MLB Player News

Hader did not allow a baserunner and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Sunday against the Cubs.

Hader came on to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning and prevailed to earn his fifth save of the season. He did battle through a 13-pitch at-bat with Nico Hoerner, which ran Hader's pitching count to 25. Hader has maintained his dominance early, throwing 6.1 scoreless frames with 10 strikeouts.

Hudson struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to earn the save Sunday against the Orioles.

Hudson blew his first save of the season when he faced the Orioles on Aug. 8, but he tossed a perfect inning in Sunday's series finale to earn his fourth save in five attempts. Outside of his lone blown save, the right-hander has been quite effective this year and has a relatively firm hold on ninth-inning duties.

Alexander (1-0) allowed one run on three hits over two innings to earn the win Sunday versus the Angels.

Alexander pitched the sixth and seventh innings, with the only damage against him being a Brian Goodwin solo shot in the sixth. That homer was the first earned run allowed by Alexander in 7.1 innings this season. He has a 1.23 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and seven strikeouts in seven appearances.

Hudson (0-2) allowed one earned run on two hits and a walk while striking out three across four innings to take the loss Sunday against the White Sox.

Hudson threw only 55 pitches after a three-week layoff in between starts. He pitched fairly well, with the only run coming in the midst of a short rally in the opening inning. Hudson also did well limiting walks in a continuation of his first outing, as he has handed out only two free passes in 8.1 innings of work after posting a 4.43 BB/9 in 2019. He should be able to work a bit deeper into the game during his next start, currently projected for Friday against Cincinnati.

Bard could see some save opportunities in the coming games, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Jairo Diaz has been working as the Rockies' closer recently with Wade Davis (shoulder) remaining sidelined. However, Diaz has been inconsistent in recent games and was unable to finish Sunday's game against the Rangers as he struggled mightily with command. Manager Bud Black said after the game that the team will steer away from using a designated closer in the coming games, which could open the door for Bard to see more work in the ninth inning. In his return to the mound in 2020, Bard has made nine relief appearances, recording a 3.60 ERA and 12:0 K:BB over 10 innings while converting on his only save opportunity. If he can pitch consistently in the near future, he could emerge as the team's favorite option for save situations.

Estevez suffered a right hand injury on the final play of Sunday's win against the Rangers, Nick Groke of The Athletic reports.

Estevez came on in Sunday's game to record the final out and succeeded in just one pitch. However, he was hit by a comebacker on the right hand before throwing to first base for the last out. He appeared to be in considerable pain as he left the field with the trainer and is undergoing X-rays to determine the severity of the injury.

Gsellman is slated to start Monday's game against the Marlins in Miami, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Gsellman was thrust into a starting role last week after injuries to Jacob deGrom (neck) and Michael Wacha (shoulder) along with Marcus Stroman's decision to opt out of the season put further strain on an already-thin Mets rotation. Since he was making his first MLB start since 2017, Gsellman was capped at two innings (33 pitches) in the start against Washington, during which he served up three runs on four hits. Despite the poor showing, Gsellman still seems to have greater short-term security in the rotation than the struggling Steven Matz, whom manager Luis Rojas wouldn't commit to giving another start. Gsellman will likely face limited pitch counts for at least his next two outings as he builds up to a starter's workload, so he probably won't warrant an immediate pickup outside of NL-only leagues.

Romero was optioned to the Phillies' secondary training site on Sunday, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.

Romero earned his first big-league callup Saturday but remained on the roster for just two days and did not get the chance to make his debut. He's clearly in the Phillies' plans, however, so he could get the chance to return to the roster when the team next needs an extra lefty.

The Diamondbacks recalled Payamps from their alternate training site ahead of Sunday's game against the Padres, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

He'll join the Arizona bullpen as a replacement for Jeremy Beasley (shoulder), who was placed on the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. Payamps made the first two appearances of his MLB career with the Diamondbacks last August, giving up two earned runs over four innings. Expect him to handle a low-leverage role while he's up with the big club.

The Padres optioned Bednar to their alternate training site Sunday.

Outfielder/first baseman Josh Naylor was recalled from the alternate site in a corresponding move. Bednar was unlikely to be available out of the San Diego bullpen for the next two days anyway after working two innings in relief during Saturday's 7-6 loss to the Diamondbacks.