Latest News

Nate Eovaldi set for rehab start

Eovlaldi has been on the 60-day disabled list since spring training due to shoulder inflammation. 

Matt Cain Ks seven in no-decision

Edinson Volquez drops second straight

Bullpen spoils strong Stephen Strasburg start

Strasburg pitched seven strong inning in the game, the third time in his last four starts he has gone at least seven innings. He held the Giants to just one run on five hits and three walks while striking out seven batters. He had nine groundball outs to just four fly ball outs, and allowed only singles in the outing.

Unfortunately, his strong effort was wasted, as the Nationals' bullpen allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings, in a 10-inning, 4-2 loss. Strasburg remains 2-5 on the season, with a 2.66 ERA.

Strasburg will try to get back on the winning side in his next outing, scheduled for Monday against the Rays. 

Ian Kennedy Ks six in no-decision

Jhoulys Chacin blows four-run lead vs. D-Backs

Zack Greinke roughed up by former team

Adam Wainwright remains tough

Wainwright allowed just one run on four hits in the outing, the fourth time in 10 outings that he has allowed one or fewer runs. He struck out six batters and walked just one in 7 1/3 innings, on 100 pitches.

Wainwright pushed his record to 6-3, while lowered his ERA to 2.38. He is scheduled to make his next start Monday against the Royals in Kansas City. 

Matt Garza not concerned with velocity in return

"That’s not a big deal to me,” Garza told ESPN.com. "As long as I get outs, it works. I watched Jamie Moyer forever get outs at 81 mph. Velocity is nothing. I felt great. It sucks I couldn’t keep going."

It was easy for Garza to say that after averaging a healthy 93.4 miles per hour with his fastball, while not allowing a hit on either his four or two-seam offerings. He threw just 81 pitches in the game, and Garza obviously hopes the team will take the reigns off moving forward.

"You think they’re going to take me out without a fight?" Garza said. "The competitive part of me doesn’t want to leave what I started."

Garza held the Pirates to just one hit in five innings of work. 

Jake Westbrook to throw off mound Wednesday

Tim Hudson better in no-decision

Hudson pitched through a rain delay in the third inning, and was limited to just five innings and 81 pitches as a result. He allowed just two runs on five hits in his five innings of work, while striking out five batters.

Hudson, who had allowed 11 runs in his previous 8 2/3 innings, lowered his ERA on the season to 4.98. He is winless in his last three starts, as the Braves would need 10 innings to win, 5-4.

Hudson is scheduled to make his next start Monday against the Blue Jays. 

Hiram Burgos struggles again

Burgos exited the game after just 3 1/3 innings, after allowing two runs on six hits and four walks.  He allowed three hits and two walks in the fourth inning before being pulled, with runners on the corners and one out. Fortunately, the bullpen bailed him out, as they did not allow either of his inherited runners to score. The Brewers would go on to win, 5-2, though Burgos earned a no-decision in the start. 

Burgos now has a 6.44 ERA in six starts, with a 1-2 record. He is scheduled to mke his next start Monday against the Twins. 

Josh Beckett throws off flat ground

Jose Fernandez solid despite early exit

Despite allowing just one run, Fernandez was pulled after throwing five innings and 79 pitches, matching his lowest total of the season. He allowed just a solo home run in the outing, but earned a no-decision in a 7-3 loss.

Fernandez allowed five hits and one walk, while striking out two batters. This was the first time since April 29 that he has not pitched at least six innings in a start. He lowered his ERA to 3.31 through his first nine career starts.

Fernandez is set to make his net start Monday, against the Rays. He has yet to face Tampa Bay in his career. 

Offense awakens for Tyler Cloyd's first win

Cloyd held the Marlins to just two runs in seven innings of work, as he allowed eight hits, just two of them for extra-bases. He struck out five and walked just two, while throwing 62 of 105 pitches for strikes.

Cloyd got plenty of run support, after earning a no decision in a 3-2 loss the last time out. The Phillies won, 7-3 Tuesday, giving Cloyd his first win of the season.

Cloyd is set to take on the Red Sox in Boston for his next start, scheduled for Monday. 

Defense lets Jonathon Niese down

Niese got the first two batters in the first inning out, but ran into trouble with a pair of two-out walks and a single that loaded the bases. He appeared to get out of the inning when Todd Frazier hit a groundball right at third baseman David Wright, however the ball went through the Gold Glove winner's legs, allowing two runs to score.

