MLB Player News

Melancon recorded the final out of Wednesday's 11-8 win at Colorado to earn his first save.

The Giants entered the ninth inning with a six-run lead, but Melancon had to be called upon to secure the final out with the tying run on deck. Closer Will Smith pitched the previous two days and allowed three runs Tuesday, allowing Melancon the chance to earn his first save of the year. The 34-year-old has a 4.02 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 37:16 K:BB through 40.1 innings this season.

Alzolay was removed from Wednesday's start for Triple-A Iowa with an apparent injury, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports.

Alzolay allowed five runs -- including two homers -- before leaving the game during the bottom of the fourth inning. The 24-year-old exited the field accompanied by the athletic trainer and the specifics of the issue remain unclear.

Kimbrel recorded two strikeouts and didn't allow a baserunner during the ninth inning to earn the save Wednesday against the Reds.

Kimbrel delivered a ninth inning with no drama Wednesday, as he needed only 12 pitches to retire the side in order. The 31-year-old has allowed five runs through his first 6.2 innings with the Cubs, but his current streak of four scoreless outings appears to indicate he's settling in.

Ponce de Leon allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks while recording three strikeouts across 3.2 innings during a no-decision against the Pirates on Wednesday.

This outing ended a stretch that saw Ponce de Leon yield just one run in 11.1 innings. Because he's only pitched a modest amount of innings, this performance bumped his ERA up nearly a run. However, despite eight hits, opposing hitters are still only batting .187 against Ponce de Leon. He is 1-0 with a 2.80 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 35.1 innings overall. Ponce de Leon will face the Pirates again at PNC Park on Monday.

Hader allowed two unearned runs on three hits and zero walks while striking out two during the ninth inning in his 21st save of the season to finish a 5-4 victory against the Braves on Wednesday.

The game should have finished two batters earlier, but Brewers catcher Manny Pina committed a throwing error after a dropped third strike. That led to two runners scoring against Hader in the frame. Because of the blunder, though, Hader picked up an extra strikeout, and he still posted his 21st save. He is 21-for-23 in save chances with a 2.35 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 84 strikeouts in 46 innings this season.

Neris was suspended three games for intentionally hitting David Freese in Tuesday's win over the Dodgers, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.

Neris will appeal the suspension, so he'll be available to pitch Wednesday. The reliever has been shaky since the All-Star break, blowing two save chances while allowing five runs across 2.2 innings (three appearances).

Manager Dave Roberts said Jansen (ankle) will not be available Wednesday against the Phillies, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Jansen suffered a bruised right ankle after being hit by a comebacker Tuesday. While the closer said his ankle is feeling better, he's still dealing with some swelling and will miss at least one game as a result. Look for Joe Kelly or Julio Urias to get the ball should a save opportunity arise in Jansen's absence.

Iglesias was placed on the paternity list Wednesday.

Iglesias will be eligible to miss no more than three games while on the paternity list. Michael Lorenzen and David Hernandez appear to be the top options to get the ball should a save opportunity arise while Iglesias is away from the team.

Nelson (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with Low-A Wisconsin on Sunday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Nelson is having a rough season after missing all of 2018 for shoulder surgery. He owns an 8.36 ERA, a 2.29 WHIP and a 15:14 K:BB in 14 big-league innings. He's been out with a right elbow effusion since late June and will fill a relief role once he's cleared to return to Milwaukee.

Gsellman walked two batters but didn't allow a run in two-thirds of an inning during Tuesday's win over the Twins.

Entering the game in the fifth inning, the right-hander couldn't finish the frame and needed to be bailed out by Luis Avilan, missing out on a chance to get credited with the win in the process. That's actually an improvement for Gsellman, though, as he'd been scored upon in four of his prior five appearances. The poor stretch has inflated his ratios to a 5.07 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, and he has nearly as many blown saves (four) as he does holds (five).