MLB Player News

The Cardinals will have pitcher Joe Kelly make at least two more minor-league rehab starts before he returns from the disabled list, according to MLB.com.

Though Kelly has put the injury behind him, the team wants him to build up his pitch count before bringing him back. He threw 49 pitches in his previous outing, and manager Mike Matheny said he wants to see Kelly throw 70 pitches Sunday for Triple-A Memphis and 85 in his final start.

Kelly sill likely be activated shortly after the All-Star break. Kelly has not pitched since April 16 as a result of the injury.  

The Marlins reinstated pitcher Brad Hand from the disabled list Tuesday, after his stint on the DL lasted more than a month.

Hand will start Thursday's game against the Phillies, after he posted a 2.38 in six minor-league rehab starts. He had a 6.38 ERA in 24 innings in the majors prior to the injury. Hand replaces Tom Koehler on the active roster, after Koehler was placed on the paternity leave list. 

Rockies reliever Matt Belisle was pegged with the loss Wednesday night against the Nationals. Belisle permitted a solo home run to Ian Desmond in the seventh inning to lose the lead. He permitted one run on one hit over two-thirds of an inning in a 4-3 defeat. He owns a 4.63 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 35 innings of relief.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak told reporters that pitcher Joe Kelly will likely need a pair of minor-league rehab starts before he is activated from the disabled list, KMOX reports. Kelly has been sidelined since mid-April because of a hamstring injury. He tossed four scoreless frames in a Triple-A rehab start on Saturday.

Marlins pitcher Brad Hand (ankle) is slated to come off the disabled list and start Thursday's game against the Phillies. Hand is 0-1 with an 11.37 ERA in two starts this season.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth inning Tuesday to pick up his 26th save in his team's 5-4 win over the Mets.

Kimbrel's strikeout-strikeout-strikeout appearance, which may as well be called a "Kimbrel," was his first since accomplishing the feat on June 10. He owns a 2.10 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 59:15 K:BB ratio in 34 1/3 innings.

Cubs pitcher Pedro Strop earned his first win of the year Tuesday after tossing a 1-2-3 eighth inning in his team's 2-1 win over the Red Sox.

Strop (1-3) needed just nine pitches to retire the Red Sox in order before his offense came through with the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning. He's strung together 11 scoreless outings to lower his ERA to 2.93 to go along with a 30:!5 K:BB ratio in 27 2/3 innings.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen secured his 25th save Monday, tossing a 1-2-3 ninth inning to close out his team's 1-0 win over the Indians.

Jansen failed to record a strikeout for the first time in five appearances, but he has held the opposition to two hits and no walks in five scoreless innings during that stretch while striking out seven. He owns a 3.89 ERA and 56:11 K:BB ratio in 34 2/3 innings.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel locked down his 25th save Monday, striking out one during a 1-2-3 ninth inning to finish off his team's 5-3 win over the Mets.

It was the first time in six outings Kimbrel faced the minimum amount of batters, throwing eight of his 13 pitches for strikes. He owns a 2.16 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 56:15 K:BB ratio in 33 1/3 innings.

Cardinals pitcher Shelby Miller struggled in a loss Sunday, giving up six earned runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings while striking out four in his team's 6-0 defeat against the Dodgers.

Miller (7-7) put together three scoreless innings before the Dodgers scored two in the fourth. After they added another in the fifth, the Cardinals starter surrendered a three-run home run later in the fifth, putting the final nail in the coffin of the ugly performance. He owns a 4.10 ERA and 70:49 K:BB ratio in 98 2/3 innings. Miller is in line to face the Marlins Saturday.