MLB Player News

Jurado, 21, has compiled a 6.10 ERA and 12:5 K:BB ratio across 20.2 innings over his four starts with Double-A Frisco this season.

The Panamanian pitcher had advanced quickly through the Rangers system thanks to his excellent control, and while he's not giving away many free passes to begin the 2017 campaign, his lack of swing-and-miss stuff seems to have caught up with him. Jurado has already surrendered 21 hits -- including four homers -- and his 6.07 FIP suggests it's not merely an elevated BABIP that's at the root of his demise. He'll need to continue developing his secondary offerings in order to do a better job of keeping the ball in the yard.

Leclerc tossed 1.2 scoreless innings in Monday's 3-2 loss to the Twins, giving up no hits and one walk while striking out three batters.

While Matt Bush seems to have secured closing duties for the time being, Leclerc might rank as the next-best reliever out of the Rangers bullpen. The rookie has opened up the season with nine innings of one-run ball, during which he's struck out 15 batters and conceded only one walk. The 23-year-old probably won't see enough innings to offer much help to fantasy owners' ratios in deeper mixed leagues, but he could provided some quality value in AL-only formats if he's still available.

Hu fired a scoreless eighth inning in Monday's 6-3 loss to the Orioles.

The 23-year-old was efficient in his major-league debut, needing just nine pitches to get out of the eighth after coming in with Welington Castillo on third and no one out. Hu did yield a sacrifice fly to Jonathan Schoop, but that run went on Ryan Garton's ledger. The right-hander had generated a 3.94 ERA and 11:3 K:BB over 16 innings at Triple-A Durham this season before being called up in the wake of Tommy Hunter's recent calf injury.

Chavez (2-3) allowed a single run on four hits and four walks while striking out seven batters over six innings during Monday's win over Toronto.

After spending the entire 2016 campaign pitching out of the bullpen, Chavez has made three starts for the Angels, and this was easily his best. The veteran righty has proven to be a capable end-of-the-rotation starter in the past, but he hardly moves the fantasy needle enough to be more than a matchup option or streamer in most seasonal leagues. With a career 4.07 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 8.1 K/9, there is upside, but he's prone to poor outings against strong opponents. A road start against Texas awaits, and Chavez owns a career 5.28 ERA at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Diaz, who remains the Mariners' designated closer, could see more multi-inning work as the season unfolds as per manager Scott Servais, Bob Dutton of The News Tribune reports. "He might go five outs. He might go six outs. In a road game, don't be shocked if he comes in there in the eighth inning of a tie game. I know it's not the traditional closer role, but that's kind of how I see using him."

The Mariners' early-season offensive struggles have played a large part in Diaz being limited to just six appearances thus far, with Servais finally working his 23-year-old closer into a non-save situation Saturday after six days of inactivity. That could be more of the norm going forward, as the young reliever could even find himself in high-leverage, pre-ninth-inning situations, which would likely result in another pitcher getting the save opportunity. Servais emphasizes that the primary motivation for such a strategy is not statistical in nature, but rather, simply getting a promising young pitcher consistent and sufficient reps. "He's not the 29-, 30-year-old seasoned closer," Servais said. "He's 23. When he sits down there for four or five days, it's hard to go out there and be on top of your game."

Strahm allowed a hit and struck out one in an inning of work Monday against the White Sox.

Since returning from an early-season demotion, the Royals' top prospect has produced better results. Before being sent down, Strahm gave up seven runs on four hits and six walks with no strikeouts over 1.1 innings. Through the same amount of work in round two, the left-hander's surrendered no runs on just one hit and zero walks while notching his first strikeout of the year. The team would prefer Strahm get MLB experience rather than push him back down to the minors, but the 25-year-old will need to continue providing quality appearances in relief in order to stick around.

Belisle has surrendered just two runs over 7.1 innings to begin the season.

Belisle broke spring training as one of the primary setup men in the Twins' bullpen. He's maintained his grip on that role, recording eight strikeouts and four walks. The 36-year-old should continue to appear in high-leverage situations as long as the Twins keep games competitive. In 40 games with Washington last season, Belisle posted a 1.76 ERA over 40 innings of relief.

Tonkin has given up six runs, three of them earned, over seven innings to kick off the 2017 season.

Tonkin has not pitched in any significant situation yet this season, entering in the middle innings or in mop-up duty. He's struck out nine and walked five while allowing seven hits. In 2016, the 27-year-old surrendered 80 hits over 71.2 innings on his way to a 5.02 ERA.

Rogers has pitched five innings out of the bullpen to start 2017, allowing one run with a 4:2 K:BB.

Rogers has typically entered during the late stages of games, and he's notched three holds. Despite being a lefty, he hasn't been used as a specialist -- he's faced 19 right-handed hitters and just seven left-handed hitters. The 26-year-old is coming off a 2016 season in which he registered a 3.96 ERA with 64 strikeouts over 61.1 innings.

Hernandez was called up by the Angels on Monday.

Hernandez was dominating Triple-A hitters at Gwinnett, where he owned nine strikeouts and a 1.13 ERA over eight innings. Atlanta may not have had a spot for the veteran, who has struggled to find his old form since missing the entire 2014 season due to injury. The Angels will, however, take a chance on the 31-year-old in hopes that he can pitch like he did in 2012, when he finished with a 2.50 ERA and 98 strikeouts over 68.1 innings.