MLB Player News

Richards threw 5.2 innings in a no-decision against the Tigers on Thursday, giving up one earned run on eight hits, striking out six and walking one as the Marlins won 5-2.

Richards turned in a solid effort but had to settle for the no-decision after departing the contest with the Marlins down 1-0 before they staged a ninth-inning comeback and got the victory. The right-hander owns a 4.14 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP and a 50:27 K:BB through 54.1 innings.

Pivetta is one of two candidates, along with Vince Velasquez, to start Tuesday against the Cardinals, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The Phillies have an opening in the rotation after demoting Cole Irvin to Triple-A, and it will be one of Pivetta or Velasquez. Pivetta has a 3.41 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 50 strikeouts in 37 innings through six starts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but he has also walked at least three batters in every start he has made at Triple-A this season. Manager Gabe Kapler noted Wednesday that Velasquez, who is on the 10-day injured list with a forearm strain, would be a good fit in the bullpen and went out of his way to say that Velasquez doesn't automatically get to return to the rotation when he is healthy, but there has also been speculation that Pivetta could move to the bullpen at some point this season.

Strop (hamstring) may not need a rehab assignment before being activated, potentially soon after Saturday's scheduled bullpen session, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

He has been out since May 5 with the hamstring strain, but he threw two strong bullpen sessions this week, with a final test coming Saturday. After that session, the Cubs will decide whether to send him on a rehab assignment or to activate him. Steve Cishek has been an admirable replacement as the closer, but Strop figures to get back in the ninth-inning mix upon his activation.

The Cardinals optioned Helsley to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday.

Lane Thomas was expected to get sent back to minors after serving as the 26th man in Wednesday's doubleheader with the Royals, but the Cardinals instead elected to keep him around a little longer as outfield depth. Consequently, Helsley will be dropped from the active roster since he was unlikely to be available for the next day or two after pitching 1.2 innings in relief Wednesday.

Gsellman struck out one in a perfect seventh inning during Wednesday's win over the Nationals.

With his team in a 1-0 hole, Gsellman breezed through the bottom of the Nats' order on seven pitches (five strikes). The right-hander has turned in eight straight scoreless appearances, posting a 12:5 K:BB over 12 innings during that stretch, and he now sports a 2.48 ERA and 1.17 WHIP on the season. Gsellman isn't seeing the highest-leverage work -- he has zero wins or saves and only three holds through 21 appearances -- but his current form could move him into the setup crew for the Mets in the near future.

Barraclough (0-1) took the loss Wednesday, getting charged with two runs on a hit and a walk over two-thirds of an inning while striking out one as the Nationals fell to the Mets.

The right-hander entered the game to begin the eighth inning and protect a one-run lead, but after he gave up a double and a walk to put the tying run in scoring position, Barraclough gave way to closer Sean Doolittle, who promptly fell apart and allowed both inherited runners to score -- plus four more. Barraclough now has a 5.40 ERA, 1.75 WHIP and 21:10 K:BB through 18.1 innings, but despite his weak numbers he'll likely remain in a setup role for now given the Nats' lack of better options.

Mayers (lat) has started playing catch, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Mayers' road to picking up a baseball again was a long one, considering he's been on the injured list since April 16. Now that he's reached that benchmark, the right-handed reliever will remain on an every-other-day throwing schedule for the time being, with the goal of starting bullpen sessions within the next 2-to-3 weeks.

Clarke will be called up from Triple-A Reno to start Saturday against the Giants, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.

The Diamondbacks moved Zack Godley back to the bullpen once again, prompting the need for an additional starter. Clarke pitched well during his first major-league start May 7 with two runs allowed over six innings, but was still returned to the minors as a part of a roster shuffle. Arizona doesn't have another off day until June 6, so Clarke could be in store for a longer stay in the majors this time around.

Hader didn't allow a baserunner and recorded two strikeouts in 1.2 innings to record his 12th save of the season during an 11-9 victory against the Reds on Wednesday.

With runners on first and second and one out during the eighth, the Brewers called upon their closer to face the heart of the Reds' order. Hader retired the next two batters quietly to escape the eighth and induced two strikeouts along with a popout to end the game in the ninth. Hader's 2.52 ERA is perhaps higher than some expected, but he also owns a dazzling 0.64 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in just 25 innings. Hader is also 12-for-12 in save opportunities this year.

Yates bagged another save against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, retiring all three batters he faced in a scoreless ninth inning to preserve a 5-2 victory for the Padres. He struck out one.

Yates simply can't be stopped at the moment, as this was his third straight game with a save to bring his total up to 20 on the season. He continues to act as the top closer in baseball to start 2019 as the Padres have been providing him with a ton of opportunities. He boasts a 1.13 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and a phenomenal 44:8 K:BB over 24 innings.