Three runs would ultimately come around to score in the first, all unearned, but that was all for Niese over six strong innings. He allowed five hits and three walks, while striking out a season-high seven batters. Unfortunately, those three runs would be enough to sink the Mets, in a 4-0 loss.

Niese took the loss, despite lowering his ERA to 4.80. He is 3-5 through his first 10 starts of the season. He is scheduled to make his next start Monday against the Yankees at home. 

Mike Leake wins second straight

Leake pitched into the seventh inning for the second time in a row, holding the Mets to just three hits. Two of them went for extra-bases, however he managed to limit the damage as both came with two outs in innings.

Leake struck out four batters and walked two in seven innings of work, while throwing 61 of 99 pitches for strikes. He lowered his ERA to 3.25 while earning his fourth win of the season, 4-0.

Leake is scheduled to make his next start Monday against the Indians. 

Wandy Rodriguez comes out on top

Rodriguez allowed three runs in the second inning, on four hits, but otherwise held the Cubs silent all game long.  He ultimately allowed just the three runs on six hits in six innings of work, while striking out five batters and walking none.

He needed just 87 pitches to finish his six innings of work. He exited the game down 3-0, but the Pirates rallied back in the bottom half of the sixth to put him in line for the win. Pittsburgh would hold on for a 5-4 victory, Rodriguez's fifth of the season. He lowered his ERA to 3.40.

Rodriguez is expected to make his next start Sunday, against the Brewers. He had his worst start of the season against the Brewers in April, but bounce back to limit them to one run in seven innings May 15. 

Matt Garza holds Pirates scoreless in debut

Garza held the Pirates scoreless over five innings in his first appearance since recovering from a lat injury and a stress reaction in his elbow last season. He allowed just one hit, a single, while walking three batters. He threw 48 of his 82 pitches for strikes, while striking out five batters.

Garza did not allow his first hit until one out in the fifth inning, and he was taken out after finish the fifth inning with 82 pitches, as he was expected to be limited to just 90 pitches in the game.

Unfortunately, the 3-0 lead Garza left the game with would not hold up, thanks to the struggles of the bullpen, which allowed five runs in just the sixth inning.

Garza is set to make his next start in Cincinnati on Sunday. 

Sammy Solis makes first post-Tommy John appearance

Solis, 24, has not pitched since 2011, when he posted a 2.72 ERA at Potomac. He is a former second-round pick out of the University of San Diego. 

Cardinals hoping for Chris Carpenter in July

Carpenter is recovering from nerve problems in his shoulder and neck, and has come a long way in the course of the season's first two months.

"It's a 180-degee turn," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said. "He was at a very low point in early February, and he's gone from there to where he really believes he can contribute. He likes his progress. He has confidence in the way he's throwing."

Carpenter is up to 80 pitches in his bullpen sessions, and is expected to throw again Thursday. He has yet to face live hitters, but that is expected to begin after his next bullpen session.

Despite his progress, the team has not put a firm date on his return, but a late June or early July date remains realistic. 

Alan Williams faces second minor-league suspension

Williams had a 3.00 ERA in 13 appearances for Double-A Huntsville this season. He is the 21st player suspended under baseball's minor-league program. 

Julio Teheran's gem might not save him

Who else would it be? Paul Maholm? If his slide continues, his numbers could end up looking worse than Teheran's. But he doesn't have any bullpen experience, and it's not like he's going to the minors. By the time Beachy gets here, the Braves may prefer to move Teheran to the bullpen strictly to limit his innings.

I'm not saying you should drop Teheran in anticipation of Beachy's return. Someone else could go down between now and then, ending the dilemma. But you should prepare for life without him in Fantasy. My guess is it's rapidly approaching.

Jake Westbrook doesn't take the mound

Westbrook has thrown a few times over the last few days, but is still working on progressing to the mound. He is expected to be out until early June due to scar tissue buildup in his right elbow. 

Blue Jays release Miguel Batista

Ted Lilly returning to rotation Saturday

Patrick Corbin good, but not this good

Listen, I like Corbin. I picked him up in a few leagues a couple weeks into the season and have been starting him fairly consistently since then. I even moved him up to 43rd in my starting pitcher rankings after his latest masterpiece at Colorado, of all places. And he deserves it. The improvement he's made this season is legitimate. But just because I've enjoyed what he's done for me doesn't mean I've lost all perspective with him.

