MLB Player News

Reliever Rafael Montero allowed two runs on two hits and a walk and took the loss in the Mets' 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Braves. Montero struck out three batters in one inning of work. 

After finishing the seventh, Montero allowed a double, walk and two run single in the eighth to break open a tie game. 

The Reds rallied in the eighth inning for a 5-4 win over the Cardinals on Friday. J.J. Hoover entered the game with the go-ahead run on second in the seventh and ended the inning with a strikeout. He then added a scoreless eighth to earn the win.

Hoover struck out three of the five batters he faced and allowed one hit. 

Aroldis Chapman struck out two in the ninth to earn his second save of the season. 

Chapman hit 101 mph in the ninth and saved his 115th career game, an MLB record for Cuban pitchers.

Phillies reliever Luis Garcia pitched one perfect inning out of the bullpen and earned the win when the Phillies rallied against the Nationals. 

Garcia threw 11 pitches, seven for strikes. He struck out one batter. 

The Padres sent RHP Nick Vincent to to Triple-A El Paso on Friday and called up RHP Brandon Maurer . 

Vincent is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA for the Padres in three games this season. Maurer was 1-4, 4.65 for the Mariners last season. 

The team also moved pitcher Cory Luebke from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL with an elbow injury. 

The Padres placed pitcher Ian Kennedy on the 15-day disabled list, the team announced.

Kennedy left Thursday's game with a left hamstring strain. The team is unsure how much time he'll miss.

Odrisamer Despaigne will take Kennedy's place in the rotation, and Chris Rearick has been called up from Triple-A to replace him on the roster.  

Mets relievers Bobby Parnell (elbow) and Vic Black (shoulder) are expected to pitch in minor-league games over the weekend, general manager Sandy Alderson said Thursday, per the New York Daily News. Both players are on the 15-day disabled list.

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman earned a win Thursday, striking out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning in his team's 3-2 victory over the Pirates.

Chapman (1-0) tossed a scoreless ninth with the score tied 2-2, and the Reds were able to push across an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth to pick up the win. The Reds' closer has racked up five strikeouts in three scoreless innings while recording one win and one save.

The Orioles have traded catcher Brian Ward  and relief pitcher Ryan Webb to the Dodgers for pitcher Ben Rowen and catcher Chris O'Brien on Thursday, reports CSNBaltimore.com. The Dodgers will also receive a competitive balance pick from the Orioles.

Ward, who was catching for Triple-A Norfolk, was expected to be an option as a backup catcher with the team prior to the trade. Webb posted an ERA of 6.75 in 6 2/3 innings pitched, giving up eight hits with six strikeouts and two walks this spring.

Rowen finished the spring with a 5.40 ERA, giving up five hits and striking out one batter. O'Brien spent spring training with Double-A Chattanooga in 2014.

Nationals right-hander Blake Treinen was summoned in the eighth inning of Wednesday's game against the Mets, followed by Drew Storen in the ninth to close out a 2-1 victory.

With Tyler Clippard traded to Oakland in the offseason, the Nationals were left without a clear right-handed option as a setup man to start the season. Manager Matt Williams indicated that his plan was to use Treinen coming into the game, per MLB.com. Treinen entered in the eighth and tossed a scoreless frame to help secure the win for Washington.

It was Treinen's 16th career big-league appearance, and he revealed he revealed he'll need to get adjusted to working more high-leverage situations.

"Even last year in the bullpen, I didn't really come in for one-run leads," Treinen said. "So its still new, but I enjoyed it.

"It's something I'll get adjusted to. I don't think it bothers me. I enjoy those moments."

Phillies relief pitcher Ken Giles reiterated that he's "physically fine" and that there is "nothing wrong" with him, per MLB.com.

Giles struggled in his season debut Wednesday night against the Red Sox. He entered with a four-run lead, but was pulled with the bases loaded, two outs and a slim two-run advantage. 

Giles' fastball sat in the 98-100 mph range in 2014. On Wednesday, he topped at 96 mph.

"He's just been down in his velocity," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We'll just have to see. He said he feels fine."

Giles acknowledged that he'll make some changes to his approach moving forward.

"You know what? I've just got to make adjustments, and I didn't make adjustments tonight," Giles said. "So I've got to continue doing that."