MLB Player News

Lively is scheduled to start Friday's game against the Yankees at Great American Ball Park, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

After receiving a call-up from Triple-A Louisville last week, Lively ended up making his 2023 big-league debut as a bulk reliever behind opener Derek Law. He ultimately picked up a win May 11 against the Mets while working three scoreless innings behind Law that day, but Lively took the loss in Monday's series opener in Colorado after covering 2.1 innings in a traditional relief role. Given that he'll be returning to the hill Friday on three days' rest, Lively could be on somewhat of a limited pitch count in the start.

Director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that Velasquez (elbow) will throw a side session Wednesday and make a rehab start later this week, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The rehab start is expected to take place with Triple-A Indianapolis. Velasquez threw a live batting practice session without issue Monday, and the 30-year-old has made enough progress from the inflammation in his right elbow to take the final step before rejoining the Pittsburgh pitching staff. Since Velasquez has thus far missed only two weeks due to the injury, he could need just one rehab start before making his return from the 15-day injured list.

Shuster (0-2) took the loss Tuesday as Atlanta fell 7-4 to the Rangers, giving up three runs on three hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out three.

The young southpaw didn't pitch too badly, tossing 42 of 66 pitches for strikes and holding Texas off the board in four of his five frames, but Shuster exited the game with his team down 3-1 and Atlanta was never able to draw level. With Kyle Wright (shoulder) and Max Fried (forearm) not expected back until some time in July, Shuster figures to see plenty of work in the big-league rotation over the next couple months along with Dylan Dodd and potentially Michael Soroka, but his 7.24 ERA, 1.90 WHIP and 8:11 K:BB through 13.2 innings make him an unappealing fantasy option.

Teng has a 2.63 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 24 innings across six starts for Double-A Richmond.

According to Dylan White of Baseball America, Teng throws his sweeper nearly two-thirds of the time. That's an extreme percentage, especially for a starting pitcher, but his breaking ball is a better pitch than his 94-mph fastball. Essentially a two-pitch pitcher right now, Teng has gone between 3.2 innings and 4.2 innings in all six starts.

Verlander (1-2) was hit with the loss Tuesday against the Rays after allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out three over five innings.

Verlander struggled mightily in this one despite having an extra day of rest after his start was pushed back to Tuesday. Isaac Paredes opened up the scoring in the third with a three-run blast to left field and then followed that up with another two-run homer in the fifth. Verlander recorded an underwhelming 21 percent CSW in Tuesday's outing and has now given up four home runs over his first three starts of the year. He owns a 4.76 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 15:5 K:BB over 17 innings and will look to get back on track in a projected start against the Guardians over the weekend.

Montgomery (2-6) allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out seven over 5.1 innings in a loss to the Brewers on Tuesday.

The Brewers got to Montgomery in the opening frame with a pair of doubles, though he was able to strike out the side. He settled down from there until the fifth inning when he allowed a solo home run to Joey Wiemer. Montgomery would then give up a leadoff homer to Brian Anderson in the sixth. He's now given up multiple long balls in back-to-back starts and has surrendered nine runs over his last 10.1 innings. His ERA has shot up to a 4.21 to go along with a 1.34 WHIP and 47:13 K:BB over 51.1 innings. He's currently lined up to take the mound next week on the road against the Reds.

Henry did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks over 4.2 innings in a 9-8 loss against the Athletics. He struck out four.

Henry struggled to keep the ball in the park Tuesday, being taken yard by Nick Allen and Ramon Laureano for solo home runs in the third and fourth innings. After nabbing a pair of quality starts in his last two appearances, Henry was unable to make it through five innings against the league's fourth-worst scoring offense (3.74 runs scored per game). However, he managed to set a season high in strikeouts. Henry is tentatively scheduled to take the mound Monday in a road matchup with the Phillies.

Kershaw (6-3) took the loss Tuesday versus the Twins, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out seven in four innings.

It's understandable if Kershaw wasn't feeling 100 percent after his mother's death Saturday, and it remains possible he could go on the bereavement list this week. Tuesday's start was his shortest outing of the season, though he was still able to put in a reasonable effort. He has a 2.52 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 63:11 K:BB over 53.2 innings through nine starts. Should he step away from the team, Kershaw would be absent for 3-7 days, so there's no guarantee he'd be available to pitch on normal rest this weekend versus the Cardinals.

Williamson did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing one run on two hits and two walks over 5.2 innings against Colorado. He struck out six.

Despite getting a tough draw for his MLB debut coming at hitter-friendly Coors Field, Williamson came through for those who were willing to take a shot on the rookie, delivering six strikeouts over 5.2 innings while allowing just two hits. After posting a poor 6.62 ERA across 34 Triple-A innings this season, managers shouldn't go all-in on the southpaw based on Tuesday's outing. Though Williamson could carry some streaming appeal moving forward, he's currently expected to take the mound this weekend during a three-game homestand against the Yankees, who have hit the fourth most home runs and scored the 10th most runs in MLB this year.

Wheeler (3-3) allowed four runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out eight over six innings, taking the loss Tuesday versus the Giants.

Wheeler gave up a pair of runs in each of the third and fourth innings, and the Phillies couldn't cover the damage. His eight strikeouts marked his second-best total of the season, but he's now gone three starts without a win. The right-hander now has a 4.06 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 61:13 K:BB through 51 innings across nine starts this season. He's projected for a home start versus the Cubs this weekend if the Phillies opt to utilize a four-man rotation to close out the week with an off day Thursday.