He's not Clayton Kershaw. He's not even Matt Harvey. He won't be in the Cy Young discussion at season's end. And when his ERA normalizes to something right around 3.00, his limited strikeout potential will make him less than an automatic start.

Check out Wade Miley's numbers on June 24 last year. Much of what people are saying about Corbin now they were saying about Miley then. No, Miley didn't collapse -- and neither will Corbin -- but his numbers did normalize.

Matt Garza activated for season debut

Ryan Vogelsong placed on DL

Slowing the game down working for Jason Marquis

"Obviously, I got away with more mistakes probably a few years back, but I feel like I'm making better pitches in bigger situations now," Marquis said. "I've learned to slow the game down more than anything. Years past, when you're younger and you maybe have a little extra on your fastball, you tend to speed things up -- harder, harder, harder. I try to stay away from the big inning and learn to focus on that pitch at that particular moment instead of the big picture."

Shelby Miller frustrated by high pitch counts

Miller exceeded 100 pitches for the third time in four May starts and for the fifth time this season. 

"Throwing 20 pitches every single inning is not what I'm here to do," Miller said, per MLB.com. "Facing a good hitting offense on a big league club, it's not going to be easy to just throw it and have then swing at it every single time. Something I have to realize is to get the ball around the zone and hopefully things happen better."

Outside of the complete-game shutout he threw May 10, Miller is averaging more than 17 pitches per inning in his eight other starts.

"There are some nights where they're picking it up a little bit better and fouling it off," manager Mike Matheny said. "They're still not squaring up a lot of them. I think taking some shots down in the bottom of the zone more often may be part of the way to help him because the foul balls are typically the ones at the top."

Giants mull replacements for Ryan Vogelsong

Manager Bruce Bochy said long reliever Chad Gaudin would be considered to replace Vogelsong. MLB.com suggests minor-league pitchers Chris Heston, Michael Kickham and Shane Loux could be considered as well.

Nationals recall pitcher Yunesky Maya

Ryan Vogelsong out 4-6 weeks after surgery

Vogelsong, who ended up winning his start Monday to improve to 2-4 on the year, will miss 4-6 weeks following surgery. 

Jason Marquis wins fifth straight

Marquis improved to 6-2 on the year with a 3.27 ERA as he allowed just two runs -- one earned -- around three hits and four walks. He threw 93 pitches and lasted just six innings despite the low hit total. Marquis struck out three. 

The 34-year-old has given up three earned runs in his last three starts over 19 innings despite nine walks. In fact, Marquis is on a five-start winning streak. Rolling since his last loss coming way back on April 22, Marquis makes his next start Sunday in Arizona. 

Shelby Miller drops first decision in May

Miller fell to 5-3 on the year with a 1.74 ERA, as he gave up three runs on five hits and three walks over 5 2/3. He struck out five in the loss. 

The 22-year-old clearly has been much better than his record would suggest with the low ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. He's struck out 62 over 57 innings. The loss was his first since April 28. Miller will make his next start Sunday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. 

Ryan Vogelsong suffers fractured hand

Vogelsong, who will definitely miss some time and more than likely end up on the disabled list, was having his finest pitching performance of the season prior to the injury. The Giants were leading 6-0 at the time of this update and Vogelsong is on track to earn the win and improve to 2-4. 

His next start is scheduled for Sunday against Colorado, but that is unlikely to happen. 

Jon Garland drops third straight

Garland allowed five earns runs and scattered 11 hits over 97 pitches. He walked one and did not record a strikeout. His ERA is 5.19. 

The 33-year-old has lost three straight starts with 11 runs allowed over that span of 16 innings as his record fell to 3-5. His next scheduled outing comes Sunday at San Francisco. 

Patrick Corbin whirls complete-game gem

Corbin pitched a complete game as he allowed just one run over 97 pitches in the 5-1 victory. He improved to 7-0 in the process with a pristine 1.44 ERA. The only run he allowed came in the eighth inning on Jordan Pacheco's RBI double. 

The 23-year-old struck out 10 batters and gave up only three hits and a walk for his first career complete game. With 51 Ks over 62 1/3 innings and a seven-game winning streak, Corbin has been fantastic. His next scheduled start comes Sunday against San Diego. 

