MLB Player News

Rockies starter Juan Nicasio matched his longest outing of the season on Monday night in Chicago. That said, two poor innings to begin his night doomed him.

Nicasio gave up all five of his earned runs over his first two innings and his offense failed to score behind him against Chicago's Travis Wood. Nicasio dropped his first decision of the season to fall to 3-1 with a 5.13 ERA.

Nicasio went six innings and allowed five earned runs on eight hits and a walk. He threw 94 pitches and struck out two. Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run homer off him in the first inning to get the scoring started for the Cubs.

The 26-year-old has not been able to get deep in games, despite limiting the damage on most nights. The five earned runs he gave up Monday are a season-high, but the six innings also match a season high. Nicasio will make his next start Saturday against San Francisco.

After taking his first loss his last time out, Cardinals starter Lance Lynn got back in the win column on Monday night against the Mets. He allowed three runs on four hits over seven innings of work in a 6-3 victory.

The right-hander gave up all of his damage in the second and permitted just two baserunners over his final five frames. He threw 75 of his career-high 124 pitches for strikes.

Lynn also struck out seven and walked five while earning his sixth win.

His next start is scheduled for Saturday against the Brewers. Lynn went 2-1 with a 1.62 ERA in four appearances (two starts) against Milwaukee last season.

Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton was scheduled to use all of his pitches during a bullpen session on Monday, MLB.com reports. Barring a setback, the right-hander is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona on Thursday.

Morton underwent Tommy John surgery last June and has also been recovering from a shoulder issue.

A report Monday said the Dodgers are still undecided as to where injured pitcher Zack Greinke (left collarbone) will make his next start, MLB.com reports. The report cited manager Don Mattingly. 

Greinke completed a bullpen session Sunday and the team's medical staff was expected to determine where his next start would come Monday. There was some talk that Greinke could come off the DL to start Wednesday against Washington. 

The right-hander hasn't pitched with the Dodgers since suffering a fractured left collarbone during a brawl against the Padres on April 11. He is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in two starts.

Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke (left collarbone) completed a successful bullpen session Sunday and the team's medical staff is expected to determine his official status for a return to the rotation on Monday, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Greinke, who made his first rehab start with Class A Rancho Cucamonga last Friday, is tentatively slated to return Wednesday against Washington.

The right-hander hasn't pitched with the Dodgers since suffering a fractured left collarbone during a brawl against the Padres on April 11. He is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in two starts.

Mets pitching prospect Zack Wheeler turned in his third consecutive stellar outing Saturday for Triple-A Las Vegas, providing him more merit for a possible promotion to the big-league club. Wheeler held Albuquerque (Dodgers) to just two runs and six hits over a season-high 7 1/3 innings while striking out seven batters -- the third consecutive outing he has completed at least six innings after not hitting that plateau in his first five starts.

During that three-game span, which has come after dismissing a nagging blister issue, Wheeler has posted a 3-0 record with a glistening 0.62 ERA along with 19 strikeouts and just two walks. He has also permitted just one home run over the 20 innings.

Despite the team's need of steady starting pitching, the organization seems divided on when the right-hander will make his MLB debut. According to the New York Daily News, the Mets are not concerned about keeping Wheeler in the minors to avoid becoming a Super Two player, which would affect when he could become a free agent.

"The timetable has accelerated a lot," a club official told the newspaper after his start last Sunday. "He's had two good ones, and if he has two more, you'll see him up here. If all goes well we’re talking about June 1 at the latest."

However, another source called that date "a little aggressive" for a promotion and said a call-up would be based solely on Wheeler's readiness.

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu bounced back from a tough outing his last time out as he picked up his fourth win of the season Saturday night against the Marlins.

Ryu (4-2), who made his eighth start of the season, enjoyed a sharp outing as he served up a solo home run to Miguel Olivo in the seventh for his only damage of the night. The left-hander yielded one run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings of work in a 7-1 victory. He stuck out three and walked three in 114 pitches, 72 strikes.

Ryu has surrendered two runs or fewer in three out of his last four starts. He has struck out 25 over his last 25 2/3 innings of work during that span. The rookie is scheduled to make his next start Friday at Atlanta. He is 1-1 with a 4.68 ERA in four starts away from Dodger Stadium.

Marlins starting pitcher Nate Eovaldi, who is on the 60-day disabled list with inflammation in his right shoulder, threw a 40-pitch bullpen session Friday.

Eovaldi is scheduled to throw another bullpen on Monday, barring any setbacks. The Marlins have yet to issue a concrete timetable for the 23-year-old's return.

Dodgers starter Zack Greinke, who broke his collarbone a month ago, reported no lingering signs of his injury after starting his rehab assignment Friday night with Class A Rancho Cucamonga.

Greinke, who pitched 4 1/3 innings Friday, could be ready to return from the disabled list as early as Wednesday at home against the Nationals.

"It won't be his decision," manager Don Mattingly said. "It's not so much that he's ready to pitch here, it's that they're willing to take the risk of everything that could happen while he's pitching here. I think we would all like it to be here. But I'd also like him to be totally ready."

Greinke told MLB.com that he is close to 100 percent.

"I'll be close to 100 percent, physically," Greinke said. "Pitching-wise, close to 100 percent. I'm probably five starts until I'm 100 percent pitching-wise and they don't want to wait that long." 

While Shelby Miller and Adam Wainwright both fell just short of throwing no-hitters Friday and Saturday, respectively, the two did help the Cardinals make some history.

Miller and Wainwright combined to retire 40 straight Rockies hitters between the two of them, which tied the streak the Rangers set against the Tigers back in 1996, according to the Ellias Sports Bureau.

Miller got things started by retiring 27 batters after allowing a leadoff single Friday night and Wainwright continued the steak Saturday, retiring the first 13 batters he faced before issuing a one-out walk to Todd Helton in the fifth inning.

In addition to retiring 40 consecutive batters, St. Louis also held the Rockies hitless over a span of 50 batters between Eric Young's single Friday and Nolan Arenado's hit Saturday.