MLB Player News

Rockies pitcher Jordan Lyles was at his best Thursday, retiring all 12 of the batters he faced in four perfect innings against the Royals.

Lyles was able to get eight groundouts and two strikeouts during his two innings of work, continuing an impressive spring that has featured just one earned run and three hits allowed in 11 innings as he hones his split-finger changeup.

"I just have a lot of confidence in my changeup, a pitch I haven't had in previous years," Lyles said after the outing, per MLB.com. "It's another pitch I can lead on. I threw it a lot during the game but they haven't been hit hard."

Lyles is looking to improve on a 2014 season in which he went 7-4 with a 4.33 ERA and 90:46 K:BB ratio in 126 2/3 innings.

Nationals manager Matt Williams has yet to decide who his Opening Day starter will be, but CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman suggests he'll keep his "ridiculously stacked pitching rotation" the way he has during spring straining, with former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer the likely choice for the first game of the season.

The Nationals have rolled with Scherzer followed by Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez this spring.

Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy twice this offseason due to a torn tendon in his elbow, Newsday reports.

Wheeler had been cleared to continue pitching last season despite chronic pain caused by what the team called inflammation of the tendon. However, a source said the tendon was "a little bit torn," per the report.

Wheeler has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament. He was scheduled to meet with the team doctor Wednesday to determine whether to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair the elbow.

Rockies pitcher Jordan Lyles has seen a rise in strikeouts this spring largely due to his split-finger changeup, a pitch he developed last summer and honed during the offseason, MLB.com reports.

"Of my strikeouts this spring, I want to say 75 percent [of the put-away pitches] have been changeups," Lyles said. "That tells me it's a little more difficult to see. I don't necessarily think I'm a strikeout pitcher now just because of that one pitch, but it adds something for the hitter to respect. A good changeup can make the other pitches better."

Lyles has been a ground-ball pitcher throughout his career but has a 1-to-1 ground-to-fly ratio this spring. However, the changeup can allow him to put batters away and not extend at-bats.

"It was primarily to keep hitters off his fastball and create more margin for error," Weiss said. "He's embraced [the changeup]. It's become more than that. It's become a pitch he can finish hitters with so the at-bats don't get extended against him -- foul ball, foul ball, foul ball, and now you're at eight- and nine-pitch at-bats."

Lyles has surrendered two runs (one earned) in seven innings this spring.

Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn (hip) threw three innings during a simulated game Wednesday, per MLB.com. While results weren't the main focus Wednesday, Lynn was able to showcase an improved changeup.

"I had never seen it like that," outfielder Jon Jay, who also participated in the simulated game, said. "Same thing with [Adam Wainwright] the other day. [Lynn's] changeup was filthy. It's just another weapon to his arsenal.

"Those guys are already good, and that's what makes them special. They keep on continuing to grow and get better. You see that with Lance now. He's taking that next step to try and solidify himself as that guy that everyone looks to."

Lynn is hoping the changeup will become an asset against left-handed batters, who have compiled a .256/.355/.409 slash line against the right-hander in his career.

"It's just amazing what that does when you increase the number of weapons that you have and pitches that take you off what your strengths are," manager Mike Matheny said. "To be able to throw that cutter that looks like a four-seam [fastball], all of a sudden makes his fastball harder. And being able to throw that breaking ball for strikes, and the way the changeup is coming out -- all the way around, he is improving as a pitcher. He's just becoming a little more versatile."

Lynn has thrown several side sessions since leaving his March 8 spring start due to a left hip flexor strain. He would have been back in action Wednesday, if the Cardinals didn't have an off-day.

"It felt as good as it has the last week or so," Lynn said about his injured hip. "I treated it like I would a normal spring start. I knew I was fine. I knew I was healthy. I wasn't worried about anything. I just had to get the pitches in."

B.B. Abbott, who is the agent for starting pitcher Zack Wheeler, said the Mets did nothing wrong in their handling of Wheeler, who is sidelined due to a torn UCL in his elbow. 

"Anything that happened last year, or any other time Zack has been a Met, has been with complete and full knowledge of the circumstances, and occurred after consultation with qualified orthopedic surgeons,” Abbott told ESPNNewYork.com.

Wheeler is meeting with the Mets' team doctor Wednesday to determine if he will need Tommy John surgery.

Reds starting pitchers Anthony DeSclafani, Jason Marquis and Raisel Iglesias have secured spots in the rotation to begin the season, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. They join Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake.

Homer Bailey is still recovering from September elbow surgery and will start the season on the disabled list. Paul Maholm, who was also competing for a spot in the rotation, has been told he will now compete for a spot in the bullpen.

"I think we have a pretty good idea of where we're headed," manager Bryan Price said, per MLB.com. "That being said, we still have 2 1/2 weeks of spring training games to go to make sure, No. 1, that we're healthy, and No. 2, that how we feel now remains the same."

Cubs pitcher Jason Hammel posted his best appearance of spring training Tuesday, recording three strikeouts, no walks and just two hits over four innings.

Hammel, who struggled in his first two appearances, is only looking forward, reports MLB.com.

"I have plenty of confidence in myself to get it done and be ready and today was a step towards that," he said.

Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg returned to Grapefruit League action Tuesday against the Tigers after making his last start in a minor-league game due to an ingrown toenail. 

Strasburg didn't appear to be slowed at all by his toenail issue, as he tossed four scoreless innings in a 6-4 win. Strasburg (1-0) allowed three hits and no walks, while striking out five.

He lowered his ERA from 10.80 to 3.18 in his second spring start. He has seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle announced Tuesday starting pitcher Francisco Liriano will start Opening Day (April 6) against the Reds. It will be the second straight year Liriano starts on opening day for Pittsburgh.

Hurdle also announced Tuesday starting pitcher Gerrit Cole will start the second game of the season and A.J. Burnett will finish off the three-game series before Pittsburgh moves onto a three-game series at Milwaukee.

Hurdle added Vance Worley or Jeff Locke, who are competing for the final spot in the team's rotation, will start the fourth game of the season and Charlie Morton will start the fifth game. Hurdle said splitting up Burnett and Morton was important because they have similar pitching styles.