MLB Player News

Ashcraft (5-2) earned the win Sunday over Minnesota, allowing two runs on five hits over six innings. He struck out 11.

Ashcraft was mostly dominant Sunday, blanking the Twins through his first five innings before allowing two runs on a Brooks Lee homer in the sixth. He set a season high with 11 strikeouts without issuing a walk. Ashcraft has won three straight while turning in quality starts in five of his last six outings -- he's posted a 1.99 ERA with a stellar 42:5 K:BB across 40.2 innings in that span. Overall, Ashcraft's ERA is down to 2.77 on the year with a 1.03 WHIP and 81 strikeouts across 12 starts (74.2 innings). Ashcraft currently lines up for a tough road matchup with Atlanta his next time out.

Strider (3-1) took the loss against the Reds on Sunday, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over five innings.

Strider threw only one scoreless frame despite generating 13 whiffs on 90 pitches and keeping the ball in the yard. It marked the sixth straight outing to open his campaign in which the 27-year-old limited opponents to three earned runs or fewer, though he has completed six innings just twice during that stretch. He'll carry a 3.77 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 40:17 K:BB across 31 innings into a home matchup against the Pirates next weekend.

Canning (0-4) took the loss Sunday against the Nationals, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out three.

Canning held the Nats off the board until the fourth inning, when Luis Garcia led off the frame with a solo home run. James Wood would then add a two-run shot in the fifth, which proved to be enough to stick Canning with the loss in an eventual 4-2 defeat. He has now allowed five home runs over his last three starts, and through his first six starts this year, Canning sports an ugly 7.16 ERA with a 1.55 WHIP and 27:15 K:BB over 27.2 innings. He'll look to get into the win column his next time out, tentatively scheduled to come at home against the Mets.

Littell (5-4) earned the win Sunday over the Padres, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out five.

It's the second straight quality start and fourth straight win for Littell, who's given up just five runs over 23 innings in that span. It's been quite a turnaround for the veteran right-hander, who struggled to a 6.94 ERA in his first eight outings (36.1 innings) this year. Littell will look to extend his winning streak his next time out, currently scheduled to come on the road against the Diamondbacks next weekend.

Lodolo (2-1) earned the win against Atlanta on Sunday, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks with four strikeouts over 6.2 innings.

Lodolo allowed two homers and threw just 61 strikes on 100 pitches, but he managed to limit the overall damage against one of baseball's top lineups. It marked the second straight quality-start win for the southpaw, though he has now surrendered at least one long ball in each of his five outings this season. He'll carry a 5.20 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 22:13 K:BB across 27.2 innings into a road matchup against the Cardinals next weekend.

Bradish (3-6) earned the win Sunday over the Blue Jays, allowing one unearned run on four hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out four.

It was another impressive outing from Bradish, who's allowed just four runs (three earned) across 24.1 innings in his last four starts. His ERA is down to 3.44 on the year with a 1.42 WHIP and 65:33 K:BB across 12 starts (65.1 innings). Bradish will look to keep rolling his next time out, tentatively lined up as a rematch with Toronto on the road.

The Cardinals recalled Dobbins from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

After opening the season on the injured list while completing his rehab from knee surgery, Dobbins made his Cardinals debut April 30 in Pittsburgh and was optioned to Memphis after giving up three runs across 4.1 innings. The right-hander has worked out of the rotation at Triple-A but should immediately be available out of the bullpen for St. Louis since he was scheduled to start Sunday for Memphis. According to Jones, the Cardinals could look to insert Dobbins into the rotation if he's not needed in Sunday's contest.

The Pirates placed Mlodzinksi on the restricted list Sunday.

The official reasoning for the move hasn't been disclosed, but it's unlikely to be a coincidence that it comes just a few days after Mlodzinski was bumped from the starting rotation to the bullpen. The right-hander has a 3.76 ERA across 55 innings this season, though his 1.42 WHIP and 46:20 K:BB paint a less encouraging picture of his performance.

The Marlins placed Junk on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to right shin bone inflammation, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Junk becomes the third Miami starting pitcher to hit the shelf in less than a month, joining Robby Snelling (elbow) and Eury Perez (hamstring). Junk is initially projected to miss 2-3 weeks due to the injury. As a result of the right-hander being scratched from his scheduled start Sunday against the Mets, the Marlins will have left-hander John King open the game in what will be a bullpen day.

The Twins placed Ober on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to right elbow inflammation.

The right-hander had been on a roll, going 4-2 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 29:12 K:BB over his last seven starts and 42.1 innings heading into Saturday. That impressive run came to a screeching halt when Ober was lit up for eight runs (seven earned) on 12 hits -- including three home runs -- and one walk over 4.2 innings in a loss to Pittsburgh. The elbow issue may have been a factor, and Ober will be shelved through at least mid-June. Minnesota called up right-hander Mike Paredes from Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move, and if he isn't needed in relief over the next few days, he could be a candidate to replace Ober in the rotation.