MLB Player News

Dodgers reliever Yimi Garcia (S, 1) tossed a perfect ninth inning against the Padres on Friday to earn his first save of the season.

Garcia struck out two of the three batters he faced.

Garcia has now allowed just one run in 9 2/3 innings (0.93 ERA) this season.

Closer Mark Melancon (S, 4) set down the Diamondbacks in order in the ninth inning on Friday to earn the save in the Pirates' victory.

All three batters Melancon retired were pinch hitters.

Adam Ottavino (S,3) locked down the Rockies' ninth-inning lead on Friday to collect a save.

Ottavino allowed one hit and struck out one in the outing.

Cubs reliver Pedro Strop was unavailable to pitch Friday against the Reds due to a sore foot. However, the right-hander said after the game he expects to be available Saturday, per The Chicago Tribune.

Strop hasn't allowed a run through nine relief appearances (7 1/3 innings). He has 10 strikeouts to two walks. He has allowed just two hits.

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman entered Friday's game against the Cubs with a 3-3 tie and allowed one hit, one walk, notched a strikeout and surrendered no runs.

Chapman has not allowed an earned run this season in nine innings or work.

Rockies closer Adam Ottavino said he's ready to go Friday against the Giants, reports the Denver Post.

Ottavino has seen action in eight of the Rockies' 16 games this season and is 1-0 with two saves and a 0.00 ERA.

Despite a poor performance Thursday for Triple-A Las Vegas by pitching prospect Rafael Montero, the Mets have confirmed that he will start Tuesday at Miami, per ESPN.

The 24-year-old Montero has proven mediocre and a bit wild in limited major league opportunities. He has walked 27 in 48 2/3 innings, including four in 4 1/3 innings over four relief appearances in 2015. But he has averaged more than a strikeout per inning.

Rafael Montero was not at his best during what could be his final tuneup before his first start of the season for the Mets. The right-hander, who is being stretched out for a spot start, allowed four runs on six hits and four strikeouts over five innings.

Manager Terry Collins will likely call Montero back up from the minors in time for an April 28 spot start against Miami in order to give the rest of the rotation an extra day of rest. Montero held a 4.15 ERA in 4 1/3 innings with the big-league club this season.

Getting a rare chance to nail down a victory, Rockies right-hander John Axford did just that Thursday against visiting San Diego.

Axford walked Yonder Alonso with one out, but struck out Will Venable and Alexi Amarista to make the one-run lead stand up and earn his second save.

He was subbing Thursday for closer Adam Ottavino, who has given up just one hit in 8 1/3 shutout innings this year, but was given the day off by Walt Weiss.

"I wanted to stay off Otto," Weiss told the Denver Post.

Embattled Pirates closer Mark Melancon is suddenly a little less embattled, courtesy of a 1-2-3 ninth inning to close down the Cubs on Thursday for his third save.

Melancon turned an 8-6 lead into a 9-8 defeat Tuesday as his velocity was down and he struggled to throw strikes. But he needed only 10 pitches (seven strikes) to dispatch Pittsburgh's NL Central rival, striking out Addison Russell in the process.

The right-hander is still saddled with a 7.36 ERA.