MLB Player News

The Giants will see if Cueto (ear) can start against the Marlins in one of the last three games before the All-Star break, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

An inner ear infection caused Cueto to be scratched from his Thursday assignment, but the Giants want the right-hander to take a turn before the Midsummer Classic vacation. Perhaps they'll bump one of Matt Moore, Jeff Samardzija and Matt Cain from the weekend and save them for the second half.

Ray allowed just a single run on five hits and four walks while striking out 13 batters during Thursday's loss to the Dodgers. He didn't factor into the decision.

Ray was in line for the win until Fernando Rodney imploded in the ninth inning. There have been peaks and valleys throughout the season for Ray, but there is no denying his elite 12.0 K/9, and his 141 strikeouts rank fourth in the majors. Add a 2.97 ERA, and Ray has established himself as a set-and-forget fantasy option going forward.

Hill allowed just a single run on two hits with nine strikeouts through seven innings during Thursday's win over Arizona. He didn't factor into the decision.

Hill has now allowed just five runs through 26 innings with 35 strikeouts over his past four starts. It's an encouraging stretch, and he appears poised to return to being a high-end fantasy asset moving forward. Additionally, aside from a hiccup against Cleveland at Progression Field, he's been exceptional dating back to late May. Hill takes a 3.69 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 10.3 K/9 into the All-Star break.

Nicasio struck out one in a perfect inning to nail down his first save Thursday in Philadelphia.

Nicasio turned in an excellent ninth-inning performance in this 6-3 win with Felipe Rivero unavailable after closing back-to-back games Tuesday and Wednesday. While he does have three blown saves, the righty's 2.54 ERA and 9.23 K/9 have him next in line for the closer role should Tony Watson's replacement start to falter.

Davies (10-4) collected his 10th win of the season Thursday against the Cubs, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings pitched. He also struck out three and walked none.

The right-hander filled the zone all afternoon, firing 71 of his 102 offerings for strikes. He got into some trouble in the third inning, but he managed to escape thanks to some nice defense behind him. Davies continues to be blessed by tons of run support, but he has also stepped up his game as of late, sporting a 2.84 ERA in his past three starts. He'll make his next start against the Phillies on the Sunday following the All-Star break.

Wacha gave up two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out nine in 5.2 innings Thursday against the Marlins to improve to 6-3 on the season.

He notched an excellent 18:3 K:BB in 11.2 innings over his final two starts of the first half, missing bats at a career-best clip. Four of his six wins have come over his past six starts, although he has just three quality starts over that stretch. Despite owning a 4.78 ERA back on June 15, Wacha appears to have ably righted the ship heading into the second half.

Cueto was scratched from Thursday's start against the Tigers due to an inner ear infection, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Cueto was removed just 20 minutes prior to the beginning of Thursday's matinee in Detroit with Chris Stratton getting the start. Cueto's next scheduled start comes June 14 following the All-Star break. For the time being, Cueto should be considered day-to-day with more information to follow.

Hendricks (hand) will toss his second bullpen session Saturday, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

Hendricks could return to the big-league team shortly after the All-Star break, barring any setbacks during his throwing sessions. The right-hander will likely embark on a rehab assignment if all goes well Saturday, and could spend a game or two with one of Chicago's affiliates. A clear timetable should be available following the results of his bullpen this weekend.

Gray (2-0) gave up three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk over 5.2 innings to earn the victory in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Reds. He struck out five.

It wasn't the sharpest outing for the 25-year-old, but he threw 68 of 108 pitches for strikes and opened the scoring by blasting a 467-foot, two-run homer off Scott Feldman in the second inning. Gray missed two-and-a-half months of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot, but his 15:2 K:BB in 11.2 innings since his return from the DL suggests he should be able to put together a strong second half.

Eflin (elbow) could rejoin the rotation at Triple-A Lehigh Valley early next week, Jim Salisbury of CSN Philadelphia reports.

Eflin has been sidelined since early June with inflammation in his right elbow. He has made two rehab appearances with the Gulf Coast League Phillies in the past week, throwing a total of seven innings.