MLB Player News

Rockies starter Juan Nicasio was fantastic Monday night at home against the Giants. Nicasio tossed six shutout innings for the win.

The starter improved to 8-6 on the year as he allowed just four hits over six shutout frames. He walked two batters and struck out nine over 95 pitches. His ERA is now at 4.57 with the win.

Nicasio has earned wins in his last two decisions and has given up just three earned runs over his last three outings spanning 17 2/3 innings. The Rockies will next hand the ball to Nicasio to start Sunday against the Reds.

Mets young starter Zack Wheeler suffered a loss Monday night against Philadelphia. He pitched well enough, but his offense scored just one run against the Phillies and starter Cliff Lee.

Wheeler fell to 6-3 on the season with a solid 3.42 ERA as he surrendered two earned runs on five hits and one walk over 6 2/3 decent innings. He recorded a quality start and struck out seven over 105 pitches.

The 23-year-old Wheeler may have suffered the loss Monday, but he's been solid for the Mets and makes his next scheduled start Saturday at Washington.

Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto, who is rehabbing a lat injury, joined the team on the current road trip to continue his throwing program, MLB.com reports Monday. 

Cueto will work under the supervision of pitching coaches Bryan Price and Mack Jenkins. 

"He's been out at Beacon Medical while we've been on the road. He's been working hard," Price said. "Now that he's throwing ... we can really monitor how he's throwing, the duration and things of that nature."

It remains unknown if Cueto can return to the Reds in time to help in the stretch run or the postseason. He has yet to throw off a mound. 

"I really don't know. He thinks so. That's where it starts," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "It would be big, whether we got him back starting or relieving."

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny is unsure of pitcher Carlos Martinez's role, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

Martinez was called up Friday, but hasn't been used yet. While Martinez has scheduled to start in the minors Friday, he might be used as a reliever in the majors. Matheny suggested Martinez could be a late-inning option. "I see him being able to be used in short stints too, especially as we’re close to having more arms around here," Matheny said. Once that happens, Martinez should settle in as a late-inning option. 

Martinez has a 6.19 ERA in 16 innings. 

Cardinals starter Lance Lynn (13-8) ran into trouble as he suffered his eighth loss of the season Sunday against the Braves. The right-hander permitted four runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out five over seven innings of a 5-2 defeat.

Lynn has allowed 10 runs over his last two starts (13 innings). He is scheduled to make his next start Saturday at Pittsburgh. He is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in four starts against the Pirates this season.

Diamondbacks pitcher Patrick Corbin was roughed up in a loss Sunday against the Phillies.

Corbin allowed nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits and three walks. He struck out four but served up a pair of extra-base hits, including a two-run home run. Corbin's numbers remain great, however, as he maintains a 13-4 record and a 2.79 ERA.

In an effort to provide rookie pitcher Gerrit Cole with extra rest, the Pirates shuffled their rotation for their three-game series vs. Milwaukee, which starts Tuesday. Cole has been bumped back from Tuesday to Thursday, while Jeff Locke and Charlie Morton each move up a day.

Braves pitcher Julio Teheran fell to 10-7 after giving up four earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out eight in six innings in his team's 6-2 loss to the Cardinals Saturday.

It was the first time Teheran walked more than three batters in a start this season, and he's walked 13 batters in five August starts after walking just 26 batters in 20 starts over the season's first four months. He brings a 3.08 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 140:39 K:BB ratio into Friday's start against the Marlins.

Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu was sunk by a bad first inning Saturday, in a 4-2 loss to the Red Sox.

Ryu was hit hart in the first inning, as he surrendering four runs on three hits and a hit batter. The big blow came on a three-run homer run by Johnny Gomes with one out in the inning. He settled down from that point on, finishing with four scoreless innings in a row before being pulled.

Ryu was charged with four runs on five hits in five innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks. His record fell to 12-5, while his ERA rose to 3.08. He will try to bounce back in his next start, scheduled for Friday against the Padres. 

The Pirates have moved rookie pitcher Gerrit Cole's next start against the Brewers from Tuesday to Thursday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. That gives Cole, who threw a side session Saturday, seven days between starts as the team looks to limit his innings.

After throwing 132 innings across three levels in his first season last year, Cole threw 68 innings with Triple-A Indianapolis before joining the Pirates, where he's pitched 78 innings over 13 starts while going 6-6 with a 3.81 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 57:17 K:BB ratio.