MLB Player News

Williams (elbow) threw 2.1 innings in a game with High-A Carolina on Thursday in his first appearance since 2016.

Williams missed the entirety of the 2017 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but he has recovered from the procedure and is again ready for game action. Williams was once one of the Brewers' top pitching prospects, so he could get back on track to the big leagues if he finds success the rest of this year.

Hudson started Thursday's bullpen game, logging a scoreless inning and a strikeout in an 8-7 win over Pittsburgh.

Thursday's projected starter Dennis Santana (lat) was scratched prior to first pitch, so Hudson ended up taking the bump in his stead. The scoreless outing lowered the veteran's ERA to 4.84 over 22.1 innings. Hudson was used as a starter earlier in his career, but Thursday's limited usage indicates that the Dodgers have no plans to explore that option in the event Santana is unable to go for his next turn in the rotation.

Bowman (finger) fired a perfect seventh inning for Triple-A Memphis in a win over Tacoma on Thursday.

The right-hander needed just five pitches to get his three outs, retiring a pair of batters on grounders and the third on a flyball. Bowman's workload barely represented a blip on the radar, but it was his first game action since May 16. General manager Michael Girsch has stated that the plan is for Bowman to pitch every other day until Monday, the conclusion of the Redbirds' seven-game homestand, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports. Following that period, he'll be examined by the Cardinals' medical staff, after which he'll either be activated or optioned to another of the organization's minor-league affiliates.

Jansen allowed a run in a five-out save Thursday against the Pirates. He notched two strikeouts and no walks over 22 pitches.

The closer's lone blemish came on a cutter he left over the heart of the plate, which Francisco Cervelli then deposited into the left-field stands. Otherwise, Jansen looked sharp, throwing 17 of his 22 pitches for strikes while allowing no walks and just the one hit. Jansen's pitch efficiency could allow him to be available out of the bullpen Friday should a save opportunity arise.

Pivetta (4-5) pitched five innings, striking out six hitters while yielding four runs on six hits and a walk in Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Cubs.

Pivetta was cruising to start this one, striking out four in three scoreless innings before allowing a two-run shot off the bat of Anthony Rizzo in the fourth frame. After collecting three straight wins in May, the 25-year-old has now taken the loss in his last three outings, allowing nine earned runs over 14 innings during that span. He'll carry a 3.76 ERA into his next start against Colorado.

Stewart coughed up three runs (two earned) on two hits and retired just one batter in Thursday's 8-7 win over the Pirates.

All of the damage came on a three-run home run by Elias Diaz, resulting in Stewart getting the hook in favor of Kenley Jansen, who recorded a five-out save. There was some thought that Stewart might get a look in the rotation after he was promoted back to the big leagues last week when Kenta Maeda (hip) and Clayton Kershaw (back) landed on the disabled list, but Stewart has instead made his subsequent three appearances out of the bullpen. He has given up runs in each of those outings and could be returned to Triple-A Oklahoma City before long.

Richards (0-3) allowed three runs in five innings, striking out four and yielding seven hits in a 4-1 loss to St. Louis on Thursday.

Richards was called up to start for the first time since April but didn't do much to impress. He gave up a two-run homer off the bat of Jose Martinez in the first inning and his team didn't do him any favors on the offensive side. The rookie right-hander owns a 5.02 ERA in 28.2 innings with 14 walks and 28 strikeouts. If he stays on the MLB roster, Richards should take the ball next week against the Giants.

Santana (lat) will undergo an MRI on Friday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Santana was scratched from his scheduled start against the Pirates on Thursday due to right lat soreness, and the Dodgers will send him for some tests in the coming days to determine the severity of the issue. Lat issues often tend to linger, so the team figures to proceed cautiously with the 22-year-old prospect. Santana allowed five runs across 3.2 innings in his lone big-league appearance prior to suffering the injury.

Santana was scratched from Thursday's start against the Pirates due to right lat soreness, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports.

Santana was set to make his first career big-league start before the injury cropped up and forced Daniel Hudson to start in his place. The severity of the injury remains unclear at this point, as does a possible timetable for his return. With the Dodgers off the schedule twice next week, the team could move forward with a four-man rotation until June 19 if it chooses.

Hudson will take the mound for Thursday's game against the Pirates, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.

Hudson is unlikely to make it into the middle innings of Thursday's game after appearing out of the bullpen during each of the past two days, but he was thrust into the starting spot after Dennis Santana was scratched just minutes before the first pitch. Through 17 appearances this year, Hudson has compiled a 5.06 ERA and 1.59 WHIP with a 17:11 K:BB in 21.1 innings of relief.