MLB Player News

Ponce de Leon allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and four walks across four innings during a no-decision against the Mets on Friday.

The 27-year-old has given up just two runs in two major league starts this season, but he's probably a little fortunate he didn't give up more. While hitters are batting just .133 against him, Ponce de Leon has yielded seven walks in nine MLB innings. Other than that, though, his numbers are very strong. He doesn't have a decision and owns a 2.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 10 strikeouts in nine innings. With this outing, Ponce de Leon probably earned another start, but that isn't official yet.

Richards (3-7) allowed five runs on 11 hits with one strikeout and no walks across five innings while taking a loss against the Pirates on Friday.

The 26-year-old only allowed two hits in the first three innings, but he yielded one run in the fourth, and then the floodgates opened during the fifth. This outing snapped a streak where Richards had allowed one or zero runs in four straight starts. The loss drops him to 3-7, but his other numbers -- 3.68 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 78.1 innings -- aren't bad at all. He is scheduled to pitch next at the Cardinals on Wednesday.

Smith allowed only one run and struck out two to earn the save in Friday's 5-3 win over the Brewers.

Smith is up to 17 saves on the year. He's pitched 27.2 innings, accumulating 40 strikeouts with a 1.95 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in his first full season as the Giants' closer.

Pomeranz (2-6) allowed two unearned runs on five hits and three walks over five innings. He earned the win and struck out five in Friday's 5-3 win over the Brewers.

A passed ball in the third inning and an error before Christian Yelich's RBI single in the fifth inning got Pomeranz off the hook for both runs allowed on his watch. The performance lowers the left-hander's ERA to 6.43 with 55 strikeouts over 49 innings this season. Pomeranz will have another tough start when he takes on the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Santiago was designated for assignment following Friday's game against the Cardinals after allowing one run on one hit and one walk over one inning, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Santiago has given up a run in five of his eight appearances this season, so the Mets have elected to boot him off the 40-man roster. He'll head to the waiver wire, though he appears unlikely to draw much interest given his recent struggles.

Gsellman experienced back tightness after tossing a scoreless inning Friday against the Cardinals, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

Gsellman threw 20 pitches in the seventh inning and complained of back tightness after the frame, which is why he wasn't sent back out to handle the eighth. He'll be considered day-to-day moving forward.

Kimbrel will throw live batting practice Saturday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Kimbrel tossed live batting practice Thursday, and he'll throw one more session Saturday before potentially being assigned to Triple-A Iowa, where he'll make at least a few appearances before joining the big-league squad.

Dominguez (elbow) won't require Tommy John surgery, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

He visited with Dr. James Andrews, who recommended a PRP injection instead of surgery. Dominguez will be re-evaluated in three weeks and could be throwing in four-to-six weeks. Given the timing of his injury, it makes sense for Dominguez to attempt to recover via non-surgical means, as he'd likely be out for the rest of 2019 and potentially all of 2020 if he went under the knife -- an option that of course remains on the table if the attempt to treat the injury with an injection is deemed a failure.

Leone was recalled to be the Cardinals' 26th man for Friday's games against the Mets.

The teams are eligible for an extra man as they'll be completing Thursday's suspended game before starting Friday's previously scheduled contest. Leone owns an 8.02 ERA in 21.1 innings for the Cardinals this season.

Gallegos, who fired 1.2 perfect innings during which he recorded three strikeouts against the Mets on Thursday, has now logged eight straight scoreless appearances.

The 27-year-old right-hander has whittled his ERA down from 4.35 to 2.97 while allowing just three hits and generating a sparkling 12:0 K:BB over the 9.2 innings encompassing that span. It's Gallegos' best stretch of pitching this season, one that's rendered him an especially valuable component of the Cards' middle-relief corps. Gallegos has already worked 30.1 innings despite not making his first appearance until April 11.