MLB Player News

Duran (oblique) will report to Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday to begin a rehab assignment, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The 26-year-old progressed to facing live batters Friday and has now been cleared for game action. Duran will likely require at least a few appearances with St. Paul before joining the Twins, and he could be activated before the end of April. It remains to be seen if manager Rocco Baldelli will ease Duran into high-leverage work or if the right-hander will immediately reclaim the closer role once reistated.

The Rockies transferred Bard (elbow) to the 60-day IL on Sunday.

The move comes with Bard undergoing right flexor tendon surgery on his right elbow. With Bard set to miss the rest of the season, the Rockies selected the contract of southpaw Ty Blach from Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday.

The Cardinals recalled Robertson from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday.

Robertson hasn't given up a run or a hit over his last three appearances, and he has a 2.84 ERA and 1.31 WHIP over 6.1 innings with Memphis this season. Robertson will serve in the Cardinals' bullpen, with St. Louis optioning right-hander Andre Pallante to Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move.

The Cardinals optioned Pallante to Triple-A Memphis on Sunday.

In his last outing Saturday against the Brewers, Pallante gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk. He has a 6.30 ERA, 1.90 WHIP and 6:5 K:BB over 10 innings to start the season. St. Louis recalled right-hander Nick Robertson in a corresponding move.

Iglesias earned the save in a win over the Rangers on Saturday, pitching a perfect ninth inning while striking out two.

Iglesias entered the game with a three-run lead in the top of the ninth and made short work of the Rangers' lineup with his changeup and four-seamer to collect his sixth save of the season. The right-hander got the final two batters to go down swinging, marking his first appearance this season with at least two strikeouts. Iglesias has converted all six of his save attempts to open the campaign, issuing just one walk over that stretch (5.1 innings).

Kimbrel picked up the save Saturday, pitching a perfect ninth inning in a win over the Royals.

Kimbrel entered the game with a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth and needed just nine pitches to retire the side and secure his fifth save of the season. The veteran right-hander has been phenomenal since blowing his first save attempt back on April 1, allowing only two hits and no walks over his last eight appearances while striking out 12. Saturday's save actually marked his first outing in which he didn't record at least one strikeout.

Gilbreath (elbow) pitched in a second simulated game at extended spring training Friday, MLB.com reports.

Manager Bud Black noted that the session went well and that Gilbreath suffered no setbacks. Gilbreath is likely to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque in the coming days and could return by late April.

Diaz pitched a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout against the Angels on Saturday to earn his third save of the season.

Diaz made quick work of Logan O'Hoppe, Nolan Schanuel and Zach Neto, retiring the side on 13 pitches (11 strikes). Since taking the blown save and the loss in his 2024 debut, Diaz has allowed just one earned run on three hits while striking out nine in his last seven appearances, going 3-for-3 in save chances in that span. Now up to 50 saves for his career, Diaz is following in his brother Edwin's footsteps and establishing himself as one of the National League's most trusted closers.

Montero allowed one walk and no hits while striking out one across a scoreless inning to earn a hold Saturday against the Nationals.

The Astros were projected to have a strong bullpen with Josh Hader, Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu all leading the way in high-leverage situations. However, each has struggled to begin the new campaign, while Montero has now turned in nine scoreless performances in 11 appearances. He's pitched primarily in the sixth and seventh innings this season, though he could earn higher-leverage work given his solid start.

Pressly allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and no walks while striking out one across one inning to blow the save Saturday against the Nationals.

Josh Hader threw 30 pitches to convert a save Friday, likely leaving him unavailable Saturday. Pressly was called upon to protect a two-run lead in the ninth inning as a result, though he failed to do so through a combination of bad luck and poor pitching. The leadoff man reached base on catcher's interference, but Pressly then proceeded to surrender a double and single that resulted in two runs crossing the plate. Pressly had pitched fairly well recently, but he's now allowed at least one earned run in five of 10 games this season with an overall ERA of 8.31.