MLB Player News

DeGrom (5-2) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk with seven strikeouts through eight innings Monday in a win over the Rockies.

DeGrom was absolutely nasty, as he induced 24 swinging strikes and 12 groundballs to shut down Colorado at Coors Field. His slider was the money pitch, as it induced nine swinging strikes and seven outs in play on just 34 offerings. He pounded the strike zone too, with 19 first-pitch strikes to 29 hitters. When he's ahead in the count, deGrom's fastball-slider combination puts hitters in an almost impossible situation. He lowered his ERA to an absurd 1.51 with this effort and will look to keep his brilliant season going strong Saturday against the Dodgers.

Maeda will start Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Dodgers, after Monday's matchup was postponed due to weather, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Maeda warmed up multiple times in anticipation of Monday's game, but poor weather combined with a power outage prevented the tilt from ever beginning. He's slated to start his 13th game of the season, as he's posted a 3.61 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with a 69:21 K:BB through 57.1 innings in 2018.

Mikolas allowed four runs on six hits and one walk while striking out three and did not factor into the decision Monday against Philadelphia.

Mikolas got off to a rough start, allowing four runs in the first inning, although he settled down and tossed four scoreless frames to finish off his outing. Through 14 starts this season, Mikolas sports an impressive 2.69 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 66 strikeouts over 90.1 innings.

Williams tossed seven shutout innings against the Brewers on Monday, allowing just one hit and two walks while matching a season high with seven strikeouts.

He moved his fastball around the corners, throwing 61 of 96 pitches for strikes. Williams had allowed 17 earned runs in his last 18 innings and could've possibly lost his rotation spot with another bad outing. As it stands, the righty will look to make amends over the weekend against Arizona, against whom he surrendered eight runs (three earned) in three innings on June 12.

Ryu (groin) will throw a bullpen session in the next few days, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Ryu suffered a minor setback during his bullpen session over the weekend, but it's not expected to affect his throwing program. The southpaw is on the 60-day DL and isn't eligible to return until early July.

Buehler (ribs) is expected to toss a bullpen session Saturday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

There remains no timeline for Buehler's return, but it's positive news that he's throwing once again. His return should become more clear once he feels healthy enough to throw against live hitters. Buehler has been on the shelf since June 12.

Hill (finger) changed his mechanics during his rehab work, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports. Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt noticed on video that Hill's alignment toward home plate during his delivery was faulty, so he suggested Hill transfer the weight on his back foot from his toe to his heel.

The kinetic adjustment in the southpaw's left foot seems to have cleaned up Hill's balance during his pitching motion and, to the delight of his fantasy shareholders, might've brought the alluring bite back to his Statcast darling of a curveball. "[The adjustment has] helped me get back that efficient spin rate I had the last three years," Hill said. "When I was on my toe, I would dive across [the first-base side of the mound]. On my heel, I'm able to stay more in line toward the plate. It's very subtle, but credit to Rick, being the best pitching coach in the business." This alteration was on full display when Hill struck out 10 batters without a walk in 4.2 innings for High-A Lake Elsinore on Thursday. Of course, the most important thing to watch during his impending return Tuesday against the Cubs (and beyond) is whether the treatments on the "super blister" that's plagued his left middle finger will hold up under the duress of a major-league outing. Still, this new development could brighten Hill's immediate future and prompt a significant turnaround from his atrocious 6.20 ERA in abbreviated 2018 action.

Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw (back) is a candidate to start against the Mets over the weekend, Pedro Moura of The Athletic Los Angeles reports.

Kershaw fired a three-inning simulated game with no issues Monday, and it sounds like he could rejoin the Dodgers' starting rotation earlier than expected if he checks out OK in the coming days. That said, the Dodgers could also opt to play it safe and send their ace to Triple-A Oklahoma City for a minor-league rehab start before activating him. Either way, the southpaw now appears to be on track to return before the end of June.

Syndergaard (finger) played catch Monday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Everything went off without a hitch, and Syndergaard is expected to increase his throwing distance to 75 feet Tuesday before being reevaluated. If Thor checks out OK following Tuesday's session, it sounds like he could progress through the rest of his throwing program relatively quickly from there. "I would venture to say it's not going to be a long, drawn-out process," manager Mickey Callaway said.

Eickhoff (lat, wrist) will begin a throwing program Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic Philadelphia reports.

Eickhoff will throw his first bullpen session since suffering a setback in his rehab back in mid-May. He remains without a timetable for his return, though he's trending in the right direction.