MLB Player News

Williams (0-3) allowed one earned run on three hits and one walk while striking out five across seven innings to take the loss Wednesday against the Twins.

Williams held one of the better lineups around the league in check, with the only extra-base hit he allowed coming off the bat of Luis Arraez in the seventh inning. Prior to that, he had allowed just one Twin into scoring position and had retired 11 straight batters. Williams now has a 3.52 ERA across 15.1 innings this season, racking up a 14:5 K:BB. He'll look to duplicate this effectiveness in his next start, currently scheduled early next week at St. Louis.

Strasburg (hand) completed a 32-pitch simulated game Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

The 32-year-old threw a 31-pitch bullpen session Sunday and was slated to throw 45-to-50 pitches during the simulated game, but he didn't ramp up his pitch count as expected. It's unclear how that impacts his potential return, and the team will wait to see how Strasburg feels Thursday before determining the next step.

Wheeler (2-0) earned the win in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Yankees after giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits with two strikeouts and two walks over six innings.

The right-hander labored out of the gate as he surrendered four hits, a walk and three runs over the first two frames, but he tightened things up over the next four innings. Wheeler now has a 2.08 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 6:4 K:BB through his first two starts (13 innings) with the Phillies. Depending how Philadelphia orients its rotation coming out of Wednesday's twin bill, his next turn will come Monday versus Atlanta or Tuesday against Baltimore.

Stroman (calf) will throw a simulated game Thursday at the Mets' alternate training site, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Stroman threw a 43-pitch bullpen session Tuesday which apparently went well since he'll throw again Thursday. While the sim game means that he'll miss at least one more turn through the rotation before returning to the active roster, the throwing session could serve as a final tuneup for the right-hander if all goes well. Since Stroman has been on a rigorous throwing schedule, he'll presumably be near his full pitch count once he makes his season debut.

Kim will pitch out of the rotation going forward, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Kim was almost exclusively a starter during his 12-year career for the SK Wyverns in South Korea, posting a 2.51 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP last season while striking out 22.9 percent of opposing batters (well above the league average of 17.2 percent). He served as a closer in his major-league debut, but the Cardinals have evidently changed their plans during their weeklong layoff. Manager Mike Shildt mentioned Ryan Helsley, Andrew Miller, Giovanny Gallegos and Tyler Webb as options to close.

Quintana (thumb) is scheduled to throw a two-inning simulated game Thursday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Quintana has been steadily increasing his workload since undergoing thumb surgery, but he's expected to throw at least once more after Thursday's session before the team decides how to proceed. The Cubs' rotation has been one of the strongest in baseball while the bullpen has largely struggled, so the team hasn't ruled out moving the 31-year-old to the bullpen once he returns. If he indeed takes on a relief role, Quintana would likely be one of Chicago's top long relievers, but his fantasy value would take a bit of a hit if he doesn't return to the rotation.

May attributed his increased velocity to an offseason weightlifting program that helped him put on an extra 20 pounds of muscle, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

May has averaged 97.8 mph on his sinker so far this season, a tangible jump from the 96.0 mph he averaged on the pitch in 2019. The right-hander stated "I feel like it definitely helped" when addressing the impact of the muscle gain on his fastball velocity. May's strikeout potential was on display Tuesday when he registered eight K's in six innings in a win over the Padres.

Woodruff didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the White Sox, allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out six.

The right-hander was in control through five innings, but Eloy Jimenez rocked him for a game-tying homer in the sixth. Woodruff continues to sparkle to begin 2020, and his 1-1 record doesn't reflect his 2.08 ERA or 21:3 K:BB through 17.1 innings. He'll look to get back in the win column Sunday in a home start against the Reds.

Lopez (1-0) recorded the win in Tuesday's 4-0 victory over the Orioles, scattering two hits over five scoreless innings while striking out seven.

It was a very impressive performance under difficult circumstances, as Lopez was making his 2020 debut much later than expected due to the Marlins' COVID-19 situation. The right-hander threw 43 of 61 pitches for strikes and didn't even allow a runner into scoring position until Austin Hays singled and stole second in the fifth inning -- Lopez responded by striking out Pedro Severino and DJ Stewart to end his night. Miami's de facto ace at the moment is next scheduled to take the mound Sunday, on the road against the Mets.

Fried (2-0) picked up the win in Tuesday's 10-1 rout of the Blue Jays, allowing one run on four hits and two walks over six innings while striking out three.

The southpaw only threw 48 of 80 pitches for strikes, but other than a couple of leadoff doubles, Toronto hitters weren't able to make much solid contact against him. Fried will look to keep rolling in his next start, scheduled for Sunday in Philadelphia.