MLB Player News

Hand is the front-runner to take over as the Padres' closer following Monday's trade that sent Brandon Maurer to Kansas City, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Manager Andy Green didn't officially name a replacement for Maurer following the trade, but Hand's dominance and short-term success in the role (three saves this season) makes him the the clear favorite. The 27-year-old has been electric through 51 innings, posting a 2.12 ERA and 2.69 FIP to go along with an elite 11.6 K/9. The southpaw's solid ratios and potential for saves make him a hot pickup, but there is a strong chance that Hand himself will be moved before next week's trade deadline, which could land him in a situation where he will no longer be a closer.

Jansen walked one and struck out one without allowing a hit in a scoreless ninth inning to nail down his 25th save Monday against Minnesota.

Jansen rebounded well one day after suffering his first blown save of the season in a game his team still went on to win. His 25 saves are good for second in the NL behind Colorado's Greg Holland (31).

Adleman (5-8) allowed five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out four batters over six innings during Monday's loss to Cleveland.

Adleman entered with a 6.53 ERA and 1.65 WHIP through his previous six starts, so it was more of the same Monday. He does sport an encouraging 8.3 K/9 for the campaign, so in the right matchups, Adleman is worth considering as a streaming option or low-priced flier for daily contests. However, his overall fantasy value remains limited. He projects to make his next start on the road against Miami.

Reyes (elbow) played catch from 60 feet Monday, Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

This was a momentous development in Reyes' rehab, as it marked his first official long-tossing session. Reyes had made short throws from his knees against a wall last Wednesday and Friday, and once he emerged without setbacks, the path was cleared for Monday's ramped-up activity. The Cardinals' top prospect will continue to be brought along slowly with the goal of having him ready to participate in at least a portion of spring training in 2018.

Paredes had his contract selected by the Dodgers on Monday.

Paredes has been in professional baseball since 2006, but he's yet to appear in a major-league game. The 30-year-old will get a shot with the Dodgers after posting a 2.81 ERA over 32 innings with Double-A Tulsa and tossing 8.1 scoreless innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City this season.

Melancon (elbow) will toss another bullpen session Tuesday and may face live hitters this weekend, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Melancon continues to throw scheduled bullpen sessions, but an advancement to seeing live hitters would be an encouraging milestone in the closer's rehab. The veteran remains without a firm timetable for return, but it appears that he's trending in the right direction and may be able to rejoin the Giants' bullpen in the coming weeks.

Strahm (knee) was traded to the Padres by the Royals on Monday along with Travis Wood and Esteury Ruiz for Brandon Maurer, Trevor Cahill and Ryan Buchter, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports.

Although Strahm underwent season-ending knee surgery earlier in July, he still possesses enough upside to be part of the return package that's brought a trio of arms to Kansas City. The left-hander is hopeful that he'll be ready for spring training, but only time will tell.

Albaladejo signed a minor-league contract with the Mets on Monday, Marc Carig of Newsday reports.

The former big-league pitcher will make a return to provide starting pitching depth for the Mets. He spent the earlier portion of the 2017 season in independent ball, where he went 7-6 and produced a 4.44 ERA in 16 starts. Albaledejo will be thrown right into the fire, as he's starting for Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday night.

Lamb was traded to the Rockies on Monday.

Lamb primarily acted as a reliever in the White Sox system this season, although he also made a few starts following his promotion to Triple-A. The southpaw found a lot of success in Double-A, although he struggled once he advanced up the organizational ladder, producing a 7.46 ERA and a 1.86 WHIP with Charlotte. His strikeout numbers are solid, however, so he could create some intrigue in the future if he can control his offerings better.

Beede was scratched from Monday's scheduled start with Triple-A Sacramento due to a groin strain, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The pitching prospect reportedly incurred the injury during pregame warmups, although the severity of the issue is currently unknown. Consider him day-to-day for the time being. Prior to this setback, Beede held a 4.79 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP in 19 starts for the River Cats.