MLB Player News

Pfaadt (0-3) took the loss Thursday, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks over two-plus innings against the Rays. He struck out three.

Recalled to make his first start since May 26, Pfaadt struggled against a powerful Tampa Bay offense, surrendering five of his runs in the third inning without recording an out. The rookie right-hander now has an unsightly 9.82 ERA and 1.87 WHIP with a 21:10 K:BB through six big-league starts (25.2 innings). Pfaadt had shown promise at the Triple-A level, but he doesn't appear ready to face major-league lineups yet.

Kelly (calf) played catch out to 90 feet Wednesday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Kelly, who was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf, said Thursday the swelling had subsided "a little bit" and that he feels he's trending in the right direction. The right-hander is expected to undergo a follow-up ultrasound early next week. It's unclear when Kelly will be able to return to the mound.

Houser (3-2) earned the win over the Mets on Thursday, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out five batters over six innings.

Houser's previous two outings came out of the bullpen, but he was inserted back into the starting rotation to face New York. The right-hander gave up back-to-back solo homers to Brett Baty and Brandon Nimmo in the third inning, but those were the only runs he allowed in the contest. Houser was far from dominant -- he recorded only one 1-2-3 inning and notched just seven swinging strikes -- but the end result was a victory in a matchup versus future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer. It's uncertain what Milwaukee's long-term plan is for Houser, as his move back into a starting role was precipitated by a 17-day, 17-game stretch for the club leading into the All-Star break.

Anderson (0-3) allowed six runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six over 3.2 innings to take the loss Thursday versus the Dodgers.

There's just one positive to take from this outing -- Anderson didn't give up a home run. This was the first time he's kept the ball in the yard since May 22. The results are getting downright ugly for the veteran right-hander, as he's covered just 9.1 innings while allowing 22 runs over his last three starts. He's now at a 6.50 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 34:16 K:BB through 45.2 innings between the Rockies and the Rays this season. He's tentatively lined up for a challenging road start in Houston next week.

Sheehan (2-0) allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out five without walking a batter over five innings to earn the win Thursday over the Rockies.

Inclement weather delayed the start of the game, but it didn't quiet the Dodgers' bats. Sheehan left the game with an 11-3 lead, and he threw 60 of 88 pitches for strikes in another solid outing in the most challenging of venues for his first career road start. This was also the first time in his three career starts that he didn't walk a batter. He's pitched to a 2.65 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 12:4 K:BB over 17 innings so far. Sheehan's making a great impression and a strong case to remain in the rotation even as Julio Urias (hamstring) is set to return Saturday. Sheehan's projected to face the Pirates next week.

Luzardo did not factor in the decision against Boston on Thursday, pitching 6.1 scoreless innings during which he allowed three hits and one walk while striking out nine batters.

Luzardo was dominant against a talented Red Sox offense, giving up just three singles and a walk. He racked up an impressive 19 swinging strikes en route to nine punchouts, and he finished with his third straight quality start. However, Miami was unable to put any runs on the board until the eighth inning, preventing Luzardo from notching a win. The southpaw has had to settle for a no-decision in each of his past two starts despite recording a combined 13.1 scoreless innings during which he's posted an outstanding 18:2 K:BB. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is tentatively scheduled to come at home against St. Louis next week.

Walker (9-3) allowed a run on six hits and a walk while striking out six over six innings to earn the win Thursday over the Cubs.

Walker had an excellent June, allowing six runs over 36 innings across six starts. He also posted a 34:10 K:BB for the month, and he's now won five straight outings. After some uneven performances early on, he's settled down with a 3.93 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 77:33 K:BB over 89.1 innings through 17 starts on the year. Walker is projected to make his next start on the road in Tampa, which would be one of the biggest tests he's faced in a while.

Hendricks (3-3) allowed three runs on six hits and struck out four without walking a batter over seven innings, taking the loss Thursday versus the Phillies.

Hendricks gave up a leadoff home run to Kyle Schwarber to start the game and a two-run single to Bryce Harper in the third. Aside from those missteps, it was a solid outing for Hendricks, who earned his fourth quality start in seven appearances. His three-game winning streak was snapped due to the lack of run support. Hendricks now has a 2.81 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 22:9 K:BB through 41.2 innings this season. He's projected for a road start in Milwaukee his next time out.

Manager Oliver Marmol said that Wainwright will make his next scheduled start, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Wainwright was crushed for six earned runs across only 1.2 innings Thursday against the Astros to take his third loss of the season. That follows an outing in the London Series against the Cubs during which he allowed seven earned runs across three frames. Despite those significant struggles, it appears that the Cardinals will stick with Wainwright as a regular member of the rotation. He's currently projected to take the mound Tuesday at Miami.

Ortiz did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks over 4.2 innings against San Diego. He did not record a strikeout.

The Padres were able to get to Ortiz early, tallying three runs off him in the second inning as the rookie continued to leave pitches up in the zone. The right-hander allowed two home runs for just the second time in his 10 big league starts and also failed to record a strikeout for the first time this season. Ortiz came into the contest having allowed one earned run in back-to-back starts and in three of his previous five. However, he's now recorded one or fewer strikeouts four times in his rookie campaign and has made it past the fifth inning only twice.