MLB Player News

Manager Pete Mackanin said Milner will likely get more late-inning relief opportunities over the rest of the season, Stan Awtrey of CSN Philadelphia reports.

Milner isn't going to work the ninth inning, but he could see some seventh- and eighth-inning work. The lefty has held same-handed hitters to a .214 average, but righties are batting .429 against him. Mackanin said the Phillies want to see Milner use his two-seam fastball more as it could be an effective pitch against righties.

Jansen struck out two and worked around a hit batsman for his 29th save Wednesday against Arizona.

The superstar closer has blown only a single save chance all year, and he's actually outdoing his own spectacular 2016 season, as his ERA is an even more insanely low 1.28 (down from 1.83) along with a 0.67 WHIP and career-best 14.0 K/9. Not yet 30 years old, Jansen is well on his way to building a Hall of Fame-worthy resume.

Neris nailed down his 13th save Wednesday in Atlanta, issuing one walk while striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning.

Neris has gotten off to a strong start in August, notching four scoreless innings to go with three saves in four appearances. His last blown save came all the way back on June 21, so the right-hander's firmly entrenched as Philadelphia's closer at the moment.

Montero (1-8) allowed four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five batters through just three innings during Wednesday's loss to Texas.

This was another dud from Montero, and while the strikeouts stand out for such a short outing, the righty continues to struggle. His 6.06 ERA and 1.81 WHIP are crippling ratios in all fantasy settings, and Montero has now allowed 20 runs through 26.1 innings over his past five starts. A daunting road date with the Yankees is up next, too.

Melancon (elbow) could return to the club prior to this weekend's series in Washington following his evaluation Friday, Alex Pavlovic of the NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Melancon was able to make his third rehab appearance Tuesday, allowing just one hit while striking out a pair over the course of two scoreless innings with High-A San Jose. The closer should slide right back into his typical role upon activation, with a definitive answer coming Friday following his examination.

Neris struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Tuesday to record his 12th save of the season in a 5-2 win over the Braves.

The right-hander's found a groove since the All-Star break, posting a 1.32 ERA and 14:7 K:BB in 13.2 innings while converting all five of his save chances. Neris' ratios will remain volatile as long as he struggles with his control, but at the moment he's at least unchallenged as the Phillies' closer.

Melancon (elbow) allowed one hit and no runs while striking out two in a scoreless inning during Tuesday's rehab appearance with High-A San Jose, Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The veteran closer was lit up in his previous rehab outing (four earned runs in two-thirds of an inning), so Tuesday's vintage showing was a positive step in his rehab from an elbow injury. Schulman noted that there is still no official timetable for Melancon's return, but another strong outing or two could accelerate his activation from the disabled list. He will likely resume his role as the Giants' closer upon activation.

Blach (8-7) tossed seven innings of two-run ball Tuesday, allowing seven hits and a walk while striking out three to pick up the win in a 6-3 victory over the Cubs.

The 26-year-old has quietly been on a roll of late, notching six quality starts over his last seven outings and finishing at least seven frames in five straight. Blach's 2.98 ERA over that seven-game span has certainly been usable for fantasy owners, but a lack of strikeouts (5.2 K/9) during his successful run limits his upside. The southpaw will attempt to keep the good times rolling against the Marlins next Monday.

The Giants have decided not to skip Moore's next start at Washington on Sunday after tinkering with the idea Tuesday, Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Moore spoke with Bruce Bochy during Tuesday's win over the Cubs and convinced his manager to allow him to stay in the rotation for the time being. The 28-year-old has been nothing short of terrible in his first full season in San Francisco, posting an ugly 3-12 record to go along with a 5.88 ERA in 23 starts. Moore's peripherals (7.8 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and 1.4 HR/9) aren't that far off from his career averages, and his career-worst 65.4 percent strand rate has shown that he has actually been a tad unlucky (4.69 FIP). Luck aside, only the most desperate of fantasy owners should even consider starting the shaky southpaw against the Nationals and their NL-leading .341 wOBA.

Rodney struck out a pair and worked around a walk for his 26th save Tuesday against the Dodgers.

That's now eight straight scoreless outings for Rodney since he got blown up for four runs by these same Dodgers back on July 6; in that span, he's struck out 14 batters while allowing just a single hit and three walks over 7.1 innings. Old though he may be at 40, Rodney is still throwing mid-90s heat, which has him well on his way to posting a five-year low in WHIP (currently 1.20; he hasn't been below 1.30 in the past four seasons), while his current 11.3 K/9 is a career high.