MLB Player News

Manager Mike Shildt told MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM that Ponce de Leon will be recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Saturday to start one of the doubleheader games against the Reds.

The Cardinals need an additional starter this weekend thanks to Saturday's twin bill, so Ponce de Leon will rejoin the big-league rotation after spending the past month in the minors. The right-hander impressed across five starts with Memphis following his demotion, posting a 0.93 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 39:13 K:BB in 29 innings. Ponce de Leon will likely head to the bullpen for the stretch run following Saturday's spot start.

Estevez pitched the seventh inning in Wednesday's loss to the Red Sox, allowing one run on a solo homer.

Manager Bud Black said last week that Estevez and Jairo Diaz would be in the mix for saves after Scott Oberg was placed on the injured list with a blood clot in his arm. Estevez's usage since then suggests he's behind Diaz in the pecking order; Estevez pitched in the eighth inning Aug. 23 ahead of Diaz, in the sixth inning Aug. 25 and then in the eighth Monday. Diaz blew the save Monday but was credited with the win, and even after the blown save, Diaz still has a 2.61 ERA and 17:2 K:BB this month.

Jansen (4-3) gave up one run on one hit and one walk while striking out one to blow the save Wednesday, but he was later awarded the win against the Padres.

Jansen entered the ninth inning with a one-run lead and quickly gave up a leadoff double before throwing a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score. The Dodgers scored two runs in the 10th inning to get Jansen the win. The 31-year-old has a 4.50 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP and three blown saves in his last eight appearances.

Wingenter gave up three runs on one hit and two walks while striking out two through 1.1 innings in a no-decision against the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Serving as the opener in a bullpen game, Wingenter retired the first three batters he faced before allowing three baserunners in the second inning before his quick exit. The right-hander was technically making his first professional start at any level, even though this was obviously intended to be a limited outing. The right-hander has an 8.64 ERA with a 1.68 WHIP in his last nine appearances.

Lambert (2-5) was charged with the loss against the Red Sox on Wednesday after allowing five runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four across 4.1 innings.

Lambert struggled once again, this time giving up a pair of two-run home runs to J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts. The loss was his fifth straight, causing his most recent win against the Cubs on June 11 to become a distant memory. The rookie right-hander, who owns a dismal 6.63 ERA and 1.63 WHIP, will have his work cut out for him once again when he heads to Los Angeles for a Monday matchup at Dodger Stadium.

Kimbrel worked around a hit and a walk to pitch a scoreless ninth inning and record the save in Wednesday's 10-7 win over the Mets. He struck out one.

Kimbrel got himself into trouble quickly, as he allowed a single and a walk to begin the bottom of the ninth. However, the veteran buckled down and retired the next three New York hitters to secure save No. 12. Kimbrel hasn't exactly been lights-out with his 4.67 ERA and 1.50 WHIP, though the Cubs figure to give him a long leash in the closer role given his track record.

White will play for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

White's selection to the AFL will allow him to further hone his skills against many of baseball's top hitting prospects. The 24-year-old dominated in Double-A ball this year, compiling a 2.10 ERA and 37:7 K:BB in seven starts. However, he's struggled since a promotion to Triple-A, posting a 6.82 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in 60.2 innings.

Patino (finger) won't pitch for Double-A Amarillo in the playoffs or in the Arizona Fall League, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Patino landed on the injured list earlier this week after exiting his previous start with a blister, and the Padres will opt to end his season a bit early. The 19-year-old threw 94.2 innings this season (up from 83.1 innings last year), so it's not a major surprise to see him shut down after the blister cropped up. Patino posted a 2.69 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 113:34 K:BB over 87 innings for High-A Lake Elsinore to earn a late-season promotion to Amarillo, where he'll likely begin the 2020 campaign.

Hader pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth while allowing only one run and posting three strikeouts during a save against the Cardinals on Wednesday.

This was Hader's first save since Aug. 5, breaking a streak of three blown opportunities. The Brewers need all the wins they can get inside the NL Central division, so manager Craig Counsell was very aggressive, turning to his closer in the eighth with a three-run lead. Owners should expect more unusual usage for Hader, as the Brewers try to close the gap between themselves and both the Cardinals and Cubs. Hader is 2-5 with 26 saves, a 2.87 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 109 strikeouts in 59.2 innings this season.

Howard was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday.

Howard has a 3.91 ERA in 42 appearances out of the Triple-A bullpen, but he has been much worse (7.56 ERA) in six appearances for the Rockies. He should offer bullpen depth over the rest of the season.