MLB Player News

Strop (hamstring) is available out of the bullpen for Tuesday's NL Wild Card Game against the Rockies, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Manager Joe Maddon said Strop passed a series of agility drills prior to Tuesday's must-win game, clearing the way for the reliever to rejoin the Cubs' bullpen for the first time in nearly three weeks. With Brandon Morrow (biceps) and Carl Edwards Jr. (forearm) both unavailable, Strop could immediately return to a high-leverage role. Prior to suffering the injury, Strop posted a 2.26 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 57 strikeouts and 13 saves in 59.2 innings.

Strop (hamstring) is on the 25-man roster for Tuesday's wild-card game against the Rockies.

Strop hasn't pitched since Sept. 13 while dealing with hamstring soreness. The Cubs likely would have preferred getting Strop a regular-season inning before his return but did not have that luxury. Given the importance of Tuesday's contest, the team clearly feels that he's ready to go. He could be thrust into a high-leverage role immediately with Brandon Morrow (arm) and Carl Edwards Jr. (forearm) both out. If a save situation arises Tuesday, it could go to Strop, Jesse Chavez or Steve Cishek.

Edwards is not on the Cubs' roster for the NL Wild Card Game while dealing with forearm discomfort, Bruce Miles of the Chicago Daily Herald reports.

Edwards first experienced the issue while pitching Sunday against the Cardinals. His absence leaves the Cubs thin on high-leverage relievers with Brandon Morrow out for the year with a bone bruise, though Pedro Strop (hamstring) was able to make the squad.

Hader got the save in Monday's division tiebreaking win over the Cubs by going two innings and giving up only one hit while striking out three.

The Brewers were not going to take any chances and handed Hader the ball with a two-run lead in the eighth inning. He finishes his incredible season with a 2.43 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and a whopping 143 strikeouts in just 81.1 innings as the Brewers head into the playoffs.

Strop (hamstring) said he'll be ready to go for Tuesday's wild-card game against the Dodgers or Rockies, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Strop hasn't pitched since Sept. 13 due to a hamstring injury, but it sounds like the reliever is feeling better and might be available out of the bullpen for Tuesday's win-or-go-home contest. Given the importance of the game, the Cubs will likely want to make sure the veteran right-hander is 100 percent before including him on their roster for Tuesday. Strop, who owns a 2.26 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 57:21 K:BB through 59.2 innings this season, figures to settle back into a high-leverage role out of the bullpen once he's cleared to return.

Holmes allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and four walks across four innings Sunday in a no-decision against the Reds. He struck out three.

Holmes ran into a bit of trouble in the first inning, allowing a run on a hit, a walk and a throwing error before escaping the frame. He allowed a two-run home run in the second but was able to settle down over the rest of his outing. Holmes hadn't started since early August, so while this outing didn't go quite as planned, it could have been worse. He finishes the season with an unsightly 6.84 ERA to go along with a 2.01 WHIP and will look to make some adjustments before fighting for a spot during spring training.

Suarez (7-13) took the loss against the Dodgers on Sunday, allowing six earned runs on six hits and two walks over 2.1 innings.

This marked Suarez's worst outing since allowing seven runs in Cincinnati on Aug. 19, as he wasn't able to settle down and overcome the Los Angeles lineup. The southpaw wound up making 29 starts for the Giants this season, finishing with a 4.49 ERA and 130 strikeouts across 160.1 innings.

Dominguez fired a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts to record the save in Sunday's 3-1 win over the Braves.

Dominguez finished the season with saves on back-to-back days and he allowed only one hit over his last six appearances. The 23-year-old ended the season with a 2.95 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 74:22 K:BB over 58 innings while converting 16 of 20 save opportunities.

Miller (elbow) tossed a scoreless inning in relief in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Padres.

Miller faced the minimum in the 16-pitch appearance, working around a leadoff walk to generate a double-play groundball and a flyout to escape the frame unscathed. The 27-year-old was making his first appearance since July 11 after right elbow inflammation once looked like it would prevent him from returning at any point in 2018. While Miller ran out of time to build up to a starter's workload, he'll likely be in the mix for a rotation spot next spring after finishing the campaign with his health intact. It's uncertain if he'll be vying for a starting role with Arizona, however, as the Diamondbacks could choose to non-tender him this winter in light of his shaky health and underwhelming numbers during his three years in the desert.

Richards didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 1-0 extra-innings loss to the Mets, allowing six hits and two walks over 6.2 scoreless innings while striking out eight.

The right-hander certainly pitched well enough to earn his fifth win of the year, but it took until the 13th inning for either team to squeeze a run across the plate in this one. Richards closes out 2018 with a 16.1-inning scoreless streak going, but the rookie's 4.42 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 130:54 K:BB through 126.1 frames don't necessarily guarantee him a rotation spot heading into next spring.