and 1,227 runs in parts of 20 MLB seasons. Oliva won three batting titles and hit 227 homers for the Minnesota Twins from 1962 to 1976 and was an eight-time All-Star. Perez had 379 homers, 1,652 RBI amd 1.272 runs from 1964 until 1986 and was a seven-time All-Star, primarily with the Cincinnati Reds. The only Cuban natives with more homers were Rafael Palmiero (569) and Jose Canseco (480). Palmeiro (1986-2005) also had 3,020 hits and 1,835 RBI. Shortstop Bert Campaneris (1964-83) had 2,249 hits and 649 stolen bases. Amon the best pitchers, Luis Tiant had a 229-172 record and 3.30 ERA from 1964 until 1982 and Mike Cuellar was 185-130, 3.14 ERA from 1959 until 1977. First Cuban In Japan Baseball Infielder Roberto Barbon played 42 games in the Brooklyn Dodgers' system in 1954 and became the first Latino in Japanese pro ball the next year. He played 10 seasons for the Hankyu Braves and one final year in 1965 for the Kintetsu Buffaloes as light-hitting (.241, 33 homers) slick-fielding, speedy (308 stolen bases) middle infielder. He was the first foreigner to record 1,000 hits, the last foreigner to steal 50 bases (55 in 1956) in a season. Raidel Martinez's Future For now, he's enjoying superstar status in Japan. Next year, he vows to help Cuba succeed in the World Baseball Classic. TOKYO: Raidel Martinez of Team Cuba pitches in the 2023 World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome. (Photo ... More by) His current contract ends in 2028, when he will be 32. That's still plenty young enough to get a rich free-agent deal in MLB. Here's the top-10 paid relievers and their ages in 2025: Raidel Martinez, should he continue posting incredible numbers in Japan Baseball, likely would command more than any of them.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tigers Make Move on Relief Pitcher After Rough Outing vs. Reds
Tigers Make Move on Relief Pitcher After Rough Outing vs. Reds originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Detroit Tigers dropped their second game in three tries against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday by a score of 8-4, their second loss in a row to manager Terry Francona's team. Advertisement Detroit has not played up to expectations recently amid the loss of talented pitcher Jackson Jobe to injury. Saturday's home game against the Reds included a rough performance by the bullpen in an 11-1 loss that caused Detroit's front office and coaching staff to begin reevaluating things. News broke Sunday on a relief pitcher who struggled during Saturday's loss, prompting a change of heart by the Tigers' brass. John Brebbia pitches on June 7 at Comerica Park in Detroit. © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Detroit announced pitcher John Brebbia was optioned to Triple-A Toledo, making room for relief pitcher Tyler Owens on the roster. Brebbia ceded three earned runs on 22 pitches in a single inning of work on Saturday, prompting the change. Advertisement The Boston, Massachusetts native compiled a rough ERA of 7.71 this season including 20 strikeouts in 18.2 innings on the mound. Owens, a former Atlanta Braves draft selection, has struggled with the Mud Hens this season compiling an ERA of 5.74 while striking out 23 batters and giving up four home runs and 30 hits in 26.2 innings. The Tigers could soon find themselves as buyers for bullpen help by the time the July 31 MLB trade deadline rolls around, especially in light of Jobe's recent injury. Related: Tigers' Tarik Skubal Sparks MVP, Cy Young Talk With Incredible 3-Game Stretch This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
As Cardinals win ninth straight game, Kyle Leahy emerges as a key weapon in the bullpen
PHILADELPHIA — As Kyle Leahy headed into the offseason last winter after his first taste of the big leagues, he took on a personal challenge. When he reported to camp this year, he wanted to be a reliever who was as multifaceted as possible. 'When I first came up to the big leagues, I saw how much matchups are important,' Leahy said. 'And I told myself that offseason that I want to be a guy that can get both sides out. I don't want to pigeonhole myself to being a righty specialist and only being able to come in a certain situation or a certain game. I try to be as versatile as I can, develop all the pitches and weapons to get lefties out as well as the righties.' Advertisement Fast forward to Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, and it sure looks like Leahy has figured that out. Leahy posted 2 1/3 innings of clutch relief, scattering two hits and striking out two as the St. Louis Cardinals clawed their way to a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, extending their winning streak to an MLB-best nine games. But it wasn't so much the line score that was impressive. It was how and who Leahy navigated through to keep the game in reach. The @Cardinals win their 9th straight thanks to homers from Iván Herrera and Masyn Winn. — MLB (@MLB) May 13, 2025 Starter Matthew Liberatore was effective through the first five innings and limited the Phillies to just one run. But he ran into trouble in the sixth, when Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos tagged him for a pair of singles to open up the bottom half of the frame. He induced a forceout from J.T. Realmuto, but Schwarber scored, tying the score at 2. After Alec Bohm singled to put runners on first and second with one out and Liberatore sitting at 80 pitches, manager Oli Marmol had a difficult decision to make. He could let his starter try to escape the jam. Or, he could turn to one of his most reliable relief weapons: Leahy. Philadelphia had five consecutive right-handers due up, and Marmol knew that swapping in Leahy would mean Phillies manager Rob Thomson would deploy his three lefties on the bench: Bryson Stott, Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh. But the thought process was that Leahy would be able to combat that lane. Coming into play Monday, left-handed batters were hitting just .077/.250/.192 against Leahy (though right-handers weren't doing much better, at .109/.146/.196). But there was a second lane Leahy would need to conquer as well: Schwarber and Bryce Harper once the Phillies lineup turned over. It was a big ask of Leahy. But again, he was up for the challenge. Advertisement 'This is what I wake up for,' Leahy said. 