MLB Player News

Blach (8-10) allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts over five innings Friday to take the loss against the Diamondbacks.

Blach has now allowed 16 runs in 16.1 innings over his past three starts, a stretch in which he is now 0-3 with a 6:8 K:BB. Despite a fastball that averages just 90.1 mph, Blach had managed to put together a 3.86 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over his previous 16 starts covering 107.1 innings. It looks like major-league hitters are starting to figure him out, and Blach is unraveling in the August heat.

Rodney threw a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout for his 31st save Friday against the Giants.

Since blowing consecutive saves on July 2 and July 6, Rodney is 9-for-9 in save chances with 15 strikeouts over 11.1 innings. He has been inconsistent in 2017, but he has had enough stretches of brilliance to keep hold of the Arizona closing job.

Jackson (shoulder) is expected to come off the disabled list Sept. 1, David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

By waiting to activate Jackson until Sept. 1, the Braves will be able to avoid having to make a corresponding roster move. The 25-year-old righty has struggled to shut down batters this season, as he's logged a disappointing 28:15 K:BB over 40.2 innings this season.

Garcia struck out two in a perfect seventh inning Thursday to get credit for the win in a 9-8 victory over the Phillies.

It was his first MLB win, but the 24-year-old lefty has been effective in middle relief most of the season, posting a 3.27 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 33:10 K:BB in 41.1 innings over 53 appearances. Garcia could get a chance to move into a starting role in 2018, but his lack of strikeout stuff likely makes him better suited for the bullpen in the long run.

Strop (3-4) blew his third save of the year and took the loss Thursday against the Reds. He gave up three earned runs on three hits and two walks in an inning of work.

This is the second time in the last three games that Strop has given up three earned runs. The 32-year-old still has a respectable 3.44 ERA, and he posted sub-3.00 ERAs each of the last three years for the Cubs, so he's built up some equity in the bullpen. However, his walk rate is back up 3.8 per nine (the same mark he posted in 2015) after he had cut it to 2.9 last season. Strop's propensity to give up walks makes him an occasionally volatile option, despite his electric stuff.

Hand picked up his 12th save of the season Thursday, striking out two batters while allowing one run against the Cardinals.

While it wasn't pretty, as Hand served up a leadoff home run to Randal Grichuk to shrink San Diego's lead to one run, the lefty did manage to settle down to secure the victory Thursday. He induced a flyout from Carson Kelly before fanning Stephen Piscotty and Kolten Wong to close things out. Aside from a three-run meltdown in Cincinnati on Aug. 10, Hand hadn't allowed a run since June 14 (27 games) entering Thursday. Hand remains one of the more reliable closers in the game right now and he has a firm hold on the job despite Thursday's hiccup to Grichuk.

Iglesias picked up his 24th save Thursday against the Cubs after allowing one hit while striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning.

It didn't look like Iglesias was going to get a chance in this one, but Pedro Strop's eighth-inning meltdown allowed Cincinnati to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead. Iglesias faced the minimum three batters, as his lone baserunner allowed was caught stealing second.

Rodney allowed two walks in a scoreless ninth inning Thursday against the Mets to earn his 30th save of the season.

Rodney was able to work around a leadoff walk to convert his ninth straight save opportunity. The 40-year-old owns an unremarkable 4.75 ERA and 1.27 WHIP through 41.2 innings this season, but his 30 saves and 49 strikeouts make him a valuable fantasy option for owners looking for help strictly in those categories.

Montero (2-9) landed in the loss column after allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five batters across 5.1 innings Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

Montero nearly turned in his third consecutive quality start, but the 26-year-old ran out of gas and ultimately couldn't make it out of the sixth inning. Montero has now compiled a respectable 3.12 ERA and 16:7 K:BB over his last three starts, lowering his ERA on the season from 6.06 to 5.44 in the process. It's unclear when Montero's next start will be, given Monday's scheduled off day, but his recent run should afford him another turn in the rotation.

Koch was sent down to Triple-A Reno following Wednesday's contest.

Koch was recalled to the big leagues just a few days ago and was able to make one appearance during his brief stay with the team, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk while failing to record an out during Tuesday's game. He was optioned in order to make room for Robbie Ray (concussion) on the active roster. The 26-year-old will continue to serve as organizational depth for Arizona, but he's unlikely to see any meaningful time on the mound with the club this season.