Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Joel Payamps locked down the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, helping the Brewers secure a 2-0 win. Payamps didn't allow a baserunner and struck out one in his inning of work. While the Brewers bullpen situation without Devin Williams doesn't seem to be fully solved, Payamps appears to be at the top of the list for saves at the moment. He may not get every opportunity, but he should get more than anyone else for as long as he is pitching well. He should be added in most leagues where saves matter.

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Joel Payamps picked up the save on Sunday during a 4-1 win over the New York Mets. Payamps retired the side in order and struck out one. Abner Uribe recorded saves in each of the Brewers previous two games. While Uribe was unlikely to pitch three days in a row, the Brewers may have a potential closer by committee situation on their hands. Uribe is the preferred pickup at this point in time, but this bullpen is one to monitor until Devin Williams returns.

With Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams (back) expected to miss three months due to stress fractures in his back, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg writes that relievers Joel Payamps and Abner Uribe are among the most obvious early candidates to see save chances for the Brewers until Williams is able to return. There isn't anyone with significant closing experience in the bullpen for Milwaukee, but Payamps, Uribe, Hoby Milner, Elvis Peguero, Bryse Wilson and Trevor Megill are all among the key returners from a bullpen that was second in ERA in 2023. Payamps, 29, had a 2.55 ERA with three saves and 28 holds in 70 2/3 innings last year and should be considered a top speculatory closer for fantasy managers late in drafts. Uribe, 23, lights up the radar gun and can whiff batters with the best of them, but his elevated walk rate is a cause for concern.

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Joel Payamps is off to a rough start this spring, giving up six runs (five earned) and two home runs in just 2 2/3 innings of work, but he remains next in line for save opportunities in the team's bullpen. With All-Star closer Devin Williams (back) heading for a second opinion from a spine specialist on his sore back this week, Payamps is a name to watch late in fantasy drafts while Williams' status is unclear. The 29-year-old Dominican right-hander has been a solid high-leverage arm throughout his career, and he most recently delivered a strong 2.55 ERA (3.48 FIP), 1.04 WHIP, and 77:17 K:BB through 70 2/3 frames for the Brew Crew in 2023. After collecting 27 holds a year ago, Payamps may be needed for ninth-inning duties if Williams ends up needing to miss time to begin the campaign and is worth rostering in deep fantasy leagues until the latter is cleared to return.

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Joel Payamps threw a clean ninth inning with one strikeout to net his second save of the season in Saturday's 11-8 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. After the Brewers bullpen sputtered and nearly squandered a wonderful Corbin Burnes starting effort, Payamps was summoned to extinguish the fire and did just that. Devin Williams was not called upon for this one after working four of the prior seven days, last pitching on Thursday against the New York Mets for 26 high-pressure pitches. It should be relieving for Milwaukee to see another arm step up in an occasion where their All-Star closer seemed to be unavailable. The 25-year-old Payamps features a 2.11 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 42 punchouts over 38 1/3 innings this year.

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Joel Payamps notched his first save of the season on Thursday when his club defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 in 10 innings. He went one inning, allowing a hit and striking out one batter. The Brewers were without Devin Williams, who pitched the ninth inning, and Matt Bush, who blew a lead in the eighth inning. Payamps now owns a 3.38 ERA, 20.0% strikeout rate and 1.69 WHIP over 5.1 innings. Fantasy managers shouldn't count on the 29-year-old factoring much into save situations moving forward, as he probably isn't even the third option for manager Craig Counsell.

Oakland Athletics outfielder Skye Bolt (knee) suffered a right knee contusion after being hit by a pitch in the seventh inning on Thursday against the New York Yankees, according to manager Mark Kotsay. Bolt said X-rays came back negative, but he was still walking gingerly after the game. Reliever Joel Payamps (calf) suffered a left calf contusion. Bolt was 0-for-2 with a run scored in the game, while Payamps had to be helped off the field after being hit by a comebacker. It was only his second appearance for the A's after being claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals last week. Payamps' injury appears more serious than Bolt's, but fantasy managers should consider them both day-to-day for now.

