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American League

National League

ANAHEIM ANGELS
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Agreed to a two-year extension with RHP Huston Street worth $17 million, with a club option worth $10 million. [5/13]

A fine deal for a fine reliever.

Street is an atypical closer. Not only has he stuck around for 11 years due to his command and secondary offerings, but he's done so while recording double-digit saves each season along the way. Street doesn't throw hard or generate tons of ground balls, yet he gets the job done anyway. The result of his wiliness and longevity is that he feels like an old pitcher, when in fact he won't turn 32 until August. Given Street's track record and recent durability (he hasn't been on the disabled list since 2013), there's no reason to think he can't give the Angels another two, three years of quality pitching—and who knows, perhaps more after that.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
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Recalled RHP Mike Wright from Triple-A Norfolk; placed RHP Jason Garcia on the 15-day disabled list (shoulder tendinitis). [5/13]
Claimed RHP Jorge Rondon off waivers from the Rockies; transferred C-S Matt Wieters to the 60-day disabled list (Tommy John surgery). [5/10]

The Orioles make a pair of moves designed to improve their bullpen.

Wright is the more noteworthy of the additions, largely because he's the one joining the big-league club. While he entered the season listed as one of the O's best prospects, and certainly possesses the size and control to start, there's always been a belief he could wind up in relief, where his average three-pitch arsenal might play up. If Wright does hang around in relief, and his stuff does look more lively in short spurts, then expect him to fill a set-up role sometime down the line.

As for Rondon, he could replace Garcia as the designated flamethrower project. For the time being, Rondon will head to Norfolk in order to prove his improved control is legitimate; you'd never know it based on his high-effort delivery, which sees him hold his glove low and away at release, but last season he nearly halved his walk rate. Rondon throws in the upper-90s, so Baltimore won't be his last stop, even if his strike-throwing gains prove to be an illusion.

TAMPA BAY RAYS
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Claimed RHP Preston Guilmet off waivers from the Blue Jays; transferred LHP Drew Smyly to the 60-day disabled list (torn labrum). [5/13]

Guilmet has made the rounds over the past year, spending time with four organizations, including the Orioles, with whom he made 10 big-league appearances. Predictably, his profile inspires debate. Guilmet has quality control (he hasn't walked more than two batters per nine since 2012) and a deceptively high release point, yet there are questions about how his upper-80s fastball and splitter combination will translate to the majors. Knowing the Rays, Guilmet will try his hand at the high-low approach—that is, high fastballs, low splitters—in an attempt to sneak into the majors as a middleman.

ATLANTA BRAVES
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Signed C-R Wil Nieves to a minor-league deal. [5/13]

The toughest question to answer about Nieves is whether his signing means anything for the Braves' big-league roster. In theory Nieves, who can opt out of the agreement come July 1, could serve as Atlanta's new backup catcher if the Braves were to demote Christian Bethancourt or trade A.J. Pierzynski. It's unclear if either option is on the table, however, and this could be a case where the Braves just wanted their developing pitchers in Gwinnett to work with a longtime big-league veteran. Whatever the case, Nieves is a quality defensive catcher with zero upside and negative offensive value.

NEW YORK METS
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Recalled LHP Jack Leathersich from Triple-A Las Vegas; placed RHP Buddy Carlyle on the 15-day disabled list (back spasms). [5/14]

Originally a fifth-round selection, Leathersich returns to the majors for his second stint. He is, believe it or not, as interesting as his surname demands. Any reliever with a career minor-league strikeout rate topping 15 per nine is expected to throw super-duper hard and/or have a deceptive delivery. Leathersich validates both beliefs, but only to an extent; his fastball can touch the mid-90s and he hides the ball well enough, though not to an excessive degree. Factor in Leathersich's woeful control (he's walked nearly five per nine throughout his time on the farm), and his future role is indeterminable. If Leathersich can continue to miss bats near his minor-league rate, he could slot into the late innings; otherwise, his future ought to be in middle relief, possibly as a second lefty.

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mentalmeat
5/15
Huston Street has been sneaky good and consistent. On his way to finishing in the top 10 in career saves. This guy is like the Don Sutton of relievers, never the best but damn good for a long time.