MLB Player News

Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole had an inauspicious spring debut Friday, surrendering two earned runs on three hits while striking out two in two innings as his team fell to the Blue Jays, 4-2.

When asked what he was working on his first start, Cole told MLB.com he was "getting a feel back for everything, just trying to keep the fastball down and get comfortable back on the mound again." Cole is coming off a banner rookie season for the Pirates in which he went 10-7 with a 3.22 ERA and 100:28 K:BB ratio in 117 1/3 innings.

Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke could still throw a bullpen session Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Greinke will receive treatment for the injury Friday, and there's a chance he'll make a bullpen session Saturday. He injured his calf after throwing just three pitches Wednesday, but downplayed the injury after the game.

Greinke posted a 2.63 ERA in 177 2/3 innings last season.

Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto made his spring debut Thursday against the Indians, in the team's second exhibition game.

Cueto had no trouble getting through two innings of work, a good sign after a lat injury bothered him for much of last season. He held the Indians off the scoreboard in his two innings, pitching around a pair of walks and a double with two strikeouts.

Assuming he is healthy, Cueto's spot in the rotation is not in doubt. He was effective when healthy a year ago, posting a 2.82 ERA in 60 2/3 innings over 11 starts.  

Pirates starting pitcher Charlie Morton got off to a solid start in his spring training debut Thursday, in an 8-2 loss to the Yankees.

Morton tossed a pair of scoreless innings in the start, limiting the Yankees to just one baserunner on a walk. He also struck out one batter while facing the minimum in his two innings of work, while picking up three outs via groundball.

Morton signed a three-year, $21 million contract this offseason and will be one of the team's top pitchers yet again. Morton posted a 7-4 record and 3.26 ERA in 116 innings over 20 starts a year ago.  

Zack Greinke is not certain the calf strain he sustained throwing just three pitches against Arizona on Thursday is mild, but he believes it to be.

"I just felt something in my calf," he told the Orange County Register. "I think it's minor but we'll see in a couple days or tomorrow or later today."

The Dodgers removed him from the game as he was throwing to the second batter he faced.

Dodgers star right-hander Zack Greinke was removed from the game Thursday against Arizona with a right calf strain after throwing to just two batters and making three pitches. He spoke with the trainer before leaving. The move is considered precautionary.

Greinke has been durable since 2008, though he did miss a month to open the 2013 season after breaking his collarbone in a fight with Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin.

He is slated to be the second starter this season behind ace Clayton Kershaw. Greinke was 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA a year ago.

Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure gave an encouraging prognosis for the return of premier starting pitcher Cole Hamels as the lefty works his way from offseason shoulder tendinitis. McClure indicated that Hamels might only miss two starts in the regular season.

McClure claimed that Hamels is not far behind. "I would probably say 10 days maybe," he told ESPN. "Maybe. But he looks so healthy, he might not be 10 days. He might just be a week. Some guys just don't need as long in spring training. Some guys need longer."

Hamels was able to work his way through his first bullpen session on Wednesday.

Premier Mets prospect Noah Syndergaard showed why he is so highly regarded with his performance in a Thursday intrasquad game by striking out five in two innings, though he did yield three hits and an earned run.

The 21-year-old Syndergaard has yet to pitch professionally beyond 13 innings last year at the Rookie League level, but he has already earned the praise of Terry Collins and could land in the Mets rotation sometime this season.

The first few starts of spring training are always about working back into shape after the long offseason. Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw showed he is still knocking off the rust Wednesday, as he made his spring training debut against the Diamondbacks.

Kershaw pitched two innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits and one walk. He faced 12 batters in his two innings of work, recording two strikeouts and three outs via groundout as well.

Kershaw is coming off his best season in the professional ranks, as he won his second Cy Young with a 1.83 ERA in 236 innings of work. He also posted an ugly 4.18 ERA in last seasons spring training. 

Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto will start the team's second Cactus League game Thursday, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Cueto said his lat strain is behind him coming into camp and that he feels healthy.

"He's not (Jonathan) Broxton or (Mat) Latos, who are coming off of surgeries of that nature, it's not the same," manager Bryan Price said. "He came into camp healthy, so we're all optimistic he'll have a healthy season and pitch all year. Because he's had some setbacks and his history here with the Reds, there's certainly going to be a collective sigh of relief when we get through spring training and he's locked in and doing what he does, for sure."

Cueto made just 11 starts last year due to injury but impressed when he did take the mound, going 5-2 with a 2.82 ERA and 51:18 K:BB ratio in 60 2/3 innings.