MLB Player News

Diamondbacks starting pitcher Wade Miley overcame his early struggles Thursday against the Brewers, lasing long enough to earn his sixth win of the season.

Miley allowed three runs in the first three innings of the game, all of them coming on a pair of home runs. He settled down from that point on, finishing with five scoreless innings in a row while holding on long enough for his offense to mount a comeback.

Miley earned the win, allowing three runs on eight hits in eight innings in a 5-3 victory. He walked no batters and struck out four, while throwing 74 of 109 pitches for strikes. Miley is now 6-7 on the season, with a 4.01 ERA.

The Diamondbacks have yet to set their rotation for after the All-Star break, so Miley's next start is not yet scheduled. 

Top pitching prospect Carlos Martinez has been beckoned to join the Cardinals' bullpen again, but it appears as if it may not be long before he makes his major-league debut as a starter. Martinez has been starting at Triple-A Memphis and pitching deeper into games in recent weeks, and general manager John Mozeliak told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the 21-year-old will be called on as an "innings eater" out of the bullpen.

Given that the Cardinals will need a fifth starter by July 27, it seems that Martinez could be sufficiently stretched out to be a starter at that point. The imcumbent, Joe Kelly, is not likely to be a roadblock to Martinez, and he could be returned to a long relief role after the All-Star break. Martinez has certainly earned his shot with a 1.98 ERA over eight starts at Memphis. While he hasn't struck out batters at an impressive rate, he's been getting swinging strikes on 10.5 percent of his pitches, as well as grounders on 57 percent of his balls-in-play according to StatCorner.com.

Nando Di Fino and I talked about Martinez in the company of other callups like Erasmo Ramirez on Thursday's Fantasy Baseball Today. Given his potential for an above-average strikeout rate and a low ERA, Martinez should be a welcome addition in any mixed league deeper than 12 teams that has reserve slots.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak stated via text to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch pitcher Carlos Martinez, who was recalled Thursday after stretching out in the minors as a starter, will be used out of the bullpen.

"Bullpen, innings eater," Mozeliak replied.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny adjusted his rotation Wednesday and said he will not need a fifth starter until July 27 at Atlanta. Joe Kelly is filling the role as fifth starter for St. Louis.

Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler went a career-high seven innings during Wednesday's 7-2 win at San Francisco, which prompted manager Terry Collins to hint the right-hander had the best start of his young career.

"That’s the best all-around stuff I’ve seen from him so far," Collins said, per the New York Post. "The ball had some good life today, really got in on some right-handed hitters. That was very impressive."

After going 1-1 with a 5.06 ERA in three June starts, Wheeler is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two July starts. Catcher John Buck said Wheeler's surge is because he is attacking hitters with his fastball.

"I know that was stirring in his brain the whole four or five days since his last outing and he put in the work," Buck said.

The Cardinals recalled pitcher Carlos Martinez from Triple-A Memphis Thursday to replace Michael Blazek, who was optioned to Memphis.

Martinez pitched out of the Cardinals' bullpen earlier this season, but he demoted to the minors in late May to stretch out as a starter. There has been no word yet about his current role.

The right-hander went 3-2 with a 2.13 ERA in seven starts following his demotion. He struck out 31 batters and walked 15 in 38 innings.

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu gave up five earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three in five innings in his team's extra-innings game against the Diamondbacks Wednesday.

The five earned runs matched a season high for Ryu, set back on April 20. He enters the All-Star break with a 7-3 record, 3.09 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 93:39 K:BB ratio in 116 2/3 innings.

The Pirates may opt to send Gerrit Cole back to the minors during the All-Star break, but there would be no sense of a demotion involved. According to MLB.com, the team could opt to send Cole down to keep him on regular rest, as he made his final start before the break Tuesday.

The Pirates could follow the path set by the A's, who optioned Dan Straily to Triple-A after pitching against Pittsburgh Tuesday. The idea would be to keep Cole from sitting around for too long without facing live hitters.

"Any time you have a young pitcher, you try to find the best way to keep him pitching, so you don't have him sitting for 14 days," manager Clint Hurdle said.

Cole has a 3.68 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in his first six starts, with 20 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings. 

The Cardinals announced their post-All-Star break rotation plans, Wednesday, and they will not need a fifth starter for a few weeks, according to MLB.com.  As a result, Joe Kelly will return to the bullpen, with the rotation setting up as follows: Jake Westbrook, Lance Lynn, Adam Wainwright and Shelby Miller. 

The Padres announced pitcher Sean O'Sullivan will start Friday against the Giants. O'Sullivan hasn't pitched in the majors since 2011 with the Royals. He is 7-4 with a 3.88 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP and 90 strikeouts in 102 innings with Triple-A Tuscon.

Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler continued to turn things around Wednesday against the Giants, winning his second start in a row.

Facing the team that originally drafted and traded him, Wheeler tossed arguably his finest start so far, as he finished seven innings for the first time. Wheeler limited the Giants to just one run on three hits and three walks, while striking out five. Wheeler's lone run allowed came in the seventh and final inning of his day.

Wheeler had failed to pitch past the sixth inning in each of his previous four starts, but he finished seven while throwing 101 pitches. Wheeler has a 3.54 ERA through five starts, with 21 strikeouts and 16 walks in 28 innings.

Wheeler carries a 3-1 record into the All-Star break, and his next start has yet to be scheduled.