'Doesn't matter what situation I come in; the goal is to always put up a zero.' So he did. Marmol opted for Leahy, and Thomson turned his lefty bench bats loose. Leahy needed 11 pitches to retire Stott and Kepler — and kept the score tied. All signs pointed toward Leahy coming back out for the seventh. When he did, he was aided by an insurance run. Masyn Winn tagged Matt Strahm for a go-ahead solo shot in the top of the seventh, bringing the Cardinals to a 3-2 lead. Leahy responded by striking out Marsh on a curveball in the dirt, inducing a fly ball to center from Trea Turner, and punching out Harper with a perfectly placed slider to end the frame. At just 22 pitches, Marmol turned to Leahy once more. He'd be up for a third inning, which is somewhat of an unorthodox request, but Marmol thought Leahy was the best matchup for Schwarber. So out Leahy came, and he promptly induced a groundout to second base. He maneuvered one more groundout from Castellenos before two righties reached base against him. That's when Marmol turned to lefty JoJo Romero for the final out. Check out this disgusting two-pitch mix by Kyle Leahy to strike out Bryce Harper CH: 91.1 MPH, 1543 RPM, -1.4" IVB, 12.8" HBSL: 89.7 MPH, 2798 RPM, 5.8" IVB, -11.4" HB — Kareem (@KareemSSN) May 13, 2025 'He's been good all year,' Marmol said of Leahy. 'But to be able to do what he did today and go through both Harper and Schwarber and then get that righty lane and hand it over to JoJo? That was the game. '(The coaching staff) talked about it before the game. Both (Harper and Schwarber) have been better left-on-left, so we should just take our best arm against them. It helped that Leahy was pretty efficient, and it was great that there was a lefty lane created (before).' Advertisement Liberatore, who posted another strong outing (two earned runs, seven hits, one walk and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings) amid his own impressive start to the season, commended Leahy for his performance. 'It was the right move, bringing in Leahy,' Liberatore said. 'He's been absolutely nails for us, and he was again tonight. 'He'll tell you every day that he wants the ball, and he really, truly does. I really think that he could take the ball just about every day. He comes in attacking guys, throwing — what? — five to six pitches out of the bullpen, has a feel for all of them. It's special to watch what he's doing right now.' As the Cardinals continue to surge, they're encouraged by their bullpen continuing to take form. Leahy has been at the forefront of that development. Though his four-seam fastball and slider are his two most-used pitches, he has enough trust in his six-pitch arsenal to mix in his sweeper, changeup, curveball and sinker when needed. That has kept opposing hitters well off-balance and has led to his dominating both sides of the plate. In 19 games (24 2/3 innings) this season, Leahy has a 1.09 ERA and a o.650 WHIP. 'I believe in my teammates behind me with their defense, I believe in Pedro (Pagés) behind the plate, I believe in the information and everything the coaches are telling me, and I believe in myself,' Leahy said. 'The situation doesn't really change; the mindset doesn't really change. I just try to be the same guy every day.' The Cardinals, who now sit at a season-best four games over .500, are clicking on all sides of the ball. Their win Monday was arguably their most commanding yet. But what has really encouraged the organization during this exciting stretch is that a different player is fueling each win. Monday night was Leahy's turn, and similar to how he has navigated every other challenge so far, he aced it.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Highest-paid MLB relief pitchers and closers for 2025: Top salaries
Josh Hader, a five-time All-Star and three-time Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award winner, came up just short of breaking the record for the largest contract for a relief pitcher. Instead, he will settle for being the highest-paid reliever in 2025. Advertisement Hader and the Houston Astros agreed to a $95 million deal over the winter. Edwin Diaz's $102 million deal with the New York Mets still stands as the biggest contract ever given to a reliever. Hader's deal will pay him $19 million this season. Diaz will earn $18.3 million in present-day value because of deferred payments. Hader's deal with Houston also includes a full no-trade clause with no money deferred and a $1 million bonus if he wins the Mariano Rivera Award as the AL's best relief pitcher. Who are the highest-paid MLB relief pitchers in 2025? (In present-day value calculated by MLB) Josh Hader, Astros: $19,000,000 Edwin Diaz, Mets: $18,331,014 Raisel Iglesias, Braves: $16,000,000 Ryan Pressly, Cubs: $14,100,000 Kirby Yates, Dodgers: $13,000,000 Tanner Scott, Dodgers: $ 12,141,009 Taylor Rogers, Reds: $12,000,000 Rafael Montero, Astros: $11,500,000 A.J. Minter, Mets: $11,000,000 Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox: $10,750,000 2025 MLB SALARIES: Database of every player who made the Opening Day roster Advertisement The figures, compiled by USA TODAY, are calculated by the MLB Labor Relations Department of the present-day value of contracts including deferrals and signing bonuses. The figures by MLB and distributed to all teams are intended to reflect the cash obligations in any given year. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Highest-paid MLB relief pitchers and closers for 2025: Top salaries
