MLB Player News

Lopez did not factor into Tuesday's decision against the Marlins, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out six across five innings.

Lopez was back in the rotation for Atlanta after serving his five-game suspension. He got off to a rough start by allowing four runs through the first two innings, but he settled in to keep the Marlins off the board for the rest of his outing. Lopez generated only five whiffs on 96 pitches (53 strikes) but struck out five of the last 10 batters he faced. Through four starts, Lopez has a 2.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 19:8 K:BB over 20.2 innings. His next start is tentatively slated for this weekend on the road against the Phillies.

Manager Torey Lovullo said he expects Marte (back) to rejoin the starting lineup Wednesday, Jody Jackson of Bally Sports Arizona reports.

Marte was a late scratch from Tuesday's lineup due to lower-back tightness, but Lovullo's comments suggest that the star second baseman isn't dealing with anything too severe. Marte has been heating up as of late, going 9-for-33 (.273) with three homers, seven RBI and six runs scored across his last eight games.

Smith went 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI during Atlanta's 6-5 win over Miami on Tuesday.

Smith put Atlanta on the board with an RBI single in the second inning, and he gave his team the lead for good in the eighth with a bases-clearing double. The veteran slugger has logged at least one RBI in four of his last five outings, and over that span he has gone 8-for-14 (.571) with one home run and nine RBI. Smith should continue to see regular playing time as Atlanta's designated hitter for as long as Sean Murphy (hip) is on the 10-day injured list.

Iglesias earned the save against the Marlins on Tuesday, striking out two batters in a perfect ninth inning.

Atlanta's three-run eighth inning gave the team a 6-5 lead heading to the ninth, prompting the call for Iglesias to close things out. He needed just 10 pitches (seven strikes) to secure the win for his team, striking out the first two batters he faced before getting Graham Pauley to fly out to center field. Iglesias has collected a save in three of his last four outings and has yet to yield a run across 6.2 innings this season.

Vest (1-2) struck out all three batters he faced in an inning of relief to earn the win in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over the Royals.

Vest was making his first relief appearance in five days, and he got hit hard his last time out, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while retiring only two batters. The veteran looked much better Tuesday and lowered his ERA from 7.94 to 6.75. Vest has allowed five earned runs across two of his eight outings so far, but he's been spotless in his other six appearances, and better days should be ahead for the typically reliable righty after enduring a few hiccups in the early going.

Jansen worked around a hit to toss a scoreless inning of relief and earn the save in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Royals.

After securing just one save through the first 13 games of the season, Jansen now has two in Detroit's last four contests. The lack of opportunities overall has limited the veteran to only 3.2 innings so far out of the bullpen, though he's looked sharp in the small sample with a 2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and six strikeouts. The Tigers figure to pick up the pace, and Jansen would stand to benefit as the team's unquestioned closer.

Contreras was removed from Tuesday's game against the Twins due to lower-back tightness, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.

Contreras was hit by a 92.7-mph sinker in the fourth inning and was eventually replaced on defense by Andruw Monasterio in the fifth. Details regarding Contreras' short-term availability should emerge after the Red Sox take a closer look at him, and if he has to miss any amount of time, Monasterio would be the favorite to receive starts at first base.

Ruiz will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, Kevin Barral of FishonFirst.com reports.

Ruiz was given a 6-to-8-week return timeline when he landed on the injured list in late March with a high-grade left oblique strain. While returning to a competitive environment is an encouraging development in his recovery, the 27-year-old outfielder will likely remain in the minors for an extended period, giving him plenty of time to ramp up before coming off the IL.

Acosta (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, Kevin Barral of FishonFirst.com reports.

Acosta landed on the injured list ahead of Opening Day due to a left oblique strain, but he now appears to be nearing a return. The 23-year-old infielder slashed .229/.318/.377 across 466 plate appearances with Jacksonville last season and will likely return to the minors once he's activated.

Wheeler (shoulder) said he plans to make another rehab start with Double-A Reading on Sunday, Matt Kardos of Double-A Somerset's official site reports.

Wheeler has already made three starts in the minors as he works his way back from shoulder surgery, posting a 5.23 ERA and 1.26 WHIP alongside a 10:4 K:BB over 10.1 innings. The veteran righty notably struggled with his velocity during his most recent outing with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, averaging 92.9 mph with his fastball after sitting at 96.1 mph last season. It remains to be seen whether he'll make any additional appearances in the minors after Sunday, though the Phillies will likely wait to see how he performs in Double-A before determining his next step.