MLB Player News

Mariners manager Scott Servais said Tuesday that Zych (elbow) has resumed playing catch and could return before the end of the regular season, Josh Horton of MLB.com reports.

Zych has been on the disabled list since Aug. 20 with a right elbow flexor bundle strain. While he has yet to resume mound work, Zych isn't throwing the towel in on 2017 just yet, though time is beginning to work against him. He'll likely need to complete a bullpen session and face hitters within the next week to have a realistic chance of being activated from the DL and making an appearance prior to the Oct. 1 season finale.

Kimbrel struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning to extend Tuesday's game into extra innings, where Boston eventually defeated Baltimore, 1-0.

Kimbrel has been used two consecutive nights in the same non-save situation: the ninth inning of a tied game. Overall, he's pitched five times in the last six days, so it wouldn't be surprising if he gets a night off in the series finale Wednesday.

Kelly (4-1) struck out the side in the 10th inning to earn the victory in Boston's 1-0 win over Baltimore in 11 innings Tuesday.

The Red Sox have no shortage of relievers putting up impressive numbers during the month of September. Add Kelly to that mix. He pitched three perfect innings in an extra-inning win over Tampa Bay last Friday and is looking like he'll be a key bullpen piece should the Red Sox qualify for the postseason.

Smith struck out both batters faced in Tuesday's 1-0 win over the Orioles.

This was noteworthy as it marked the first time we've seen Smith throw on consecutive nights since his return from an elbow injury. When the Red Sox activated him, there were few expectations, but the right-hander hasn't permitted a run in five outings (4.1 innings) and has thrown himself into consideration for a postseason roster spot, should the Red Sox qualify.

Barnes closed out Tuesday's game to pick up his first save of the season in Boston's 1-0 win over Baltimore in 11 innings.

Having used closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning, manager John Farrell had to rely on second-tier relievers for a second consecutive night. On Monday, it was Carson Smith closing out an 11-inning affair. Barnes faced the heart of the Baltimore order Tuesday, setting them down 1-2-3. He's capable of pitching in any situation and has pitched better than his 3.82 ERA might suggest.

Treinen pitched around a hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth for his 12th save of the year Tuesday against Detroit.

Nine of those saves have come with Oakland, and Treinen's 2.45 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with the A's are certainly a far cry from the hideous stats he put up for the Nationals earlier this season. As one of the league's hardest-throwing pitchers, the 29-year-old righty possesses tantalizing fantasy upside and should continue returning value over the season's remaining days.

Hu will be recalled from Triple-A Durham on Thursday.

The minor-league season ended Tuesday, so Hu will pack his bags and join the Rays prior to Thursday's game against the Orioles. The 23-year-old posted a 3.06 ERA over 61.2 innings with Durham this year and will likely round out the front end of the Rays' bullpen upon his arrival to the majors.

Champan worked around a hit with one strikeout in a scoreless inning to earn his 20th save of the season Tuesday against the Twins.

Staked to a three-run lead, Chapman hardly broke a sweat when Chris Gimenez doubled with two outs, buckling down to get Max Kepler to end the game. The flamethrower has been in dominant form of late, throwing seven consecutive scoreless outings while converting four straight save opportunities during that span.

Giles allowed a hit but was able to strike out the side Tuesday against the White Sox to pick up his 32nd save of the year.

Giles allowed a single to Tim Anderson to open the ninth inning, but was able to strike out the next three batters on 13 pitches to preserve the Astros' 3-1 lead and pick up his fifth save of the month. Following the game, manager A.J. Hinch reported that Giles wouldn't be available for Wednesday's contest after appearing in four of the past five games, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports. Will Harris or Chris Devenski would likely get the ninth-inning nod if a save opportunity were to arise.

McHugh (3-2) picked up the win after allowing just one run on five hits and a walk while striking out five over five innings Tuesday against the White Sox.

McHugh was sharp in his first start back after suffering a detached fingernail during his Sept. 8 appearance. He struck out four batters over the first two frames and allowed just one extra-base hit in his five innings of work before departing with a 2-1 lead after throwing 87 pitches (56 for strikes). The effective outing lowered his ERA to 3.44, a figure he'll look to improve upon in his upcoming matchup with the Angels on Sunday.