MLB Player News

Mets pitching prospect Zack Wheeler endured a rough outing Monday as he gave up five runs -- three earned -- over four innings in a no-decision for Triple-A Las Vegas.

Wheeler is 3-1 with a 4.13 ERA in 10 starts. He is expected to make 1-2 more starts before making his big-league debut.

Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright allowed his most hits in a start since September 2010 on Monday against the Royals, but he still pitched into the eighth inning for the third time in four starts.

Wainwright held the Royals to three runs over eight innings of work, as he worked around 12 hits. He succeeded in part by scattering 11 singles, allowing only one extra-base hit, a double.

Wainwright struck out five and needed just 104 pitches, throwing 74 of them for strikes. He lowered his ERA to 2.48, while raising his record to 7-3, in a 6-3 win.

Wainwright is set to make his next start Saturday against the Giants at home. 

Cardinals pitching prospect Michael Wacha remains an option for the hole in the team's rotation Thursday, but they have not made any determination by the time Monday's game started.

"We're still checking our options out," manager Mike Matheny told MLB.com. "We're not in that big of a hurry right now. We're still talking everything out."

Wacha was pulled from a Triple-A Memphis start Monday, opening the possibility that the team will tap its No. 4 prospect (according to MLB.com) to make his major-league debut.

If the Cardinals do not go with Wacha, Matheny is confident in their other options, including a possible bullpen-by-committee outing Thursday.

"I think we have some good options," Matheny said. "We just need to talk about all the scenarios and variables that play into the decision."

With a slew of injuries hitting their rotation in recent weeks, the Cardinals are starting to develop contingency plans for the starting staff. That includes the demotion of Carlos Martinez to Triple-A Monday, to begin work as a starter.

"We need to get him ready to start," manager Mike Matheny told MLB.com. "We see him in the future as being a starter. He did a nice job for us coming out of the bullpen, but with the situation we've been having here with our rotation, he's a guy we'd like to have built up to use as an option later."

Martinez post a 4.50 ERA in seven relief appearances, striking out nine batters in eight innings. 

Contrary to earlier reports, the Marlins are apparently not considering activating Nate Eovaldi to take Alex Sanabia's place in the rotation Friday, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Marlins manager Mike Redmond said the team still wants to see Eovaldi make two more minor-league rehab starts before determining whether he can rejoin the team. Eovaldi made his rehab debut Saturday.

“We’ve got to make sure he is built up properly and is feeling good before he comes back to the big leagues," Redmond said.

Wade LeBlanc is one option to take the open starting spot.

The Marlins are expected to fill Alex Sanabia's spot in the rotation with Nate Eovaldi, who is eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list Thursday. According to MLB.com, the Marlins will need another starter Friday against the Mets, and Eovaldi should take the ball.

Eovaldi threw his first rehab assignment Saturday at Class A Jupiter, after sitting out the entire season due to right shoulder inflammation. 

The Cardinals optioned reliever Carlos Martinez to Triple-A Memphis Monday. Martinez had a 4.50 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP over eight innings in relief. 

He will likely return to his duties as a starting pitcher in the minors. He could join the St. Louis rotation later in the season. 

Braves starter Julio Teheran enjoyed a solid outing but did not factor in the decision Sunday night against the Mets.

Teheran allowed a solo home run to Lucas Duda in the fourth and was charged with a run on five hits and three walks while striking out five in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-2 defeat.

Teheran has allowed four runs combined in his last three starts (21 innings). He is scheduled to make his next start Friday at home against Washington. He has a 4.76 ERA in two starts against the Nationals this season.

Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, who pitched a complete game his last time out, endured a rough outing and suffered his third loss Sunday afternoon against the Cardinals.

Kershaw (5-3) allowed a bases-clearing double to Pete Kozma in the second inning and a run-scoring infield single to Matt Carpenter in the seventh. The left-hander was charged with four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five in seven innings of a 5-3 loss.

Kershaw gave up four earned runs in a start for the first time since July 24. He is scheduled to make his next start Friday at Colorado. He is 1-1 with a 5.04 ERA in his last five starts at Coors Field.

Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin turned in a solid outing to earn his eighth win Sunday against the Padres.

Corbin (8-0) surrendered a two-run home run to Carlos Quentin and was charged with four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits and two walks while striking out five in six innings. His ERA rose to 1.71 after Sunday's 6-5 victory.

Corbin will look for his MLB-leading ninth win Saturday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He is 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA in five starts away from Chase Field.