MLB Player News

Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom allowed two runs on six hits over 7 1/3 innings of work during Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Phillies.

deGrom struck out nine and did not walk a batter during the outing. He has now struck out 20 batters over his last two starts. Despite a solid effort, deGrom received a no-decision Tuesday.

deGrom has given up one or fewer runs in four of his last five starts. His next expected start is scheduled for Monday at San Diego.

Despite only allowing one run over seven innings of work, Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen received a no-decision during Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Rockies.

"That was Michael Lorenzen as good as I've seen him," Reds manager Bryan Price said, per MLB.com.

Lorenzen's lone mistake was giving up a solo home run to Nick Hundley in the fifth inning. He struck out three batters and walked three during the outing while lowering his ERA to 3.12.

"It's just a mentality, I made a promise to Cincinnati that I would do everything in my power to prepare as much as I can and come out and perform at my highest ability," Lorenzen said. "I threw the ball with confidence, and every pitch I threw tonight was with a purpose."

Tuesday's start was the first time Lorenzen was able to pitch more than six innings in his four starts this season. It is not known when his next start will be.

Rockies SP Jordan Lyles will have his Saturday start pushed back because of a left big toe sprain, according to MLB.com and The Denver Post.

Lyles sustained the injury during Saturday's game, but he won't need a stint on the disabled list. Left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa will start Saturday's game at Philadelphia.

Marlins pitcher Henderson Alvarez received good news on Tuesday as an MRI revealed no structural damage on his left shoulder, according to the Miami Herald.

Alvarez, who was placed on the 15-day DL with a shoulder injury on May 22, has already had one stint on the disabled list this season when he battled an elbow injury. He has struggled so far this season with an 0-4 mark and a 6.45 ERA in 22 1/3 innings of work.

Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto appears to have avoided a significant injury, according to his agent per The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Cueto received an MRI on Tuesday as a precaution to look into elbow stiffness that kept him from making his latest start on Sunday. Manager Bryan Price didn't expect him to miss more than one start, but Cueto wanted to get a second opinion.

"I had the gut feeling that everything was going to be OK; I never thought it was going to be different," Cueto said via translator Tomas Vera to MLB.com. "But thank God after the test, everything came back good, like I thought it was going to be."

Cueto said he feels good and plans to play catch on Wednesday, according to the report.

"As he throws, if he's pain-free and the stiffness is out, I think it makes sense that we would follow that with a bullpen [session]," Price said. "If everything went well with that, we would in turn slot him in the rotation."

Cueto is 3-4 with a 3.03 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings of work this season.

Braves pitcher Williams Perez allowed one run on seven hits in six innings of work in Atlanta's 6-3 loss to the Dodgers on Monday, but did not factor into the decision.

Perez's lone blemish came in the first inning when he loaded the bases for Andre Ethier. Perez walked Ethier to plate a run. After that, Perez settled down and recorded seven strikeouts and no more walks. 

"He was a little shaky in the first inning; I think he had 30 pitches in the first inning. But he bounced back and he did a nice job," manager Fredi Gonzalez said to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "To come in here as a rookie – I know they didn’t have a sellout, but it's still Dodger Stadium against a pretty good lineup, and the juices are flowing. You kind of expect that first inning. But I'm proud of him the way he settled down and gave us six innings. It was right about where we wanted him, 25 pitches more than last time. Something to build on and go forward."

Perez, who reamins 0-0, moved his ERA to 4.05 in 13 1/3 innings of work. He will look to pick up his first win of the year Saturday against the Giants.

Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton allowed two runs on eight hits in seven innings of work in his season debut for Pittsburgh on Monday. Morton added three strikeouts and no walks in Pittsburgh's 4-2 win over the Marlins on Monday.

Morton had just two blemishes on his day. In the first, after allowing a leadoff single to Dee Gordon, he stole second and later scored on a Giancarlo Stanton single. Then in the third, Stanton blasted a solo home run. 

"That was the best I've felt in a while," Morton said to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "My timing's better. My direction's a bit better. Everything's just better overall. I think my sinker was working pretty well. I kept it down a little bit and got a lot of ground balls."

Morton, now 1-0, begins his year with a 2.57 ERA. He will look to keep things rolling on Saturday against the Padres.

Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez pitched seven shutout innings Monday. The St. Louis bullpen allowed Arizona to tie the game, however, causing Martinez to settle for a no-decision. 

"Carlos was real good," manager Mike Matheny said, per MLB.com. "Shame we couldn't get him a win for that. But to get through seven and be able to make some tough pitches when he had to, he had some of that consistency today."

Martinez has not allowed a run in his last two starts, spanning 13 1/3 innings. On Sunday, he allowed five hits, walked out two and struck out eight. 

His next start will be Sunday against the Dodgers. 

Diamondbacks starting pitcher Chase Anderson gave up two runs to St. Louis on 10 hits over six innings. He left trailing 2-0, but his teammates rallied to tie the score, giving him a no-decision on Monday. 

The 10 hits allowed were a career high for Anderson. He also walked one and struck out four. 

Anderson's next start will be Sunday, at Milwaukee. 

Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto is expected to miss just one start with right elbow stiffness, manager Bryan Price said on Monday per The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Cueto was examined further on Monday after missing his scheduled start on Sunday against the Indians. It was reported to be worse than first anticipated, but Price believes he will be back this week. Cincinnati's ace is 3-4 with a 3.03 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings of work this season.