MLB Player News

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu is scheduled to throw a bullpen session in the next couple of days and possibly as early as Sunday, according to the L.A. Times.

Ryu, who is currently on the 15-day DL with a shoulder injury, remains without a timetable for his return to the pitching staff. He has been unable to throw in a game so far this season after posting a 14-7 record in 2014 with a 3.38 ERA and 139 strikeouts.

Underachieving Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg continued to baffle the baseball world rather than opposing hitters Saturday.

Strasburg maintained his mediocrity in a loss to Miami, yielding four earned runs on eight hits in six innings to lower his record to 1-2 and raise his ERA to 4.88. He struck out six to give him 23 in 24 innings on the year, but he has had three bad outings in four starts.

The right-hander was rolling along through three, but doubles to Martin Prado and Giancarlo Stanton and single by Justin Bour in the fourth resulted in two runs. Three singles and a double play in the sixth doubled the output and all but ended his night.

Strasburg will try against Thursday on the road against the torrid Mets.

The Cubs and Reds have officially postponed Saturday's game in Chicago due to inclement weather, the team's announced. The game, originally scheduled to be played at 1 p.m., was delayed over four hours before officials decided to move the game to a later date, which is yet to be determined.

Cubs scheduled starter Jake Arrieta and Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani will be Sunday's starters, pushing back everyone in both rotations one day, the teams announced. 

Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (3-0) gave up four hits and struck out seven while not allowing a run in seven innings on Friday to defeat the Padres.

Greinke lowered his ERA to 1.35 following Friday's performance.

Greinke will look to stay perfect in his next start set for Wednesday against the Giants.

Pirates starter Gerrit Cole (3-0) allowed one earned run and struck out seven in seven innings on Friday to defeat the Diamondbacks.

After taking a no decision in his first start this year, Cole has won three starts in a row.

Cole returns to the mound for his next scheduled start Wednesday in Chicago against the Cubs.

Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez (2-0) allowed no runs on four hits and struck out eight in seven innings on Friday to defeat the Brewers.

Martinez has now allowed just three runs in 20 innings (1.35 ERA) this season.

Martinez's next start is set for Wednesday against the Phillies.

Braves starting pitcher Alex Wood did not allow a run in 5 2/3 innings on Friday for a no decision against the Phillies.

Wood yielded five hits and a walk in the outing.

"Woody was good," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He mixed his pitches well. His secondary pitch, he threw for strikes. Really, everybody gave us a good opportunity out of that bullpen to get that win."

Wood's next start is set for Wednesday against the Nationals.

Mets starter Jacob deGrom (2-2) was tagged for six runs, five coming via home runs, on eight hits in five innings on Friday in a loss to the Yankees.

First baseman Mark Teixeira hit two two-run homers and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury added a solo shot off deGrom.

"I was throwing the ball fine in the bullpen and when I went in the game I don't know if it was a little adrenaline or something but I was leaving the ball up," deGrom said.

DeGrom more than tripled his ERA to 2.96 on Friday.

DeGrom did not allow a run during his previous two starts, winning both.

DeGrom will look to get back on track Thursday against in his next start against the Nationals.

On Thursday, Padres pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne became only the fifth player in franchise history to appear as a starter and a relief pitcher in the same series since 1990, per MLB.com. 

Despaigne surrendered only two runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings in San Diego's series opener against Colorado at Coors Field. He pitched one-third of an inning on Thursday against the Rockies, lowering his ERA to 1.45 on the season.

With Ian Kennedy set to rejoin the rotation on Saturday, manager Bud Black reassigned Despaigne back to the bullpen, despite a pair of solid outings as a starter.

Cardinals starter Michael Wacha has added two pitches to his repertoire to help keep opposing batters guessing this season. 

Wacha has been throwing a curveball with more frequency this year. Manager Mike Matheny calls the pitch "nasty", per MLB.com. He also has a cutter that he's throwing more often than his changeup.

"It keeps something in the back of their head that I might be throwing it," Wacha said of the cutter. "I've got confidence in every pitch, and I've had confidence in them. It's just about being able to throw them for strikes and then expanding the zone with those pitches as well. I'm just trying to keep them off balance."