MLB Player News

The Diamondbacks transferred Montes De Oca (elbow/back) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Thursday.

The transaction was made in order to free a spot on the 40-man roster for catcher Aramis Garcia, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Reno. Montes De Oca was initially shelved earlier this month with right elbow inflammation, and more recently, the Diamondbacks revealed that he needs surgery to repair a stress fracture in his back, which could sideline him for the rest of the season.

Law (forearm) will begin a rehab assignment Thursday at Double-A Harrisburg.

Law has been on the shelf all season while recovering from right forearm inflammation and is likely to require several appearances in the minors before the Nationals activate him from the 15-day injured list. The 34-year-old righty was a key piece in the Washington bullpen in 2024, collecting seven wins, 17 holds and one save while logging a 2.60 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 90 innings over 75 appearances.

Ekness has a 1.48 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 34:8 K:BB and zero homers allowed through 24.1 innings for Double-A Pensacola this season.

Selected in the 12th round of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Houston, Ekness could be a future high-leverage bullpen arm for the Marlins as he features a fastball that can touch triple digits and a potentially plus slider that he's still learning to command. After posting an 11.1 percent walk rate at High-A Beloit in 2024, Ekness has cut that mark to 7.6 percent with Pensacola this year, and the 23-year-old right-hander seems likely to get a promotion to Triple-A over the summer.

The Mets will recall Hagenman from Triple-A Syracuse to serve either as a starting pitcher or bulk reliever in Friday's game in Philadelphia, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

With Tylor Megill (elbow) landing on the 15-day injured list this week and Frankie Montas (lat) and Sean Manaea (oblique) not quite ready to return, the Mets are in need of a spot starter. Hagenman pitched well in a bulk-relief appearance earlier this season with the Mets, striking out four over 3.1 frames of one-run ball. He's made six starts and four relief appearances this season with Syracuse, collecting a bloated 6.21 ERA but an impressive 39:8 K:BB over 33.1 innings.

Strahm gave up a run on three hits in the ninth inning Wednesday to record his fourth save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Marlins. He struck out two.

Orion Kerkering worked a scoreless eighth inning against the top of Miami's order, while Strahm had a little trouble putting away the Marlins' 4-5-6 hitters but ultimately got the job done. The two relievers appear to be manager Rob Thomson's top high-leverage options at the moment, and between them Strahm and Kerkering have collected all three of the Phillies' saves in June. Matchups could be the biggest factor in determining which of them handle closing duties for any particular game, but Strahm will likely need to improve on his current form to stay in the mix -- the southpaw's been scored upon in three of his last four appearances, and over his last 10 games and 9.2 innings he's stumbled to a 6.52 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 9:3 K:BB.

Ginkel allowed three runs on two hits and two walks over one inning in Wednesday's 8-1 loss to Toronto. He also hit a batter.

Ginkel made his second appearance since being recalled and both have been in low-leverage, mop-up duty. He managed to escape with a win in his first outing Saturday when the Diamondbacks scored five runs in the bottom of ninth to overcome a four-run deficit that Ginkel helped create. On Wednesday, he entered with Arizona trailing by four runs and threw just 13 strikes among his 29 offerings. Ginkel has allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks while hitting a batter over two innings since his return to the majors.

Halvorsen picked up the save in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Nationals, striking out two in a perfect ninth inning.

Halvorsen has converted the Rockies' last two save opportunities. He's turned in four consecutive scoreless innings, striking out five while allowing just one hit in that span. Overall, the right-hander has logged five saves while posting a 4.25 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 28:14 K:BB across 29.2 innings this season. The demotion of Zach Agnos last weekend should leave Halvorsen as Colorado's top option for saves, though Tyler Kinley could also be in the mix.

Blackburn (0-1) was saddled with the loss Wednesday against Atlanta, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks in 3.2 innings. He struck out two.

Blackburn wasn't fully stretched out in his second start of the season, as he was pulled after throwing 73 pitches, but he managed to settle in following Atlanta's three-run first frame. The Mets will likely need the veteran right-hander for at least one more start, with Kodai Senga (hamstring), Sean Manaea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat) all still sitting on the injured list. Blackburn's next turn in the Mets' rotation lines up for a rematch versus Atlanta next week, when he'll carry a 6.94 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 8:4 K:BB through his first 13 innings of the year.

The Giants optioned Beck to Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

With Justin Verlander (pectoral) returning from the injured list to start Wednesday's game against Cleveland, Beck will end up as the odd man without a spot on the Giants' pitching staff. The 28-year-old righty turned in a 4.50 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across 12 innings during his time in San Francisco.

The Dodgers optioned Sauer to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Sauer was credited with a win Tuesday against the Padres, despite allowing three runs over 2.1 relief innings. He will head back to Oklahoma City to accommodate the return of Emmet Sheehan (elbow), who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list to start Wednesday's contest.