MLB Player News

The Royals optioned Mills to Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.

He'll cede his spot on the 26-man active roster and in the bullpen to right-hander Joel Payamps (personal), who was reinstated from the bereavement list. Mills turned in a 5.66 ERA and 1.66 WHIP while collecting four holds over his 18 appearances following his July 1 call-up from Triple-A.

Payamps was reinstated from the bereavement list Wednesday.

Payamps had been away from the team since Saturday while tending to a personal matter, but he'll be available out of the bullpen for Wednesday's series finale in Minnesota. He's made five appearances since the All-Star break, posting a 3.00 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in nine innings.

Farmer was placed on the bereavement list Wednesday.

Farmer has been effective over five appearances since the start of August, picking up a win and a hold while striking out seven in 5.2 scoreless innings. However, he'll spend between three and seven days away from the team after landing on the bereavement list. The move makes room on the active roster for Art Warren (elbow), who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list Wednesday.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday after the team's 5-4 loss to the Brewers in 11 innings that Kimbrel will retain the closing gig despite blowing his fourth save of the season, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Kimbrel was also dealt his fifth loss of the season after yielding two runs (one earned) and recording just one out Tuesday, which marked the third consecutive appearance in which he yielded an earned run. Though he's arguably the top closer of his generation, the 34-year-old Kimbrel has been one of the few squeaky wheels on an otherwise stacked roster for the 80-35 Dodgers. He now sports a 4.57 ERA and 1.55 WHIP on the season, and if not for his extensive closing experience, Kimbrel may have been removed from the role already. Kimbrel looks like he'll get at least another chance or two to right the ship, but fantasy managers preparing for a possible change at closer down the line may want to look to setup man Evan Phillips, who has gathered one save and 11 holds while turning in an 0.32 ERA and 0.61 WHIP for the Dodgers since the beginning of June.

Suter (4-3) tossed a scoreless 11th inning and picked up the win in Tuesday's victory over the Dodgers.

Suter allowed the Dodgers to take the lead in the top of the 11th, but he limited them to one run and wound up with the win when the Brewers pushed two runs across in the bottom of the frame. Suter has recorded three wins since the All-Star break, and although he allowed a run in three of his last four appearances, he owns a 1.86 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 11:3 K:BB in 9.2 innings over eight second-half appearances.

Boxberger threw a scoreless sixth inning in Tuesday's victory over the Dodgers.

Boxberger was unofficially shut down for a few days after pitching 10 times in the first 20 days out of the All-Star break, and the rest appeared to have done him well, as he retired all three batters he faced and punched out two of them. Boxberger remains part of Milwaukee's late-inning mix, but even with Josh Hader's departure, he may have been bumped down a spot in the pecking order -- trade deadline acquisitions Matt Bush and Taylor Rogers both followed him in Tuesday's contest.

Mantiply allowed one hit while striking out three over one inning to earn a hold in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Giants.

Mantiply locked down the eighth inning, a feat he's accomplishing with regularity, before Ian Kennedy blew the save in the ninth. The left-hander has made 11 consecutive scoreless appearances, picking up five holds while striking out 11 and walking two over 9.1 innings. Mantiply has yet to be handed a save opportunity since Mark Melancon was removed from the role, but manager Torey Lovullo indicated earlier that he has no problem rolling with Mantiply if left-handers are due up.

Bautista struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Tuesday to record his seventh save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Blue Jays.

The dominant rookie fired nine of 11 pitches for strikes while setting down the heart of the Toronto order, and two of his fastballs popped triple digits on the radar gun. Bautista has gone 4-for-4 on save chances since taking over as the Orioles' closer, and since the All-Star break, he sports a 1.35 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 22:3 K:BB through 13.1 innings.

Brebbia (6-1) allowed a hit and struck out two in a scoreless inning to earn the win Tuesday over the Diamondbacks.

Brebbia kept the Giants within a run in the top of the ninth inning, and Brandon Crawford slugged a walkoff two-run home run to earn the right-hander the win. It was a good bounce-back effort for Brebbia, who allowed three runs without recording an out Sunday in a blown save versus the Pirates. He's often been a steady middle reliever this year, pitching to a 2.84 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 41:15 K:BB through 50.2 innings while adding 12 holds. He's allowed multiple runs in just four of 56 appearances.

Hendriks struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Astros.

The White Sox pulled ahead in the eighth inning and Hendriks made the one-run lead stick. This was the eighth straight appearance in which he's picked up a save, and he's allowed just one run in eight innings in that span. Hendriks appears to be over his late-July struggles. The White Sox's closer has a 2.95 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 61:11 K:BB while converting 27 of 30 save chances in 42.2 innings this year.