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Francisco Mejía hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during a seven-run burst in the 11th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their 11th straight game, outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays 14-8 on Monday. Tampa Bay moved within one win of the team record for consecutive victories. In 2004, playing as the Devil Rays, they won 12 in a row under manager Lou Piniella. After both teams scored twice in the 10th to make it 7-all, the Rays broke loose. Mejía’s hit came off Joel Payamps (0-2) with the bases loaded. Randy Arozarena doubled home a run, Austin Meadows had an RBI grounder, Manuel Margot knocked in two with a triple and Mike Brosseau added an RBI single against Tim Mayza. Joey Wendle hit a grand slam as Tampa Bay took a 5-0 lead in the first. The Rays wound up with a four-game sweep and took over sole possession of first place in the AL East. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two of Toronto’s five home runs. The Blue Jays lost their sixth in a row. Tampa Bay scored twice in the 10th,... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Francisco Mejía hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during a seven-run burst in the 11th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their 11th straight game, outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays 14-8 on Monday. Tampa Bay moved within one win of the team record for consecutive victories. In 2004, playing as the Devil Rays, they won 12 in a row under manager Lou Piniella. After both teams scored twice in the 10th to make it 7-all, the Rays broke loose. Mejía’s hit came off Joel Payamps (0-2) with the bases loaded. Randy Arozarena doubled home a run, Austin Meadows had an RBI grounder, Manuel Margot knocked in two with a triple and Mike Brosseau added an RBI single against Tim Mayza. Joey Wendle hit a grand slam as Tampa Bay took a 5-0 lead in the first. The Rays wound up with a four-game sweep and took over sole possession of first place in the AL East. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two of Toronto’s five home runs. The Blue Jays lost their sixth in a row. Tampa Bay scored twice in the 10th,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Manuel Margot hit a tiebreaking two-run homer, Tyler Glasnow overcame cramps and poor control to pitch five innings of one-run ball and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees 6-3 Saturday and dropped New York to an AL-worst 5-9. New York lost its seventh straight series to the Rays is last this late in the season for the first time since 1991, per Elias Sports. Fans in the Bronx again booed the Bombers, but they were more restrained a day after some hurled baseballs and other items on the field late in an 8-2 loss to the Rays. Francisco Mejía hit a solo shot in the second off Jordan Montgomery (1-1), and Margot made it 3-1 with his homer off the left-hander in the fourth. Joey Wendle added a two-run shot against Jonathan Loaisiga in the seventh, and Mejía had an RBI double in the ninth. Glasnow (2-0) walked four but also struck out seven and limited New York to two hits as the Rays (7-8) won their second straight in the series. DODGERS 2, PADRES 0 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mookie Betts... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Manuel Margot hit a tiebreaking two-run homer, Tyler Glasnow overcame cramps and poor control to pitch five innings of one-run ball and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees 6-3 Saturday and dropped New York to an AL-worst 5-9. New York lost its seventh straight series to the Rays is last this late in the season for the first time since 1991, per Elias Sports. Fans in the Bronx again booed the Bombers, but they were more restrained a day after some hurled baseballs and other items on the field late in an 8-2 loss to the Rays. Francisco Mejía hit a solo shot in the second off Jordan Montgomery (1-1), and Margot made it 3-1 with his homer off the left-hander in the fourth. Joey Wendle added a two-run shot against Jonathan Loaisiga in the seventh, and Mejía had an RBI double in the ninth. Glasnow (2-0) walked four but also struck out seven and limited New York to two hits as the Rays (7-8) won their second straight in the series. METS 4, ROCKIES 3, 1ST GAME ROCKIES 7, METS 2,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Manuel Margot hit a tiebreaking two-run homer, Tyler Glasnow overcame cramps and poor control to pitch five innings of one-run ball and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees 6-3 Saturday and dropped New York to an AL-worst 5-9. New York lost its seventh straight series to the Rays is last this late in the season for the first time since 1991, per Elias Sports. Fans in the Bronx again booed the Bombers, but they were more restrained a day after some hurled baseballs and other items on the