MLB Player News

Melancon played a dangerous game in the 12th inning Wednesday against Colorado, walking two batters before getting the final two outs to secure his fifth save.

Putting men on base in Coors Field is dangerous, to say the least, but Melancon was able to escape the jam after his offense gave him a one-run lead to preserve in the top of the 12th. These were also his first two walks of the year, and he bounced back effectively after giving up two runs in Arizona on Sunday -- two facts that should provide comfort to Melancon's fantasy owners.

Gomez pitched a perfect ninth inning to pick up his sixth save of the season, as Philadelphia beat Washington 3-0 on Wednesday.

He induced two fly balls and struck out one batter against the Nationals. Gomez is off to a fantastic start. He has a 2-0 record and is 6-for-6 in save opportunities with a 2.08 ERA. Gomez also has 11 strikeouts and three walks in 13.0 innings.

Weber was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday, Kevin McAlpin of 680 The Fan reports.

After allowing a total of eight earned runs in his last two outings and owning a 10.57 ERA, the Braves hope that Weber will rediscover his game in the minors. In a corresponding move, Atlanta recalled fellow righthanded reliever John Gant.

Wittgren was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans on Wednesday, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Wittgren only appeared twice with the Marlins since being called up on April 19, but he'll head back to the minors with the Marlins needing another starting pitcher to fill out their staff. The right-hander could be back with the major league club if another injury strikes or if he impresses more in the minors. Left-hander Justin Nicolino will take his place on the 25-man roster.

Belisle (calf) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a right calf strain.

Belisle left Tuesday's game with the ailment, and it apparently is serious enough to warrant a trip to the disabled list. The right-hander's presence will be sorely missed, as he's only allowed one earned run through six innings so far this season. The Nationals recalled left-hander Sammy Solis to fill his spot in the Washington bullpen.

Sierra was added to Class-A Rancho Cucamonga's roster Wednesday and will make his U.S. debut as the starting pitcher in Friday's game, Eric Stephen of SB Nation reports.

Sierra was expected to begin his tenure with the Dodgers organization as a reliever, but he'll make his debut as a starter nonetheless. The right-hander signed a six-year contract with the Dodgers this past January, so if he can impress during his time with the Quakes, he could move up to the higher levels of the minor leagues and possibly even contribute with the major league club by season's end, either as a starter or a reliever.

Diplan, 19, has a 3.00 ERA and 16:6 K:BB through 15 innings for Low-A Wisconsin.

Diplan is a hurler to keep an eye on, as he has more than held his own since signing in 2014. He will be brought along slowly but has the repertoire to succeed as a starter, assuming his command continues to improve.

Hader, 22, has a 0.53 ERA and 27:8 K:BB through 17 innings for Double-A Biloxi.

Hader has been dominant for the Shuckers, fanning at least seven batters in each of the last three outings. He's not working deep into ballgames just yet, but that is likely in an effort to keep his innings down. Hader has never pitched more than 123.1 innings in a season.

Lopez, 23, has a 7.94 ERA and 12:10 K:BB through 11.1 innings for Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Arguably the top pitching prospect for the Brewers, Lopez has been battered and bruised through three starts. Opposing batters are hitting a blistering .354 against him. He has also not helped his cause with the high walk total. It's a small sample size, but this is clearly not the start to the season Lopez had hoped for.

Strop earned his fourth hold of the season despite a shaky appearance against the Brewers on Tuesday. He walked two and gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Overall, Strop has been excellent during the season's first month, as he has a 10:3 K:BB in eight innings and opponents are batting just .115 off him. He remains one of the better setup men in the National League, Tuesday night notwithstanding.