MLB Player News

The Twins are going hard after free-agent pitcher Ricky Nolasco, the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports, adding that the Padres are also pursuing the right-hander. The Phillies are also pursuing Nolasco, MLBDailyDish.com reports.

Nolasco, who grew up in Southern California, went 13-11 with a 3.70 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 165:46 K:BB ratio in 199 1/3 innings last season. He owns an 89-75 career record while pitching 7 1/2 seasons with the Marlins and the last half of 2013 with the Dodgers.

Though Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg's elbow injury wasn't exactly a secret -- he had surgery to remove loose bodies in October -- agent Scott Boras revealed to The Washington Post Thursday that it had him pitching with forearm discomfort virtually all season.

The discomfort was first reported in late April and eventually cost him two starts in September.

"He was dealing with some stress in the forearm and such from it," Boras said. "Certainly, each performance, it was something he had to deal with for a few days after."

After going 15-6 in 2012, Strasburg's record dropped to 8-9 in 2013, but he improved his ERA and WHIP and recorded 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He'll resume throwing in 1-3 weeks and should be ready for spring training.

"He's doing great," Boras said. "He's working out. We're pretty excited. It was a minor procedure, but I think it'll have a quality impact on him as far as him pitching pain-free and being the Stephen Strasburg of old."

The Giants have interest in free agent starter Jason Hammel and have requested his medical records, according to a report from FOX Sports. Hammel went 7-8 with a 4.97 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP over 139 1/3 innings last season for the Orioles. 

Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2013 National League Cy Young Award Wednesday, receiving 29 of 30 first place votes ahead of Adam Wainwright and Jose Fernandez

Kershaw, 25, won the CY Young in 2011 and became the eighth different pitcher in franchise history to win the award. The left-hander went 16-9 in 33 starts (236 innings) this season. He led the NL in strikeouts (232), ERA (1.83) and WHIP (0.92).

According to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman, the Marlins and Cubs are considering talks regarding a trade of some of their top prospects.

The pitching-heavy Marlins may be willing to part with some of their young hurlers, including major leaguers Jacob Turner, Henderson Alvarez and Nate Eovadi as well as prospects Andrew Heaney , Justin Nicolino , Adam Conley and Jose Urena and late-season callup Brian Flynn. In return, they would likely target one or more of the Cubs' top hitting prospects, including Kris Bryant , Javier Baez , Albert Almora and Jorge Soler .

Free agent pitcher Ricky Nolasco is seeking a five-year, $80-million deal in free agency this offseason, Fox Sports reports.

The terms of the deal Nolasco is seeking match the contract that Anibal Sanchez signed last offseason with the Tigers, which was the second most-lucrative free-agent deal signed by a pitcher last winter. Nolasco went 13-11 with a 3.70 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 165:46 K:BB ratio in 199 1/3 innings between the Marlins and Dodgers last season.

Dodgers third baseman Juan Uribe, starting pitcher Edinson Volquez, relief pitcher Brian Wilson, third baseman Michael Young, utility player Jerry Hairston, relief pitcher J.P. Howell, relief pitcher Carlos Marmol, starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco, infielder Nick Punto and utility player Skip Schumaker have filed for free agency.

They join second baseman Mark Ellis, who had his team option declined, and starting pitcher Chris Capuano, who had his mutual option declined.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Carlos Martinez will enter spring training next season in a starter's role. The 22-year-old has been a starting pitcher as a minor league prospect, but the Cardinals used him only once as a starter this season, while he made 20 relief appearances during the regular season.

In his first season in St. Louis, Martinez went 2-1 with a 5.08 ERA and 1.41 WHIP, though he had a 3.55 ERA and 0.79 WHIP over 12 postseason appearances.

Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha couldn't replicate his excellent Game 2 performance Wednesday, giving up six earned runs on five hits and four walks (two intentionally to David Ortiz) with five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings as the Cardinals ended their World Series hopes with a 6-1 loss to the Red Sox in Game 6.

Wacha started the game with two strikeouts and a walk to David Ortiz in the first inning before putting the first two men of the second inning on base. However, he got the next three batters out to keep the Red Sox off the board after two innings.

Wacha wasn't so fortunate in the third, loading the bases after hitting a batter and giving up a three-run double to Shane Victorino with two outs in the inning. He didn't pitch much better in the fourth, giving up a solo home run and a double before intentionally walking David Ortiz for a second time and being pulled after 3 2/3 innings with men on first and third, both of whom would come around to score

Wacha was incredible over his first four postseason starts, giving up just three earned runs in 27 innings, but he couldn't put together one more gem when his team needed it most. Still, his future in St. Louis looks incredibly bright after going 4-1 with a 2.64 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 33:12 K:BB ratio in 30 2/3 innings over five postseason starts.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey and Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals each took home Gold Glove awards Tuesday night in their respective leagues. 

Dickey went 14-13 this season over 34 starts for Toronto with a 4.21 ERA. It was his first season in the American League since pitching with Minnesota back in 2009. Dickey won the National League Cy Young in 2012 as a 20-game winner. 

Wainwright went 19-9 as the ace of the St. Louis staff this season. He had a 2.94 ERA on his way to earning the Gold Glove in the field as well.