MLB Player News

The Mets will approach the offseason with only four players guaranteed prominent roles, according to the New York Daily News. 

Team COO Jeff Wilpon said the team is "in transition," and that there are only four players projected for the lineup right now. Wilpon cited Jonathon Niese, Dillon Gee, Zack Wheeler and David Wright as the only players who currently have a spot next year. It's safe to assume Matt Harvey is also in that group, but his recent surgery means he'll likely miss most of the year. The team will likely entertain trades for any player not included in that list. 

Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright's 10 strikeouts weren't enough to defeat the Red Sox in Game 5 of the World Series Monday night in St. Louis.

Wainwright fell to 0-2 in the series as he allowed three earned runs on eight hits and a walk over seven strong innings. He threw 107 pitches but Jon Lester was just too much for the Red Sox. Wainwright's ERA is at 4.50 on the series.

The 32-year-old veteran has lost his last three postseason starts but has allowed just eight runs over 19 innings with 19 Ks. His ERA on the postseason overall is 2.57 with a 0.97 WHIP. For some reason, he just hasn't been getting the bounces in the World Series as the Red Sox go up 3-2 in the series.

Wainwright went 19-9 this season over 241 2/3 innings with a 2.94 ERA as the ace of the St. Louis staff.

Reds' 2013 first-round pick Michael Lorenzen is pitching in the Arizona Fall League, and according to MLB.com. the organization's intention is for him to use the fall season as preparation to convert to being a starting pitcher. Lorenzen was both a center fielder and closer at Cal State Fullerton, and in his first season of professional ball, he made 21 relief appearances and only one start.

Lorenzen pitched 21 innings across four minor league levels this season, ultimately winding up at Double-A Pensacola, and he went 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA and four saves. With the AFL's Glendale Desert Dogs, Lorenzen is 0-2 with a 13.03 ERA in three starts.

Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright told FOXSports.com that he blames mechanical issues for his disappointing performance in Game 1 of the World Series. Wainwright lasted only five innings, having allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk.

Claiming that his delivery was "off," Wainwright says he has watched film, practiced in front of a mirror and "made a lot of good adjustments to be ready for this next game to throw some quality pitches." Wainwright is scheduled to start Monday's Game 5 against the Red Sox at Busch Stadium.

Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn left Game 4 of the World Series Sunday with the game tied 1-1 and two men on, but a home run just after he left the game gave him three earned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out five in 5 2/3 innings in his team's 4-2 loss to the Red Sox, which evened the World Series at 2-2.

Lynn racked up four strikeouts, gave up one hit and faced the minimum amount of batters through four innings. He ran into trouble in the fifth inning, giving up a lead-off double then walking the next two batters to load the bases with no outs. He allowed just one run (on a sacrifice fly) to limit the damage and keep his team tied heading into the bottom of the fifth.

Lynn next recorded the first two outs of the sixth inning before allowing a single and walking David Ortiz, ending his night after 89 pitches. The damage was done soon after, as he was charged with two extra runs when reliever Seth Maness surrendered a three-run homer to Jonny Gomes.

The Cardinals head into a critical Game 5 Monday, a game the team will likely consider "must win" with the series guaranteed to go back to Boston.

Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg underwent arthroscopic surgery Friday to remove bone chips in his right elbow, MASNSports.com reports. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.

Strasburg is expected to resume a throwing program in 4-6 weeks. He should be ready to go by spring training.

The starter took a step back from his dominant 2012 campaign. He finished the season 8-9 with a 3.00 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP and a 191:56 K:BB ratio over 183 innings.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny announced Friday that pitcher Lance Lynn will start Game 4 of the World Series in St. Louis against the Red Sox, according to MLB.com.

Lynn is 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA, giving up seven earned runs in 11 2/3 innings over three games this postseason. He finished the regular season with a 3.97 ERA and 1.31 WHIP.

"We know that Lance has also been a guy that can pitch in big situations," Matheny said.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said on Friday that Lance Lynn will "most likely" pitch Sunday's Game 4 of the World Series in St. Louis. 

Lynn has a 2-1 record in the 2013 postseason, but has a 5.40 ERA, giving up seven earned runs in 11 2/3 innings over three games. Lynn finished the regular season with a 3.97 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. 

With Lynn going Sunday, Adam Wainwright will likely start Game 5. 

Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez pitched two big innings Thursday, striking out three and allowing just one hit while holding the Red Sox scoreless to preserve a two-run lead in his team's Game 2, 4-2 win.

Martinez breezed through the seventh inning but ran into trouble in the eighth after a fielding error by second baseman Matt Carpenter on a tough Jacoby Ellsbury grounder was followed up with a two-out single by David Ortiz. However, Martinez induced a pop up to the shortstop to maintain the Cardinals' lead heading into the ninth. It was an excellent showing after Martinez allowed a run during his team's 8-1 loss in Game 1, and manager Mike Matheny showed great trust in the youngster by sticking with him for two innings.

Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha held the Red Sox to two earned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out six in six innings in Game 2 of the World Series Thursday as the Cardinals evened the series with a 4-2 win.

Wacha began his Game 2 with a bang, getting through the order one time without allowing a hit. He got into trouble in the fourth inning, putting two men on with no one out before inducing a ground-ball double play and an infield pop up.

Wacha turned in a scoreless fifth inning after walking the lead-off batter, but the Red Sox finally got to him in the sixth when David Ortiz launched a two-run home run over the Green Monster to give the Red Sox a one-run lead heading into the seventh. That was it for Wacha, who ended the game with a career-high 114 pitches in his six innings of work and on the hook for a loss. The Cardinals came through with three runs in the top of the seventh inning, putting him in line for the win, which was his fourth straight during the postseason.

The Cardinals would likely turn to Wacha in a potential Game 6, which would come back in Boston.