Ryan Vogelsong injured in best outing

Vogelsong was hit by a pitch on the knuckles of his right hand during the middle of a swing in the fifth inning. He appeared to be in pain and was checked on by trainers before exiting the game. 

The starter had allowed just three hits and a walk over five scoreless innings and held a 5-0 lead. He had two strikeouts and his ERA is down to 7.19 after entering with an 8.06. 

Vogelsong had lost his last three decisions and had not won since April 11 in Chicago. He was on the verge of the victory when he was removed. His next start is scheduled for Sunday against Colorado, but that is unlikely to happen. 

Johnny Cueto wins in return from DL

Shaun Marcum suffers another defeat

Marcum gave up four earned runs -- three in the first -- and the Mets lost 4-3. He was victimized twice by Jay Bruce, who hit a run-scoring double in the first and a home run in the sixth inning. In all, Marcum allowed four runs on six hits and a walk over six frames. He struck out seven and his ERA is now at 6.59. 

The 31-year-old has at least gone six or more innings in his last two outings. He's shown improvement and will search for that elusive first win Sunday against Atlanta. 

Yovani Gallardo can't top Dodgers

The Milwaukee starter gave up three runs on eight hits and a walk over six decent innings in defeat, his ERA at 4.50. He struck out seven batters over his 105 pitches but allowed solo homers to Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp. 

Gallardo has been fairly consistent of late for Milwaukee but that hasn't translated into a win since he moved to 3-1 on April 29 against Pittsburgh. Gallardo will look to get back on track when he next takes the hill Sunday against the Pirates. 

Clayton Kershaw wins in complete game

Kershaw pitched a complete-game victory to improve to 5-2 on the year. 

Kershaw gave up just an RBI ground out in the third inning for the only run he allowed. He gave up three hits and a walk over his nine innings, throwing 107 pitches. Kershaw struck out five batters and lowered his ERA to 1.35. 

Kershaw, 25, has picked up consecutive wins with one run allowed over 17 2/3 innings with 16 Ks over that span. He hasn't lost since falling to 2-2 on April 17 against San Diego. Kershaw makes his next start Sunday against the Cardinals. 

Jake Westbrook to throw off mound

Alex Sanabia earns win over Phillies

Cole Hamels pitches from behind again

Julio Teheran whirls gem against Twins

Jeff Francis to throw bullpen

Ross Detwiler should be OK going forward

Ted Lilly in bullpen for now

Dodgers option Matt Magill

Magill started against Atlanta Sunday and limited the Braves to an unearned run over five innings. He made four starts for the Dodgers with a 5.00 ERA. 

Ted Lilly activated from DL

The move was expected, as manager Don Mattingly said Sunday. The team sent pitcher Matt Magill down to make room for Lilly. It's unclear if Lilly will be used as a starter or in the bullpen. He has a 5.63 ERA in eight innings this year.

Johnny Cueto activated from disabled list

Cueto was pegged to start Monday's game, and the move was expected. He'll take on the Mets, who will toss Shaun Marcum. It will be Cueto's first appearance since April 13. He left after just 4 1/3 innings with a lat injury. 

Tony Cingrani is worth holding onto

But Cingrani went 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 33 innings over six starts, striking out 41. He proved that he could pitch at the major-league level, even though he allowed a relatively high seven home runs. And although there isn't a role for Cingrani in the rotation now, he's going to get another shot this season, whether through injury or implosion (shameless plug time: We talked about this on Monday's Fantasy Baseball Today). 

I'm not going overboard with my holding/adding of Cingrani, but if a roster allows for him to be kept over, say, a bench bat that will never see the light of day, or a John Axford-type fingers-crossed closer gambit -- I'm going with Cingrani. There may come a point where he has to be moved to make room for a necessary addition, but owners should hold on to him for as long as possible, as a return to the majors will mean big things in ERA, WHIP and strikeouts. 

Jeff Locke not buying regression talk

Locke has a 2.73 ERA in nine starts, but his 4.47 FIP indicates that he's been pitching over his head. Locke said the stat hasn't picked up on the fact that he's throwing a two-seam fastball or the adjustment he made with his delivery. Locke believes he's getting more deception after learning from Erik Bedard. 

Nothing in Locke's profile suggests his performance is sustainable. Neither his walk and strikeout rate is elite, and his .224 BABIP will not last. Locke has been extremely homer-prone over his career, but getting that rate down could help his overall numbers. Still, the advanced stats are concerning, despite Locke's insistence. 

