MLB Player News

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman picked up his 11th save of the season in Monday night's 6-4 win over the Phillies. 

Chapman had some room to work with and needed it as he gave up an earned run and faced five batters. His walked two batters and struck out one. Chapman now has a 2.39 ERA this season. 

Marlins pitcher Brad Hand struggled from the opening batter and he never improved during Monday's 11-3 loss to the Blue Jays.

Hand allowed six runs on six hits over 2/3 innings. He struck out one and walked a batter while picking up his second loss of the season. His ERA now stands at 5.71.

Hand (1-2) was coming off his first win of the season in his last start, but the six runs he surrendered Monday were a season high. His next expected start is scheduled for Saturday at home against the Rockies.

Pitching in his first game since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year, Diamondbacks pitcher David Hernandez tossed a scoreless inning during Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Mets.

"It feels amazing," he said, per The Arizona Republic. "It was a long journey, some ups and downs, along the way. But just happy to be a part of the team again."

Joe Maddon declared Saturday that his removal of closer Hector Rondon from a save situation did not signal his loss of that role.

Well, Rondon did not come out to pitch the ninth for the Cubs on Sunday - he had already thrown a scoreless eighth. Jason Motte earned the save instead.

Since Pedro Strop finished the game Saturday, it remains to be seen which one of those three is now the closer or if Maddon is opting for a by-committee approach.

Motte, who won in relief Saturday and peaked in 2012 with 42 saves for St. Louis, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth Sunday. He has not allowed a run in his last nine appearances.

Pirates closer Mark Melancon picked up his 18th save on Sunday, striking out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning to finish off his team's 3-0 shutout of the Braves.

Melancon endured a shaky start to the season but has allowed just one earned run since April 21. He still hasn't managed to up his strikeout rate, with Sunday's two strikeouts representing his first outing with multiple strikeouts since the end of April. Melancon owns a 2.28 ERA and 15:5 K:BB ratio in 27 2/3 innings.

The Diamondbacks will reinstate relief pitcher David Hernandez from the 15-day disabled list on Sunday, the team announced after their 2-1 win over the Mets on Saturday.

Hernandez has been with the team recently, though he wasn't removed from the DL until now.

He hasn't pitched in the Major Leagues since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2013.

Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen was put in the perfect position to close his team's game against the Cardinals out on Saturday.

Jansen entered the game with his team up 2-0 and after teammate Clayton Kershaw tossed eight innings of one-hit baseball. Jansen followed that performance by striking out a batter and relieving the side for his sixth save of the year.

In seven innings of relief this season, Jansen has 12 strikeouts and has not allowed an earned run.

Rockies pitcher Chris Rusin was dominant in his team's 10-5 win over the Marlins on Saturday.

Rusin tossed seven innings and only allowed two earned runs while striking out eight batters. 

In 19 2/3 innings this season, Rusin has allowed just three earned runs for an impressive 1.45 ERA.

"He knows how to pitch -- knows how to put sequences together, finish an at-bat, get a ground ball when he needs it, elevate the ball when he needs to do that," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said, per MLB.com.

Rusin is scheduled to make his next start Thursday in a rematch with the Marlins in Miami.

Padres closer Craig Kimbrel earned his 13th save of the season in his team's 9-7 win over the Reds on Saturday.

Kimbrel struckout two batters, but he did allow a hit and a walk in the solo inning he pitched.

Kimbrel's ERA is down to 4.29 this season.

Joe Maddon has quelled any closer controversy brewing with the Cubs.

Maddon called on Pedro Strop in the ninth inning Saturday to shut down the Nationals after usual closer Hector Rondon walked Anthony Rendon upon entering. But he announced after the game that it was a one-time deal.

"For me, it was about winning the game today," he told the Chicago Tribune. "I am not ordaining anyone new."

Rondon has converted 10 of 13 save opportunities this season. But he has allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks in his last 7 1/3 innings. The free passes were issued in his last two appearances.

Strop, who fanned Clint Robinson and Ian Desmond to snag his second save, had been shaky as well before recording four consective scoreless outings.