MLB Player News

Matz is scheduled to take the mound against Atlanta on Tuesday, though manager Mickey Callaway is not ready to confirm next week's starting rotation at this time, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Following Matz's latest start against St. Louis on Wednesday, Callaway implied that there would be internal discussions regarding the southpaw's status moving forward, stating "we need to sit down and talk to Matz and figure out exactly how we can help him in that regard." Over five outings this season, Matz has logged a 4.98 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with a 26:10 K:BB in 21.2 innings. He'll still likely to pitch against the Braves on Tuesday, but there should be some confirmation this weekend.

Wacha (4-1) allowed one run on five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts over six innings to pick up the win Wednesday against the Mets.

Wacha picked up his fourth win with his best start of the season against one of the National League's better lineups. His eight strikeouts, earned with 17 swinging strikes, established a new season high. Wacha's fastball was dancing Wednesday night, as he located it for a strike 75 percent of the time but still drew eight whiffs with it on 43 offerings -- an 18.6 percent rate typically reserved for breaking pitches. After a slow start with uncharacteristically poor control, Wacha is enjoying a 3.62 ERA and has walked just two batters in his past two starts.

Finnegan didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Braves, giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk over five innings while striking out four.

The left-hander threw 52 of 77 pitches for strikes, but while his control was good his command within the zone wasn't as sharp, as he gave up a number of hard-hit balls that fortunately found their way into the gloves of Reds defenders. Finnegan will take an 8.03 ERA into his next start Monday at home against the Brewers.

Manager Mickey Callaway wouldn't commit to Matz making his next start, Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record reports. "We need to sit down and talk to Matz and figure out exactly how we can help him in that regard," Callaway said.

Matz scuffled through another outing Wednesday, allowing seven runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out three batters across 3.1 innings against the Cardinals. He retired the first six hitters he faced before running into trouble in the third and fourth frames. The 26-year-old lefty now owns an unremarkable 4.98 ERA through 21.2 innings this season and has failed to make it more than 5.1 innings in each of five of his starts, throwing four innings or fewer on three occasions. His next turn in the rotation is scheduled for Tuesday, though there will be some deliberation over who will be taking the mound before then. The Mets recently moved Matt Harvey to the bullpen, and Matz could be soon to follow.

Kershaw (1-4) allowed three runs on five hits and six walks with seven strikeouts in a loss Wednesday to the Marlins.

This start, Kershaw's sixth, marked the first time he failed to complete six innings all year long. The biggest shock has to be that this came against the Marlins of all lineups, a team tied for last in the majors in runs per game (3.17) entering Wednesday's contest. All the damage came in the fifth inning, courtesy a three-run home run off the bat of Miguel Rojas. Kershaw's control was the big problem, though, as he walked a whopping six batters, including both of the runners on base when Rojas put the Marlins on the board. Kershaw didn't walk more than four batters in a start all season in 2017, and he hadn't walked six in a game since April 7, 2010 against Pittsburgh. Hopefully this is just a once-every-eight-years occurrence, but Wednesday was perhaps the biggest departure from Prime Clayton Kershaw that we've seen in a long time.

Greinke (2-2) took the loss Wednesday, allowing five runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out nine over six innings against the Phillies.

Most of the damage came in Greinke's final inning of the evening, as he allowed a walk and three hits in the frame, including a three-run homer that proved to be the difference in the 5-3 defeat. He did manage to improve upon his sterling K:BB, which now sits at 32:3 through 30 innings, but the long ball has been a problem. The former Cy Young winner has now yielded a home run in all five starts this year, and the five earned runs pushed him up to a 4.80 ERA. He'll look to get back on track next time out against the Dodgers on Monday.

Gray (2-4) picked up the win over the Padres on Wednesday, allowing three hits and a walk over six scoreless innings while striking out 11.

After coughing up 18 runs in 15.2 innings over his last three starts, Gray roared back with his best start yet in 2018. The right-hander threw 65 of 101 pitches for strikes and generated a massive 23 swinging strikes, which after the game he credited to a change in the grip on his slider. Gray will next take the mound Tuesday on the road against the Cubs.

Walker (elbow) underwent successful Tommy John surgery Wednesday.

Manager Torey Lovullo said that "everything is as good as it can possibly be." This is a good sign for Walker, as he'll now put his focus on the lengthy rehab process. He'll look to return to action sometime during the summer of 2019.

Eickhoff (lat) will toss a bullpen session Wednesday, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.

Eickhoff has been sidelined with a mild lat strain since mid-March but is finally healthy enough to return to the mound. Going off the initial timetable of six-to-eight weeks, Eickhoff is right on schedule and will likely look to embark on a rehab assignment in the near future.

Woodruff was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Wednesday.

The pitching prospect was demoted after a rough start against the Cubs earlier in the month, but he's pitched well since his demotion. In three starts in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, Woodruff produced a 1.65 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP across 16.1 frames. He'll head to the majors seemingly to pitch in long relief for now, though he could push his way into the rotation if Brent Suter continues to struggle. A spot opened up when Eric Thames (thumb) was placed on the 10-day disabled list.