MLB Player News

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen closed out a 1-0 win over the Cardinals with little drama Thursday.  

Though Jansen did allow a one-out single to Matt Adams, pinch-hitter Peter Bourjos ran Jansen out of trouble with a caught stealing. Jansen closed the game out one batter later, finishing the inning with one strikeout on nine pitches thrown.

Jansen has had his struggles this season, but still ranks second in the National League with 24 saves. He has a 4.01 ERA in 33 2/3 innings of work, with 56 strikeouts and 11 walks. 

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman closed out a 3-1 win over the Giants Thursday.

Chapman closed out the game on just 10 pitches, as he tossed a scoreless ninth despite allowing one hit. He struck out one batter and ended the game without issue for his 15th save.

Chapman has allowed six runs in 22 innings, while striking out 44 batters, and is now 15 for 16 on save attempts. 

The Mets grew frustrated with pitcher Rafael Montero 's approach in the majors, according to the New York Daily News.

Montero was known for his strong command in the minors, but that didn't come out in his brief major-league stint. Some team officials were disappointed he tried to nibble on the corners, which led to his demotion. "We’re trying to figure out what the hell that was all about," one Mets person said. "We were shocked."

Montero posted a 5.40 ERA over 20 innings in the majors prior to his demotion.

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman closed out a 4-1 win over the Cubs with little drama Wednesday.

Chapman allowed a two-out double to Justin Ruggiano, but the big lead meant he didn't have much to worry about. He fanned the final batter he faced to finish out the save.

Chapman is 13 for 14 in save opportunities this season, with a 2.57 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 21 innings. 

I've held out as long as I could knowing the upside and the weight of my investment, but enough is enough: Shelby Miller no longer has a place on my mixed-league rosters.

I thought he was making progress. I thought he had tweaked his arsenal enough that the improved control we saw during a five-start stretch from May 17 to June 7, culminating in a complete-game shutout at Toronto, would bring him back to his former dominance, short-lived as it was.

But in three starts since, he has issued 12 walks over 16 innings, striking out just 13.

Granted, the last one -- which was also the worst -- came at Colorado, and pitchers usually get a pass there, but five walks in 2 2/3 innings is unacceptable regardless of the environment. And it only validated the concerns I had about his previous two starts.

As always for posts like this one, I feel the need to clarify that giving up on Miller now isn't the same as giving up on him forever. He's still young and talented and blah, blah, blah. But with this latest start, I think we've finally reached the point where if you drop Miller, you either won't miss him or you'll have another shot at him later. If the point of a bench spot is to protect what you fear losing to someone else, he's undeserving of one.

Nationals pitcher Blake Treinen is expected to start one of the team's games Saturday, according to MLB.com.

The club has a double-header against the Cubs, and will call up Treinen for the start. He's posted a 2.08 ERA over 30 1/3 innings in the majors this year. 

Cardinals starter Joe Kelly is closing in on a return from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him for more than two months, but the team has found a need to place him on the 60-day disabled list.

The move will not deter Kelly from working his way back soon. He is slated to make his first rehab start for Triple-A Memphis on Friday. He should be back on a big league mound the first week of July.

Diamondbacks pitcher Daniel Hudson threw to a live hitter Tuesday for the first time since undergoing a second Tommy John surgery a year ago. He was thrilled to get through the session without pain, and will throw a bullpen session Friday.

"It felt good to get back out there," Hudson told MLB.com. "It's the first time in a year somebody's tried to actually hit the ball off me so it felt good, good to get out there and get some juices going. I really wasn't hoping for much except for no pain so it was good and I don't have any pain so that's good."

Hudson could start a rehab assignment in August and return to the team in September.

Cardinals pitcher Shelby Miller exited Tuesday's game in the third inning due to back tightness, but manager Mike Matheny feels he should be available for his next scheduled start, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Miller suffered from back spasms in the third inning, and while the news from Matheny is encouraging, the team will know more about his status after a few days of rest. Miller owns a 3.75 ERA and 66:46 K:BB ratio in 93 2/3 innings going into Sunday's expected start.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel picked up his 22nd save Tuesday, striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning to end his team's 3-2 win over the Astros.

Kimbrel had to record four outs in the inning, as a fielding error let the second batter of the inning reach base. He was able to retire George Springer with a strikeout to end the game with the tying run on second base. Kimbrel owns a 2.37 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 53:14 K:BB ratio in 30 1/3 innings.