MLB Player News

Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2014, going 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 13 starts. A lot of folks are interested to see where Hendricks goes from there in his second MLB season.

While Hendricks was never considered an elite prospect in the minors, despite some pretty good numbers (2.69 ERA, 1.07 WHIP), the Cubs are confident the 25-year-old right-hander can continue to have success at the major-league level.

“He’s shown the ability to make the big pitch,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said, per ESPN. “He has some tools now. He has a really good sinker. His sinker moves straight down. And it’s late. Who cares if its 89 or 88, it gets a ground ball?

“He can make balls look like strikes and strikes look like balls. It opens up a lot. He has a lot of different ways to shape a big pitch in a big spot.”

Joe Maddon is in his first spring with the Cubs, and it hasn't taken Hendricks long to make a strong impression.

“People will not project him highly because he’s not lighting up the gun but he lights up the location,” Maddon said. “Ask a hitter what they think. A hitter is going to tell you by the way he reacts to his pitches. He’s good. He’s real good. He just gets hitters out. They go back to the dugout, they’re all very upset. They’re breaking bats, wondering how did he beat me like that? And that happens 16, 17 times a year when he wins games.”

After meeting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles for futher evaluation, no structural damage was found in Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu's injured shoulder, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman.

Ryu has been prescribed rest for a few weeks, which means he will likely start the 2015 season on the disabled list.

The Dodgers added Tuesday the left-hander underwent a contrast MRI, which showed no change from his 2012 MRI. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

The Los Angeles Times reported Monday that Joe Wieland was the leading candidate to replace Ryu in the rotation.

With Johnny Cueto still on the shelf, the Reds will turn to prospect Michael Lorenzen to start Thursday's game, reports MLB.com.

Lorenzen, who has been discussed as a long inning reliever this season, has yet to make a start this spring. Manager Bryan Price likes the versatility Lorenzen offers the staff.

"As we've come to terms with the [bullpen] role we have for Tony Cingrani, that elevates the opportunity for guys like Lorenzen and [Jon] Moscot to potentially be the next in line in the rotation," Price said on Monday. "So he's going to pick up innings."

Lorenzen is expected to throw 65-70 pitches in his start Thursday.

"Probably his next time out, he'll get up to as many as 65-70, which would realistically make him capable of throwing 85-90 pitches in a start," Price said.

Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom surrendered two earned runs on four hits and one walk in four innings while striking out five and earned the win in Monday's 12-3 victory over the Marlins.

The Mets tabbed deGrom to pitch the second game of the season Monday, lining him up to be on the mound for the team's home opener in his second scheduled start. He's allowed five earned runs in 15 innings this spring while striking out 17 batters and walking only two.

"I struggled with keeping the ball down today," deGrom said to the New York Post. "It was just one of those days where I didn’t have the best feel for where I was throwing it. I must have rushed a little bit."

Mets manager Terry Collins announced Monday that Bartolo Colon will draw the start for Opening Day on April 6 against the Nationals, while Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey will follow Colon in the rotation, The Star-Ledger reports.

The news confirms a report from Sunday indicating that Colon, deGrom and Harvey would face the Nationals in the first series of the season. Colon will become the oldest Opening Day starter in franchise history, surpassing Tom Glavine in 2007.

Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn (hip) allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings while striking out three and walking none Monday against the Yankees.

The game between the Cardinals and Yankees was cancelled in the fifth inning due to weather, but Lynn was able to face 13 batters in his return from a hip flexor strain. It was his first Grapefruit League action since making his spring debut March 8.

Marlins manager Mike Redmond strongly indicated Monday that the team's rotation is set, and though he did not make a formal announcement, Henderson Alvarez is expected to pitch Opening Day, MLB.com reports.

Alvarez will likely be followed in order by Jarred Cosart, Mat Latos, Dan Haren and Tom Koehler.

"I'd say we're probably set with those five guys, but I would never say 100 percent that we're set, because you never know what will happen," Redmond said.

Alvarez, Cosart and Koehler have struggled this spring while Haren and Latos have pitched well, but Redmond indicated he's not overly concerned with spring numbers.

"Part of spring training is not only building up your arm strength and your pitches," Redmond said, "it's working on things you're trying to sharpen up, whether it be Cosart working on his changeup, or guys working on secondary pitches they're trying to lock in for the season. I don't get overly excited about spring training outings. I look more at how they're executing pitches, whether they are keeping the ball down. We've missed up in the zone probably more than we have all spring, the last couple of starts for guys."

Dodgers pitcher Joe Wieland is the leading candidate to replace Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder) in the starting rotation while Ryu remains sidelined, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Wieland has allowed one run in nine innings this spring while striking out nine. Other options include Mike Bolsinger and Carlos Frias, and the team could fill the rotation hole externally, as the Dodgers remain open to acquiring starting pitching depth for the back end of the rotation.

Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn will return to Grapefruit League action Monday against the Red Sox, and he's expected to throw 50 or more pitches in the outing, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Lynn has been sidelined by a hip flexor strain but was able to throw an aggressive simulated game Wednesday without issue. Provided he doesn't suffer a setback over the remainder of the spring, Lynn figures to be ready for the start of the regular season.

Nationals manager Matt Williams said Monday that pitcher Stephen Strasburg (ankle) will throw one more bullpen session before rejoining the rotation, masnsports.com reports.

Strasburg appears to be past the sprained ankle he suffered during conditioning drills Friday and that caused him to miss Sunday's scheduled start. He's thrown 5 2/3 innings this spring, allowing two earned runs and striking out seven.