MLB Player News

The Dodgers have activated reliever Kenley Jansen from the 15-day disabled list, the team announced on Friday. Jansen has been out all season after undergoing surgery on his foot during the offseason. Manager Don Mattingly has already said he would ease Jansen back into the closer's role.

Reliever Daniel Coulombe was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Jansen on the 25-man roster. 

Nationals right-handed reliever Blake Treinen was just what the doctor ordered for manager Matt Williams on Friday. When starter Doug Fister was lifted after pitching just two innings against the Padres, Treinen came on and gave the Nationals threw 57 pitches over four innings, allowing three hits (including a solo home run) and struck out six along the way. 

Treinen hadn't pitched in three days, but he was happy just to play his role.

“Every pitcher on the staff would take pride in doing their job and my job [Thursday] was to go out and get as many innings as we could,” he said, per The Washington Post. “Am I glad that we’re a couple arms fresher now? Absolutely. But it still sucks losing.”

The bullpen had been taxed pretty heavily over the last few days, so Trienen's effort allowed Williams to rest his tired arms.

“We still have two lefties that will be fresh [Friday] and all of the right-handers with the exception of Blake so I think we’re okay,” Williams said.

Dodgers pitcher Yimi Garcia served up a go-ahead three-run home run to Carlos Gonzalez in the ninth, which proved to be costly in his team's 5-4 defeat to the Rockies on Thursday.

Garcia (2-1) struck two and did not issue a walk, but was charged with three runs on three hits in an inning of work, picking up the loss and a blow save. He owns a 3.38 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP and 26:6 K:BB ratio through 16 innings pitched this season.

Rockies closer John Axford struck out one, worked his way around a walk and did not allow a hit in a scoreless ninth inning to preserve a 5-4 victory and the save over the Dodgers on Thursday.

Axford has converted all four of his save chances, with a 1.29 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP and 7:4 K:BB ratio over seven innings pitched this season.

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect ninth inning to protect a 4-3 lead in Thursday's win over the Giants. 

Chapman earned his seventh save of the season and reduced his ERA to 1.10. He struck out two of the three batters he faced. 

Phillies pitcher Ken Giles gave up two earned runs on two hits while recording just one out in his team's 4-2 win over the Pirates on Thursday.

Giles opened the ninth inning by giving up a single, and the runner was able to score after advancing to second base on a passed ball thanks to a one-out double that chased the reliever from the game in favor of Jonathan Papelbon, who allowed the inherited runner to score but finished off the victory.

"He's still a little bit inconsistent with his control and command," manager Ryne Sandberg said of Giles after the game, per the Philadelphia Daily News. "He's just not throwing the pitches where he wants to on a consistent basis. With his velocity coming back, I think there will be some adjustments there to bare down with those two pitches, and they're two major league pitches."

Giles, who had allowed just one earned run entering play Thursday, owns a 1.72 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 16:8 K:BB ratio in 15 2/3 innings.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen will be activated from the disabled list within the next two days. 

Jansen started the season on the 15-day disabled list after offseason foot surgery. 

Manager Don Mattingly said that, ideally, Jansen would return to the team Saturday, but, depending on what happens in Thursday's game, the Dodgers may need to add him to the bullpen a day earlier, per SB Nation. 

Cubs reliever Pedro Strop won his first game of the season with 1 1/3 perfect innings on Thursday. 

Strop entered the tie game with two outs in the seventh and the go-ahead run on second base. He ended the inning with a lineout, then pitched a one-two-three eighth with two strikeouts. 

Strop moved to 1-2 on the year with a 3.38 ERA.

Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson allowed eight hits in Wednesday night's 4-2 loss to the White Sox. 

Nelson allowed four earned runs and walked two while striking out three. Nelson lasted 6 2/3 innings in the game. This is the second consecutive game where Nelson has allowed four earned runs. 

Nelson's next start is projected for May 19 against the Tigers. 

Padres closer Craig Kimbrel delivered his 10th save Wednesday despite allowing one earned run on two hits in one inning while striking out two in his team's 4-2 victory over the Mariners.

Kimbrel opened the inning by giving up a single and was able to record two outs before the runner moved up to second base on fielder's indifference. A double brought the runner around to score, making it the third time in his last four starts that Kimbrel has allowed at least one run, but he was able to strike out the following batter to end the game.

Kimbrel owns a 5.93 ERA and 19:5 K:BB ratio in 13 2/3 innings.