Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Miller Debuts, Rodriguez Lowers ERA, Flaherty Starts, Kolek Recalled

5/12/2026

41 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Bryce Miller Debut

Bryce Miller (pitcher) will debut this week against the Houston Astros.
Eduardo Rodriguez (pitcher) lowered his ERA to 2.25 after an 8.1-inning win on May 10.
Jack Flaherty (pitcher) will start for Kansas City at Citi Field versus the Mets after fanning 10.
Stephen Kolek (pitcher) posted a quality start of three runs over six innings and was recalled when Cole Ragans hit the 15-day IL.

Summary

Pitching Prospects

Gregory Soto, Pittsburgh Pirates closer, is rostered in 31.9% of leagues after five straight scoreless, hitless outings.
Ryan Waldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks prospect, appears in 6.3% of ESPN leagues after promotion to replace underperforming center-fielders.
Kade Anderson, Seattle Mariners prospect, posted a 0.60 ERA and 44.3% strikeout rate in Double-A, marking him as a high-upside redraft stash.

Summary

Twins Stifle Meyer

The Minnesota Twins' lineup has been productive, creating a tough environment for Max Meyer despite his improved sweeper and slider.
The Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants all rank in the bottom ten in runs scored, which could aid Ryne Nelson, Sean Burke, Joey Cantillo and Jeffrey Springs respectively.
These matchups favor pitchers with specialized styles.

History

Historical Context

The save, devised by Jerome Holtzman in 1959 and adopted by MLB in 1969, turned relievers into specialists. Trevor Hoffman, the first pitcher to surpass 500 career saves, exemplified the modern closer that solidified by the 1990s, while Mariano Rivera set the all-time mark with 652 saves. Those precedents shape today’s analytics-driven bullpen usage in 2024.

1 of 4

Bryce Miller Debut

Bryce Miller (pitcher) will debut this week against the Houston Astros.
Eduardo Rodriguez (pitcher) lowered his ERA to 2.25 after an 8.1-inning win on May 10.
Jack Flaherty (pitcher) will start for Kansas City at Citi Field versus the Mets after fanning 10.
Stephen Kolek (pitcher) posted a quality start of three runs over six innings and was recalled when Cole Ragans hit the 15-day IL.

1 / 4