MLB Player News

After two rough starts to being the season, Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (1-1) returned to form on Sunday against the Phillies, allowing one run on five hits in 7 1/3 innings to take the win. 

He struck out seven and walked two in the victory. 

"That may be as good as I've seen him. He pitched at 92, 93 [miles per hour] and was able to reach back when he needed it for 95-plus. For me, that makes his changeup even more effective," Nationals manager Matt Williams said after the game, per MLB.com.

"Today, he threw for strikes when he wanted to, went out of the zone when he needed to. I don't know if I've seen him better than that."

The lone run scored off Strasburg came in the eighth inning via an RBI single from Freddy Galvis. 

Next up for Strasburg are the Marlins in Miami on Saturday.

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder) continued his throwing program Sunday, throwing for a third straight day from about 90 feet, but he remains without a timetable to get back on the mound, TrueBlueLA.com reports.

"I don't know when I'll be able to throw a bullpen. I've just been throwing outside on the field," Ryu said Sunday through an interpreter. "So far it's just making sure I have no pain. At this condition I probably could [throw a bullpen session] but I haven't thrown long toss yet."

Ryu hasn't pitched since March 17 due to a shoulder impingement, but he isn't focusing on a specific timetable at this point.

"I haven't thought about a timetable," Ryu said. "I'm just doing what they tell me."

Ryu did say that he's not feeling any pain in his shoulder while throwing.

Opposing pitchers must be sharp when matched up against Dodgers stud Zack Greinke. Rockies right-hander Jordan Lyles was not sharp Saturday night. The result was his first loss of the season.

Lyles walked five in six innings. He also gave up five hits and four earned runs. He was hanging in there until a two-run single by Adrian Gonazalez in the fifth stretched the Los Angeles lead to 4-1.

"Tonight was not good," Lyles said after the game, per MLB.com. "I cannot walk that many people."

His ERA jumped more than a point to 3.50, but he will have a chance to lower it Thursday against San Diego.

Good was good enough Saturday night for Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke.

Greinke was dominant in his first two starts this season. He was merely good against the hot-hitting Rockies and that earned him his second win.

Only a two-run homer by DJ LeMahieu in the seventh inning really marred his performance. He finished having yielded three earned runs on five hits in 6 2/3 inning with one walk and three strikeouts. His ERA nearly doubled to a still-wonderful 1.83.

"He was typical Zack," manager Don Mattingly said after the start, per MLB.com. "He located, he changed speeds. He had a couple quick innings in the middle that kept his pitch count down. He got sick a couple days ago and we sent him home early yesterday."

Greinke has now allowed just 12 hits and two walks in 19 2/3 innings. He will try to continue his fine start Thursday in San Francisco.

Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom, who has been lights-out at Citi Field since last year, turned the lights out Saturday night on the Marlins in front of a sellout crowd.

The bullpen flipped the switch back on in the ninth inning, but finally shut Miami down to raise his record to 2-1.

deGrom was dominant in seven shutout innings, surrendering six measly singles, walking none and fanning eight in lowering his ERA to a sparkling 0.93. He retired 13 of the last 15 batters he faced and has not allowed a run in his last two outings.

Outfielder and teammate Michael Cuddyer was duly impressed.

"His mound presence, the way he carries himself, he's not scared of any hitter or any situation," he told ESPN. "No moments are too big for him, and no hitter is too big."

deGrom will try to make it three shutout performances in a row Friday night against the host Yankees.

Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez worked six strong innings in St. Louis' 5-2 win over the Reds Saturday. Martinez allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts in the outing.

His only mistake of the day came in the fifth inning when he allowed a lead off home run to Zack Cozart. He set the next three batters down in order. 

"He seems to have a pretty good feel for the changeup and the breaking ball, to kind of put a little more on, take a little off," manager Mike Matheny said to FOXSports.com. "That's something you don't necessarily teach. It's just a feel."

He will look to keep things rolling Friday against the Brewers.

Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton was able to throw 55 pitches in a simulated game Friday against minor league hitters, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune.

"It went well. It was a step forward," Hurdle said. "(Pirates special assistant Jim Benedict) said it was a good day for him and the delivery is syncing up to what we saw '13 and '14 in good stretches."

Morton is currently on the 15-day DL with a hip injury and is yet to step on the mound in 2015 for Pittsburgh.

In his first start of the season, Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks simply pitched lousy. In his second start on Saturday, he simply got screwed.

He appeared destined to win after pitching six strong innings and watching his team take a 6-2 lead into the ninth, but the bullpen blew it and the Cubs required extra innings to pull out the win.

Hendricks lowered his ERA from 10.38 to 6.10 by shutting out San Diego after a Matt Kemp two-run homer in the first. He walked none, fanned eight and retired 14 consecutive batters.

He will again seek his first victory Thursday afternoon in Pittsburgh.

Braves starter Alex Wood cruised through his first six inning Saturday but was tagged for three runs in the seventh and took a no decision against the Blue Jays.

Wood, overall, allowed three earned runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. 

Wood's next start is set for Friday in Philadelphia.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw struck out a season-high 12 batters and only walked one during Friday's win over the Rockies.

Kershaw surrendered three runs (one earned) on six hits over six innings of work to earn the win. Kershaw's lone blemish were home runs to Troy Tulowitzki and Charlie Blackmon. He was able to lower his ERA from 5.84 to 4.42. Kershaw (1-1) has yet to throw more than seven innings in any of his three starts this season.

His next expected start will be Wednesday at San Francisco.