MLB Player News

Wacha isn't expected to miss more than one start due to left knee patellar tendinitis, David Solomon of 590 The Fan reports.

Wacha reportedly hurt his knee during a recent workout. Daniel Ponce De Leon is expected to fill in for him Tuesday against the Brewers, though the Cardinals have yet to confirm their plans.

Houser was called up by the Brewers ahead of his scheduled start Monday against the Cardinals, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

The Brewers needed a spot start with Freddy Peralta (shoulder) on the injured list, but Peralta's stay isn't expected to be a long one, so Houser may not remain on the roster for long. Donnie Hart was optioned in a corresponding move.

DeGrom (elbow) threw a bullpen session Monday and remains on track to return from the injured list Friday against the Brewers, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

The sky appeared to be falling last week when deGrom was placed on the injured list with elbow troubles, but the reports have been consistently positive since then. He didn't need an MRI and has thrown on three straight days, so the odds of him appearing after a minimum 10-day stay appear to be good.

Wacha was placed on the 10-day injured list with left knee patellar tendinitis Monday.

The move is retroactive to Friday, so Wacha is eligible to return April 29 and miss just one start. It's unclear if his absence is expected to be that brief or if he'll be required to miss more time. Rather than calling up someone to fill his rotation spot, the Cardinals recalled utility man Drew Robinson.

Wood (back) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment in the second week of May, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Wood took a step forward in his recovery from back soreness by throwing 20 fastballs in a bullpen session Saturday. He's scheduled to incorporate all his pitches into a side session of similar length Tuesday, but he appears to be at least two weeks away from facing hitters in a game setting. Because he's been on the injured list all season after the back issues cropped up in spring training, Wood will likely require at least two rehab starts in the minors before returning to the Cincinnati rotation. That timeline means he likely won't be activated from the 10-day injured list until at least the second half of May.

Martinez (shoulder) is set for a side session Monday and will then head to Jupiter, Florida to throw live batting practice later in the week, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Martinez has reportedly looked strong in his recent throwing sessions, and Monday's is slated to involve more intensity than Saturday's. The next notable step in the right-hander's recovery will come later in the week when he faces High-A Palm Beach hitters at the team's spring training facility, which could eventually be followed by an official rehab assignment.

Woodruff allowed five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and three walks across 5.2 innings in a no-decision against the Dodgers on Sunday.

The Dodgers still won the game, but Woodruff managed to get off the hook because the Brewers rallied to tie the game in the late innings. While the five runs he allowed was a season high, Woodruff hasn't be on top of his game at all this year. Through six appearances, opposing batters are hitting about 50 points higher this season than last year against Woodruff, and that's largely contributed to his 5.81 ERA. He is also 2-1 with a 1.48 WHIP and 32 strikeouts in 26.1 innings. His next scheduled start is on the road against the Mets on Saturday.

Kershaw allowed two runs on two hits with seven strikeouts and four walks across six innings in a no-decision against the Brewers on Sunday.

While Kershaw induced 17 swinging strikes and punched out seven, he also uncharacteristically struggled with control and had to work around four walks. Still, the 31-year-old pitched more than well enough to win, but the Dodgers bullpen blew the lead in the eighth. Even though Kershaw is still awaiting his first decision of 2019, he has a 2.77 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 13 strikeouts in 13 innings. His next scheduled start is home against the Pirates on Saturday.

Fried (3-0) allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out six over 6.1 innings in a win over the Indians on Sunday.

The offense staked him to a big lead and Fried cruised, posting zeroes until the seventh inning. Fried only has 18 strikeouts in his 26 innings, but the results have been excellent, and the combination of a solid fastball, a plus curveball, good command and favorable team context makes Fried an appealing option in all formats. The lefty lines up for a home start next weekend against the Rockies, a team he held to five hits and one unearned run over six innings at Coors Field on April 9.

Lucchesi (3-2) allowed one earned run on five hits and two walks while striking out eight across 5.2 innings to earn the win Sunday against Cincinnati.

Lucchesi had the Reds guessing throughout his outing, racking up 15 swinging strikes and 15 called strikes on just 92 total pitches. He allowed only one extra-base hit -- a double to Matt Kemp -- one start after being burned by the long ball. Entering Sunday's start, Lucchesi had allowed 12 earned runs in his past 11 innings spanning two starts, making this effort a nice bounceback performance.