MLB Player News

Braves pitcher Alex Wood got his season started off well Tuesday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball in a 5-2 win over the Brewers.

Wood allowed a leadoff home run to Carlos Gomez, but found himself and kept the Brewers off the board from then on. He allowed five hits and walked three batters, while striking out five and throwing 55 of 93 pitches for strikes en route to the win.

Wood made the majority of his appearances as a rookie out of the bullpen, but injuries have cleared up a spot in the rotation to open the season. The 23-year-old might make his next start Sunday against the Nationals.

Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke picked up a win in his season debut Tuesday, allowing two earned runs on two hits and two walks in five innings while striking out five in his team's 3-2 win over the Padres.

Greinke was slowed by a calf injury this spring but ended up avoiding a DL stint after missing his first scheduled start in Australia. He'll look to keep rolling in his next start, which should come Tuesday against the Tigers at home unless the team goes with a four-man rotation early on and sticks Greinke in Sunday's series capper against the Giants.

Following up Jose Fernandez is a tough task, but Marlins starter Nate Eovaldi was up for it Tuesday against the Rockies, as he earned the win in his first start of the season.

Eovaldi wasn't quite as dominant as Fernandez in the season opener, but he more than held his own in a quality start Tuesday. He opened the season with three shutout innings before surrendering both runs in the fourth inning, but the offense bounced back with two more runs in the sixth to earn him a win.

He limited the Rockies to two runs on six hits and a walk, while dialing up his fastball often in picking up six strikeouts. He threw 62 of 95 pitches for strikes before being pulled, in a 4-3 win.

Eovaldi put up a 3.39 ERA in 106 1/3 innings for the Marlins a year ago, and the 24-year-odl is looking to build on that solid work. His next start will likely come Sunday against the Padres, a team he has an 0.79 ERA against in 11 1/3 career innings over two starts. 

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels threw 44 pitches over three innings during an intrasquad game Tuesday, giving up one run on two hits and two walks while striking out three.

Hamels is working his way back from shoulder inflammation, and he should need three or four more outings without encountering any setbacks before he'll be ready to return.

Pretty big blow to Clayton Kershaw owners earlier this afternoon. The reigning NL Cy Young winner and presumed best pitcher on the planet isn't just going to miss one start during what was assumed to be a precautionary DL stint. He'll be limited to light throwing for the next 2-3 weeks, making him a good bet to miss all of April.

That's a significant amount of time -- the same amount that caused Cole Hamels and Hisashi Iwakuma to fall so far in drafts, in fact. And Kershaw's timetable isn't even as clear as theirs.

Of course, Hamels and Iwakuma, as good as they are, aren't presumed to be the best pitcher on the planet, so you'll find a higher percentage of Fantasy owners who would consider Kershaw worth the wait.

Still, having some idea how long we'll be without him, I decided to move him down in my rest-of-season rankings, dropping him to seventh among starting pitchers in Head-to-Head leagues and eighth in Rotisserie. That extra month Justin Verlander figures to contribute makes him the more valuable of the two in my eyes.

Of course, when that month is behind us and Kershaw is poised to return, he'll go back to being the top starting pitcher in Fantasy, so if you're going to shop him, now's the time. You wouldn't want to sell low on him, of course, but keep an open mind to other aces.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw will be placed on a rehab program that includes submaximal throwing for the next two-to-three weeks, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Kershaw will be re-evaluated at the conclusion of the submaximal throwing program. Throw in a few rehab starts and, even if everything goes according to plan, it's hard to see him back in the majors in April. Kershaw is on the disabled list with a back injury after allowing one run in 6 2/3 innings in his team's Australia opener.

The Rockies have named starting pitchers for Thursday and Friday's home opener, with Franklin Morales getting the call Thursday in Miami before Juan Nicasio takes the mound Friday at home against the Diamondbacks.

Manager Walt Weiss decided to arrange the rotation as such to take advantage of Nicasio's experience pitching at Coors Field, MLB.com reports. Nicasio has made 28 starts in Coors Field in his three-year career, going 10-7 with a 5.02 ERA in 143 1/3 innings. Morales, who pitched with the Rockies from 2007 through part of 2011, has made 54 appearances (five starts) in Coors Field, going 1-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 70 1/3 innings.

Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels (shoulder) will throw in a minor-league intrasquad game Tuesday at the team's spring complex in Florida, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (back) has not resumed throwing since he reported discomfort Saturday. However, Kershaw might start throwing Wednesday.

Mattingly also said it's likely Kershaw will require a minor-league rehab assignment before returning.

"In my mind, it's going to take some time," Mattingly said.

Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto came out on the wrong end of a pitchers' duel Monday, giving up just one earned run on three hits and one walk in seven innings while striking out eight but taking the loss in his team's 1-0 Opening Day defeat against the Cardinals.

Cueto's only mistake was giving up a solo home run to Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina in the seventh inning, but it was enough to start the season 0-1. He's hoping for a healthy season after making just 11 starts in 2013. Cueto's next start is scheduled for Saturday against the Mets.