MLB Player News

Cardinals starter Lance Lynn became the first four-game winner in the National League and remained unbeaten Saturday with a 4-3 win in Washington.

Lynn made it through just 5 2/3 innings, but gave up only one run on a Danny Espinosa home run in the fifth. He yielded five hits, walked three and fanned five.

The right-hander ran his scoreless streak to 15 innings before yielding the home run to Espinosa. He will try to earn his fifth victory Thursday against the Mets.

Diamondbacks starting pitcher Wade Miley was effectively wild Friday, but settled for a no-decision in a 4-2 extra-innings win over the Dodgers.

MIley allowed just one run in six innings of work, despite tossing five walks. He limited the Dodgers to just a pair of hits and was helped along by matching a season-high with eight strikeouts. He exited the game without a chance to win, as his seventh-inning solo home run allowed left the score tied, 1-1.

Miley has been a bit hit-or-miss this season, with just two quality starts in five trips to the mound. He is 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA in five starts, heading into his Wednesday start against the Cubs. 

Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke twirled another strong start Friday against the Diamondbacks, but received little help in a no-decision.

Greinke limited the Diamondbacks to just one run in six innings of work, while allowing three hits and a pair of walks. He matched his season-high in strikeouts with eight for the third start in a row, but exited the game in line for a 1-0 loss before a rally sent it to extras and got him off the hook.

Greinke has yet to allow more than two runs in any of his three starts, and all but one of his six total runs has come by way of a home run. He has 29 strikeouts to four walks in 22 1/3 innings, and is 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA heading into his next start, Wednesday against the Phillies. 

Marlins starting pitcher Nate Eovaldi twirled a quality start Friday against the Mariners, but ended up settled for a no-decision in the 8-4 win.

Eovaldi got out to an early lead, as the Marlins went up 4-2 after three innings, and neither of the first two runs were charged to him. He would allow just one more run in the fifth inning, but the bullpen could not make his lead stand up until Giancarlo Stanton's walkoff home run.

Eovaldi was charged with one run in six innings of work, on seven hits and a pair of walks. He struck out five batters and racked up 10 groundball outs for the third straight start.

Eovaldi heads into his next start 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA. He will try to keep his solid pitching up in his next start, set for Wednesday against the Braves. 

Pirates starting pitcher Charlie Morton dropped his second decision in a row Friday, in a 5-3 loss to the Brewers.

Morton cruised to an early 2-0 lead after three innings of work, but ran into trouble soon after. The Brewers scored three runs in the fourth inning, and added one each in the fifth and sixth, both off the bat of Carlos Gomez.

Morton was charged with five earned runs on eight hits and a pair of walks in six innings, while striking out three batters. He is 0-2 with a 4.32 ERA heading into his fifth start, scheduled for Wednesday against Cincinnati. 

Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha pitched well yet again Friday against the Nationals, but got little help in his first loss of the season.

Wacha pitched seven strong innings, and definitely gave his team a chance to win, allowing just one earned run on an early home run. Unfortunately, two unearned runs came around to score in the second, on a wild pitch and then throwing error, and that was enough to cost the Cardinals the game, 3-1.

Wacha struck out seven batters and walked none, his first start without a free pass. He allowed his one earned run on five hits, while watching his record fall to 2-1. He carries a 1.73 ERA into his next start, scheduled for Wednesday against the Mets. 

The Phillies know pitcher Cole Hamels will join the rotation at some point during their series against the Dodgers next week, and they are starting to close in on a specific date for his expected return. Manager Ryne Sandberg told MLB.com he expects Hamels to start Wednesday in Los Angeles, in order to give the team the chance to split Hamels up with fellow lefty Cliff Lee, who pitches Monday.

Hamels has been working his way back from inflammation in his left shoulder, but has looked sharp in recent rehab starts. He will join the team in Colorado during their upcoming series, and will likely be activated from the disabled list Wednesday. 

Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels is likely to make his return to the rotation next week in Los Angeles, after twirling a gem in his final rehab start Thursday for Class A Clearwater.

Hamels tossed seven strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits. He walked one batter and struck out two while working efficiently throwing 57 of 81 pitches for strikes in the no-decision.

Hamels will likely make his return to the rotation next Tuesday against the Dodgers, after opening the season on the disabled list with a shoulder injury.  

Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright twirled a gem Thursday against the Nationals, in an 8-0 win.

Wainwright tossed his first complete-game shutout of the season in the win, and was barely in trouble at all. He surrendered just two hits, both singles, while also walking three batters. He struck out eight batters for the second start in a row as well.

Wainwright has been his typically brilliant self through four starts, holding a 3-1 record and 1.80 ERA in 30 innings of work. He has struck out 32 batters while walking nine heading into his next start, scheduled for Tuesday against the Mets. 

The Cardinals are not considered moving pitcher Carlos Martinez from the bullpen to the rotation, despite losing Joe Kelly to a hamstring injury that landed him on the disabled list Thursday, according to MLB.com.

"You'd be looking at stretching him out just to slow him back down again," Matheny said. "This is one of those scenarios where we just don't know how long it's going to be [for Kelly]. It's not set in stone, and I think you take that risk of pulling [Martinez] out, getting him going just to slow him back down if things [with Kelly] progress quickly."

According to the report, the team prefers to pick a starter from the Triple-A squad in Memphis, rather than move Carlos Martinez into a starting role for a few spot starts. Tyler Lyons and Tim Cooney are both mentioned as possible options for the spot.

Martinez has a 1.86 ERA in 9 2/3 innings of the bullpen, and has yet to throw more than 31 pitches in any outing.