MLB Player News

Rockies closer Adam Ottavino tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his first win in his team's 5-4 walkoff victory over the Padres Wednesday.

Ottavino (1-0) threw just seven of his 12 pitches for strikes but was able to get out of the inning without allowing any men to reach base. It's his second straight outing failing to record a strikeout after punching out 12 batters in his first six apperances. Ottavino has delivered 8 1/3 scoreless innings while recording two saves.

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman earned his fourth save Wednesday, striking out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning to finish off his team's 2-1 win over the Brewers in Milwaukee.

Chapman has yet to surrender a run in eight innings while racking up 14 strikeouts and issuing two walks. He's struck out five of the six batters he's faced in his last two games. Chapman has pitched in seven of his team's eight wins, racking up one win himself in addition to his four saves.

Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson didn't factor into the decision Wednesday after giving up just one earned run on three hits and two walks in eight innings while striking out five in his team's 2-1 loss to the Reds.

Nelson surrendered back-to-back singles to open the game, bringing Billy Hamilton, who had stolen second base after his leadoff single, home for an early Reds lead. Nelson buckled down from there, first getting a double play to empty the bases then allowing just one hit over the remainder of the game. However, he was unable to outbattle Reds starter Johnny Cueto, resulting in the no-decision.

Nelson's excellent outing gives him a 1.35 ERA and 17:4 K:BB ratio in 20 innings over three starts. His next test will come Monday in a rematch with the Reds.

The Nationals placed left-handed pitcher Felipe Rivero on the 15-day disabled list with a gastrointestinal bleed, the team announced. The move is retroactive to April 18.

With an extra spot on the 25-man roster, the Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Matt Grace from Triple-A and he is available to pitch in Wednesday's game against the Cardinals. Grace, 23, failed to make the team out of spring training.

The Nationals are the favorites (-101) over the Cardinals on Wednesday.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said closer Mark Melancon will not be available to pitch during Wednesday's game against the Cubs, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

"He's not available tonight based on the volume of pitches [Tuesday]," Hurdle said, per MLB.com. "He's going to close Thursday if we have a lead late. It's one blown save for me. It would be an absolute overreaction for one blown save to make a switch now. Obviously, the two three-run innings get your attention, but for us, it's pitch execution as much as it is anything, and I still believe the velocity will get back to were we've seen it."

Melancon blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning of Tuesday's loss to the Cubs, but Hurdle said Melancon will remain the team's closer moving forward.

The Pirates are the favorites (-108) over the Cubs on Wednesday.

Mets pitcher Vic Black will be given a week off to rest the herniated disk in his neck, according to ESPN.com. Black said the injury is not allowing his triceps to fire and is affecting his velocity on the mound.

Black, who is currently on the 15-day DL with a shoulder injury, said the injury is modest and much better than it was last year. He doesn't anticipate having to undergo surgery for the herniated disk, but did feel tingling after his last rehab appearance. 

"I knew something was wrong because I know when I can step on the gas and when I'm trying and it's not working," Black said per NJ.com. "To know that it's not a shoulder issue and yet I can't get it to speed up was a concern to me."

After blowing a two-run lead in the ninth inning of Tuesday's loss to the Cubs, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said he's noticed a drop in pitcher Mark Melancon's velocity, reports MLB.com.

"Right now, we're not seeing the crispness we've seen out of his pitches in the past,” Hurdle said. "There's been a velocity drop… of a couple of ticks."

Although Melancon said he's unaware of the drop in his pitch speed, his cutter averaged around 87-88 mph during his struggles Tuesday after averaging 91.6 mph last season, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

"I don't pay attention to that," Melancon said. "I'm worried only about results."

Hurdle added that Melancon is not injured and he is not experiencing any pain in his arm, reports MLB Network Radio.

"He's not pitching at the level we've seen the last two years," Hurdle said.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen completed a bullpen session prior to Tuesday's game against San Francisco, and expects to throw two more before throwing to hitters next week when the Dodgers are back in Los Angeles, the Orange County Register reports.

Jansen started the year on the disabled list after having a growth removed from his left foot in February. He is targeting a return by early-to-mid-May.

"Basically, he's going through spring training right now," manager Don Mattingly said of Jansen. "He's on track for us. But he's still a ways away."

Padres closer Craig Kimbrel escaped a shaky outing with the save Tuesday night against Colorado.

Pitching in Coors Field, the right-hander surrendered a solo home run to Nick Hundley to open the ninth inning. He settled down by striking out Wilin Rosario and retiring Corey Dickerson and Daniel Descalso to secure a 7-6 victory.

Kimbrel has converted all five of his save opportunities to start the year. He owns a 2.45 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP and an 8:3 K:BB ratio over 7 1/3 innings.

Pirates closer Mark Melancon suffered his first blown save and first loss of the season in a ninth-inning meltdown on Tuesday. 

Melancon started the ninth inning, nursing an 8-6 lead. The first four batters he faced reached base, on a walk and three hits. Melancon gave up three runs on three hits, including a double. He walked two, struck out one and saw his ERA swell to 8.53.

"He never threw the curve for a strike," Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro said. "(We had to) be ready for the cutter and the fastball.''