MLB Player News

Pirates young stud starter Gerrit Cole lost his regular season tuneup to a rainout, but got three innings of work in a bullpen session, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Cole might have needed to pitch against actual competition. He yielded six runs on eight hits, including three home runs, in 6 2/3 innings against Baltimore in his last start and watched his spring ERA skyrocket nearly double to 6.17.

Right-hander Brandon McCarthy, who started neither game against the Dodgers in Australia to begin the regular season, will take the hill in the opener of a four-game series against San Francisco on Monday.

He will be followed in the rotation by Wade Miley, Trevor Cahill and Bronson Arroyo. Arroyo will only make his debut in that series only if he emerges from his Saturday performance healthy. He missed a month of spring training with a bulging disc in his back.

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu will start Sunday night's game against the Padres, according to MLB.com.

Ryu was able to get through a bullpen session with no issues Friday. He had been dealing with a cracked big toe, which initially put the start in doubt. "Without something crazy happening, he's good to go Sunday," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Friday.

Ryu tossed five scoreless innings against Arizona in his season debut.

Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton allowed one hit and struck out one in three scoreless innings in his team's 3-0 win over the Phillies Friday.

Morton has surrendered just one earned run in 11 innings this spring. He's set to open the season Wednesday against the Cubs.

The Rockies optioned pitcher Jordan Lyles to Triple-A Friday, the team announced.

Lyles posted a 3.18 ERA and 12:6 K:BB ratio in 17 innings this spring but ultimately wasn't able to lock down a spot in the team's initial rotation. He has posted ERAs over 5.00 in each of his first three major-league seasons.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw played catch Friday without suffering any discomfort, the Orange County Register reports.

Kershaw was scratched from Sunday's scheduled start with back inflammation, but he is scheduled to throw again Saturday. The team hasn't made an announcement regarding his next scheduled start, but signs are pointing to him being on the mound for next Friday's home opener, provided he doesn't suffer a setback.

Braves pitcher Julio Teheran is more confident heading into the year, according to MLB.com.

Teheran received strong praise from pitching coach Roger McDowell, who saw the young pitcher blossom into an ace last season. "I've seen him grow from when he came to [big league Spring Training] for the first time," McDowell said. "Where he is now, he's obviously got a different look. "He has that feeling like he belongs, and he's not as unsure of himself."

Teheran said getting the experience of logging innings in the majors was the biggest thing for his development last year. First baseman Freddie Freeman said Teheran shows no fear when on the mound. "His mentality is he doesn't care who you are," first baseman Freeman said. "If you're taking some good swings against him, he's going to come after you."

Teheran posted a 3.20 ERA in 185 2/3 innings last year. He'll start opening day for the Braves in 2014.

Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke looked sharp in his final outing of the spring on Thursday against the Angels at Dodger Stadium.

Greinke allowed a run to score on a throwing error in the third and a two-run single to Kole Calhoun in the fifth for his only damage of the evening. He surrendered three runs -- two earned -- on five hits and no walks while striking out two over six innings.

Greinke finished Cactus League play with a 5.40 ERA and 4:0 K:BB over 8 1/3 innings pitched. He'll make his first start of the season Tuesday against the Pirates.

The Phillies officially placed left-hander Cole Hamels on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday, according to ESPN.

Hamels, who is recovering from a left shoulder inflammation, pitched in a minor league game against the Pirates Class A affiliate. He is expected to return from the DL sometime in late April.

"I'm really pleased and really confident, and what I'm able to do now is to truly get spring training in," Hamels said. "Obviously it's a little late, but I feel healthy and I think that's really the key."

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu is expected to throw a bullpen session on Friday, the Los Angeles Times reports. Ryu had half of his split toenail removed and is hoping to be available for the team's first stateside series on Sunday against the Padres in San Diego.

Ryu tossed five scoreless innings in his first start of the season in Australia against the Diamondbacks.