Johnny Cueto may alter his mechanics

Cueto believes his delivery might be the reason for his recent oblique injuries. Cueto, who has a similar motion to Dodgers' great Fernando Valenzuela, said he would stop rotating as much if the injuries continue. Cueto's delivery requires so much rotation that he often completely turns his back to the hitter. He is slated to start against the Mets Monday.

Francisco Liriano showing encouraging numbers

As Fantasy owners know, Liriano has shown flashes like this before, so he's not completely safe after just two starts. Based on what he's shown, he's worth a speculative pickup. But owners should be cautious with his usage. Liriano will pitch against the Cubs Wednesday.

Julio Teheran's velocity up in May

Home runs and lack of strikeouts have been Teheran's biggest issues. Although the added velocity hasn't led to more strikeouts, Fantasy owners are probably happy to see Teheran turn things around. 

Roy Oswalt drawing rave reviews

Oswalt was throwing in the low 90s in a five-inning outing Saturday. Rockies senior vice president of major-league operations Bill Geivett said Oswalt "had very good command" during the appearance. He will make his next appearance Friday at Double-A Tulsa. 

Scott Feldman succeeding with same repertoire

Feldman is utilizing the same four-pitch mix he's always used. Aside from throwing his changeup less, Feldman's using most of his pitches at the same rate. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as Feldman has been fairly effective the past two years. Although he had a 5.09 ERA last year, his 3.98 FIP was a much better indicator on how he should have performed. He had an equally strong 3.99 FIP in 32 innings in 2011. 

Feldman is certainly pitching over his head, but could still post a solid ERA once regression hits. The bigger issue for Fantasy owners is whether he'll do enough to remain on teams once his ERA starts to rise. Feldman isn't a strong strikeout pitcher, and won't get Fantasy teams many points in that area. He could be a sell-high. Feldman will take on the Reds Friday.

Dan Haren drops second straight

Juan Nicasio bounces back vs. Giants

Barry Zito drops second straight

Mike Minor Ks nine vs. Dodgers

Matt Magill settles for no-decision

Homer Bailey takes no decision despite seven scoreless innings

Travis Wood stays solid in no-decision

Dillon Gee able to keep damage to a minimum

Gee was battled in a scoreless duel until opposing pitcher Travis Wood connected for a two-run homer off the right-hander in the fifth inning. Gee then allowed a solo home run to Ryan Sweeney in the sixth inning. He was charged with three runs on eight hits and one walk, while striking out six in five-plus innings. Gee's ERA actually declined from 6.13 to 6.04.

Gee, who is winless in his last three starts, will return to action Saturday against the Braves. Gee is 3-2 with a 3.13 ERA in eight career starts against Atlanta.

Kyle Lohse falls to 1-5

John Gast picks up win over Milwaukee

Jeff Locke shuts out Astros over seven innings

Jonathan Pettibone has yet to lose

The right-hander allowed seven hits and three walks, while striking out four. He gave up a solo home run to Jay Bruce. Pettibone has taken a no-decision in two of his last theee starts, but he has yet to lose in six career outings.

The rookie will get back to work Saturday at Washington. It will be the first time he faces the NL East foe.

Losses beginning to mount for Wade Miley

Miley (3-3) was locked in a scoreless battle until the Marlins scored twice in the sixth inning. The left-hander was charged with two runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out six. Miley has lost three of his last four starts.

"I felt good out there," Miley said. "I was making pitches and throwing strikes. Just a couple of bad pitches cost you late in the game, especially in a game like that where it's 0-0. You've got to do better job."

Miley will pitch Saturday against the Padres. Miley lost to San Diego on May 3, allowing four runs on nine hits and three walks in five innings.

Ricky Nolasco ends losing skid behind 11 strikeouts

Nolasco (3-5), whose career-high for strikeouts in a game is 16, allowed a run on five hits and a walk. He threw 74 of 110 pitches for strikes. The right-hander had lost three straight starts coming entering Sunday.

"Good command of all the pitches," Nolasco said, per the Sun-Sentinel. "The curveball was really good today, so that helped a lot. I was able to spin it pretty much whenever I wanted to and (Jeff) Mathis did a good job of realizing that and we used it very well."

Nolasco will next start Saturday against the Chicago White Sox. Nolasco is 7-10 with a 5.35 ERA in 19 career interleague starts.

