MLB Player News

Birdsong (2-0) allowed one unearned run on five hits and struck out four without walking a batter over five innings to earn the win over the Royals on Tuesday.

Birdsong's strong start to the year out of the bullpen earned him a chance to replace Jordan Hicks in the Giants' rotation. This outing was a good first look for Birdsong, who wasn't asked to do too much with 80 pitches (54 strikes) while facing a low-scoring offense. He had been tagged for eight runs (four earned) over 7.2 innings across four relief outings in May before his promotion to the rotation. Birdsong is sporting a 1.91 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 29:10 K:BB across 28.1 innings this season. He is projected to make his next start on the road versus the Tigers, which is a much more intimidating matchup.

Uribe picked up the save in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Orioles after striking out the side in the ninth inning.

Closer Trevor Megill and setup man Nick Mears had both worked the prior two days, paving the way for Uribe to receive his first save opportunity of the year. Uribe hasn't given up a run in any of his last 13 appearances, and he boasts a 1.19 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 32:10 K:BB over 22.2 innings this season. The 24-year-old right-hander is unlikely to see save chances when most of Milwaukee's high-leverage arms are available, but Uribe is tied for the National League lead with 12 holds.

Finnegan earned the save in Tuesday's 5-3 win over Atlanta, tossing a scoreless ninth inning without a hit, walk or strikeout.

All 10 pitches Finnegan tossed resulted in strikes as he was able to successfully defend the Nationals' two-run lead in the ninth. He's converted on each of his last six save opportunities, and his 15 saves are tied with Andres Munoz and Robert Suarez for most in the majors. Finnegan has a 2.55 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 17:7 K:BB across 17.2 innings this season.

The Pirates selected Mattson from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

The right-hander will take the roster spot of Colin Holderman, who was placed on the injured list Tuesday due to a thumb injury. Mattson gave up three earned runs in 5.1 frames with Pittsburgh last year and has a 2.33 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 24:5 K:BB over 19.1 innings this season with Indianapolis.

The Pirates placed Holderman on the 15-day injured list Tuesday due to thumb inflammation, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.

It's unclear when exactly he suffered the injury, but Holderman had been torched for five runs over his last two appearances. Isaac Mattson will absorb Holderman's spot on the roster and in the bullpen.

Reds manager Terry Francona said Tuesday that Gibaut (shoulder) is on track to be activated from the 15-day injured list Wednesday, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.

Gibaut has been shelved since late April with a right shoulder impingement but has made four scoreless rehab appearances without any setbacks. He will return to a middle-relief role.

The Cubs recalled Roberts from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday.

Roberts is back in the majors after the Cubs placed Porter Hodge (oblique) on the 15-day injured list. Roberts has appeared in nine games for Chicago this season, posting a 5.40 ERA and 6:2 KBB across 8.1 innings of work out of the bullpen.

The Cubs placed Hodge (oblique) on the 15-day injured list Tuesday.

Hodge has been diagnosed with a left oblique strain and will miss at least the next couple weeks. In a corresponding move, the Cubs recalled Ethan Roberts from Triple-A Iowa. With Hodge sidelined, Daniel Palencia got the save chance Monday against the Marlins but blew it, surrendering a pair of earned runs on two hits and one walk across two-thirds of an inning. Ryan Pressly should also vie for save opportunities.

Dreyer (2-2) tossed two innings in a loss against Arizona on Monday, allowing three runs on three hits and one walk while striking out one batter.

Dreyer worked as an opener in front of Landon Knack and fell behind quickly, giving up two runs in the first frame. Those runs weren't entirely his fault -- Hyeseong Kim lost sight of a very catchable flyball in center field that dropped for a gift double -- but Dreyer gave up another run in the third and had his streak of five straight scoreless outings snapped. Dreyer has made three starts as an opener this season along with coming out of the bullpen 16 times, and overall he has a 3.38 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 30:12 K:BB over 26.2 innings.

Sauer surrendered two earned runs on two hits and no walks while striking out one batter over two innings of relief in Monday's 9-5 loss to the Diamondbacks.

After making a four-inning start in his previous appearance for the Dodgers on Thursday against the Athletics, Sauer shifted back to the bullpen after Los Angeles added Clayton Kershaw to its rotation over the weekend. The Dodgers still went without a traditional starter in Monday's game, as Jack Dreyer covered the first two frames before Landon Knack tossed the next five innings. Sauer then came on to finish out the contest, but Knack looks like he'll be prioritized in bulk relief ahead of Sauer the next time the fifth spot in the Los Angeles rotation comes up.