MLB Player News

Bassitt improved to 2-0 on the season Friday by holding the Diamondbacks to just one run on two hits over six innings, striking out six and walking two.

Bassitt allowed a pair of baserunners in the first but faced just two more than the minimum over the next five frames. He gave up a leadoff homer to Daulton Varsho in the top of the sixth, but all that accomplished was cutting the Mets' lead to four. Bassitt hasn't faced the toughest opponents to start the season, as he took on the Nationals in his season debut, but he's done everything the Mets could ask for. Between the two outings, he's allowed a single run on five hits in 12 innings of work, striking out 14 while walking three. He'll face a tougher task next week against the Giants.

Peterson will start Sunday against Arizona, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

The lefty is the seventh starter on the Mets' depth chart and didn't even make the Opening Day roster, but he'll be needed already in the 10th game of the season after Jacob deGrom and Taijuan Walker were sidelined with shoulder injuries. Peterson pitched four innings of scoreless relief after Walker exited his start Monday against the Phillies, so he's stretched out and on schedule for Sunday's outing. Through 24 career major-league starts and two relief appearances, Peterson owns a 4.49 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. He could get the chance to make multiple starts in place of Walker, who's expected to require a rehab outing.

Clevinger (knee) completed two scoreless innings in a rehab start with Low-A Lake Elsinore on Thursday, allowing one hit and striking out five.

Clevinger impressed in his first rehab outing, throwing 24 of 31 pitches for strikes and registering five of his six outs via punchout. Most importantly, the right-hander emerged from the outing without any setbacks to his sprained right knee, per Jim Bowden of The Athletic. Clevinger will likely make at least one more rehab appearance before potentially returning to the Padres by the end of the month, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Flaherty (shoulder) played catch on flat ground ahead of Friday's game at Milwaukee, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Flaherty has been building up his arm and shoulder strength with plyometric exercises, and he's now been cleared to start a throwing program. The 26-year-old was shut down from throwing in mid-March after receiving a PRP injection to address inflammation in his right shoulder, so he'll likely require a significant buildup period before progressing to mound work.

The Diamondbacks list Gallen (thumb) as their probable starting pitcher for Saturday's game against the Mets.

Gallen was initially lined up to make his season debut earlier this week against the Astros, but the Diamondbacks opted to push him back four days in the schedule while he contended with a small cut on his thumb. The injury apparently wasn't anything that hindered him in his throwing session after he was pushed off Tuesday's start against Houston, so he'll take the hill for the second game of the Diamondbacks' weekend series in New York.

Contreras (1-0) allowed one hit and one walk while striking out five across three scoreless innings to earn the win Thursday against the Nationals.

JT Brubaker was knocked out of the game after just 4.1 innings, which left a lot volume to be covered by the Pittsburgh bullpen. Contreras stepped up and delivered an excellent three frames of work, highlighted by nine swinging strikes on only 46 pitches. Though he's pitching in a relief role for the time being, Contreras has already thrown 4.2 innings this season and could enter the rotation should Brubaker or others falter in a starting role.

Walker (shoulder) played catch for a second straight day Friday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Walker felt good following Friday's throwing session, and he hopes to throw a bullpen Sunday, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports. He's hopeful that he'll be able to make a rehab start sometime next week, which would put him on track to join the Mets' rotation early the following week as long as he's built up enough strength and is feeling good.

DeGrom (shoulder) will undergo a follow-up MRI on April 25, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

DeGrom is in the midst of a four-week shutdown due to a stress reaction in his right scapula, and his MRI should provide an idea of his recovery progress. The right-hander got a bone scan recently to confirm the original diagnosis of a stress reaction. A timetable for deGrom's return to game action is unlikely to be set until he's cleared to resume throwing.

Buehler pitched 5.2 innings against Cincinnati on Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four. He didn't factor in the decision.

Buehler wasn't at his sharpest in the Dodgers' home opener, throwing only 60 of 98 pitches for strikes and walking three batters. However, he kept the Reds off the scoreboard for five innings and needed one more out to notch his first quality start of the campaign before Aristides Aquino ended his night with a two-out, two-run homer in the sixth. Buehler has been fine through his first two starts, allowing four runs and registering a 9:5 K:BB across 10 frames. He was commonly drafted as a top-five pitcher in fantasy leagues, however, so his managers would love to get more from him, especially in terms of strikeouts. Buehler's next start is lined up to come at home against Atlanta on Tuesday.

Freeland (0-2) took the loss against the Cubs on Thursday, tossing 5.1 innings and allowing five runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out one.

In Freeland's Opening Day loss to the Dodgers, he started off strong with three shutout frames before wilting in the fourth. It was the opposite story Thursday, as the left-hander was tagged for three first-inning runs before settling down to keep Chicago off the scoreboard for the following four frames. However, his night ended on a sour note as four of the five batters he faced in the sixth reached base, resulting in two more runs and the hook after 73 pitches. Freeland has thus far allowed 10 earned runs over nine innings to begin the season, emphasizing his lack of reliability in fantasy. He'll face another tough test his next time out as he's tentatively slated to face the Phillies at Coors Field on Tuesday.