MLB Player News

Mets relievers Bobby Parnell and Vic Black will begin rehab assignments with high Class A Port St. Lucie in the next day or two, the Star-Ledger reports.

It was reported Sunday that Black was expected to begin his rehab at a higher level but will instead join Parnell in Port St. Lucie. Black is recovering from a shoulder injury, while Parnell is still on the road back from Tommy John surgery.

"Their roles, and the jobs they're going to have to do to come up here, they're going to have to pitch two or three nights in a row," manager Terry Collins said to MLB.com. "We've got to make sure those guys can get through those kinds of outings before they're ready to pitch up here."

The Dodgers have outrighted pitcher Ryan Webb to Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to MLB Transactions.

Webb made seven appearances in spring training for Baltimore, posting a 6.75 ERA with six strikeouts and two walks in 6 2/3 innings of work.

Padres pitcher Craig Kimbrel was credited with a save in Sunday's 6-4 win over the Giants. 

Kimbrel pitched a flawless ninth inning, He got Matt Duffy to ground out, Angel Pagan to strike out and Nori Aoki to fly out to center. This is Kimbrel's second save of the season. 

Kimbrel has yet to give up a run in four appearances this year. 

The Rockies announced Sunday that they have moved reliever John Axford off their active roster as he deals with a family issue, replacing him with pitcher Scott Oberg, per the Denver Post. 

Axford's 2-year-old son was bitten by a rattlesnake in Arizona during spring training, and complications have caused the boy to need to be flown to a specialist in Colorado. Axford, who picked up a save Thursday, will miss a minimun of three games and a maximum of seven games. 

To make room for Oberg, the Rockies moved Charlie Culberson to the 60-day disabled list. 

Mets manager Terry Collins said Sunday that relief pitchers Bobby Parnell and Vic Black will begin their respective rehab assignments soon, ESPNNewYork.com reports.

Parnell, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, will likely be headed to high Class A Port St. Lucie, while Black is expected to begin his rehab at a higher level as he returns from a shoulder injury.

Mets reliever Rafael Montero threw 35 straight fastballs in Friday's loss to the Braves, and the Mets are looking for him to vary his pitch selection moving forward, the New York Post reports.

"What bothered me was [Montero] did not use his two-seam fastball, he did not use his changeup, which have both been huge pitches for him all the way along," pitching coach Dan Warthen said. "He has to learn to shake off and call his own pitches. He will mature. He will get better."

Catcher Travis d'Arnaud took the blame for the unvaried pitch selection.

"It all falls on me," d’Arnaud said. "I will take full responsibility for that."

"The pitcher has the ball in his hand and he makes the call," Warthen said. "I think [Friday] might be a great life lesson. [Montero] certainly could have been out of that inning easily anyway, but that is just a good learning lesson."

Montero gave up the go-ahead two-run single to Braves infielder Phil Gosselin in the eighth inning.

"I don’t care what the name on the back says, these are big league hitters," manager Terry Collins said Saturday. "You can’t throw all those fastballs right in a row without them all of a sudden getting engaged. They have got to see an offspeed pitch."

Diamondbacks pitchers Patrick Corbin and David Hernandez each threw 30 sliders off the mound Friday as they work back from Tommy John surgeries, reports AZCentral.com.

The pitch is considered the toughest on a pitcher's elbow, but Hernandez felt strong when throwing it on the mound.

"I'm excited to throw a pitch that I heavily depend on," Hernandez said. "The first time out, I liked where it was at. It had good break and good command."

Corbin left his command left something to be desired. Both are scheduled to face live hitters later this month and begin their rehab schedules, according to the report. Hernandez may be able to return by the middle of May.

"I'm excited to finally see that light at the end of the tunnel," Hernandez said. "Seeing a hitter in the box, that's going to be fun. I'm looking forward to it."

Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson worked an efficient seven scoreless innings Saturday, recording nine strikeouts and allowing just two hits in Milwaukee's 6-0 win over the Pirates Saturday. 

Nelson, who also tallied two walks, did not allow a baserunner past second base in the game. It was his first win of the year and kept his ERA a perfect 0.00.

"I didn't question anything at all, I just stuck to the process," Nelson said to MLB.com. "I was still getting a lot of ground balls and stuff. After leaving my hand, I can't do anything about it. I was pretty happy with the work I've put in. Hopefully it'll stay right there. I'm just happy we got this one for the team, really."

He will look to keep rolling Friday when he faces the Pirates again.

Phillies pitcher Ken Giles is down a bit on his velocity so far this season, but he is more concerned about his control early in the season, reports Philly.com.

"For me, it feels like the same thing as last year, trying to tighten up everything," he said. "The slider is better than it was last year, and hopefully it will probably even get better as the season goes on. But I mean, [I'm] just trying to tighten up little things here and there."

Manager Ryne Sandberg thinks Giles is on track to figure things out before it's too late.

"In some regards, I think he's right where he was last year at this time in April when we didn't have him," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said this week. "He was working on his mechanics. He was working on tightening up his slider. He was working on fastball command. I think he's on the same page that he was last year at this time."

Reds pitcher J.J. Hoover struggled in 2014, going 1-10 with a 4.88 ERA, but he focused on turning things around this offseason and has seen early returns on his work, opening the season with wins in his first two appearances, MLB.com reports.

"Last year, unfortunately, I was not executing pitches as well as I am this year," Hoover said. "That is what I was working on all last season. That is what I worked on all offseason -- pretty much the basics."

Hoover recorded 10 straight losses last season, setting a franchise record for relievers.

"He had similar stuff, his velocity was the same, his curveball was the same, but the location of his mix of pitches, and particularly his fastball, was really a step backwards last year," manager Bryan Price said.

Hoover has yet to allow a run in 3 1/3 innings this season while striking out four and walking none.