field late in an 8-2 loss to the Rays. Francisco Mejía hit a solo shot in the second off Jordan Montgomery (1-1), and Margot made it 3-1 with his homer off the left-hander in the fourth. Joey Wendle added a two-run shot against Jonathan Loaisiga in the seventh, and Mejía had an RBI double in the ninth. Glasnow (2-0) walked four but also struck out seven and limited New York to two hits as the Rays (7-8) won their second straight in the series. METS 4, ROCKIES 3, 1ST GAME ROCKIES 7, METS 2,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Manuel Margot hit a tiebreaking two-run homer, Tyler Glasnow overcame cramps and poor control to pitch five innings of one-run ball and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees 6-3 Saturday and dropped New York to an AL-worst 5-9. New York lost its seventh straight series to the Rays is last this late in the season for the first time since 1991, per Elias Sports. Fans in the Bronx again booed the Bombers, but they were more restrained a day after some hurled baseballs and other items on the field late in an 8-2 loss to the Rays. Francisco Mejía hit a solo shot in the second off Jordan Montgomery (1-1), and Margot made it 3-1 with his homer off the left-hander in the fourth. Joey Wendle added a two-run shot against Jonathan Loaisiga in the seventh, and Mejía had an RBI double in the ninth. Glasnow (2-0) walked four but also struck out seven and limited New York to two hits as the Rays (7-8) won their second straight in the series. METS 4, ROCKIES 3, 1ST GAME DENVER (AP) — New... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays have placed outfielder Teoscar Hernández on the injured list after he was exposed to someone with a positive coronavirus case outside of the team. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Friday the team is conducting contact tracing and testing in accordance with Major League Baseball's guidelines after Hernández's close contact. “That's all I can tell you about it right now,” Montoyo said. Left-hander Ryan Borucki also went on the injured list with vaccine side effects, which included a fever and fatigue. He was sent home after arriving at the ballpark for Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. left after two innings in Friday night's game with vaccination-related symptoms. A number of Toronto players received shots before Thursday's game with the Angels. Montoyo got his second vaccination and said after the game that he felt a little tired. “A lot of teams are going through this right now,” Montoyo said. “We'll get better soon.” Toronto placed right-hander Tyler Chatwood on the 10-day IL with right triceps inflammation. Outfielder Josh Palacios and pitchers Ty Tice and Joel Payamps were recalled from the alternate training site. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays have placed outfielder Teoscar Hernández on the injured list after he was exposed to someone with a positive coronavirus case outside of the team. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Friday the team is conducting contact tracing and testing in accordance with Major League Baseball's guidelines after Hernández's close contact. “That's all I can tell you about it right now,” Montoyo said. Left-hander Ryan Borucki also went on the injured list with vaccine side effects, which included a fever and fatigue. He was sent home after arriving at the ballpark for Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels. A number of Toronto players received shots before Thursday's game with the Angels. Montoyo got his second vaccination and said after the game that he felt a little tired. “A lot of teams are going through this right now,” Montoyo said. “We'll get better soon.” Toronto placed right-hander Tyler Chatwood on the 10-day IL with right triceps inflammation. Outfielder Josh Palacios and pitchers Ty Tice and Joel Payamps were recalled from the alternate training site. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Infielder Joe Panik was put on the Toronto Blue Jays' major league roster and George Springer went on the 10-day injured list, among a dozen roster moves ahead of Thursday’s opener at the New York Yankees. The 30-year-old Panik, a seven-year major league veteran, had agreed to a minor league contract ahead of spring training and was selected from Triple-A Buffalo. He gets a one-year contract paying $1.85 million while in the major leagues and $150,000 while in the minors. He also can earn $400,000 in performance bonuses for plate appearances: $100,000 each for 325, 400, 475 and 500. Springer was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique muscle that will delay his debut with the Blue Jays, who signed him as a free agent to a $150 million, six-year contract. The 2017 World Series MVP with Houston was scratched from a game on March 9 because of tightness in his abdominal muscles and did not play in any exhibitions after March 21. The 31-year-old hit .240... [More]

