MLB Player News

Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw turned in a stellar performance but was not backed up by the necessary run support in Friday's series opener against the Giants.

Kershaw, who made his seventh start of the season, had a no-hit bid broken with one out in the sixth inning by Marco Scutaro's triple. Buster Posey doubled Scutaro home to tie the game. The left-hander was charged with one run and three hits in seven innings of work in a 2-1 defeat. He struck out five and walked three in 104 pitches, 62 strikes.

Kershaw has allowed one run and seven hits in his last 15 innings of work. He has struck out 17 and walked three over that span. The 25-year-old will try to pick up his fourth win of the season Wednesday at home against the Diamondbacks. He allowed three runs in 7 1/3 innings in his last outing against Arizona on April 12.

Diamondbacks starter Wade Miley endured a rough outing as he suffered his first loss of the season Friday night against the Padres.

Miley, who made his sixth start of the season, surrendered two runs in the second frame and served up a two-run home run to Yonder Alonso in the fifth. It was Miley's first home run allowed since his season debut on April 5. The left-hander was charged with four runs on nine hits over five innings of work in a 7-6 defeat. He struck out four and walked three in 97 pitches, 63 strikes.

Miley has walked 10 and struck out seven in his last 9 1/3 innings of work. He will try to get back on track Wednesday on the road against the Dodgers. He is 2-0 with a 2.11 ERA in his last three starts at Dodger Stadium.

Marlins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco surrendered three home runs in his team's 4-1 loss to the Phillies Friday night. He allowed four earned runs on eight hits and four walks in six innings, striking out four in the game.

Nolasco's ERA shot to 4.14, a mark he'll take into Petco Park Wednesday against the Padres.

Pirates starting pitcher Charlie Morton(elbow) was removed from his rehab start from Triple-A Indianapolis due to tightness in his right shoulder, the team announced.

Morton, who is working his back from Tommy John surgery, will head back to Pittsburgh to be re-evaluated.

He was slated to rejoin the team's starting rotation on May 14 against the Brewers.

Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw officially was removed from the bereavement list and is ready to take the mound Friday night at San Francisco.

Kershaw was placed on the the bereavement list Monday to tend to a family issue. He tossed a complete-game four-hitter his last time out against the Giants on opening day. The left-hander is 5-2 with a stellar 0.67 ERA in his last seven starts at AT&T Park.

Though not quite Dylan Bundy or Zack Wheeler, Carlos Martinez is one of the game's more highly regarded pitching prospects -- has been for a couple years now -- so you'd think his promotion would prompt mad dash to the waiver wire in Fantasy.

But it won't, not with him designated for relief.

The Cardinals' decision to break him in as a reliever shows just how desperate they are for bullpen help. Presumably, they won't want him to get too comfortable there. He's more of an asset as a starting pitcher, and he's obviously plenty capable in that role.

Now, if he eventually supplants Edward Mujica as the closer, that mad dash will still happen, but I doubt the Cardinals would elect to go that route with him. As the Reds discovered with Aroldis Chapman, once a pitcher establishes himself as a dominant ninth-inning guy, removing him from that role is easier said than done.

The Cardinals recalled pitching prospect Carlos Martinez from Double-A Springfield Friday after optioning pitcher Mitchell Boggs to Triple-A Memphis so he can work on mechanics. Martinez, who was unable to pitch during spring training because of a visa issue, was added to the bullpen to fill Boggs' spot.

The 21-year-old righty, considered St. Louis' top pitching prospect by MLB.com, has consistently reached the upper-90s with his fastball and can top 100 mph. In three starts for Springfield, Martinez had nine strikeouts and a walk over 11 2/3 innings with a 2.31 ERA.

The Marlins do not know when Henderson Alvarez will be able to throw again. He was shut down Thursday from his throwing program due to shoulder discomfort.

Alvarez has been sidelined since the beginning of the season due to right shoulder inflammation, but was facing live batters in simulated games in recent days. Alvarez was shut down prior to making his next step, which would have been a minor-league rehab assignment beginning Thursday. Marlins manager Mike Redmond did not have a timeline for Alvarez to begin throwing again, but he also did not sound too concerned about the injury.

"He's going to be down," Redmond told MLB.com. "He's taking a break."

At the very least, Alvarez will need additional time to build his arm strength up, so a timeline for his return from the disabled list will have to wait until he can begin throwing again. 

Marlins starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez was expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment sometime this week, but he was shut down Thursday after experiencing a setback with his right shoulder.

Alvarez made it through a simulated game last weekend but will be sidelined for an indeterminate amount of time. The team has not said how long he will be shut down or whether this re-aggravation represents a serious long-term issue.

Rockies starter Juan Nicasio saw enough run support to earn the win on Wednesday night against the Dodgers but was forced out early due to a high pitch count. He allowed three runs on five hits over four innings of work.

The right-hander surrendered a two-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez in the first before a run scored on a wild pitch in the third. He was done after throwing 92 pitches, 58 for strikes, and left with a 5-3 lead.

Nicasio also struck out six and walked two in the no-decision. It was the fifth straight start he did not surpass five innings. 

His next start is scheduled for Wednesday against the Yankees.