Relievers of the Month: Greene, Yates
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The Tigers’ Shane Greene and the Padres’ Kirby Yates were honored by Major League Baseball on Thursday as the respective American League and National League Relievers of the Month presented by The Hartford for March and April.
Yates has saved a career-high 14 of the Padres’ 17 victories in March and April, giving him the MLB lead and also the most in MLB history by any reliever before May 1. The 32-year-old right-hander allowed just one run -- a RBI double in the ninth inning of a 4-1 victory -- for a 0.56 ERA in his first 16 appearances. He’s struck out 25 batters against five walks.
Greene, 30, trailed Yates with the second-most saves (12) in the season’s first month. In his second year as the Tigers’ primary closer, Greene converted all of his save opportunities -- pitching in all but one of Detroit’s 13 victories -- and has only allowed two runs for a 1.29 ERA through 14 appearances to begin the year. He’s struck out 17 batters and walked three.