MLB Player News

Vizcaino will likely be used as the primary closer the rest of the way, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Vizcaino allowed two runs on three hits Sept. 17, but he hasn't allowed a hit in his other three appearances since returning from a shoulder injury. He picked up a save in his most recent outing -- his first save since June 17. A.J. Minter had a decent run in June and July as Vizcaino's top replacement, but Minter has posted a 4.24 ERA and 1.47 WHIP since the start of August and it sounds like he's fallen out of favor with manager Brian Snitker.

Hader was tagged for three earned runs over one inning out of the bullpen in Monday's victory over the Cardinals.

Hader was not on top of his game Monday, giving up two home runs, another hit and two walks, but the Brewers were still able to overcome his rare struggles. Hader has allowed multiple runs three times over a nine-appearance stretch, and he now owns a 2.31 ERA, the highest it has been since April 11. He has still recorded 25 strikeouts while posting a 0.91 WHIP this month, though, so he has been plenty valuable for fantasy players.

Yates struck out the only batter he faced in Monday's 5-0 win over the Giants en route to his 11th save of the season.

Starter Bryan Mitchell appeared ready to record his first complete-game shutout, but he loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth inning before giving way to Yates. The unique scenario met the minimum requirements for the closer to earn a save despite entering the game with a five-run lead. Yates has converted 11 of 12 save chances since taking over as closer at the trade deadline, making him the leading candidate to resume the role next season.

Strop (hamstring) managed to play catch and take part in some agility drills prior to Monday's game against Pittsburgh, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

Strop remains hopeful that he'll pitch in the near future after suffering a left hamstring injury Sept. 13 while running to first base. "He was pretty upbeat about where he's at," manager Joe Maddon said. It's unclear if Strop will return in time for the postseason, but more news on his availability should emerge when he begins to ramp up baseball activities.

Chargois (neck) was activated from the disabled list Monday, Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Chargois hasn't pitched since Aug. 20 due to a neck injury. The right-hander, who owns a 3.45 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 38 strikeouts in 31.1 innings this season, should resume a middle-relief role for the remainder of the season now that he's back to full health.

Diekman struck out two batters as part of a perfect seventh inning Sunday in the Diamondbacks' 2-0 loss to the Rockies.

Diekman had been charged with at least one run in all but one of his last six appearances out of the bullpen, so his perfect frame Sunday may have helped him regain some confidence heading into the season's final week. The lefty has been one of several key relievers for Arizona who have fallen on hard times in September, with his downturn in performance along with those of Brad Boxberger, Archie Bradley and Andrew Chafin proving damaging to the Diamondbacks' hopes for a playoff spot.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy indicated after Sunday's 9-2 loss to the Cardinals that Suarez would receive one more start during the final week of the season, Sean Collins of MLB.com reports.

Suarez took his 12th loss Sunday despite limiting the Cardinals to two runs over five frames, raising his innings count to 181.1 across three stops on the season. Given that Suarez just turned 26 years old and had covered only 155.2 innings in the minors the previous season, there was some thought that the Giants might shut him down to preserve his arm. It appears Suarez's showing was solid enough to earn him one final start, but don't expect him to work deep into the outing, which will likely fall Saturday against the Dodgers. Though he endured only minimal turbulence in the series finale with St. Louis, Suarez was lifted after just 77 pitches, presumably with workload concerns in mind.

Hicks, who's thrown 75 innings this season after making the jump from High-A to the majors, is being used judiciously in September in anticipation of a possible postseason run, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports. "We're mindful of everyone's health, but clearly with Jordan, we're a little more mindful," manager Mike Shildt said. "I don't think Jordan has any restrictions. I don't see any limitations on him moving forward."

Hicks' 70 appearances lead the Cardinals and have him tied for ninth among National League relievers, while he's also reached the second-highest number of frames thrown in his professional career. Shildt has managed his young phenom carefully during the current month, with Hicks having last pitched on back-to-back days back on Sept. 3-4 and having enjoyed a six-day layoff between appearances earlier in September as well. The 22-year-old right-hander is on pace for his fewest innings in a full month this season, but the extra rest should leave him well-positioned to serve as a key cog in a postseason relief corps if the Cardinals are able to qualify for the playoffs.

Suarez (7-12) pitched five innings and took the loss Sunday, yielding two runs on a walk and six hits while striking out five in the loss to the Cardinals.

Overall it was a solid outing for Suarez, but the Giants bullpen was torched immediately after his exit, giving up five runs in the sixth inning. The rookie left-hander now owns a 4.22 ERA in 158 innings on the year. He'll take on the Dodgers at home on Saturday.

Richards (4-9) threw seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out nine and picking up the win Sunday against the Reds.

Richards turned in a stellar outing, leaving the game with a six-run lead after tossing 70 of 95 pitches for strikes. The 25-year-old finally managed to put together a quality start, with his last performance of that class coming July 28 against Washington. Richards owns a 4.66 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with 122 strikeouts over 119.2 innings, and his final start of the season figures to come Friday versus the Mets.