Ross Detwiler to avoid DL stint

Detwiler might not make his following start either, but Thursday's off-day gives the team flexibility and it can keep Detwiler off the DL.

"We’re hoping he does pitch," Rizzo said of Detwiler returning to action May 26 vs. Philadelphia. "We don’t have to call up a pitcher, a starter, from the minor leagues. We’re hoping Ross can take the next start. If not, we can skip his start and guys are still on regular rest."

But the Nationals would need Detwiler to be ready by May 28 in order to avoid Jordan Zimmermann pitching on short rest.

"In essence, we’ll have 10 or 11 days until that spot needs to pitch again," Rizzo said. "We think Ross will be OK by then."

Kris Medlen not back to 2012 form yet

"That adds more pitches to my pitch count," Medlen told MLB.com. "I could have gone eight [innings] and handed the ball off to Craig [Kimbrel]. It's just frustrating. But the good news is I don't feel as good as I should. I felt good last night, but my delivery didn't feel as consistent as I want it to."

Medlen has issued 22 walks through 56 2/3 innings, which is one fewer than he allowed in 138 innings last year. Medlen has started to improve in May behind a 2.73 ERA in his last four starts and having gone at least seven innings in three of those outings. But he said he still needs to "clean it up a little bit."

"I think I set the bar pretty high for others," Medlen said of his performance last year. "But I also feel like I set the bar pretty high for myself. I want to be what I was last year every single time out. I'm not necessarily there yet. But I hope everything starts clicking and I can get back to just being more consistent with walks. I'd rather give up a line drive off the wall rather than walk guys."

Padres usually win when Eric Stults starts

Brandon Beachy's rehab start delayed until Friday

Beachy will make his rehab start Friday for Gwinnett.

Roy Oswalt outstanding in extended spring start

Oswalt is expected to make 4-5 starts for Double-A Tulsa. He will be re-evaluated after those outings.

James McDonald to begin rehab May 27

Jake Westbrook feeling good after throwing Sunday

Westbrook has been dealing with scar tissue buildup in his elbow. He is expected to miss at least two more starts, if not more, if a cortisone shot doesn't break up the scar tissue. 

Tyler Cloyd to start Tuesday for Phillies

Chris Capuano confident he'll make next start

"It wasn't affecting pitch execution out there," Capuano said. "It just feels a little tired. I've got an extra day before the next start (Friday against the Cardinals). With treatment and stuff we should be able to get that ready."

Capuano, who was activated off the DL May 6, is 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA in his last three starts. He's allowed two runs on 10 hits and a walk in his last two starts (13 2/3 innings).

Juan Nicasio needs to get back to basics

"He needs to start throwing the ball -- he's been trying to be too fine with his pitches, instead of just letting them go," Rockies backup catcher Yorvit Torrealba said to The Denver Post. "He's a power pitcher. He can throw his fastball by a lot of hitters. The secondary pitches? He needs to keep working on them, but instead of trying to be too fine, he needs to throw the 95, 96 mph fastball by them."

Manager Walt Weiss seems to be in agreement with Torrealba, who will be behind the plate Sunday for Nicasio's start against the Giants.

"It's just a matter of making pitches and not thinking too much about the hitter ... as opposed to pitching to his own strength," Weiss said. "I think in the bullpen, where there is no hitter there, you just do what you do."

Jordan Zimmermann stays sharp in losing effort

Eric Stults stays sharp vs. Nationals

Tyler Chatwood earns win after promotion

Tim Lincecum hit hard vs. Rockies

Marco Estrada knocked around vs. Cards

Lance Lynn roughed up by Brewers

A.J. Burnett Ks seven in no-decision

Kris Medlen settles for no-decision

Chris Capuano can't preserve late lead

Brandon McCarthy throws complete game shutout

James McDonald will throw bullpen Tuesday

Chris Carpenter completes extended bullpen session

Kyle Kendrick has rare stumble

Kendrick pitched six innings for the eighth start in a row, but allowed four runs on eight hits and four walks. He also struck out two, his first start of the season with more walks than strikeouts. He allowed a three-run home run in the second inning, but then settled down.

Kendrick is 4-2 with a 2.82 ERA. His next start is scheduled for Friday against the Nationals. 

Bronson Arroyo evens record

Arroyo scattered five hits through his first seven innings and was cruising to open the eighth before he seemed to run out of gas. Arroyo got the first two batters in the eighth, but walked the next next two and was pulled.

