MLB Player News

Yates was placed on the bereavement list prior to Friday's game.

Yates will be away from the team for the rest of this weekend's series against the Rockies and could miss up to seven games. Look for Craig Stammen or Jose Castillo to man down to ninth-inning role in his absence.

Vizcaino (shoulder) will make a rehab appearance for Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Vizcaino hasn't pitched since July 11, so he may need to make a small handful of rehab appearances. With rosters expanding in September, however, the Braves could activate him before he's ready to pitch on back-to-back days, as they'll have more than enough arms in the 'pen to cover for him. It's unclear whether or not he'll be able to pry closing duties back from A.J. Minter upon his return.

Miller (elbow) is scheduled to extend his throwing distance off flat ground to 125 feet next week, the Associated Press reports.

Miller began his throwing program a little under two weeks ago and has been eased along slowly, as he has yet to graduate to mound work. That could happen shortly after he pushes his flat-ground distance to 125 feet, but it's still looking unlikely that Miller will return from the 60-day disabled list until the second half of September, if at all this year. If that ends up being the case, Miller would likely be deployed out of the bullpen, as he wouldn't have enough time to condition his arm for a starter's workload.

Boxberger recorded the final two outs -- both strikeouts -- to earn the save Thursday against the Dodgers.

Andrew Chafin was called on to begin the ninth inning with left-hander Cody Bellinger leading off the inning. However, Boxberger entered the game to face the final two batters and recorded his 31st save. Boxberger has blown six saves this season, but has successfully converted six of his last seven chances and shows no signs of relinquishing the closer role.

Strop pitched a perfect ninth inning to record the save in Thursday's 5-4 win over the Braves.

Strop was lifted from his last save opportunity Monday after recording just a single out and allowing two baserunners, but he was able to get the job done in this one. The 33-year-old now has a strong 2.45 ERA and 11 saves this season, and he should continue to fill in as the Cubs' closer for however long Brandon Morrow (biceps) remains on the DL. With Morrow still not throwing off a mound, Strop could have the job for the rest of the regular season at least.

Hader tossed a perfect 10th inning and notched the save Thursday against the Reds.

Hader managed to bounce back after a disastrous outing Wednesday, surrendering four runs while recording just two outs in his previous appearance. He'll continue to be used as one of Milwaukee's high-leverage relievers down the stretch, and he owns a 2.01 ERA and 0.78 WHIP with 113 strikeouts through 67 innings.

Jansen will be called upon as the closer Thursday against the Diamondbacks if necessary, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Although Jansen has been hit hard since his return from the disabled list (seven runs through four outings), he'll be used during the ninth inning if needed. The 30-year-old sports a 3.09 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 66 strikeouts across 58.1 innings this season despite his recent struggles.

Garcia was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports.

Garcia returned from the disabled list Friday, and after making two appearances out of the bullpen (two runs allowed over two innings with one punch out) he'll head to the minor leagues. Josh Fields (shoulder) was activated from the DL in a corresponding move. Garcia figures to return from the minors once rosters expand Sept. 1.

Fields (shoulder) was activated from the 60-day disabled list ahead of Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports.

Fields had been on the shelf with a shoulder issue for the last two months, although after completing a rehab stint, he's set to return to action. He figures to eventually settle in as a setup man, although the Dodgers will likely ease him back into big-league action. In corresponding moves, Rob Segedin was designated for assignment, and Yimi Garcia was optioned to High-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Fields (shoulder) expects to be activated from the 60-day disabled list over the weekend, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Fields has been sidelined since June 28 with a shoulder issue, but he's apparently feeling great after completing an eight-game rehab stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City and the Arizona League Dodgers (despite allowing five runs and three homers in seven innings). Once he's activated, Fields will likely be eased back into a setup role. He compiled a shiny 2.36 ERA across 34.1 innings before landing on the DL.