MLB Player News

Atlanta starting pitcher Julio Teheran surrendered one run and three hits over six sharp innings during the Braves' 2-1 win over the Mets on Sunday in Grapefruit League action. Bidding to secure the fifth spot in the Braves' rotation, Teheran allowed only a leadoff homer to Jordany Valdespin and lowered his ERA this spring to 1.35. He fanned seven batters and walked two during his fifth start.

"He settled down and did a nice job," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez told MLB.com about Teheran. "He's going to have those situations during the course of the season, but he's going to have to learn from that. He's been really impressive the way he's been handling himself."

Diamondbacks pitcher Patrick Corbin was able to limit most of his damage in Sunday's Cactus League outing against the Padres. He gave up nine hits and walked a batter over 4 2/3 innings but surrendered just one run. The left-hander made it through his first four frames unscathed before giving up an RBI single to Travis Buck in the fifth. Corbin, who is competing for a spot in the rotation, also struck out four. 

Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (elbow) fired a successful bullpen session Sunday, less than a week after he received a PRP injection for his sore right elbow. Under the watchful eye of pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and manager Don Mattingly, Greinke delivered roughly 40 pitches during the workout and pitched out of both the windup and the stretch.

However, the right-hander refused to provide any insight on his availability for his first scheduled start of the regular season on April 2. "I’m just doing what’s laid out," he told the Los Angeles Times. "Our team, we got other starting pitchers. I’ve got to be ready. They’re going to weigh all that and decide when I’m going to pitch and stuff. I want to do what’s best for the team. It's not important what day."

I've been on the Johnny Cueto bandwagon since its inception. I believed in him as a breakout Fantasy star well before the campaign started to gain momentum. Sadly, I think it's time for me to abandon ship.

I've been in multiple drafts already this spring and I haven't drafted the 27-year-old right-hander once. Kind of strange since I've never avoided him like the plague before. I'm just in the camp of expecting a regression after he won a career-high 19 games in 2012. I don't think it will be as severe, but I kind of view Cueto as this year's Ian Kennedy, who had a regression last season following his breakout 2011 season.

You ask, why? Well, a couple of factors alarm me. First, Cueto struggled at the end of last season before bowing out of the playoffs with an oblique strain. He posted a 4.33 ERA in his final six starts and allowed six homers in that span. He allowed all of nine homers in his first 27 starts. He hasn't been much better this spring, yielding a 4.80 ERA in four spring starts. 

Also, Cueto had a career-high 78.8 percent strand rate in 2012, which was above his career 75.5 percent career rate, according to FanGraphs.com. He also posted a career-high 21.7 percent line drive rate (career average is 19.4 percent) and a career-low 29.4 percent fly-ball rate (career average is 35.8 percent).

Cueto has been drafted ahead of the likes of Max Scherzer, Mat Latos, Jordan Zimmermann, Jeff Samardzija, Jon lester, Brandon Morrow, Matt Moore and Doug Fister in Head-to-Head formats this spring. I hate to say it, but I'd probably take all those players over Cueto on Draft Day.

CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reported Sunday Pirates pitcher prospect Gerrit Cole is expected to be promoted to the majors later this summer. I wouldn't anticipate a promotion before May and that date could be pushed back depending on how the Pirates begin the season.

The back of the rotation has some question marks until Francisco Liriano (arm) and Charlie Morton (elbow) return from injuries. Cole could certainly pitch his way into the majors, but since the Pirates have options, then there will be no need to rush the No. 1 overall pick from the 2011 draft.

I only recommend stashing Cole in deeper mixed-league and NL-only Fantasy formats. He will be a must-add in shallower formats once he's promoted to the majors, but he can't occupy a roster spot in those leagues with his ETA to be determined.

MLB.com reports Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw said Sunday his Achilles is a little sore after being hit by a comebacker Saturday against the Rangers. However, he plans to do everything expect run Sunday.

The 2012 NL Cy Young runner-up is 2-2 with a 3.79 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in five spring starts. He also has 20 strikeouts to four walks in 19 innings.

CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reports Pirates starting pitcher prospect Gerrit Cole, who was the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, has been impressive in camp this spring.

While he's still expected to open the year at Triple-A Indianapolis, Heyman reports Cole is expected to make his MLB debut later this summer.

Cole, who is considered a top 100 prospect by Baseball America (No. 7) and MLB.com (No. 9), is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in three spring outings (two starts). He also has seven strikeouts to two walks in 10 innings.

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels, who was recently named opening day starter, took the mound for some work in a intrasquad game Saturday morning.

He allowed four runs on six hits -- including a home run -- over five innings of work. He walked two and struck out six while throwing 84 pitches as he continues to build his pitch count.

"I was pretty pleased in the end. Just to be able to build up to a somewhat significant pitch count, that was nice," Hamels said. "I was able to get all five pitches working, which I was happy with. I got a lot more work in this week to get my timing better, so I was able to fulfill my goal today. It's nice to build off that and start to get ready for when the season is going to happen."

Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg enjoyed his longest outing of the spring Saturday against the Astros in Grapefruit League play.

Strasburg, who made his fifth start of the spring, struck out eight batters through 5 1/3 innings. He allowed a home run to Rick Ankiel for his only damage of the night. Strasburg allowed just one run on five hits in 93 pitches and is ready to keep his pitch count up.

"When you get to this point and you start to get to closer to 100 pitches, you're like, 'All right, let's get the season going," Strasburg said. "But that's not the case. I've still got a couple of weeks. I'm just going to keep working and keep grinding."

Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw turned in his longest and most productive outing of the spring Saturday against the Rangers.

Kershaw cruised through six innings and gave up two hits -- both singles -- in a 4-0 defeat. He also struck out six and did not issue a walk in 70 pitches. His Cactus League ERA sits at 3.79.

"It felt good today," Kershaw said, per the Los Angeles Times. "I felt I had better fastball command."