He struck out six in evening his record to 4-4, while lowering his ERA to 3.28. Arroyo has not allowed a run over his last two starts, spanning 14 1/3 innings.

Arroyo's next start is against the Cubs Friday. 

Cory Luebke set down again

Luebke was shut down earlier in May after feeling pain in his throwing elbow, though that was not considered serious. 

Jaime Garcia "very concerned" about shoulder

Garcia was placed on the disabled list Saturday, with the same injury that sidelined him twice last season. Garcia will see a specialist in the next few days to determine the course of action, but he did say that the injury seems more serious this time than it did last season. He also admitted to trying to pitch through it in his last three outings.

"There's pain. There's a lot more pain than last year," he said. "It started three starts ago. I was feeling great up to that point. Just tried to take care of it, doing little things here or there, and it went downhill. It got worse and worse. I'm very concerned. I'm very concerned."

Garcia is set to see Dr. James Andrews next week. 

Ted Lilly coming off the DL

Lilly's role has yet to be determined, but it seems likely that he will pitch out of the bullpen to start. 

Tony Cingrani gets a plan for return to minors

"We talked to him," Baker said. "He did a great job for the limited experience that he had. It was a great learning experience, but he also helped us at the same time. I talked to him and so did (pitching coach Bryan Price). He knows he needs a secondary pitch."

The team optioned Cingrani to Triple-A Saturday to clear room in the rotation for Johnny Cueto, despite Cingrani having a 3.27 ERA in his six starts. But the data bears out Baker's constructive criticism, as Cingrani threw 83.6 percent of his pitches for fastballs.

The organization is not telling Cingrani which pitches to throw or how often, but they want him to learn to be successful even when his fastball isn't working, possibly by focusing on his change-up more. He threw the change-up 5.9 percent of the time in the majors.

"We want him to get comfortable with it on the sideline so he can take it to the game," Baker said. "Everyone says throw the breaking ball. Everyone doesn’t have the delivery or the hand size to throw certain pitches. So we’re going to have to come up with something else to get them off the fastball. His change-up is getting better."

John Lannan completes bullpen session

Jaime Garcia headed to the DL

Garcia dealt with shoulder injuries last season, hitting the disabled list twice, though he did avoid surgery. It is not known how long he is expected to be sidelined. 

It is not clear when Garcia suffered the injury, but he has allowed 11 runs in his last two starts, stretching over 11 1/3 innings. 

Tyler Chatwood activated for start

Chatwood will make his first start since April 29, when he had a quality start against the Dodgers. 

Scott Feldman rolls through Mets

Feldman scattered seven hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings, striking out six. He had four groundball outs and nine fly ball outs while throwing 68 of 109 pitches for strikes.

Feldman lowered his ERA to 2.19, and it was his fifth quality start in a row. He is 4-3 after losing his first three starts.

Despite the return of Matt Garza, Feldman will remain in the rotation. His next start is Friday against the Reds. 

Jeremy Hefner remains winless

Hefner allowed four runs in four innings of work, all coming in his fourth and final inning. He faced just two batters over the minimum in his first three innings, with one hit and walk as his only blemishes before he fell apart in the fourth.

The Cubs jumped on Hefner for four runs on four hits and a walk in the fourth inning. He also hit a batter. Hefner finished with three strikeouts, two walks and five hits allowed in four innings en route to an 8-2 loss.

The Mets have lost each of Hefner's starts this season, and he is 0-5 with a 5.00 ERA. Hefner will try to turn things around Friday against the Braves. 

Mets appealing Matt Harvey's second run

Harvey allowed one run on an infield single and then shortstop Ruben Tejada had a throwing error, after which another run came around to score. The Mets contend that the second run should be unearned, as a result of the error.

"I didn't think it was an earned run," Mets manager Terry Collins told MLB.com Saturday .

If the ruling is reversed, Harvey would be charged with just one run in 7 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to the season from 1.55 to 1.41. 

Tony Cingrani gets sent down

Cingrani went 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in six starts before being sent down. He struck out 41 batters in 33 innings. 

Matt Garza happy to return

"I'm happy I don't have to rehab again," he told the Chicago Sun-Times Saturday. "I just had to refresh some stuff from spring training, got the rust off. I feel great, ready to go Tuesday and can't wait."

