MLB Player News

Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto will throw a bullpen session Monday. 

Cueto was scratched from Friday's rehab start with oblique soreness, and it was unclear when he would throw again. If Cueto's session goes well Monday, he'll likely have to make a few rehab starts before he's ready to return. 

A series of tests conducted on Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton's ailing right arm revealed no structural damage, the Associated Press reports. Morton, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery he had last June, left his rehab start with Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday after three innings with discomfort in his shoulder.

He is expected to start playing catch Monday and is tentatively scheduled to throw off a mound during Pittsburgh's upcoming series against the Mets that begins Thursday. There is currently no timetable for Morton's return to game action.

Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio survived the chopping block Sunday when the team decided to send Tyler Chatwood to Triple-A Colorado Springs in order to make room for the return of Jhoulys Chacin from the disabled list. But that doesn't necessarily mean the inconsistent right-hander is protected from a future demotion.

"It was a tough decision," manager Walt Weiss told The Denver Post. "We want to give the benefit of the doubt to the guys who broke camp with us, and give them every opportunity to do their thing. With all of them, there have been enough bright spots to warrant that."

Nicasio owns a 3-0 record in six starts this year, but has been tagged for six homers and failed to complete more than 4 1/3 innings in two of his past three outings. His next start is scheduled for Wednesday against the Yankees.

Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez made his major-league debut Friday, but it came out of the bullpen.

As Scott White outlined recently, Martinez has been one of the best starting pitching prospects in the minors. Based on his first two appearances with the Cardinals, it looks like Martinez will be used strictly as a short appearance reliever. Martinez did make three starts in the minors this season, and was building up arm strength after missing spring training. While his future is likely in the club's rotation, it doesn't look like he'll be utilized in that role this year. Martinez probably can go multiple innings out of the team's bullpen, but it's unclear if Mike Matheny is willing to let that happen.

Martinez's strong velocity and propensity for strikeouts should make him a useful relief pitcher. But he won't have much Fantasy value unless he moves to the starting rotation. That doesn't seem likely given the team's current needs.

Mets starting pitcher prospect Zack Wheeler won his second straight start for Triple-A Las Vegas Sunday, pitching six scoreless innings against Sacramento. Wheeler allowed one walk and three hits, while striking out four.

"You just try to build off the last start, if it was a good one," Wheeler said, per MLB.com. "I think the last time, the start before last, I tried to build off that. And the last start was good, so you try to build off it, and it just went well for me. I was able to pound the zone, get the ball down, get ahead of guys."

After posting a 5.79 ERA in his first five starts, Wheeler has a 0.71 ERA in his last two starts, lowering his season ERA to 4.00. Wheeler has managed 40 strikeouts in 36 innings.

"It usually happens every year. There's a little bit of a slow start, you start making tweaks and adjustments and find it," he said. "I just want to carry it from here. It's baseball, you know. You gotta make those adjustments and just pitch."

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu endured a tough outing as he dropped his second decision of the season during Sunday's series finale at San Francisco.

Ryu (3-2), who made his seventh start of the season, gave up a run-scoring double in the third and a two-run double in the fifth to Hunter Pence. The left-hander was charged with four runs and eight hits over six innings of work in a 4-3 defeat. He stuck out two and walked two in 85 pitches, 53 strikes.

Ryu has allowed six runs and 11 hits over his last 12 innings of work. He has watched his ERA rise from 3.41 to 3.71 over that span. Ryu is scheduled to start Saturday at home against the Marlins. He is 2-1 with a 2.41 ERA in three starts at Dodger Stadium.

Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez earned his first major-league strikeout as part of a clean ninth inning in Sunday's blowout victory over Milwaukee.

Martinez blew a 99 mph fastball by Carlos Gomez to record the out. Martinez was the Cardinals' second-best pitching prospect behind Shelby Miller entering the season according to Baseball America. 

Mets starting pitcher prospect Noah Syndergaard took his first loss of the season for Class A St. Lucie Friday, despite allowing one run on two walks and eight hits in six innings. Syndergaard also struck out five.

Snydergaard has allowed two or fewer runs in five of six starts. He is 1-1 with a 2.90 ERA and .274 opponents' batting average. He has 31 strikeouts, 12 walks and one home run allowed in 31 innings. Syndergaard is considered the Mets' third-best prospect by MLB.com.

Following a standout spring, Cardinals starting pitcher prospect Michael Wacha remained on a roll at Triple-A Memphis in April. Wacha went 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA and .184 opponents' batting average in five April starts.

He didn't allow more than two earned runs in any of his first five starts. The only disappointing numbers for Wacha in April were he had nearly as many walks (11) as strikeouts (15) and he allowed three home runs. Wacha entered the season as the Cardinals' fourth-ranked prospect by MLB.com.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto , who was scratched from Friday's planned rehab start due to oblique soreness, has not resumed throwing yet, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The injury is to the same oblique that cut his postseason short last season. The Reds as a team are generally cautious with oblique injuries due to their lingering tendencies. Pitching coach Bryan Price said Cueto is "continuing to get treatment" and the club will know more about his future come Monday.