MLB Player News

Garcia threw a scoreless inning in Sunday's loss to the Padres, striking out three while walking one.

Garcia has been used in a fairly high-leverage role this season, though he wasn't on Sunday, as he entered with a five-run deficit. His 3.58 ERA is solid, backed up by strong peripherals (including a 27.4 percent strikeout rate and a 7.4 percent walk rate), but four other Philadelphia relievers have lower ERAs, making him an unlikely candidate to move into a closing role.

Vizcaino (shoulder) is scheduled to resume throwing Wednesday, Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

As expected, Vizcaino has been cleared to resume throwing for the first time since landing on the disabled list nearly a month ago with shoulder inflammation. He'll still need to progress to mound work and complete a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the Braves, likely leaving him at least a couple of weeks away. A more concrete timetable for his return should emerge as he ramps up his throwing. In the meantime, A.J. Minter should continue to fill in as the team's closer.

Minter worked around a hit with a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless inning of work to earn his 10th save of the season Sunday against the Brewers.

Minter allowed the tying run to reach with one out and put him in scoring position with a wild pitch, but he struck out Christian Yelich to end the threat. He's settled nicely into his role as the team's closer, converting six of his last seven opportunties and allowing just one earned run in his last 10 appearances. Minter will hold the closer job as long as Arodys Vizcaino (shoulder) remains sidelined and could potentially hold onto it thereafter.

Smith got the save against the Pirates on Sunday, striking out two without allowing a baserunner over a scoreless ninth inning to preserve the Giants' 4-3 victory.

Smith had given up four earned runs over his last two appearances but he got back on track in this one, making quick work of the Pirates to lock down his eighth save of the season. He's having a fantastic campaign overall, with a 2.11 ERA and a microscopic 0.83 WHIP over 38.1 innings.

Rodriguez (6-1) got the win against the Pirates on Sunday, giving up one earned run on just two hits over seven strong innings, striking out four and walking one in San Francisco's 4-3 victory.

Rodriguez just continues to light it up, as this victorious effort marked his third straight start where he's gone seven innings and his ninth straight appearance where he's given up two or fewer earned runs. This latest stellar effort brought his ERA down to 2.25 and his WHIP to 1.00, so he's fully earned his 6-1 record. If there's any knock on his profile at this point, it's that his 65 strikeouts over 80 innings suggest his ratios aren't particularly sustainable. He'll look to keep it rolling in his next start against the Reds on Friday.

Wilson (4-3) snagged the win in Sunday's comeback win over the Nationals. He retired the only two batters he faced with one strikeout.

Wilson relieved an ineffective Brandon Kintzler in the top of the ninth inning and kept Washington to just two runs in the frame and a 3-0 lead. The lefty then picked up a surprise win when the Cubs walked off the Nationals in the bottom of the inning on a David Bote grand slam. Wilson has been better this season after a rough debut with the Cubs last year, as he now has a 3.22 ERA through 44.2 innings.

Bass (back) was outrighted to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday after he was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic Chicago reports.

Bass was placed on the shelf July 21 after suffering a back strain, but following a rehab stint and clearing waivers, he'll head to the minors. Through 16 appearances out of the bullpen in 2018, Bass owns a 2.93 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 14 strikeouts across 15.1 frames.

Manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Ferguson is being prepared to be able to pitch in back-to-back games in the next week or so, Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Ferguson has taken on more high-leverage work in recent weeks, earning his first two career holds in his last four appearances. The 22-year-old took the ball from starter Walker Buehler in the eighth inning Saturday and tossed a perfect frame before JT Chargois ultimately blew the save. Ferguson's fastball has been up in the mid-90s since he shortened up from long relief and it's possible he eventually becomes a part of the closer committee in the absence of Kenley Jansen (irregular heartbeat), although the bullpen just became more crowded with the additions of Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling.

Blach (6-7) lasted just four innings after giving up four runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five in a loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday.

The long reliever was promoted to the rotation following Chris Stratton's struggles as the Giants' fifth starter, but he failed to provide improved results in the role. One positive that can be taken away from Blach's start was the five strikeouts, which is a category in which the southpaw has struggled in this season (5.2 K/9). It is unclear whether the 27-year-old will get another turn in the rotation, especially after Casey Kelly posted five shutout innings in relief Saturday.

Hicks gave up a hit and struck out one in 1.1 scoreless innings to pick up his third save of the season in Saturday's 8-3 win over the Royals.

He entered the game protecting a three-run lead with two outs in the eighth inning, but after the Cards tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the ninth, Hicks stuck around to close things out. The 21-year-old flamethrower has been getting good results since the All-Star break, posting a 0.79 ERA despite a 6:4 K:BB in 11.1 innings, but unless something happens to Bud Norris, Hicks will primarily remain in a set-up role down the stretch.