MLB Player News

Nationals manager Davey Johnson told MLB.com that starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg's bullpen session Wednesday went well, with the pitcher feeling no discomfort. The clean bullpen session should allow Strasburg to make his scheduled start Saturday.

Cardinals starter Lance Lynn was sharp in a win over the Reds on Wednesday, as he allowed just one run on five hits and two walks over seven innings.

Lynn struck out five Reds and didn't allow a home run. He fired 19 first-pitch strikes to 27 batters and was generally sharp all day. His ERA fell to 2.75.

Maybe I'm just getting suckered by the small sample, but considering it's the only sample we have any context for, I'm buying into everything the Dodgers' Hyun-Jin Ryu is doing.

It's all about the strikeout-to-walk ratio. The closest comparison we have to the Korean league is probably the Japanese league, and pitchers who transition from there often struggle with command. But Ryu has been a strike-throwing machine, issuing just 2.4 walks per nine innings. And with all the strikeouts he's getting, his early success hardly seems like beginner's luck.

Of course, track record still counts for something, so I'm not slotting Ryu alongside Max Scherzer yet, but I have moved him up to 44th at starting pitcher, ahead of Marco Estrada, A.J. Burnett and Wade Miley.

Before, <player idref='s numbers were the only thing standing in his way. The top prospect has had a bumpy transition to the Pacific Cost League after dominating the Eastern League and International League last year. So will this mechanical adjustment that helped him rediscover his command last time out put him back on the fast track?

That all depends on Jeremy Hefner. One of the most irrelevant starting pitchers in Fantasy coming into the season is now one of the biggest nuisances in Fantasy. The 27-year-old has allowed two earned runs on seven hits in 15 innings over his last two starts. The Mets won't have need to replace him if he keeps doing that.

Maybe it's for the best. Hefner's recent brush with adequacy buys the Mets some time to make sure Wheeler's mechanical tweak sticks. Still, it's reason to keep from rushing out and adding Wheeler in single-season leagues.

Nationals pitching prospect Sammy Solis is aiming to return in the "second half of May.," according to MASN.

Solis is recovering from Tommy John surgery, and was able to throw in extended spring training last week. Though he reportedly looked good, Solis remains a few weeks away from seeing game action. He's hoping to return at some point in May. Solis was a second round pick by the Nationals in the 2010 draft.

Pirates starter Charlie Morton is expected to return around May 14, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Morton made just nine starts last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Morton has thrown 13 innings of rehab starts this year with a 2.08 ERA and nine strikeouts against three walks. He will make one more rehab appearance before returning.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto is set to open a rehab assignment with Double-A Pensacola Friday, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. 

Cueto suffered a lat injury April 13. He's expected to need multiple minor-league appearances before he can return, and as such he's likely still a couple of weeks away.

Rockies starting pitcher Juan Nicasio picked up his third win after allowing a season-low one earned run in his last start at Arizona. Heading into Wednesday's outing against the Dodgers, manager Walt Weiss said Nicasio's early season success has been because he's been able to effective with his fastball.

"His fastball was really good in Phoenix," Weiss said, per MLB.com. "That's who he is. He's one of those guys that's making his way back after missing a lot of time. Those guys might not have their 'A' game every time they go out there every fifth day. But we know what Juan is capable of, and he showed it last time."

Mets starting pitcher prospect Zack Wheeler won his first game for Triple-A Las Vegas Tuesday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk in 6 2/3 innings. Wheeler tied a season-high with eight strikeouts. 

Wheeler, who had came into the game with a 5.79 ERA and 15 walks in 23 1/3 innings, said he was able to have success Tuesday after working with pitching coach Randy St. Claire on fixing a mechanical flaw, per MLB.com.

"I was lifting my leg and rotating my shoulders and when we looked at the video, we realized I was rotating too much instead of keeping my shoulders square to the plate," Wheeler said. "That was a big help. In the first inning, my first time doing it in a game, I found the right mechanics. And after that, I was good."

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu continued to rack up the strikeouts in his outing against the Rockies Tuesday night. He allowed two runs on three hits over six inningsof the 6-2 win. The left-hander also struck out 12 and walked two.

Ryu surrendered a solo home run to Carlos Gonzalez in the first before making it through the next four innings unscathed. He also allowed an RBI double to Michael Cuddyer in the sixth.

The 26-year-old threw 74 of his 105 pitches for strikes to earn his third win. He has 46 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings.

His next start is Monday against the Diamondbacks. When Ryu faced Arizona April 13, he allowed three runs in six innings in the win.