MLB Player News

Mets rookie starting pitcher Zack Wheeler had one of many firsts in his career Sunday against the Nationals. Unfortunately, it was Wheeler's first career loss in a 13-2 drubbing. 

The right-hander had a promising start, as he struck out his first two batters and escaped with a perfect first inning. But the second inning started with a leadoff home run from Adam LaRoche and it quickly spiraled out of control.

Wheeler surrendered four runs in the second inning and gave up another solo home run to Jayson Werth in the third inning. Wheeler (1-1) was pulled in the fifth inning, having allowed five runs on six hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five.

"I'm starting to learn the hard way you can't get away with mistakes up here as much as you do down there," Wheeler said, per ESPN.

Wheeler will look to get back on track Friday at Milwaukee, which will be his third career road start.

The Marlins' bullpen wasted a strong outing from starting pitcher Nate Eovaldi Sunday. Luckily, the game wasn't lost, as Jeff Mathis sent Miami to a 6-2 win with a walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning.

Eovaldi tossed six shutout innings, allowing four hits and three walks. But as soon as he was lifted for a reliever, the Marlins gave up a 2-0 lead. Eovaldi had no strikeouts Sunday, which was just the second time that has happened to Eovaldi in his career during a start. The right-hander has allowed a total of four runs in his first three starts and has a 2.00 ERA.

He will be back on the hill Friday at St. Louis.

Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto will be shut down from throwing for a few weeks after reinjuring his lat muscle, MLB.com reports. The team plans to take Cueto's recovery slower after he had to be placed back on the disabled list Saturday.

"We’ll probably go a little slower this time," Reds head trainer Paul Lessard told MLB.com Sunday. "It’s probably going to be an issue the rest of the season. We’ll have to take some more time. Hopefully the scans show it healing over before we start a throwing program."

Cueto is 4-2 with a 3.33 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings.

Rockies pitcher Rob Scahill was optioned to the minors Sunday to clear a 25-man roster spot for Sunday starter Drew Pomeranz. Scahill has made 13 appearances for the Rockies, posting a 4.26 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 8:3 K:BB ratio in 19 innings.

Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest seemed upset during an interview Sunday with MLB Network Radio with the ongoing trade rumors involving starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco.

"When we have something to announce. We have something to announce. We don't have any trade finalized," Beinfest said. "We're getting to that time of the year. [Ricky's] a would be free agent and making a lot of money here, so [the rumors] are understandble."

Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu tossed a quality start but did not factor in the decision Saturday night against the Phillies.

Ryu served up a pair of solo homers to Chase Utley for his only damage of the night. The right-hander surrendered two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out six over seven innings in a 4-3 win. 

Ryu finished June without a win, as he went 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA in five starts. He will look for his first win since May 28 in Friday's start at San Francisco. He is 0-2 with a 2.84 ERA in two starts against the NL West rival.

The Phillies have pushed Cole Hamels' next scheduled start back from Tuesday to Thursday to give him a mental break to deal with his struggles. Hamels is 2-11 on the season with a 4.58 ERA.

"It's like how I rested (Ryan) Howard," manager Charlie Manuel told MLB.com Saturday. "See if that won’t help him some. See if we can’t get him back to feeling good about himself. He benefits just by clearing his head a little bit and resting. We’ll give him a blow, mentally and physically. Mental has a lot to do with it."

Hamels does not think the idea of a mental break will make much of a difference, though he could use some time to rest his body.

"I don't know what he's talking about -- mental. That's Charlie," Hamels said. "I think it's just because I’ve been going every five days and traveling a lot. Sometimes you get the stressful innings and the physical toll just kind of adds up. I think they just want to make things a little more free and easy."

Hamel was hit hard in his last start, giving up four runs in six innings to the Padres. 

Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright tossed his National League-leading fourth complete game Saturday, as he held the A's to just one run in a 7-1 win.

Wainwright allowed just the one run on five hits and a pair of walks. The run came in the eighth inning, with the Cardinals already holding a commanding seven-run lead. 

Wainwright pounded the strike zone en route to eight strikeouts and only one walk in the game. He threw 78 of 112 pitches for strikes in completing nine innings, while pushing his record to 11-5.

Wainwright leads the National league with 125 2/3 innings pitched, while ranking fifth in ERA (2.22) and WHIP (0.99). 

Wainwright is set to make his next start Thursday against the Angels.

Marlins starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez's next step is joining the rotation, though exactly when that will happen is still up in the air. 

"He's going to be on his way," manager Mike Redmond told the Miami Herald Saturday. "He'll throw a bullpen here tomorrow and we'll figure out what we're going to do as far as where we're going to fit him in."

Alvarez, who has been out all season with a shoulder injury, made his final rehab start Friday and is lined up with Ricky Nolasco's spot in the rotation, set to come Wednesday. Nolasco has been the subject of trade rumors in the final season of his contract, so that is a likely landing spot. 

Alvarez threw 24 1/3 innings over four rehab appearances, allowing just three runs with 15 strikeouts and one walk. 

"Everything I've heard has been really positive, how he feels, his arm strength and the way he's pitched," Redmond said. "Each rehab start he's improved."

The Reds have placed starting pitcher Johnny Cueto on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, with a lat injury suffered in Friday's start, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Cueto saw the team's doctor in Cincinnati Saturday and received a diagnosis for the injury, though that has not been made public. The extent of his injury is also not yet known, besides that it will cost him at least two weeks of action.