MLB Player News

Mets manager Terry Collins said the team chose proximity when optioning pitcher Josh Edgin to Double-A Binghamton on Saturday instead of Triple-A Las Vegas. New York is also hoping the struggling left-hander can restore his confidence after he posted a 9.64 ERA in his first 11 appearances this season.

"If something happens, I want to be able to get him here fast," Collins told MLB.com. "I just said, 'Go to Binghamton. You're close. Go work and get your confidence back.' Again, that's what it's all about. When you're on that mound, you need to know you're going to make the pitch."

The Mets activated starter Shaun Marcum from the 15-day disabled list on Saturday and optioned pitcher Josh Edgin to Double-A Binghamton.

Marcum will star for the Mets against Philadelphia at Citi Field Saturday.

The 26-year-old Edgin appeared in 11 games and allowed 10 runs on 13 hits over 9 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts.

Despite not allowing a run over his last six appearances, Brewers reliever John Axford wants manager Ron Roenicke to stick with Jim Henderson as the team's closer for the time being, MLB.com reported Friday.

Henderson, who replaced Axford as Milwaukee's closer, is 5 for 5 in save chances and has only allowed one run over his first 10 appearances, while racking up 147 strikeouts compared to just two walks.

"You want to keep with what’s going well. I think that’s the biggest thing," Axford said. "Things are going good right now, winning nine in a row. Losing that tough one [on Wednesday] in San Diego, we had a shot of winning that one at the end, too. You really want to keep with what’s strong and what’s working, I think."

Axford has racked up four holds to go along with six strikeouts and no walks over his last six outings and opponents are hitting just .118 (2 for 17) off him over that span.

Don't look now, but Dodgers closer Brandon League has allowed an earned run in four of his last six appearances. He's been the antithesis of reliable.

League entered the season as the most evident example of a closer whose setup man (Kenley Jansen) is the superior pitcher, so Fantasy owners anticipated a change at some point. So far, he has yet to put that idea to rest.

I agree with Nando Di Fino that a reliever who's already getting saves, such as Edward Mujica or Jose Valverde, deserves a roster spot over Jansen, particularly if you don't already own League, but Jansen is still as valuable as a setup man can get in Fantasy.

Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen picked up his first win of the season Thursday.

Jansen pitched a scoreless eighth inning, giving up one hit and one walk. Jansen struck out two during the outing. Andre Ethier and Juan Uribe hit run-scoring singles in the ninth, giving Jansen the win. 

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke told MLB.com on Wednesday that John Axford could return to the closer's role in the near future. Axford has a 9.35 ERA through 10 appearances and blew his lone save chance.

Jim Henderson has been serving as closer for Milwaukee, converting all five of his save opportunities.

"That's nothing against Henderson, he's done a great job for us pitching there," Roenicke said. "But I think with Ax, because of his breaking ball and when he's throwing it well, I think Ax has a chance to repeat that season what he had two years ago."

Roenicke added that Axford has made a minor adjustment to his throwing motion.

"It was just something small and mechanical that you carry over into playing catch, and it's something I've continued to do to make sure it feels natural on the mound," Axford said. "Right now, everything feels smooth."

Diamondbacks reliever David Hernandez blew his second save on Wednesday afternoon against the Giants but also collected his first win. He entered in the ninth inning with a one-run lead and surrendered a solo homer to Brandon Crawford.

His teammates were able to score a run in the 10th and the right-hander earned the victory in a 3-2 win.

Hernandez has a 3.38 ERA through 11 appearances.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel suffered his first blown save of the year Wednesday, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out two in the ninth inning. He avoided taking the loss by extending the game into extra innings tied 5-5.

Kimbrel hadn't allowed any earned runs before the blown save and now sits with a 1.86 ERA and 14:3 K:BB ratio in 9 2/3 innings.

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman worked around a hit to record his fourth save Wednesday against the Cubs.

Chapman lowered his ERA to 0.79 with the effort and has an absurd 20 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings. His WHIP sits at a sharp 0.62 despite the hit.

Mets reliever Josh Edgin had a night to forget Tuesday against the Dodgers.

Edgin, who entered the game in the eighth inning, gave up a two-run double to A.J. Ellis. He surrendered two runs and four hits in just one-third of an inning in a 7-2 defeat. Manager Terry Collins is concerned that Edgin's workload in 2012 may have taken something out of him this season.

With Shaun Marcum expected to be activated from the disabled list Saturday, Edgin could be the odd man out, according to ESPN.com.

"One of the things that I am just a little bit concerned about -- and I've seen it before, and we've mentioned it -- is a young pitcher like that, last year he got into a lot of games," Collins said. "He had a lot of appearances. He had a lot of games he warmed up and maybe didn't get in. All of those can lead to the next year just not having your arm respond right away. I've been there before where I've seen that. And I'm a little concerned that might be what we're facing here."