MLB Player News

Middleton (forearm) could throw a bullpen session later this week, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Middleton recently did some long-tossing without issue and is almost ready to throw from a mound for the first time since going down with a right forearm strain in mid-March. Because he's missed so much time, the veteran reliever would figure to need multiple rehab appearances, once he's cleared for game action.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Monday that Myers will remain in the rotation, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Myers has held his own in two starts for the Brewers, allowing three runs with a 9:1 K:BB over 10 innings. With DL Hall (knee) and Jakob Junis (shoulder) still out and Wade Miley (elbow) done for the season, the Brewers don't have much of a choice in giving Myers at least one more turn while the organization's rotation depth has been tested early on. He's tentatively lined up to start in Chicago against the Cubs this weekend.

Brown is scheduled to start Thursday's game versus the Mets at Citi Field.

After making two consecutive appearances out of the bullpen, Brown moved back into the rotation over the weekend following Kyle Hendricks (back) move to the 15-day injured list. Brown ended up taking a loss in his start Saturday versus the Red Sox, striking out four over 3.2 innings while allowing three earned runs on seven hits and zero walks. Despite the lackluster outing, Brown will get at least one more turn through the rotation while the Cubs wait for both Hendricks and Jordan Wicks (forearm) to make their returns from the IL.

Law (2-1) picked up the win in Sunday's comeback victory over the Marlins, pitching two scoreless innings and allowing two hits. He struck out three without walking a batter.

Patrick Corbin got chased after coughing up seven runs (four earned) in four innings, but Law steadied the ship in the fifth and sixth and watched the Nationals offense come to life, erasing a 7-0 deficit. The 33-year-old right-hander remains in a low-leverage role, but he's pitched reasonable well to begin the season with a 3.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 19:6 K:BB through 18 innings.

Minter (5-1) picked up the win in Sunday's victory over the Guardians, giving up one hit in a scoreless 10th inning.

The 30-year-old southpaw has already tied his career high in wins, needing only 14 appearances to do it -- he had five wins in 75 appearances in 2022. Minter has been brilliant in his high-leverage role to begin the season, posting a 1.32 ERA, 0.59 WHIP and 15:1 K:BB through 13.2 innings while adding three holds to his ledger.

Wesneski did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Red Sox, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk while striking out three in four innings.

All five hits Wesneski gave up went for singles. The Red Sox quickly got one in the first inning, though it was unearned after an error extended the frame. Wesneski later surrendered a second run in the third after Rafael Devers led off with a single and eventually found his way home. Wesneski has now gone four innings in two of his three appearances this season, though Sunday was his first as a starter, and his 63 pitches were the most he's thrown since Oct. 3, 2022. With Jordan Wicks (forearm) going on the IL, Wesneski will have an opportunity to stick in the rotation for the foreseeable future, and lines up for a home start against the Brewers his next time out.

Alvarado pitched a perfect ninth to pick up the save in an 8-6 win over the Padres on Sunday. He struck out two.

Alvarado punched out Eguy Rosario and Luis Campusano before sealing the deal on a line out from Jurickson Profar for his first save since April 20. Alvarado has converted all five of his save chances, though he has an inflated ERA after giving up five runs in just two-thirds of an inning in his first appearance of the season. The hard-throwing lefty owns a 5.06 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 12:7 K:BB in 10.2 innings.

Ginkel pitched a perfect ninth in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Mariners to earn his fifth save of the year. He struck out one.

Ginkel made quick work of the Mariners' hitters, needing only nine pitches to get three outs. He began by striking out Jorge Polanco and got the next two batters out on weak contact to shut the door. Ginkel has stepped up well in the closer role with Paul Sewald (oblique) on the mend, posting a 3.00 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 13:3 K:BB in 12 innings. Sewald recently suffered a minor setback in his recovery, meaning Ginkel will have the closer job for a little while longer.

Liberatore (0-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk over three innings, taking the extra-innings loss versus the Mets on Sunday. He did not record a strikeout.

Liberatore was called on for a long-relief assignment that began in the eighth inning and ended with a walk-off home run by Mark Vientos in the 11th. This was Liberatore's longest outing of the season, and it came in a game during which the Cardinals' bullpen had multiple high-leverage relievers unavailable due to recent workloads. The southpaw now has a 3.14 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 7:8 K:BB across 14.1 innings over 10 appearances this season. Liberatore's history as a starter will keep him in a long-relief role unless the Cardinals feel the need to swap him out for a fresher arm heading into Monday's game versus the Tigers.

Finnegan walked one in a scoreless ninth to pick up the save during Sunday's 12-9 victory over the Marlins. He struck out one.

Finnegan needed 21 pitches to finish the game but kept Miami off the scoreboard to match the league lead with his ninth save in 10 opportunities. He lowered his ERA to 2.19 with a 0.97 WHIP and 11 strikeouts over 12.1 innings.