MLB Player News

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman surrendered his first run of the season in a 2-1 loss Friday night against the Marlins. Chapman gave up a solo home run to Justin Ruggiano in the ninth inning on a 94 mph fastball.

The left-hander hadn't allowed a run over his eight previous appearances, allowing three hits and striking out 13.

It was only the seventh homer Chapman has allowed during his four seasons in the majors.

"You get so used to him being perfect, but that happens a couple of times a year," manager Dusty Baker said. "It doesn't happen very often. That guy took a good pitch to get it to 3-1. He hit a high fastball, trying to catch up to it."

Despite four straight scoreless appearances, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke isn't ready to name John Axford his closer.

"I still think there's a little bit to go," Roenicke told MLB.com. "But all of his fastballs are down in the zone, unless he tries to make a guy swing at a high one, which is what he used to do. When he comes in and he's throwing all pitches down, I feel he's going to do well. … I like what he's doing."

Axford has allowed just two hits with five strikeouts and no walks over his last four innings.

Jim Henderson will continue to see save chances for the time being.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel picked up his seventh save of the season Thursday against the Pirates, and he did so in convincing fashion. Kimbrel needed 16 pitches to strike out the side, preserving a 6-4 win.

Kimbrel now has seven saves in seven opportunities, and he has yet to allow a run in 7 2/3 innings. Kimbrel has walked two and allowed two hits while striking out 10 batters.  

Coming up through the Mets' system, reliever Josh Edgin made his name as a hard thrower out of the bullpen. After another poor outing Thursday against the Rockies, manager Terry Collins admitted he is worried about Edgin's arm strength early in the season.

"The one thing we've got to start seeing is the velocity," manager Terry Collins told ESPN.com, after Edgin allowed two runs in 2/3 innings in an 11-3 loss. "Today was a perfect scenario for him to come in, and he's leaving balls on the plate. But we're not seeing the velocity that we know he's got. It could be the weather. It could be the fact that it's cold and he's not getting loose, or as loose as he wants to be. But we certainly want to start seeing what we've seen in the past."

Edgin averaged 93.2 miles per hour on his fastball a year ago and he entered Thursday's outing averaging 92.7 miles per hour. However, velocity did not appear to be an issue for him against Colorado, as he averaged 93.1 miles per hour, according to BrooksBaseball.net. Edgin has now allowed seven earned runs in 6 2/3 innings, with five strikeouts and four walks. 

With the Brewers sporting a 7-1 lead, supplanted closer John Axford entered Thursday's game against the Giants and threw a 1-2-3 inning, striking out Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence. 

In his last three games, Axford has pitched three innings, given up a hit, walked none and struck out three. His ERA is still 12.79, and it may take a while for that to come down to even "bad" levels, but Axford is looking good again, which should be a heartening development for owners in deeper leagues who held onto him. Nothing is imminent, but Axford at least looks good enough to close again. 

Francisco Rodriguez re-joining the Brewers shouldn't be much of a concern for Axford owners, but Jim Henderson's effectiveness at closing should. Still, the plan all along -- even apparent to Henderson -- was for Axford to straighten things out in middle relief, then return to the closer role. So far, it looks like he has held up his half of that bargain. 

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman retired the last three batters before the rain came on Tuesday night against the Phillies and was rewarded with the win when game resumed Wednesday. Jay Bruce hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning, propelling Cincinnati to a 2-0 win.

Chapman (2-0) has yet to allow a run through 7 1/3 innings pitched while striking out 13. He has also converted all three of his save chances.

Cardinals pitcher Shelby Miller turned in a quality start in Wednesday's series finale against the Pirates but it was not enough to overcome his counterpart -- A.J. Burnett.

The right-hander allowed two runs on six hits over six innings of work in a 5-0 loss.

Miller gave up a leadoff triple to the first batter he faced before Travis Snider followed with an RBI single. That was his only damage over the first five frames. Then in the sixth, Neil Walker drove in a run with a base hit and the 22-year-old was done after throwing 98 pitches, 69 for strikes.

Miller also struck out six and walked one while taking his first loss.

His next start is scheduled for Monday against the Nationals.

After making it through his first six appearances scoreless, Diamondbacks reliever David Hernandez finally slipped up on Wednesday night against the Yankees.

He entered in the eighth inning with the score tied at 3-3 and surrendered a two-out, solo homer to Travis Hafner.

Hernandez took his first loss and saw his ERA rise to 1.29 in a 4-3 defeat.

Reds manager Dusty Baker told MLB.com Tuesday that he does not plan to use closer Aroldis Chapman for four-out saves.

Baker had a chance to use the left-hander Monday night against the Phillies with two outs in the eighth. Instead he left starter Bronson Arroyo in and he surrendered a two-run homer to Chase Utley.

Cincinnati does not have a lefty option in the late innings with Sean Marshall injured. Manny Parra is their only other left-handed reliever.

“Parra, they’ve had good success off of Parra -- [Utley] and [Ryan] Howard. Real good success,” Baker said. “When do you warm [Chapman] up? Do you warm him up at the start of the eighth? That’s what you’d have to do to have him ready at the end of the eighth. It’s easy to have somebody loose, but you’re going to tire your bullpen out before they even get in the game. It’s easy afterwards.”

Chapman worked a perfect ninth inning to secure the win.

“I was thinking about that. I wish somebody would tell me before Bronson gives it up,” Baker said.

Cardinals pitcher Joe Kelly made his first appearance since last Tuesday on Monday night against the Pirates. After dealing with a hand injury, he worked two scoreless innings in a 10-6 win.

The right-hander gave up just one hit and struck out one.

Kelly lowered his ERA to 6.35.