MLB Player News

Hand gave up a run on two hits while striking out three in the ninth inning Wednesday to record his fifth save of the season in a 4-3 win over the Cubs.

A solo shot by Javier Baez made things nervous for the Nats, but Hand eventually got the job done. The veteran closer has converted two straight save chances after blowing two straight earlier this month and he's been scored upon in four of six appearances in May, leading to an 8.44 ERA in his last 5.1 innings despite a strong 10:3 K:BB.

Melancon didn't allow a baserunner and had zero strikeouts during the ninth inning to earn the save during Wednesday's 3-0 win against Colorado.

The veteran right-hander was handed a three-run cushion and retired the side in order with little fanfare. Melancon has converted all 15 save opportunities with a 0.87 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 16:5 K:BB across 20.2 innings this season.

Smith (1-4) pitched a perfect ninth inning and struck out two to earn the win Wednesday versus the Mets.

Smith kept the game tied at 4-4 in the top of the ninth inning, and Ronald Acuna hit a walkoff home run in the bottom half of the frame. The 31-year-old Smith has now gone six outings without a save, although that's more from a lack of close games in Atlanta's favor recently. The closer has a 4.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 24:8 K:BB and seven saves in 18 innings this year.

Garcia picked up his eighth save of the season Wednesday against the Phillies after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and fanning two.

Garcia entered the game with one out to go in the eighth inning and got the job done before things got a bit complicated in the ninth. The right-hander had runners on the corners with one out, but he struck out Alec Bohm and induced Andrew Knapp into a flyout to close things out. He's gone 7-for-8 in save opportunities in 2021 and should remain the Marlins' closer moving forward -- he has given up just two runs across 13.2 innings of work since April 10, the day he compiled his first save.

Rainey (undisclosed) was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Erik Fedde was also placed on the specialized injured list, with one player having tested positive for the virus while the other is out for contract tracing, though it's unclear which is which at this point. Regardless, Fedde and Rainey will be sidelined until they clear the league's COVID-19 protocols.

Estevez (finger) tossed a 20-pitch simulated game Tuesday in San Diego, Shaun O'Neill of MLB.com reports.

Estevez will likely report to Triple-A Albuquerque and make a one-inning appearance Thursday in a rehab game. If all goes well, Estevez could return from the 10-day injured list and rejoin the Colorado bullpen for the team's weekend series with the Diamondbacks.

Treinen picked up the hold Tuesday against Arizona by retiring the only batter he faced.

The right-hander came on in relief with two runners on base and two outs in the top of the seventh inning. He got Nick Ahmed to fly out to right to preserve a 3-1 Dodgers lead. Treinen has been effective in a setup role this season, posting a 2.12 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 22:5 K:BB across 17 innings. He is tied for second in the league with 10 holds.

Atlanta optioned Davidson to Triple-A Gwinnett following his start in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Mets.

Davidson's demotion comes as somewhat of a surprise after he turned in a quality start Tuesday -- he allowed three earned runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five over six innings. With Huascar Ynoa (hand) recently joining Mike Soroka (shoulder) on the injured list earlier this week, Atlanta still has a long-term need for a fifth starter, so Davidson could still be summoned back to the big leagues when his next turn in the rotation comes up Sunday against the Pirates. However, Atlanta would need to place another player on the IL in a corresponding move in order to bring Davidson back from the minors this weekend.

Gallegos garnered his eighth hold in a win over the Pirates on Tuesday, firing two perfect innings during which he recorded three strikeouts.

The right-hander got six outs on an efficient 26 pitches while authoring his fourth consecutive scoreless appearance. Four of the six earned runs Gallegos has allowed this season have come across two outings, underscoring how typically reliable he's been. The 29-year-old has already logged 20 appearances overall and boasts a 28:5 K:BB across 25.1 innings to go along with a 2.13 ERA and sparkling 0.63 WHIP.

Smith (0-4) was tagged with the loss Tuesday against the Mets after giving up one run on two hits while fanning two across one inning.

Tasked with preserving a 3-3 tie when he entered in the ninth inning, Smith allowed a game-winning home run to Tomas Nido. Smith has gone 7-for-7 in save opportunities this season, but he hasn't pitched in such a scenario since May 6. He owns an 0-2 record with an 11.25 ERA since that point, giving up five runs on nine hits while posting a 5:1 K:BB across four innings during that span.