MLB Player News

Neris collected a four-out save Saturday against the Pirates, allowing no runs on one hit. He walked none and struck out none.

The right-hander was brought into a 3-2 ballgame to get one out in the eighth, but the offense gave him three insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning to make the ninth a relatively low-pressure frame. Neris now has four saves on the season and has a 1.08 ERA in 8.1 innings since his horrific 2018 debut on Opening Day.

Hicks (1-0) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings Saturday against the Reds to pick up the win. He allowed no hits, walked two and struck out none.

The fireballer lacked control in this one, as just 12 of his 26 offerings went for strikes, though given the hitless outing, it seems like "effectively wild" is the better term. Hicks wound up walking away with the win after Yadier Molina hit a tie-breaking homer in the seventh inning. The 21-year-old has yet to allow a run in 11.2 frames this season, though his 6:8 K:BB leaves much to be desired.

Milner was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday.

The southpaw struggled Thursday, allowing three runs in one-third of an inning. His strikeout rate (7.7 K/9) and walk rate (5.8 BB/9) also left much to be desired, so he'll head back to the minors. A corresponding move will be announced Sunday.

Manager Bruce Bochy said that Smith (elbow) is "knocking on the door" of returning from the disabled list, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Smith has made four rehab appearances in the past week, allowing two runs and striking out seven batters in that time. It's been a long road back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last March, but it seems like he could be back in the next week or two given how frequently he's been able to pitch.

Koch will remain in the Diamondbacks' rotation, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Koch started for the first time this season Friday in place of Taijuan Walker. With Walker out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, a permanent rotation spot has been opened up in Arizona, at least until Shelby Miller returns from his own Tommy John surgery sometime this summer. Koch has a 2.77 career ERA in 26 big-league innings, though his 4.64 xFIP indicates that he's nothing special.

Gott was called up to the majors to replace the injured Matt Grace on Saturday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

Gott was down with Triple-A Syracuse for just five days after having originally made the Opening Day roster. In his first five innings for the Nationals this season he had a 5.40 ERA, walking three batters and striking out three.

Grace was placed on the disabled list with a strained left groin Saturday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

Grace has a 5.06 ERA in 10.2 innings for the Nationals so far this season. Trevor Gott was promoted from Triple-A Syracuse to take his place in the bullpen.

Gsellman ran his record to 2-0 in Friday's extra-inning win over the Braves, tossing two scoreless innings of relief and allowing a hit and a walk while striking out three.

Since losing out on a rotation spot this spring, Gsellman has emerged as a key component in a stacked Mets bullpen. The right-hander now sports a 2.19 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 18:5 K:BB in 12.1 innings over 10 appearances, and his two wins are supplemented by three holds. With versatile -- but still dominant -- long relievers becoming all the rage around MLB thanks to the Astros' success with pitchers in that role, Gsellman could be the latest arm to offer big strikeout numbers and plus ratios from the bullpen.

Kontos (1-2) allowed one run on two hits and one walk in one inning Friday in Philadelphia.

The Pirates have trusted Kontos in late-inning, high-leverage situations, but he hasn't pitched very well, registering a 5.00 ERA and 1.44 WHIP through nine outings (nine innings). Although the 32-year-old has collected one save and two holds, he'll need to pitch better to remain the bridge to closer Felipe Vazquez.

Boxberger failed to retire any of the three batters he faced in the ninth inning and was charged with three runs (one earned) on three hits to take the loss Friday against the Padres.

Though the box score paints an ugly picture, Boxberger wasn't quite as disastrous as the results indicate, as all three of the hits he surrendered were groundball singles. Nonetheless, the three consecutive hits late in a tied ball game were all the Padres needed to pull away, resulting in Boxberger dropping to 0-2 on the season. With Friday's appearance marking Boxberger's third in as many days -- the first time he has pitched on three consecutive days since the 2015 season -- expect the right-hander to be unavailable for the second game of the series Saturday. If that's the case, Archie Bradley or Yoshihisa Hirano would likely be deployed as closer for the day.