MLB Player News

Stephenson gave up four runs on six hits and two walks over four-plus innings in his final spring training outing of the year Saturday against the Cubs, striking out three. The game was played in Las Vegas, a notorious hitters' park where the wind was blowing out to right field, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Stephenson finishes spring training with a 5.63 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over 16 innings in major league spring training games. The overall stats have to be just a small part of the decision-making process for the Reds, given the small sample. But Amir Garrett and Cody Reed had better springs, and arguably Sal Romano's spring training performance could also persuade the Reds to find a spot for him. Part of their process will have to be based on whether they believe Bronson Arroyo can handle the rigors of major league competition again.

In his first appearance since returning from the World Baseball Classic, Melancon fired a scoreless inning in Saturday's win over the Padres.

Saturday's outing brought Melancon's scoreless inning streak to eight this spring. The soon-to-be 32-year-old will look to build off last season's tremendous 1.64 ERA and 47 saves with his new club. The elite closer should see plenty of save opportunities for the contending Giants this season.

Hernandez agreed to a deal with the Braves on Sunday as a non-roster invitee.

After signing a minor league deal with the Giants in February, Hernandez was recently informed he wouldn't make their 25-man roster and thus requested his release. He will report to Braves camp Monday with the hopes of making their Opening Day roster.

Suter was optioned to minor league camp Sunday.

Suter had a fighting chance to make the Opening Day roster due to the fact that he is one of the team's few left-handed pitchers, but the Brewers ultimately decided to have the southpaw begin the season in the minor leagues. He's a candidate to rejoin the major league team sometime during 2017.

Iglesias (elbow, hip) played catch Saturday and should throw off a mound soon, Zach Buchanan from the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

We have a week left before the start of the season, and while the Reds have said that Iglesias hasn't been ruled out for Opening Day, he's going to have to make significant progress to be ready. But this injury was part of a shower fall, and not due to the wear and tear of pitching, so his price shouldn't drop too much in your league.

Robles allowed one hit and struck out one in two shutout innings of relief during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Braves.

His spring ERA with the Mets remains at 0.00 through 7.2 innings with a 9:1 K:BB, and Robles also had good numbers with the Dominican Republic team at the WBC (2.45 ERA, 4:0 K:BB in 3.2 innings). With Jeurys Familia expected to miss the first month of the season due to a domestic violence suspension, Robles should take on eighth-inning duties in April and be a strong source of holds all season.

Montero allowed four hits and a walk while striking out one over five shutout innings during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Braves.

He now has a 1.96 ERA and 21:8 K:BB in 18.1 innings this spring, and Montero has done everything possible to earn a spot on the big league staff. With Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo also pitching well this spring, though, Montero's probably be headed for a low-leverage long relief role, making him little more than an upside flier for fantasy purposes. Still, the 25-year-old's strikeout potential, and the checkered injury histories of much of the Mets' rotation, do give Montero a clear (if unlikely) path to value if he has rediscovered the form he showed at Triple-A back in 2013-14.

Nationals manager Dusty Baker said Saturday the team has decided on a closer, although he isn't yet willing to make that decision public, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. Treinen is one of three candidates for the job, along with Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover.

The 28-year-old once again worked the ninth inning Saturday, recording the final two outs against the Astros. All three relievers have pitched well this spring, but Treinen's numbers (0.00 ERA, 0.21 WHIP, 8:0 K:BB in 4.2 innings) are a notch above Glover's (3.72 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 12:1 K:BB in 9.2 innings) and especially Kelley's (1.42 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 6:3 K:BB in 6.1 innings), and his recent usage suggests he might be the winner of one of the spring's most intriguing battles from a fantasy perspective. It seems the Nats' bullpen picture should become a lot clearer soon.

Miller will begin the season in the Arizona rotation with Archie Bradley moving to the bullpen, ArizonaSports.com reports.

Miller may have a 7.36 ERA this spring, but he also has an encouraging 18:4 K:BB in 11 innings. Miller's disastrous 2016 season (6.15 ERA) featured just a 6.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9.

Bowman will open the season in the Cardinals' bullpen, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.

He logged a 3.46 ERA in 67.2 innings out of the Cardinals' bullpen in 2016 and figures to occupy a similar low-leverage role this season.