MLB Player News

Cole, who has allowed 23 earned runs in his last 19.1 innings, doesn't have an explanation for his recent ineffectiveness. "As of right now, I don't have anything for you," Cole told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I haven't really gone through something like this before but that's certainly the furthest thing from an excuse. I've got to turn it around."

Opponents are batting .411 against Cole over his last four starts, aided by a .437 BABIP. The righty began 2017 with a 2.84 ERA in 57 innings, making his struggles even more bewildering. It's possible that trade rumors are affecting his game, but it's more likely he's simply not executing his pitches.

Anderson (knee) is scheduled to throw a side session next week, the Associated Press reports.

Anderson was placed on the disabled list Sunday with left knee inflammation and would have been eligible to return by the end of the weekend, but it appears that he's not progressing as quickly as the Rockies may have hoped. Manager Bud Black hinted that after Anderson completes the side session, the left-hander could head out on a rehab assignment, so he may be trending toward a late-June return at this point. Jeff Hoffman was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque to fill the vacancy in the rotation, and could stick in a starting role once Anderson returns if he continues to perform well in his stead. Anderson has struck out nearly a batter per inning this season, but carries an ugly 5.85 ERA and 1.48 WHIP.

Syndergaard (lat) says he's feeling good but isn't close to throwing a baseball, Zachary Ripple of The New York Daily News reports. "Lats are tricky, just because it's very specific," Syndergaard said Thursday. "If you come back too soon, you could really put yourself in a situation to injure yourself again."

There's still no timetable yet for when he'll be able to begin a throwing program, but the original six-week estimate would have Syndergaard tossing a baseball in the second half of June, so as yet he's not behind schedule. Expect the Mets to remain cautious with their ace, especially if the team is well out of a playoff spot heading towards the All-Star break.

Lively allowed three runs on nine hits over seven innings against the Braves on Thursday in the Phillies' 3-1 loss.

While it was still a strong start for Lively, it was not as good as Lively's strong debut last week, when he gave up one run on four hits over seven innings. The 25-year-old has definitely made his case to stay in Philadelphia's rotation going forward.

Cole allowed seven runs over 4.2 innings, walked one and struck out five Thursday against Miami during Pittsburgh's 7-1 loss.

Cole has now failed to make it past the fifth inning in his past four starts, a span in which his ERA has risen from 2.84 to 4.83. At one point Thursday, Cole allowed five singles in a row to expedite his early exit. Once thought to be the ace of his team, the right-hander's slump is a cause of concern for fantasy owners.

Cueto allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits and four walks while striking out four during Thursday's win over Milwaukee. He didn't factor into the decision.

The veteran's campaign of mediocrity continues, and Cueto now sports a 4.33 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 9.0 K/9. The strikeouts are solid, but it's also concerning that his underwhelming start to 2017 follows a statistical decline in the second half of last season. At this point, there's no guarantee he fully rebounds this year, either. Cueto lines up to face the Royals at AT&T Park in his next start.

Corbin (5-6) allowed three runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out eight batters through 5.2 innings during Thursday's win over San Diego.

While the win and strikeouts were nice bonuses Thursday, it was another mediocre outing from the lefty, and Corbin now sports a disappointing 5.38 ERA and 1.61WHIP for the campaign. It's especially discouraging because he started the season with 2.29 and 1.27 marks through his first six starts. It's probably best to only utilize Corbin in favorable matchups until he can show more consistency. A road start against the Tigers is up next.

Hendricks was placed on the 10-day disabled list with right hand tendinitis, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

This is the first word of an injury nagging the right-hander, although it could help to explain some of his recent struggles if the injury stems back to then. The severity of the issue is unknown at this time as well, so for now he only seems to be on pace for one missed start. Mike Montgomery will fill the void in the rotation Friday against Colorado, but he could be tabbed for more starts if Hendricks' hand takes longer to heal.

Solis (elbow) threw a 40-pitch bullpen session in Florida on Wednesday, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports.

No news has emerged on how Solis felt following the bullpen session, but this marks a big step in his recovery process. The southpaw hasn't made much progress since being shut down in mid April with an inflamed nerve in his left elbow, but it appears he may be finally turning a corner in his recovery. He'll continue to ramp up his throwing program before he heads out on a rehab assignment, at which point there should be a clearer timetable for his return to the Nationals' bullpen.

Greinke was placed on the paternity list Thursday.

With this news, Greinke will be away from the Diamondbacks for a few days. The 33-year-old just took his turn in the rotation Wednesday, so he should be back with the team and ready to make his next scheduled start against the Tigers next week. Silvino Bracho was recalled from Triple-A to offer another bullpen arm while Greinke is away.