MLB Player News

Maybe it's because he had already thrown seven innings. Maybe it's because it was opening day and, you know, safety first. But whatever the reason, I have to point out that Stephen Strasburg threw only 80 pitches in his season debut Monday.

Seven innings or not, why not let him try and go the distance? It's not like 95 or 100 pitches would put his arm in jeopardy, and it's not like the Marlins were starting to get a read on him. He allowed only three hits in those seven innings. It's like the Nationals pulled him just for the sake of not having him go the distance on opening day.

Which feeds into the point I made back on March 18 that just because Strasburg doesn't have an innings limit doesn't mean the Nationals won't find ways to limit him, like Jordan Zimmermann last year. Obviously, one game doesn't mean much on its own, but this one doesn't have me second-guessing my belief that Strasburg won't accumulate 200 innings this year.

Cardinals starting pitcher prospect Michael Wacha, who will start the season at Triple-A Memphis, didn't allow an earned run all spring, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Wacha pitched 24 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run, which included 11 2/3 innings in major-league spring games before being reassigned to minor-league camp. Wacha struck out 28 and allowed 10 hits this spring.

Cardinals starting pitcher prospect Carlos Martinez, who missed the spring schedule because of visa issues, will join extended spring training workouts this week, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Martinez will go through a normal throwing program before he's expected to join the Double-A Springfield roster.

Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright got knocked around by the Diamondbacks in Monday's season opener.

He allowed four runs (three earned) on 11 hits over six innings of work in the 6-2 loss. The right-hander made it through the first three frames scoreless before getting tagged with a three-spot in the fourth. Wainwright gave up an RBI single to Aaron Hill in the fifth for his final damage and was done after throwing 105 pitches, 71 for strikes.

Wainwright also struck out six with no walks.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson told MLB.com Monday that Wade Miley will make his season debut Saturday against the Brewers.

Miley dealt with some dead arm during the spring and went 1-2 with a 7.43 ERA in four Cactus League starts.

Gibson added that he could switch Miley with Patrick Corbin, pushing his start to Saturday.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw threw the sixth complete-game shutout of his career on opening day against the Giants Monday.

The left-hander needed 94 pitches to make it through the nine innings unscatched and gave up just four hits in the 4-0 win. He struck out seven while not walking a batter.

Kershaw also hit the first home run of his career in the victory, leading off the eighth inning with a solo shot off George Kontos.

"Opening day was everything I could hope for," he said. "Hopefully, we got 161 more of those coming up."

Kershaw became the first pitcher in the majors to homer on opening day since Joe Magrane of St. Louis in 1988, and the first Dodgers pitcher to do it since Don Drysdale in 1965.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto received the nod opening day against the Angels on Monday and looked to be in mid-season form. He allowed just one run on three hits over seven innings of work. The right-hander surrendered a solo homer to Chris Iannetta in the third for his lone damage.

Cueto was done after throwing 105 pitches, 70 for strikes, and left with the score tied at 1-1 as his counterpart -- Jered Weaver -- was equally as solid.

Cueto also struck out nine and walked two in the no-decision.

Marlins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (0-1) held the Nationals to just three hits during his season-opening appearance Monday. Unfortunately for him, two of them went for home runs -- both by Bryce Harper -- in a 2-0 loss that spoiled his otherwise solid performance.

Nolasco worked six innings as he was able to claim a quality start in the loss, finishing with five strikeouts and two walks. The right-hander fired a first-pitch strike to 11 of the 23 batters he faced, but only 48 of his 86 pitches went for strikes.

Making his first start free of pitch and inning restrictions, Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg held the Marlins scoreless over seven strong innings -- matching a career high -- during a 2-0 win on opening day Monday. Strasburg, shut down before the team's postseason run last season, permitted just three hits, only one for extra bases.

Pitching to contact more than in the past, the right-hander used his electric arsenal to register three strikeouts and he did not walk a batter. Of his 80 pitches, 52 went for strikes as he completed his thrilling debut in just over 90 minutes. He also retired 19 straight batters after Juan Pierre's single to lead off the game.

Strasburg is projected to make his second start of the season Sunday at Cincinnati, certainly a tougher opponent than lowly Miami. He has faced the Reds only once in his career -- during his rookie season in 2010 -- and allowed three runs over 5 2/3 innings while posting seven strikeouts.

When the Marlins announced that top pitching prospect Jose Fernandez would be promoted to the majors, the result was a 30 percent increase in ownership -- making him the most added player so far. Fernandez went from being owned in 12 percent of leagues to 42 almost overnight.

Also shooting up the most added list are Mariners starting pitcher Brandon Maurer, who will make his MLB debut Thursday, and Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., whose stellar spring landed him in Boston’s opening day lineup batting eighth. Just behind them are Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and Cardinals relief pitcher Mitchell Boggs, rounding out the top five.