MLB Player News

Diamondbacks starter Chase Anderson is set to pitch Friday night against the Reds after his removal from the disabled list for a triceps injury.

Anderson returns after a poor stretch in which he gave up 26 runs in 25 2/3 innings over five starts and rose his ERA from 2.84 to 4.37.

The Diamondbacks reinstated starting pitcher Chase Anderson from the 15-day disabled list on Friday, the team announced.

Anderson will rejoin the team's rotation during its weekend series against the Reds. He has been on the disabled list since July 19 because of a triceps injury.

In a corresponding move, Arizona optioned pitcher Allen Webster to Triple-A Reno. Webster, who was recalled on Wednesday, is 1-1 with a 6.86 ERA this season.

Joe Maddon wasn't about to give Cubs starter Jason Hammel a lot of rope Thursday night against the visiting Giants. The result was a no-decision when Hammel was on the verge of qualifying for a win.

Hammel pitched just four-plus innings and allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Those two walks led off the fifth and motivated Maddon to remove him from the game. None of the runs scored.

The runs that did score crossed the plate with two out in the fourth, when Hunter Pence doubled and Brandon Belt followed with a home run.

Hammel expressed disappointment after the game that Maddon removed him early. "I felt like I had earned the right to get out of that situation," he told CSNChicago.com. 

Hammel has yielded nine runs in his last 13 2/3 innings over three starts.

Marlins right-hander Jose Urena has pitched well recently and lost. He performed horribly Thursday and did not lose.

He didn't win, either. He was fortunate to gain a no-decision when his team rallied after he had allowed five runs on six hits in just two innings against Atlanta. He walked one without a strikeout.

Urena blew a 2-0 lead in the first on two doubles, a single and a sacrifice fly. An RBI single by Jace Peterson and two-run double by Nick Markakis ended the early onslaught and doomed him to an early exit.

His ERA has skyrocketed from 4.04 to 5.11 over his last two starts as he has given up 10 earned runs in seven innings.

Matt Williams has confirmed that Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg will start Saturday against Colorado.

Strasburg is coming off an oblique strain that has prevented him from pitching since July 4. Injuries have limited him to 13 starts this season and have contributed to his poor performance. He returns with a 5.16 ERA that would be easily the worst of his career if maintained.

Padres right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne had a poor outing against the Brewers on Thursday. Despaigne allowed seven runs on nine hits over five innings to inflate his season ERA to 5.11. He walked three and struck out one, needing 95 pitches to get through the fifth.

Despaigne (5-8) gave up an early run in the bottom of the first before serving up one of two three-run home run Khris Davis would hit. Despaigne would allow three more runs to cross in the fourth, as the Brewers downed the Padres 10-1 on Thursday.

Despaigne has allowed at least six runs in three of his past nine starts, as Thursday's outing snapped a personal two-game winning streak for the sophomore hurler.

Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke endured his worst start of the season on Thursday, but still managed to walk away with his 11th win of the season. Greinke allowed a season-high six runs on seven hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out eight, as the Dodgers topped the Phillies 10-8.

Greinke (11-2) watched his ERA lift to 1.71 with the shaky outing. He got off to a rough start in this one. After he was given a 3-0 lead following the top of the first, he allowed five runs--including a three-run shot by Dominic Brown--in the bottom half to give the Phillies a two-run lead.

The Dodgers were able to rally back, thanks in part to Greinke's work at the plate. He went 3 for 3 with a third-inning solo home run and also scored three times. It was his first home run of the year, and the fifth of his career. The bullpen was able to keep the Phillies at bay, allowing Greinke to pick up the win.

This was the first time Greinke had allowed more than two runs since he allowed five back on June 2 against the Rockies. Coming off his impressive scoreless innings streak, Greinke has now surrendered 10 runs over his past three starts.

"Little different-style game than you would think with Zack pitching today," said manager Don Mattingly, per MLB.com. "But our guys kept on going. After the first inning, Zack was pretty good. Showed what Zack's all about. He's not going to give in, say it's a bad day. He's going to keep pitching."

Reds starter Michael Lorenzen was on the wrong side of a shutout on Thursday, as the Reds lost to the Cardinals 3-0. Lorenzen allowed all three runs on four hits over five innings. He struggled with his control, issuing four walks and a hit batter while striking out five on the afternoon.

The rookie right-hander threw just 53 of his 93 pitches for strikes, as he had trouble locating his pitches. He put up zeroes over the first three innings, but allowed a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth. Meanwhile, the Reds' offense was baffled by Michael Wacha, en route to the shutout loss.

"I felt good," Lorenzen said, per MLB.com. "I thought I threw the ball really well. I competed with everything, and they took some good at-bats. I had some guys 0-2, and they battled. That's what the Cardinals are known for, but coming out today, besides taking the loss -- obviously, we want to win, but it's improvement. I'm feeling good, arm feels good, mechanically I feel good, so I just need to take the results out of the equation and understand … that I threw the ball well."

Lorenzen (3-7, 4.84 ERA) has failed to get past the sixth inning in each of his four most recent starts. He has allowed a total of 20 earned runs over that stretch.

Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha was brilliant in his start against the Reds on Thursday. Wacha blanked the Reds over seven shutout innings. He scattered four hits and walked two while striking out six in the 3-0 victory.

This makes back-to-back seven-inning shutouts for Wacha, who lowered his ERA to 2.92 after Thursday's strong outing. 

"It's all about getting in that routine out there on the mound and getting in that rhythm," said Wacha, per MLB.com. "I found it out there and was able to throw a lot of strikes and get a lot of early outs."

Nationals manager Matt Williams gave a strong indication Thursday starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg will return from the 15-day disabled list to start Saturday vs. Colorado, according to MASNsports.com.

"We've got some options, certainly his day falls Saturday, but he'll go out and do his towel drills today and make sure," Williams said. "So we'll have a better idea after he's done with that. He felt OK coming out of the bullpen so we have to make sure that he's good today and then we can decide for sure. But his day certainly falls on Saturday."