MLB Player News

Kershaw was placed on the 10-day injured list with back stiffness Thursday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Kershaw was slated to start in the Dodgers' Opening Day matchup against the Giants on Thursday, but he'll instead miss at least 10 days as a result of back stiffness that flared up Tuesday. Dustin May was recalled in a corresponding move and will serve as the Opening Day starter in Kershaw's place. The exact severity of Kershaw's injury is unclear, and no timetable has been established for his return.

Mahle will most likely replace Anthony DeSclafani (teres major strain) in the Reds' rotation, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

DeSclafani insists that he will only miss one start, but there is now an opening in the rotation for Mahle to begin the season. He lines up for a home start against the Cubs on Tuesday. If DeSclafani ends up needing more time, Mahle would get a second start next week at Detroit with the Reds playing seven games.

Hamels (triceps) was placed on the 45-day injured list Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Not much has gone right for Hamels since he signed with the Braves; he dealt with a shoulder issue early in camp before landing on the IL last week with triceps tendinitis. Following this most recent move, the southpaw will be sidelined until at least the beginning of September. Kyle Wright and Josh Tomlin are candidates to fill in for Hamels in the rotation.

Eflin (back) pitched well in his simulated game Thursday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

As expected, Eflin threw four innings and 60 pitches in his simulated game, and manager Joe Girardi said he threw the ball well. If the right-hander feels good Friday, he's expected to start Tuesday at the Yankees. Eflin battled back spasms that limited his workload during camp but appears to be tracking toward his return. If he wouldn't be ready for his first turn through the rotation, Nick Pivetta could start in his place.

The Pirates recalled Brubaker on Thursday.

Brubaker is one of 11 relievers included on the PIrates' 30-man Opening Day roster. The right-hander has worked exclusively as a starter during his past two seasons in the minors, so he'll likely function as a long man or multi-inning arm out of the bullpen in his first taste of the big leagues.

Stroman suggested Thursday in a post on his personal Twitter account that the calf injury that landed him on the 10-day injured list is a "super minor setback."

Manager Luis Rojas labeled Stroman as week-to-week Tuesday after the right-hander was revealed to have a muscle tear in his left calf, but the injury apparently hasn't prevented Stroman from working out. In his post, Stroman said he "felt great" while throwing a 55-pitch bullpen session Monday, noting that he only feels pain in his calf when he jogs and sprints. With that in mind, Stroman's progression through a running program will likely be the top determining factor in when he eventually returns from the IL. He'll likely miss at least two turns through the rotation, with Corey Oswalt looking like the top candidate to replace him at the beginning of the season.

DeSclafani was placed on the injured list Thursday with a mild right teres major strain.

This is a tough break for DeSclafani, who was on track to start the fifth game of the season for Cincinnati. Per Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer, the injury isn't thought to be anything overly serious, and the right-hander could return after missing just one start. Tyler Mahle will likely take his place in the rotation for the time being.

Kim struck out the side in the ninth inning of an exhibition victory over the Royals on Wednesday, his first chance in a save situation as the Cardinals' closer, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. "Good tempo, multiple pitches for strikes, lefties, righties," manager Mike Shildt said. "That's the reason he's in that spot. He's a veteran guy with good presence. Went out with a lot of different pitches with good movement."

The southpaw was dominant during his brief time on the mound, needing only 16 pitches -- 10 of which he threw for strikes -- to wipe out the trio of Franchy Cordero, Nick Heath and Bobby Witt. The most impressive aspect of Kim's outing may have been the repertoire he flashed, as he ran the gamut from a 70-mph curveball to a 94-mph fastball, including putting away Witt with an 84-mph slider for the game-ending strikeout.

Martinez fired four innings in an exhibition victory over the Royals on Wednesday, allowing one run on two hits and a walk while recording two strikeouts.

Martinez came on in relief of Miles Mikolas in what he expects to be his last appearance out of the bullpen in 2020 if all goes as planned. Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports that after the game, the newly minted rotation member expressed anticipation about his long-awaited return to starting following his stint as a closer in the latter portion of last season. "I got a lot of experience from the last two years," Martinez said. "I was a little bit frustrated because I was hurt, but that gave me good experience to be positive. And now I feel like I'm mature, the great guy to be healthy and the great guy to help the team and be focused for the whole season."

The Cubs placed Quintana (thumb) on the 10-day injured list Thursday.

The transaction was merely a formality, as Quintana has yet to resume throwing off a mound since requiring surgery July 2 to address a laceration on his left thumb. Quintana is expected to throw a bullpen session next week, and from there, he'll steadily build up his arm by throwing in live batting practice and simulated games. If he avoids any snags in the ramp-up process, Quintana could be ready to make his 2020 debut around the middle of August.