MLB Player News

The Mets recalled Butto from Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.

Butto has spent the majority of this season with Syracuse and holds an underwhelming 5.96 ERA in 80 innings there, but the Mets need a fresh bullpen arm leading into Tuesday night's game against the Pirates.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Wainwright's role will be re-evaluated after his next start Thursday against the Mets, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Wainwright got roughed up again last Friday in Kansas City, yielding eight earned runs while recording only three outs as his season ERA climbed to 8.78. He is just two wins away from reaching 200 career victories, but the 41-year-old right-hander might actually have a better shot at achieving that milestone in a piggyback relief role. "We've talked to him, and he understands that he's got to do better," Mozeliak said of Wainwright. "He's appreciative that he's getting the opportunity [on Thursday], but he understands that things could change [in the future]."

Lodolo (lower leg) shifted his rehab assignment Tuesday from the Arizona Complex League to Double-A Chattanooga.

Lodolo looked sharp in his rehab debut this past Friday in the rookie-level ACL, striking out four of the seven batters he faced across two scoreless innings. Out since early May because of a stress reaction in his left tibia, the 25-year-old southpaw is currently trending toward a late-August return to the Cincinnati rotation. Hunter Greene (hip) is also making progress on the farm.

The Cubs are expected to bring Stroman (hip) back from the 15-day injured list to start Wednesday's home game versus the White Sox, Meghan Montemurro and Lamond Pope of the Chicago Tribune report.

Stroman apparently checked out fine following his 50-pitch bullpen session Friday in Toronto, setting the right-hander up for a return from the IL when first eligible. Given the hefty workload he handled during the side session, Stroman could be in line for close to a normal pitch count as he steps back in the Chicago rotation for the first time since July 31. The Cubs will hope that Stroman's brief shutdown period will be enough for him to fully move past the right hip issue and regain the form he showed earlier in the season that earned him his second All-Star selection. In his last seven starts before going on the IL, Stroman went 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.93 WHIP in 30 innings.

Cecconi made his most recent appearance out of the bullpen in Friday's 10-5 loss to the Padres, striking out one over 1.2 scoreless innings while allowing one hit and no walks.

After being called up from Triple-A Reno on Aug. 2, Cecconi made a 4.2-inning start against the Giants later that day. He then went unused for the next eight days before the Diamondbacks summoned him from the bullpen early in Friday's contest while starter Ryne Nelson labored through three innings. The Diamondbacks haven't clarified Cecconi's role moving forward, but he seems likely to serve as either a traditional starter or bulk-relief option. Arizona is treating Tuesday's game in Colorado as a bullpen day while no starter has been confirmed for Wednesday's series finale, so Cecconi could be an option to cover multiple innings on either of those days.

Darvish fell to 8-8 in Monday's 4-1 loss to Baltimore, allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out six batters over seven innings.

Darvish moved past Hideo Nomo for most strikeouts by a Japanese-born pitcher in MLB history when he fanned Ramon Urias in the sixth inning. That impressive feat aside, it was another frustrating performance for the right-hander, as he pitched pretty well overall but got little run support and took the loss. Darvish has posted a 2.70 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB across 20 frames over three August starts but doesn't have a win to show for it. He's at a 2.98 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 42:13 K:BB over 42.1 innings in seven starts since the All-Star break.

Kelly allowed two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out 11 batters over six innings in a no-decision during Monday's 6-4 loss to the Rockies.

Kelly left his previous start after six scoreless innings due to leg cramps, but he didn't appear to have any lingering issues Monday. The right-hander induced 21 swinging strikes and recorded a season-high 11 punchouts while allowing just two runs, each of which came on a solo homer. Kelly departed in line for the win but had to settle for a no-decision when Arizona's bullpen coughed up four runs in the eighth inning. Despite the disappointing outcome, Kelly continued a strong August during which he has tossed three straight quality starts and allowed just four runs over 18 frames while posting a 22:4 K:BB.

Flexen allowed four runs on five hits and one walk while striking out six batters over six innings in a no-decision against Arizona on Monday.

Though Flexen gave up four runs and departed in line for the loss, this was arguably his best performance in a Colorado uniform, as he completed six innings for the first time and tallied a season-high six punchouts. The right-hander yielded a run in each of the first two innings but settled down after that until Christian Walker hit a two-run homer off him in the sixth. Flexen had given up two long balls in each of his first three games with the Rockies, so even surrendering just one home run was an improvement. An eighth-inning Colorado comeback took the veteran hurler off the hook for the loss, but there's still little reason to roster him in all but the deepest of fantasy leagues given his 7.74 ERA and 6.6 K/9 on the campaign.

Mikolas yielded four runs on five hits and three walks over 6.1 innings in Monday's win over the Athletics. He struck out four and did not factor in the decision.

Mikolas rolled through four shutout frames before Oakland broke up the shutout in the fifth inning. It was the first time he allowed more than two earned runs in an outing since July 22 and his season ERA climbed to 4.27. Mikolas had issued just two walks over his previous seven outings, posting a 3.28 ERA during that stretch. His next outing is projected to be at home against the Mets.

Priester (2-2) took the loss Monday, allowing six runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings against the Mets. He struck out three.

Priester threw a season-high 102 pitches, though he'd allow at least one run in each of his five innings. It's been a rough start to Priester's big-league career -- his ERA is now up to 9.10 with a 1.92 WHIP and 23:18 K:BB through his first six starts (28.2 innings). While the rebuilding Pirates can afford to give the 22-year-old right-hander an extended look in the rotation, Priester doesn't appear ready to be a reliable option against major-league lineups. His next start is tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Minnesota.