MLB Player News

Mets manager Terry Collins said Tuesday he will mix and match at closer while Bobby Parnell (neck) is on the 15-day disabled list. David Aardsma will be in the mix for save chances, and Collins hinted left-handed reliever Scott Rice could be used in certain matchups.

Collins also mentioned LaTroy Hawkins, Gonzalez Germen and Carlos Torres as right-handed closer options.

Thanks to back-to-back scoreless starts covering 12 1/3 innings and an upcoming two-start week, Joe Kelly is currently the most added player in CBSSports.com leagues. However, as I mentioned in my weekly Pitching Forecaster, Kelly is only safe to use in NL-only leagues, and already too many mixed league owners are entrusting the Cardinals' righty this week.

Though Kelly throws hard, he doesn't get all that many strikeouts, and he doesn't compensate for it with superb control or strong ground ball tendencies. Edwin Jackson and Martin Perez, like Kelly, are two-start pitchers who are available in more than half of our leagues, and both are better bets to produce for owners this week. Kelly might be on a nice roll, but sooner or later, his mediocre command will catch up with him.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel collected his 34th save of the season Sunday night against the Phillies.

Kimbrel worked his way around a base hit as he struck out one and pitched a scoreless ninth inning to preserve a 4-1 victory. He has converted 34 of 37 save chances, including 23 straight. He owns a 1.25 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in 43 1/3 innings pitched.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen entered Sunday's game against the Cubs with a slim, one-run lead.

The right-hander needed 15 pitches as he struck out the side and secured a 1-0 win and his 17th save of the season. Jansen has not allowed a run over his last eight innings pitched. He lowered his ERA from 2.32 to 2.04 over that span.

Mets manager Terry Collins announced Saturday the Mets are reverting to a five-man rotation until Jonathon Niese (shoulder) returns from the disabled list. Collins made the decision to move pitcher Carlos Torres back to the bullpen after Torres tossed two scoreless innings and picked up the win Friday. 

The Mets will return to a six-man rotation once Niese is healthy, but for the time being the rotation will consist of Matt Harvey, Dillon Gee, Jeremy Hefner, Zack Wheeler and Jenrry Mejia. After Wheeler pitches Sunday against the Royals, the Mets will use Mejia, Harvey and Gee during a three-game series against the Rockies before Hefner opens a series at Arizona Friday.

Pirates closer Mark Melancon earned his sixth save in his team's 5-2 win over the Rockies Saturday. He surrendered no hits or walks but also failed to strike out a batter.

Melancon has six straight scoreless outings, giving him a 0.86 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 49:7 K:BB ratio in 52 1/3 innings.

 Braves closer Craig Kimbrel allowed a hit for the first time in eight innings Saturday against the Phillies, but was still able to easily close out a 5-4 win in 12 innings.

Kimbrel allowed a leadoff single and allowed the runner to reach second on a wild pitch with two outs, before striking out Layne Nix to end the game. Kimbrel struck out two batters in the game, for his 33rd save in 36 tries.

Kimbrel has not allowed a run in 11 straight outings, while allowing just one run and three walks in that span. He has struck out 20 batters in that span as well. 

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen made quick work of the Cubs Saturday, as he tossed a perfect ninth to preserve a 3-0 win.

Jansen struck out two batters and needed just 13 pitches to finish the inning, as he picked up the third out via groundball. He is now 16 for 19 in save opportunities, with a 2.08 ERA on the season. He has struck out 79 batters in 56 1/3 innings with just nine walks. 

Cubs pitcher Zach Putnam underwent a procedure Friday to remove bone spurs in his right elbow, and it remains unclear if he will pitch again this season. He has been out since June with an injury, and is currently on the 60-day disabled list.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel faced the minimum for the third outing in a row, as he set the Phillies down in order to close out a 6-4 win Friday.

Kimbrel struck out two batters and set the side down on 16 pitches. He now has 32 saves in 35 chances, with a 1.31 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.