MLB Player News

Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw cannot get any run support from his teammates as he lost another quality start Wednesday.

Kershaw held the Padres to two earned runs in six innings of a 6-2 loss. He allowed seven hits and three walks, while striking out nine. He threw 79 of 120 pitches for strikes.

Kershaw (5-4) leads the National League in innings pitched (93 1/3) and is second in ERA (1.93) and fifth in WHIP (0.96). His next start is Monday against the Diamondbacks.  

Diamondbacks starting pitcher Wade Miley bounced back from a pair of rough starts Wednesday, snapping a four-game losing streak in a 10-3 win over the Cardinals.

Miley received plenty of run support to go with his solid outing. He allowed three runs despite 11 hits, only one of which went for extra-bases. Miley induced 11 groundball outs, while striking out three and allowing a walk.

Miley (4-5) lowered his ERA to 4.92. He had lost five of his last six and saw his ERA rise from 2.37 in that span. His next start is scheduled for Monday against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. 

Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran said he relied on his slider Wednesday against the Pirates as he came within four outs of a no-hitter.

"They maybe were looking for my two-seamer that I've been throwing a lot but I didn't use," he said. "I just keep them off-balance."

Teheran threw 79 of 107 pitches for strikes and set a career high in strikeouts for a second straight start, as he struck out 11 Wednesday following a nine-strikeout performance Friday against the Nationals.

"He mixed it up real well. His curveball, his changeup, the command of his fastball, he did a heck of a job," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said, per MLB.com. "Today was nice, after an extra-inning game yesterday to give our bullpen a rest. Julio did that."

Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto said he will be able to come off the disabled list June 16, the first day he is eligible, as his lat injury is not as serious as the last one. Cueto missed more than a  month from April 13 through May 20 due to a similar injury.

He told the Cincinnati Enquirer Wednesday he has been able to continue to throw through the injury, and does not plan to change his delivery to avoid future injuries. 

"I talked to the doctors," he said. "They explained to me that they don't think this is something to do with my mechanics, so I don't think I'll change. Now, if they told me the oblique area, I'd think abut changing my mechanics. This is some little, insignificant thing."

Reds manager Dusty Baker said Wednesday starting pitcher Johnny Cueto is back on the disabled list with a lat injury similar to the one that landed him on the disabled list from April 15-May 20. Though, Baker is counting on a shorter stay on the DL this time around.

"It’s the same thing," Baker said, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. "It’s not nearly as serious. We’ve got to get rid of whatever’s there. It’s injury he had before. He felt it a little bit after the game in Pittsburgh. He told us after the game he felt it again. It’s not nearly as bad. Being cautious is the way to go at this thing. He’ll miss one to two starts. If he feels better, it’ll be one."

Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels won for just the second time in 13 starts this season during Wednesday's 6-1 victory against the Marlins. Hamels arguably had his best start, striking out a season-high 11 batters and allowing one run in seven innings.

Hamels (2-9) gave up four hits and one walk. The only run the Marlins' scored against the left-hander came on a solo home run in the fourth inning. Hamels has allowed one run three times in 2013. Hamels recorded his 23rd career double-digit strikeout game and second this season. 

Hamels, who put an end to a six-start losing streak Wednesday, will look for consecutive wins for the first time this season when he heads back to the mound Tuesday at Minnesota. Hamels is 7-12 with a 4.67 ERA in 24 career interleague starts, including a 0-2 record and 10.97 ERA in two starts this season.

After a brilliant debut against the Royals Thursday, Michael Wacha's second start against the Diamondbacks Tuesday was nothing short of disastrous. But that doesn't mean you should drop him.

Maybe he needed a taste of just how tough the big leagues can be after waltzing through what amounts to a Triple-A lineup in his first go. But his stuff is still as good as ever, and with just one walk in 11 2/3 innings so far, he has control to make it work.

I do worry that another bad start could make him rather than Tyler Lyons the odd man out whenever Jake Westbrook returns for the Cardinals, but I'd rather not risk losing him to someone else with another good start.

For what it's worth, I did drop him to 60th in my starting pitcher rankings, so if Kevin Gausman or Francisco Liriano was still out there, I'd be willing to swap him out for the hotter hand. But I still believe enough in Wacha's potential that I'm not ready to move on to Zack Wheeler or Jarrod Parker just yet.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson said Wednesday starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg is headed to the disabed list because of a Grade 1 lat strain. Strasburg was expected to throw off a mound Wednesday, but he was limited to playing catch.

The Nationals hope Strasburg will only spend the minimum amount of time on the disabled list. Johnson expects Strasburg to make one rehab start before returning. 

The Nationals haven't named a replacement to start Saturday against the Twins, but manager Davey Johnson said the team will promote a pitcher from the minors. Ross Detwiler (oblique) was considered for the start, but Johnson said he won't be ready in time.

Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a lat injury after being scratched from his Wednesday start against the Rockies, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Pedro Villarreal was summoned from Triple-A Louisville to start Wednesday in place of Cueto, who is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in three starts since coming off the disabled list May 20 because of an oblique injury.

Granted, Julio Teheran was already hot and owned in the majority of Fantasy leagues, but because the one reason for skepticism with him was hittability, Wednesday's no-hit bid against the Pirates was an eye-opener.

Coming into the game, he had allowed 10.0 hits per nine innings while recording just 6.3 strikeouts per nine this season. Not what you'd expect from a hard-throwing phenom. But with just one hit allowed and 11 strikeouts over eight shutout innings Wednesday, he's now averaging 6.7 hits and 7.4 strikeouts per nine to go along with a 2.11 ERA over his last six starts. That's much more convincing.

I don't know what the Braves do when Brandon Beachy returns from the DL, but shipping out Julio Teheran no longer seems like a viable option. If you've been holding off on him in the 18 percent of leagues where he's still available, better act now.