MLB Player News

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.

Kontos (groin) will resume baseball activities Friday with hopes of coming off the disabled list when eligible on Aug. 30, Pirates Prospects reports.

Pittsburgh trainer Todd Tomczyk characterized the righty's groin strain as minor. Kontos has allowed one run in five games (five innings) since coming to the Pirates, recording three holds and one blown save. He's also one of the few relievers signed by the Bucs for 2018.

Leiter (2-3) shut the Marlins out over seven innings Wednesday, striking out five while allowing just one hit and two walks in an 8-0 win.

The Phillies gave him a run of support in the bottom of the first, and that turned out to be all he'd need. Leiter had gotten the boot from the rotation after his Aug. 15 disaster against San Diego, but he actually never made an appearance during his return to the bullpen before being called upon for this start. Following this outing, it's hard to see him getting pushed out of the starting five again, at least for now, but it's worth monitoring his status as we head toward what would be his next turn in the rotation, Monday against the Braves.

Moore allowed a single run on five hits and two walks while striking out six batters through six innings during Wednesday's win over Milwaukee. He didn't factor into the decision.

Moore is finding a groove on the mound and has now allowed just five runs through 20.1 innings over his past three starts. He's had a number of disastrous outings this season, and the lefty owns a crippling 5.38 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. Still, his 7.9 K/9 is serviceable, so Moore can provide value in the right matchups. He projects to make his next start against the Padres at AT&T Park.