MLB Player News

Martinez is expected to transition back to a starting role in 2019, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Martinez pitched out of the bullpen for the final two months of the 2018 season after making three trips to the disabled list with arm and right-side issues. He eventually took over as the team's closer for the final three weeks of the season and converted all five of his save chances. While manager Mike Shildt acknowledged he wouldn't mind Martinez back in the ninth inning in 2019, the skipper noted the plan is for the right-hander to prepare as a starter this offseason. "I think the front office and everybody would like to see him show up in spring training as a starter. I like those sentiments," Shildt said. Across 118 career major-league starts, Martinez owns a 3.36 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 8.9 K/9.

Greene (elbow) said that his arm feels "fine" and that he hopes to resume throwing in December or January, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Greene has been rehabbing in Arizona for the past two months after suffering a sprained UCL in his right elbow in late July. Though this sort of injury typically requires Tommy John surgery, Greene elected to go the non-surgical route since he didn't feel any sort of pop in the elbow when the ligament was sprained. A better sense of his timetable should come into focus once he's able to resume throwing.

Cloyd was designated for assignment and subsequently outrighted from Miami's 40-man roster, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports.

Cloyd appeared in just seven games for the Marlins this season, logging a dreadful 8.66 ERA and 1.98 WHIP across 17.2 innings of relief.

Urias is on the Dodgers' 25-man NLCS roster against Milwaukee, Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports reports.

Urias wasn't on the roster for the club's NLDS versus Atlanta, but will join the fold ahead of this round as a left-handed option out of the bullpen. In order to make room, Scott Alexander was left off the roster. Urias only appeared in three big-league games this season after undergoing shoulder surgery last June. In those outings, he allowed just one baserunner while striking out seven across four scoreless relief innings.

Hill will start Game 4 of the NLCS against Milwaukee on Tuesday, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Hill is set to take the mound in Los Angeles following a ho-hum outing in his first start of the 2018 postseason. He allowed two runs and struck out three over 4.1 frames in Game 4 of the NLDS against Atlanta. Milwaukee has yet to name their starting pitcher for Game 4.

Buehler is slated to start Game 3 of the NLCS against the Brewers on Monday, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Buehler is set to take the mound at home after Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu start the first two games of the series in Milwaukee. Buehler will look to bounce back in his second outing of the postseason, surrendering five runs across five innings while fanning seven in Game 3 of the NLDS against Atlanta.

Ryu will get the start for Game 2 of the NLCS against Milwaukee on Saturday, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Ryu will take the ball for Game 2 in Milwaukee after Clayton Kershaw toes the rubber in Game 1. Ryu tossed Game 1 of the NLDS against the Braves and came away with the victory after tossing seven scoreless frames while punching out eight, so he'll look to carry that success into the next round of the postseason.

Miley will start Game 2 of the NLCS against the Dodgers on Saturday.

The Brewers announced that Gio Gonzalez will take the mound for Game 1 on Friday while Jhoulys Chacin is lined up for Game 3 in Los Angeles on Monday following Miley's start. During his outing against the Rockies in the NLDS, Miley tossed 4.2 scoreless innings while giving up just three hits and one walk to go along with a pair of strikeouts. Across his two starts versus the Dodgers this year -- both coming in July -- Miley didn't allow an earned run in 13 innings.

Wainwright signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals on Thursday.

The terms of the deal remain unknown, though Wainwright will be back in St. Louis for a 15th season. The veteran right-hander missed a majority of the 2018 season with an elbow issue, logging just eight starts (40.1 innings) and posting a 4.46 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 40:18 K:BB. Wainwright owns a 4.77 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 7.4 K/9 over the past three seasons, so he doesn't figure to carry much fantasy value in 2019 even if he does beat out some of the Cardinals' younger arms for spot in the Opening Day rotation.

Gray said his struggles this season were due to health issues, Kyle Newman of The Denver Post reports. "I wasn't really healthy," the right-hander said. "My (velocity) was down this year. I was down about 20 pounds."

The 2018 campaign was a rollercoaster of a year for Gray. The right-hander began the season as the Rockies' Opening Day starter but was sent to the minors before the All-Star break due to his struggles (5.44 ERA across 18 first-half starts). Gray flashed his potential upon his return to the majors -- he posted a 2.59 ERA across his first seven starts back with the big club -- though he struggled down the stretch and was ultimately left off the team's playoff roster. While the 26-year-old believes his struggles were health-related, he was unsure when asked if he was battling an illness. "Maybe, I'm not sure," Gray stated. "My body kind of did a 180 (degree turn) this year and I'm not sure why. I want to get it back under control and get back to being strong." Gray plans on bulking up this offseason in an effort to turn things around next year, though only time will tell if his added muscle helps.