MLB Player News

Bieber did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing two hits and one walk over six scoreless innings against the Royals. He struck out eight.

Bieber was locked in Thursday, retiring 10 of the first 12 batters he faced. Despite his efforts, the right-hander was unable to secure his sixth victory of the season, as Trevor Stephan blew the lead in the eighth inning and the Royals went on to win in the 10th. Bieber has now recorded eight strikeouts in each of his last two starts and wrapped up a solid June in which he logged a 2.90 ERA to go along with a 32:7 K:BB. However, he only has one win to show for it over those five June starts.

Kelly (calf) played catch out to 90 feet Wednesday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Kelly, who was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf, said Thursday the swelling had subsided "a little bit" and that he feels he's trending in the right direction. The right-hander is expected to undergo a follow-up ultrasound early next week. It's unclear when Kelly will be able to return to the mound.

Houser (3-2) earned the win over the Mets on Thursday, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out five batters over six innings.

Houser's previous two outings came out of the bullpen, but he was inserted back into the starting rotation to face New York. The right-hander gave up back-to-back solo homers to Brett Baty and Brandon Nimmo in the third inning, but those were the only runs he allowed in the contest. Houser was far from dominant -- he recorded only one 1-2-3 inning and notched just seven swinging strikes -- but the end result was a victory in a matchup versus future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer. It's uncertain what Milwaukee's long-term plan is for Houser, as his move back into a starting role was precipitated by a 17-day, 17-game stretch for the club leading into the All-Star break.

Bassitt (8-5) earned the win over San Francisco on Thursday, pitching six scoreless innings during which he allowed three hits and three walks while striking out 12 batters.

Bassitt racked up 18 swinging strikes en route to his career-high mark in punchouts, and it was the first time this season he's fanned more than eight batters in a game. The right-hander isn't known for his strikeout ability -- he's averaged a punchout per inning in only one season in his career and came into Thursday with just six combined Ks over his prior two starts -- but he had his way against a Giants offense that has fanned more than any team in the National League. Beyond missing bats, Bassitt notched a much-needed positive outing, as he came into the contest having posted an 11.57 ERA and 2.49 WHIP over his previous three starts.

Anderson (0-3) allowed six runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six over 3.2 innings to take the loss Thursday versus the Dodgers.

There's just one positive to take from this outing -- Anderson didn't give up a home run. This was the first time he's kept the ball in the yard since May 22. The results are getting downright ugly for the veteran right-hander, as he's covered just 9.1 innings while allowing 22 runs over his last three starts. He's now at a 6.50 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 34:16 K:BB through 45.2 innings between the Rockies and the Rays this season. He's tentatively lined up for a challenging road start in Houston next week.

Sheehan (2-0) allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out five without walking a batter over five innings to earn the win Thursday over the Rockies.

Inclement weather delayed the start of the game, but it didn't quiet the Dodgers' bats. Sheehan left the game with an 11-3 lead, and he threw 60 of 88 pitches for strikes in another solid outing in the most challenging of venues for his first career road start. This was also the first time in his three career starts that he didn't walk a batter. He's pitched to a 2.65 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 12:4 K:BB over 17 innings so far. Sheehan's making a great impression and a strong case to remain in the rotation even as Julio Urias (hamstring) is set to return Saturday. Sheehan's projected to face the Pirates next week.

Bello (5-5) took the loss against Miami on Thursday, allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out five batters over seven innings.

Bello pitched a gem, getting through seven innings without allowing a hit before yielding a pair of singles to begin the eighth. Those hits resulted in his exit, and one of the runners came around to score, which was enough to saddle Bello with the loss in a game during which Boston failed to score. Despite the disappointing end result, it was another promising outing for the emerging hurler, who has allowed just one run in each of his past three appearances and has compiled five consecutive quality starts. During the latter stretch, he's registered a 2.14 ERA and 26:8 K:BB over 33.2 frames.

Luzardo did not factor in the decision against Boston on Thursday, pitching 6.1 scoreless innings during which he allowed three hits and one walk while striking out nine batters.

Luzardo was dominant against a talented Red Sox offense, giving up just three singles and a walk. He racked up an impressive 19 swinging strikes en route to nine punchouts, and he finished with his third straight quality start. However, Miami was unable to put any runs on the board until the eighth inning, preventing Luzardo from notching a win. The southpaw has had to settle for a no-decision in each of his past two starts despite recording a combined 13.1 scoreless innings during which he's posted an outstanding 18:2 K:BB. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is tentatively scheduled to come at home against St. Louis next week.

Walker (9-3) allowed a run on six hits and a walk while striking out six over six innings to earn the win Thursday over the Cubs.

Walker had an excellent June, allowing six runs over 36 innings across six starts. He also posted a 34:10 K:BB for the month, and he's now won five straight outings. After some uneven performances early on, he's settled down with a 3.93 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 77:33 K:BB over 89.1 innings through 17 starts on the year. Walker is projected to make his next start on the road in Tampa, which would be one of the biggest tests he's faced in a while.

Hendricks (3-3) allowed three runs on six hits and struck out four without walking a batter over seven innings, taking the loss Thursday versus the Phillies.

Hendricks gave up a leadoff home run to Kyle Schwarber to start the game and a two-run single to Bryce Harper in the third. Aside from those missteps, it was a solid outing for Hendricks, who earned his fourth quality start in seven appearances. His three-game winning streak was snapped due to the lack of run support. Hendricks now has a 2.81 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 22:9 K:BB through 41.2 innings this season. He's projected for a road start in Milwaukee his next time out.