In less than a decade, Xander Bogaerts has gone from up-and-coming prospect to elder statesman in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse. “It’s kind of crazy to think how time flies that quickly,” Bogaerts told reporters in a Zoom call from spring training on Monday. “I was young, man. I just wanted to get to the big leagues, and make it from my little tiny Aruba. “Now I’m eight years in the big leagues and I’ve accomplished some stuff so far at a young age,” he said. “That fuels me to to continue to do it, to continue to be better and set an example." Sill just 28, Bogaerts is already the longest-tenured member of the Red Sox, who signed him as an amateur free agent in 2009. He broke in to the majors late in the 2013 season and the time the team reached the World Series, he had played his way into the starting lineup. “Now he’s the older one,” manager Alex Cora said on the first full day of team workouts. “I saw him today, walking around talking to players, growing into the leader that in envisioned... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Shortstop Bo Bichette has big expectations for the upgraded Toronto Blue Jays. “I believe in the team, just like I did last year,” Bichette said Monday as the Blue Jays held their first full-squad workout in Dunedin, Florida. “Obviously we added some new names." “I think this year, if we go home without a trophy, that’ll be disappointing,” he said. Toronto was among the busiest teams on the free-agent market, agreeing to a $150 million, six-year contract with outfielder George Springer; an $18 million, one-year contract with shortstop Marcus Semien; a $5.5 million, one-year deal with right-hander Kirby Yates; a $3 million, one-year contract with right-hander Tyler Chatwood and a $1.75 million, one-year contract with right-hander David Phelps. “We’re very excited, we all believe in ourselves, and we believe that we can play with the best teams,” Bichette said. Semien said he’s already impressed by the winning attitude at camp. “There’s a level of confidence I’m excited about,”... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Right-hander David Phelps and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a $1.75 million, one-year contract. Phelps, 34, went 2-4 with a 6.53 ERA in 22 relief appearances with Milwaukee and Philadelphia last season. He earned $462,963 in prorated base pay from a $1.25 million salary and $434,546 in earned bonuses for $897,509 in income. Phelps spent the first half with Toronto in 2019 and had a 3.63 ERA in 17 appearances with the Blue Jays. He is 34-38 with a 3.,95 ERA in eight major league seasons that also included stints with the New York Yankees (2012-14), Miami (2015-17), Seattle (2017-19) and the Chicago Cubs (2019). To make room on the 40-man roster, outfielder Derek Fisher was designated for assignment. Toronto has been among the more active teams on the free-agent market, agreeing to a $150 million, six-year contract with outfielder George Springer, an $18 million, one-year contract with shortstop Marcus Semien, a $5.5 million, one-year deal with right-hander Kirby Yates... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Right-hander David Phelps and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a $1.75 million, one-year contract a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because an announcement was not authorized before Toronto opens a space on the 40-man roster. Phelps, 34, went 2-4 with a 6.53 ERA in 22 relief appearances with Milwaukee and Philadelphia last season. He earned $462,963 in prorated base pay from a $1.25 million salary and $434,546 in earned bonuses for $897,509 in income. Phelps spent the first half with Toronto in 2019 and had a 3.63 ERA in 17 appearances with the Blue Jays. He is 34-38 with a 3.,95 ERA in eight major league seasons that also included stints with the New York Yankees (2012-14), Miami (2015-17), Seattle (2017-19) and the Chicago Cubs (2019). Toronto has been among the more active teams on the free-agent market, agreeing to a $150 million, six-year contract with outfielder George Springer,... [More]