MLB Player News

Brubaker (0-4) took the loss during Tuesday's 7-0 defeat at the hands of the Cubs, allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts in 5.2 innings.

Brubaker served up a Jonathan Villar solo shot in the third inning to fall behind and was done in during a five-run fourth that saw the first five batters reach base safely. The 28-year-old has an ugly 5.50 ERA on the season, but a 3.95 xERA indicates some positive regression is ahead and his current rate of 10.8 K/9 would be a new career high. Brubaker is slated to take the hill again early next week against Colorado.

Houser (3-4) took the loss during Tuesday's 3-0 defeat to Atlanta, allowing an unearned run on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts in six innings.

Houser and Atlanta starter Tucker Davidson went toe-to-toe in this one. Unfortunately for the 29-year-old Houser, a fifth-inning Mike Brosseau error on a potential inning-ending double play let home a run that proved enough to saddle Houser with a second straight loss. He's now surrendered a surprising six unearned runs over his last three starts, though the six strikeouts Tuesday matched a season high. He'll most likely take the hill again early next week against San Diego.

Eflin (1-3) was charged with the loss Tuesday after pitching six innings of one-run ball, giving up five hits while striking out five versus the Padres.

Making his return from the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Eflin tossed four scoreless innings before running into a little trouble in the top of the fifth. He ultimately surrendered a run on an Austin Nola groundout, which was almost an inning-ending double-play. Overall it was his second quality start in his last three outings and the five strikeouts tied a season high. Outside of the five runs he gave up to the Mets in his last start May 1, Eflin has allowed two or fewer runs in three of his last four starts. The 28-year-old owns a 3.90 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 23 strikeouts over 30 innings this season.

Clevinger (1-0) got the win Tuesday after pitching five scoreless innings, giving up one hit while striking out five batters against the Phillies.

Clevinger limited the damage against him to just one hit, a single by Alec Bohm in the fourth frame, while snagging his first win of the year. The five innings were his longest since he made his season debut May 5 following a knee injury. It was the 31-year-old's first start this season where he didn't walk a batter. Through three starts, he has posted a 3.21 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 15 strikeouts in 14 frames. Clevinger tentatively projects to take the mound again Sunday in San Francisco.

Overton did not factor into the decision Tuesday in Cleveland, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk over 7.2 innings. He struck out two.

Overton rode his sinking fastball to nine groundball outs. One of the two runs against him crossed the plate after he left the game, and he was in line for his second big-league win before Art Warren blew the save in the ninth. Overton now has a 1.82 ERA in 24.2 innings for the Reds, but the estimators say he's been way out over his skis with a 10:7 K:BB in that span. The 28-year-old righty will face a tough test this weekend in Toronto.

Keller is considered an option out of the bullpen for Wednesday's game against the Cubs, the game which would have been his next turn in the rotation, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Keller generated buzz over the winter due to reports of increased velocity. Those reports were accurate, as his fastball has averaged 96.2 mph this season after coming in at 93.9 mph last year, but the increased heat has had no effect on his results. He's struggled to a 6.61 ERA and 1.53 WHIP through seven starts while striking out a career-low 17.6 percent of opposing batters. The Pirates haven't listed a starter for Wednesday's game, but it could be Roansy Contreras, who would be on turn for the outing after pitching Friday for Triple-A Indianapolis.

Stroman cleared COVID-19 protocols Tuesday but has yet to be activated off the injured list, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

Stroman has been on the injured list for over a week and hasn't pitched since May 1. He threw a bullpen session Tuesday, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. At this point, it's unclear whether he will require a rehab outing before he returns to the roster, but the righty's next steps should be revealed soon.

Reds manager David Bell said Tuesday that Lodolo (back) won't throw for at least the next week, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Lodolo had previously been expected to return from the injured list back on May 7, but those plans wound up being scrapped after he continued to feel sore. He played catch late last week, but that evidently didn't go well, either, so he'll rest for a week before the Reds determine a new timeline for his recovery. He'll need to build back up after that shutdown period.

Gore is scheduled to work behind starter Mike Clevinger in relief during Tuesday's game against the Phillies, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

At least to begin the week, Gore will be pitching out of the bullpen with the Padres set to return Blake Snell (groin) from the 10-day injured list to start Wednesday. San Diego could move back to a six-man rotation as it begins a stretch of 40 games in 42 days beginning Monday, but it's unclear if Gore or Nick Martinez -- who is also in the bullpen to begin the week -- will be reappointed to a starting role. From a performance standpoint, Gore proved to be deserving of a permanent starting role, as he submitted a 2.42 ERA and 28:9 K:BB across 26 innings through his first five outings. However, because he's just 23 years old and hasn't tossed more than 100 innings in a season since 2019, the Padres could be inclined to keep Gore in the bullpen as a means of managing his workload.

The Rockies placed Senzatela (back) on the 15-day injured list Tuesday.

Manager Bud Black said after Senzatela suffered a lower-back strain in his start during Monday's 7-6 loss to San Francisco that a move to the IL was a likely outcome for the right-hander, so the transaction doesn't come as a surprise. In the short term, the Rockies have called up Justin Lawrence from Triple-A Albuquerque to provide an extra arm out of the bullpen, but Colorado will likely turn to Ty Blach or Ryan Feltner to take Senzatela's spot in the rotation when a fifth starter is next required.