MLB Player News

Pirates pitcher Vance Worley went three innings Tuesday against the Tigers, allowing one run on three hits with one strikeout.

Worley, who is expected to begin the season in the bullpen, was happy with his performance, according to MLB.com.

"I felt good. It's a tough lineup. I didn't want to leave anything over the plate," Worley said. "I've been hit pretty hard by them in the past. I wasn't trying to leave anything over the white. I wanted to make some good pitches to make them swing."

Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright has been named the Opening Day starter for Sunday's game against the Cubs, reports MLB.com.

Wainwright, who finished his final spring training start Tuesday, posted a 20-9 record in 2014 with a 2.38 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 227 innings. Wainwright dealt with a slight abdominal strain early in camp, capping him at just three starts in spring training.

Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright gave up two runs (one earned) on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings pitched Tuesday in his final spring training start. Wainwright also added one walk and two strikeouts to his totals.

Wainwright finished spring training with a 3.14 ERA with seven strikeouts and three walks in three starts.

Marlins pitcher Henderson Alvarez gave up just one run on six hits in six innings of work Tuesday in his final start of spring training. 

Alvarez also added two walks and one strikeout. Alvarez, who will be Miami's Opening Day starter, finished the spring campaign with a 4.26 ERA with three walks and nine strikeouts in five spring starts.

Phillies pitcher Sean O'Sullivan surrendered four earned runs on five hits and four walks in four innings while striking out two and fiving up two home runs in his team's 10-6 loss to the Blue Jays.

"It didn't quite go as well as I would have liked it," O'Sullivan said after the outing, per MLB.com. "I felt a little off on my release points. That's mostly because I've only been on the mound once in the last 11 days."

O'Sullivan is the favorite to serve as the team's fifth starter but didn't help his candidacy Tuesday, as his spring ERA rose from 6.75 to 7.59 after the mediocre showing. He ends Grapefruit League action with an 8:5 K:BB ratio and four home runs allowed in 10 2/3 innings.

The Pirates optioned right-hander John Holdzkom and Rob Scahill to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh also reasisgned Blake Wood to minor-league camp.

Holdzkom registered a 3.38 ERA in eight inning of work this spring. Scahill allowed two runs in 10 innings of work.

Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks surrendered five earned runs on seven hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings while striking out five in Monday's 8-5 win over the Giants.

Hendricks had tossed seven scoreless innings in his first two Cactus League games, but Monday's action was his first in a major-league game since March 14. He's expected to open the season in the team's rotation.

Reds pitcher Anthony DeSclafani gave up six runs on seven hits, including three home runs, in six innings of work Monday against the Padres. 

DeSclafani, who went six scoreless in his last outing, added four strikeouts and pushed his ERA to 3.51 this spring. 

"I was behind in the count and did not make good pitches and that happens," DeSclafani said to MLB.com. "Those are big league hitters, and they're going to capitalize on it. I'll try to be better."

The Diamondbacks announced that Chase Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Josh Collmenter, Rubby De La Rosa and Jeremy Hellickson will fill out the five-man rotation to start the season. 

With Cahill and Anderson making the rotation, Daniel Hudson will move to the bullpen. According to MLB.com, a final decision on the order of the rotation has yet to be determined.

However, Collmenter is expected to start on Opening Day and De La Rosa is the most likely candidate to pitch the second game. Hellickson is slated to start the third, leaving the coaching staff a decision to make on which games Anderson and Cahill will start. 

Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha earned his first victory this spring during Monday's 6-2 win over the Nationals. Wacha (1-0) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks, while striking out three.

Wacha, who made his final Grapefruit League start, posted a 1.77 ERA in five spring starts. He also had 16 strikeouts to four walks in 20 1/3 innings.