Garza has not pitched in a major-league game since July 28, when he was shut down with a stress reaction in his right elbow. He admitted to being a bit worried when he first took the mound in Double-A Tennessee, his first competitive action in eight months.

"The only time I was nervous was when I made my first rehab in Tennessee," he said. "The first couple pitches I was a little worried, but then it was fine. Ever since then, there's been no doubt in my mind."

Garza threw six strong innings in his last rehab start, and he needed just 75 pitches to do so. The team expects him to be ready for a full workload quickly. 

Carlos Villanueva relegated to bullpen

Matt Garza to debut Tuesday

Gio Gonzalez stays sharp in no-decision

Burch Smith hit hard vs. Nationals

Jorge De La Rosa escapes with win No. 5

Madison Bumgarner takes step back

Wily Peralta can't overcome early slam

Jaime Garcia escapes with fifth win

Paul Maholm picks up win No. 5

Hyun-Jin Ryu walks season-high five in ND

Cliff Lee stays sharp vs. Reds

Tony Cingrani picks up ND vs. Phillies

Trevor Cahill throws eight strong innings vs. Miami

Kevin Slowey serves up three homers vs. D-Backs

Ross Detwiler to miss next start

Daniel Hudson pleased after extended spring outing

Hudson is expected to throw a bullpen session Monday. Barring any setbacks, he will pitch five innings in an extended spring training game Thursday.

Nate Eovaldi will throw simulated game Monday

Scar tissue still an issue for Jake Westbrook

Zack Wheeler placed on 7-day DL

Latest meltdown excusable for Matt Cain

So what happened in his latest start Thursday, when he allowed three home runs and six earned runs in 6 1/3 innings?

For starters, he was pitching at Coors Field -- and not the snow-covered Coors Field we've seen for much of the season, but the one that typically accompanies 81-degree temperatures (you know, suitable baseball weather).

After a couple of years of relatively fair play with the introduction of the humidor, Coors Field was back to being kryptonite for many of the pitchers who came through there last year. Now that the weather is back to normal, I have a feeling Cain won't be the only notable pitcher to suffer from its effects.

Not going crazy over Francisco Liriano

He also has a 1.55 WHIP in those two starts, allowing more than hit per inning in each.

Two starts don't tell us much of anything but because neither has made me jump out of my chair and say, "Oh, wow! This is the Liriano we've been missing the last three years," I'm not in a hurry to add the Pirates left-hander off the waiver wire. It's not like he stopped striking out batters with the Twins and White Sox. The problem was all those baserunners.

Sure, Liriano is worth a flier if you need a strikeout specialist or a high-upside guy -- I currently rank him 82nd at starting pitcher -- but he's far from a must-add.

Stephen Strasburg is most definitely an ace

So why is everyone so down on him now?

The only two measurements that don't live up to last year's are win-loss record, which is out of hands, and strikeout rate, which doesn't signify much in and of itself, especially when it's a still-impressive 8.6 per nine innings.

Maybe the first eight-inning outing of his career Thursday will turn the tides back in his favor. If not, I'm happy to buy low on him.

Edwin Jackson loses despite best start

Jackson allowed a pair of solo home runs in the first and fourth inning, but that was all of the damage until the seventh, when he was chased with two outs after opposing starter Matt Harvey drove a single to left field to break a 2-2 tie. Jackson would earn the loss in the game as a result.

Jackson allowed three earned runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out four batters. Despite throwing just his third quality start of the season, Jackson is now 1-6 on the season, with a 5.76 ERA. He will try to get back on the winning side in his next start, Thursday in Pittsburgh.

Matt Harvey lifts himself in win

Harvey held the Cubs to just two earned runs in 7 1/3 innings, and even his two runs could easily been unearned, as they came to score on an infield single and throwing error in the first inning. He held the Cubs to just five hits overall and walked no batters, while striking out six.

Harvey improved his record to 5-0, while his ERA rose slightly, to 1.55. He will attempt to remain unbeaten in his next start, Wednesday against the Reds. 

No decision coming on Matt Garza Friday

The team plans to have a decision made after Garza throws a bullpen session Saturday. None of the Cubs' starters have been told they are moving to the bullpen at this point. Despite throwing just 75 pitches over six innings Thursday, Sveum said he does not think Garza's durability will be a concern whenever he is capable of coming back. 

"That's the last thing we have to worry about with him," he said. 

Tim Lincecum snaps losing skid