MLB Player News

Burnes, 22, has a 1.72 ERA and 53:8 K:BB in 52.1 innings since being promoted to Double-A.

2017 has been something of a coming-out party for the 6-foot-3 righty, who has shown superb control along with the ability to miss bats. He also keeps the ball down, having surrendered just two home runs in 112.1 combined innings this season. Though he may not be able to keep up his stellar K:BB, Burnes has clearly vaulted up the prospect rankings.

Wainwright (back) could miss just one start after being placed on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday, Alaina Getezenberg of MLB.com reports.

The Cardinals have already ruled out the veteran starter for this weekend's series against the D-Backs, but manager Mike Matheny remains optimistic he'll be back in time for next week's series with Milwaukee. "We knew [the injury] was kind of there, through we might be getting ahead and it's tightening up on him," the skipper said. Luke Weaver is expected to be recalled to take Wainwright's temporarily vacant spot in the rotation.

Taillon (6-4) allowed 10 runs (nine earned) on nine hits and a walk while striking out one batter over three-plus innings during Tuesday's 11-3 loss to the Giants.

It was a night to forget for Taillon, who clearly didn't have his best stuff working for him in what turned out to be the worst start of his young major-league career. The 25-year-old breezed through the opening inning before being blistered for a career-high nine earned runs over the following two-plus frames. The disastrous outing raised his season ERA nearly a full point, from 3.08 to 4.03. He'll look to rebound in a big way in his next scheduled start against the Reds next Tuesday.

Maeda (9-4) yielded two runs (one earned) over five innings in a win over the Twins on Tuesday. He struck out four while giving up five hits and two walks.

The Japanese righty is rarely allowed to pitch deep into games; although this was his third consecutive win, each of those starts has seen him go exactly five frames. Nonetheless, he's gradually pulling his ratios down to respectability -- over his last 35.2 innings, Maeda has a 2.52 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP and a 31:7 K:BB.

Lugo (5-2) gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits while striking out just one in Tuesday's win over San Diego.

He gave up two home runs, which is quite uncharacteristic for the 27-year-old righty, as he'd allowed just 11 through his first 100.2 MLB innings. Lugo isn't much of a strikeout artist, but he does keep the ball on the ground and keep his walk rate low enough to be a decent back-of-the-rotation starter. For fantasy purposes, that means he's best used selectively, but he also isn't prone to ratio-destroying implosions. He'll take his next turn Sunday in Seattle.

Walker tossed six innings against the Braves on Tuesday, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk while striking out six and hitting a batter. He didn't factor into the decision in the Diamondbacks' 8-3 loss.

He pitched well while facing the Braves for the second consecutive start, and Walker even hit a homer to support his own cause. The 24-year-old has maintained solid fantasy value despite an inflated WHIP that he dropped to 1.28 with this outing. Arizona has a good offense and Walker has consistently kept his team in games, so he could start racking up wins in the second half if his bullpen can avoid imploding as it did Tuesday -- J.J. Hoover and Andrew Chafin conspired to give up six runs over two innings immediately after the young fireballer's departure.

Gray allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out six Cardinals over five innings in a no-decision Tuesday.

He gave up a two-run homer to Paul DeJong in the first inning, but Gray settled in nicely after that, keeping the Cards off the board until he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the sixth. Unfortunately for Gray and his fantasy owners, he needed 96 pitches to get through those five frames, and efficiency has not exactly been his calling card this year. However, the strikeout rate is strong and it's great to see him avoid walking a batter in this one. Gray is a funny case for fantasy purposes -- his 3.63 FIP points to vast potential for improvement from his current 5.84 ERA, which is largely attributable to an absurd .400 BABIP, but he also has the misfortune of pitching his home games at Coors Field. He may have posted a better ERA at home than on the road last season (4.30 to 4.91), but that's something you can count on continuing. With a couple off days coming up, Gray may not make his next start until next Tuesday at home against the Mets.

Lynn held the Rockies to a single run on three hits and two walks over six innings Tuesday, striking out six in a no-decision.

He had the fortune of facing Colorado away from Coors Field, and the result was Lynn's fourth consecutive quality start -- a span in which he's allowed only two runs over 25.1 innings. This could well have been Lynn's final start for the organization he's spent his entire career with, as his impending free agency may mean that the Cardinals -- a mediocre team this year with a 49-51 record, although they're still in contention in an equally mediocre NL Central -- send him elsewhere ahead of the trade deadline.

Castillo (1-4) allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks across five innings in Tuesday's loss to the Yankees. He struck out two.

Castillo flirted with danger on the day but was able to limit the damage to a run-scoring triple-play in the second inning, a sacrifice fly in the fourth and an RBI double from Austin Romine in the fifth. He did induce 10 groundball outs, which undoubtedly helped him navigate the tough Yankees lineup with a respectable outing in hand. Castillo has delivered a series of solid if unspectacular outings since being called up June 23 and will carry a 4.05 ERA into Sunday's matchup with the Marlins.

Davies (12-4) tossed 7.2 shutout innings in Tuesday's win over the Nationals, allowing three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Davies was excellent in this one, shutting down one of baseball's most prolific offenses while delivering his longest outing of 2017 while tying his season high in punchouts. He yielded one extra-base hit and permitted just two men to reach second base on the evening. Davies has now gone 14.2 innings since last allowing a run, with his ERA falling to a respectable 4.45 during that span. After a poor start, the 24-year-old seems to be turning a corner and will look to keep it going Sunday against the Cubs.