MLB Player News

Brewers reliever Will Smith said he hopes to have a resolution regarding the appeal of his eight-game suspension by Friday, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Smith said he spent an hour appealing his case with his agent to an MLB rep on Monday. He felt he presented a good case. 

Smith also indicated Brian Matusz's appeal needed to be heard before he could get a ruling. Matusz is set to have his appeal heard Wednesday.

Both players were recently handed eight-game suspensions for having a foreign substance found on their arms during outings in late May.

The Rockies recalled reliever Tommy Kahnle  from Triple-A Albuquerque on Monday, the club announced. 

"It's nice to be back," Kahnle said, per MLB.com. "That's what I've been working for."

The right-hander is 1-2 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 17 relief outings for Albuquerque. He also has four saves, 26 strikeouts and eight walks in 22 innings.

The Nationals recalled reliever Felipe Rivero from Triple-A Syracuse on Monday. To clear a roster spot, the Nationals optioned reliever Matt Grace to Syracuse.

Rockies closer John Axford has managed to shake off some of the issues from last season and become an effective ninth-inning man, according to MLB.com.

"He can strike guys out -- swing-and-miss stuff," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "He's got velocity that can beat the bat, even when they're hunting the fastball. There's a reason why he's saved a lot of games in this league and led the league in saves not too long ago [with 46 in 2011 with the Brewers]."

Axford took over for LaTroy Hawkins and Adam Ottavino early in the year and is perfect in nine appearances. He has a 0.64 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 14 innings of work this season.

"I was leaving my arm dragging behind, which is an issue I've had in the past, but at least it was easy for me to correct, on the next pitch," Axford said. "In years prior, that lingering may have still been there. I didn't really change my mechanics in the spring, but worked on different things to eliminate the arm staying back there too long."

The Nationals pitching staff as a whole didn't enjoy a good weekend, but reliever Matt Grace put forth the worst performance of them all.

The left-hander didn't retire a single batter in Sunday's 8-2 loss to the Reds. He allowed four runs on three hits before being pulled from the games.

"Just not making pitches" Grace said. "The ball was up in the zone, not getting ahead of guys. That's what happens. … It's frustrating, not being able to contribute to a win, not doing my job. It could be better."

Grace (2-1) now has a 5.25 ERA in 12 innings this season.

Through three innings, Nationals pitcher Tanner Roark was rolling. 

Then, solo home runs were surrendered in back-to-back innings in Washington's 8-2 loss to the Reds. Todd Frazier hit one in the fourth and Brandon Phillips hit one in the fifth. Roark went six innings and gave up two earned runs, 

However, reliever Aaron Barrett, Matt Grace and Taylor Hill had disastrous outings in the seventh. They combined for six runs allowed in what was otherwise a close game in the other eight innings. 

Roark, in the rotation with Stephen Strasburg on the disabled list, now has a 2.59 ERA. 

With reliever Jordan Walden out until at least late June, the Cardinals are looking for someone to handle the eighth-inning setup role. 

Kevin Siegrist got the opportunity on Friday, pitching a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. 

“It’s a role I would like to have,” he said, per StLToday.com.

He'll get a shot at winning the role, as will Seth Maness and Matt Belisle. 

"I think it’s going to be a combination of matchups, I think it’s going to be availability, and it is going to be playing the hot hand,” Matheny said. “It’s going to be a combination of all of those until we have somebody who just puts himself as this is my job. We’ll give a few guys that opportunity."

Pirates closer Mark Melancon came on in the ninth inning of Saturday's game against the Padres and shut the door for his 13th save of the season. The right-hander worked around a one-out single, recording a strikeout in his scoreless inning.

Melancon is now 13-for-14 in save chances this year and has allowed just one run in his last 16 appearances. 

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman picked up his ninth save Saturday, although he did have to deal with some baserunners to earn it. 

Chapman walked two batters with one out, bringing the tying run to the plate, but he recovered to strike out the final two hitters. The closer lowered his ERA to 1.61. 

Rockies closer John Axford nailed down his ninth save of the season in the 5-2 win over the Phillies on Saturday. Axford worked around a pair of singles to lead off the inning, as he got the next three hitters out in order to close out the game. 

The veteran right-hander has been stellar, as he is a perfect 9-for-9 in save opportunities this season.