MLB Player News

Iglesias (1-1) gave up three runs on six hits and two walks in five innings Thursday in a loss to the Cubs.

It ended up being a lopsided loss, but at least this one wasn't really on Iglesias -- he kept his team in the game despite not having very good command. The Cuban righty's strikeout upside is tantalizing, but he hasn't been pitching very deep into games and plays for a Reds team that's not expected to provide him much offensive support.

Pomeranz (1-1) got the short end of the stick in Thursday's 2-0 loss to the Phillies. The lefty went six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and tied his career best with eight strikeouts.

Pomeranz got unlucky as his counterpart, Vince Velasquez, struck out 16 in a dominant three-hit shutout. The 5th-overall pick in 2010 now has 15 strikeouts through his first 11 innings of 2016. Pomeranz has always shown the ability to miss bats and rack up K's, but the Padres anemic offense will limit the amount of games he'll win this season.

McGough was designated for assignment by the Marlins on Thursday, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander will be removed from the 40-man roster to clear a spot for Eric Jokisch, who was claimed off waivers from Chicago on Thursday. McGough will likely remain at Triple-A New Orleans, where he's allowed six hits and four earned runs over 2.2 innings thus far in 2016.

Jansen struck out two en route to a five-out save Wednesday against the Diamondbacks.

It took him only 18 pitches (14 strikes) to demolish the opposition and record his third save of the season. Jansen's allowed only a lonely single over his first 3.2 innings and appears set for another brilliant campaign as one of the top closers in baseball.

De La Rosa (0-2) couldn't get out of the fifth inning in Wednesday's start against the Dodgers, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk in 4.2 frames. He struck out three.

The erratic righty has opened ugly this year, having tossed only nine innings between two starts and a relief appearance. De La Rosa has great raw stuff, but harnessing it has been a continuous challenge for him and it's starting to look like only a matter of time until he gets demoted into a bullpen role, where his fastball-slider repertoire seemingly would play much better than it does in the rotation. If any promising pitcher starts banging on the door in the minors, De La Rosa seems the likeliest Arizona starter to be displaced.

Gomez allowed one hit and a walk, as he yielded his first run of the season, but he did record his fourth save in as many opportunities against the Padres on Wednesday.

Phillies manager Pete Mackanin has yet to officially anoint Gomez the closer, but he continues to pitch the ninth inning. He isn't likely to average a strikeout per inning, but for the time being, owners can count on Gomez for saves.

Hader, 22, has a 1.00 ERA and 12:3 K:BB ratio through nine innings for Double-A Biloxi.

Hader has picked right up where he left off last season, using his funky delivery and improved control to baffle opposing hitters. He has emerged as a top-flight pitching prospect for the Brew Crew since coming over in the Carlos Gomez deal.

Sims, 21, has a 3.00 ERA and 16:7 K:BB ratio through nine innings for Double-A Mississippi.

The former first-rounder has seen an uptick in strikeouts since an abysmal 2014 campaign. Still, control remains a concern, as he walked 54 batters in 92.2 innings last year. Strikeout stuff is difficult to come by, though, so Sims remains a high-risk, high-reward prospect for the Braves.

Gomez is expected to continue to get save opportunities for the time being, Mehan Montemurro of The News Journal reports. "I have no problem calling him the closer. He's the guy I'm going to use," said manager Pete Mackanin on Wednesday.

The Phillies opened the season with more questions than answers in terms of options at closer, but Gomez has set himself apart from the likes of David Hernandez and Dalier Hinojosa. Gomez has converted his last three saves without any incident. Although Gomez does not have the inflated strikeout rate many desire from a closer, he does seem to be gaining a grasp on the role for now and should continue to be called upon in save situations.

Matzek has progressed to throwing 35-pitch bullpen sessions, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.

The Rockies have decided to go "a bullpen at a time" with the left-hander as he returns from an absence caused by his performance anxiety. It's unclear when he'll return to game action, but the progression in pitch count during each bullpen session is a good sign that he'll be decently conditioned when he is able to return. Matzek will likely slot into the rotation with Triple-A Albuquerque when he comes of the disabled list.