MLB Player News

Yates struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to earn the save against Boston on Sunday.

Yates came on with a two-run lead and made quick work of the Red Sox, firing 14 of 19 pitches for strikes and collecting his league-leading 37th save. The 32-year-old has established himself as an elite closer this season, posting a 1.36 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 85:11 K:BB in 53 innings.

Melancon notched the save Sunday against the Mets after allowing one run on three hits over one inning of work.

Melancon entered the contest in the bottom of the ninth inning with a two-run lead, and after surrendering a run on a fielder's choice, he managed to induce a groundout to end the ballgame. The 34-year-old right-hander has nailed down five saves over his last seven appearances, and he sits with a 3.97 ERA with 57 punchouts over 56.2 innings this season.

Hernandez (3-5) yielded two runs on three hits while striking out five over six innings Sunday against the Phillies.

Hernandez surrendered a two-run home run in the sixth inning, though the Marlins would rally for three runs in the bottom half of the frame. The 24-year-old right-hander has been stellar over his last two starts, allowing just three runs over that stretch while fanning 10. He owns a 4.97 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with a 65:21 K:BB over 63.1 innings this year.

Kelly won't be available to pitch Sunday due to rest purposes, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Kelly fired 1.2 innings Saturday night against the Yankees, so the Dodgers will hold him out of Sunday's series finale to get him ready for their upcoming three-game series in San Diego. He owns a 4.26 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with a 56:18 K:BB over 44.1 innings this season.

Cabrera (5-6) recorded the victory in Triple-A Memphis' win over Omaha on Saturday, posting 12 strikeouts and allowing just one hit and two walks while also uncorking a wild pitch over seven scoreless innings.

The right-hander had some modest control issues while working up to 107 pitches, but his final line speaks to his overall dominance. It was a second straight strong outing for Cabrera, who'd also managed a six-inning quality start versus Round Rock in his previous turn. The last pair of successes notwithstanding, Cabrera has scuffled overall with the Redbirds since his June 25 return from the big leagues, generating a 5.96 ERA over 54.1 innings during that span. However, he's partly offset that with an impressive 59 strikeouts in that same sample.

Kinley was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans on Sunday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Kinley has a 4.14 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in the majors this season, but he looked better in August with three runs allowed over 12.1 innings. Kyle Keller was promoted from New Orleans in a corresponding move.

Payamps was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Sunday.

Payamps was recalled from the minors last weekend and allowed two runs on four hits over four innings during his first taste of the majors. The 25-year-old returns to Reno, where he has a 4.21 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 26:14 K:BB this season.

Diaz (neck) feels better but won't pitch in Sunday's game against the Braves, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

Diaz exited Saturday's outing with right trapezius tightness, so it isn't a major surprise to see the Mets wanting to avoid using him for at least a day. The 25-year-old will also have Monday's scheduled off day to aid in his recovery before potentially missing any more games. Seth Lugo figures to be the top option for a save opportunity in his absence.

Yates (0-4) took the loss against Boston on Saturday, pitching one inning and giving up one run on two hits and two walks while striking out one.

Yates entered the game in the ninth inning with the score knotted at 4-4 and served up his second home run of the season on his first pitch. He then worked out of a bases-loaded jam to keep San Diego within a run, but the Padres were unable to get Yates off the hook for his fourth loss. Despite the rough outing, the 32-year-old remains one of the top closers in baseball, compiling a 1.38 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 83:11 K:BB in 52 innings while converting 36 of 39 save opportunities.

Lamet did not factor into the decision against Boston on Saturday, pitching five innings and giving up four runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five.

Lamet breezed through the first two innings but ran into trouble in the third, giving up a run on a pair of singles and a hit batsman. He then gave up three more runs in the fourth frame when the first four Boston batters reached base via two singles, a double and a walk. The four-run outing snapped a streak of six consecutive starts in which Lamet gave up three earned runs or less. The 27-year-old owns a 4.30 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 60:20 K:BB in 46 innings this season and will head to San Francisco for his next scheduled start against the Giants on Friday.