Rockies’ Jon Gray overcomes rough first inning Wednesday
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(1:48 am ET) Rockies pitcher Jon Gray surrendered three earned runs — all in the first inning — in Wednesday’s 6-2 loss to the Diamondbacks, giving up five hits and striking out two in three innings of work.

Gray entered the game with six scoreless innings in two appearances but took an inning to settle down Wednesday.

“I was really feeling too good — it was a night game, I slept in, all that stuff,” Gray said after the outing, per MLB.com. “All I wanted to do was go. Everything that I had been working on, like staying direct at the target … I started flying open, not staying over the rubber. Everything stayed up, belt-high. It took so long to be able to settle down.”

Gray, the team’s top-rated prospect, went 10-5 with a 3.91 ERA and 113:41 K:BB ratio in 124 1/3 innings over 24 starts with Double-A Tulsa last season.

“If I was in the same spot last year, it would have gone south,” Gray said. “I should have taken care of the first inning. But I’m just glad I made some changes out there, positive.”

Report: Mets’ Zack Wheeler dealt with torn tendon last season
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(1:09 am ET) Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy twice this offseason due to a torn tendon in his elbow, Newsday reports.

Wheeler had been cleared to continue pitching last season despite chronic pain caused by what the team called inflammation of the tendon. However, a source said the tendon was “a little bit torn,” per the report.

Wheeler has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament. He was scheduled to meet with the team doctor Wednesday to determine whether to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair the elbow.

Diamondbacks’ Hale: Tomas could move between positions
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(12:06 am ET) Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said recently that Yasmany Tomas could shuttle back and forth between third base and the outfield this season, MLB.com reports.

“I think the toughest thing is what we’re going to do with Yasmany Tomas,” Hale said when asked about his position players. “Will he be at third or in the outfield? And then even there, we have so many good outfielders. I think that’s one of our issues. [Jake] Lamb has played well. He hasn’t played great where we can just say, ‘Yas, we don’t need you.’ We’ve got Drury, too, who is waiting in the wings. We’ve got [David] Peralta, [Ender] Inciarte, [Mark] Trumbo, [A.J.] Pollock in the outfield. I think it’s a tough decision, and it could be one where he ends up doing both. It could be something where it’s a mixture there if he makes the team.

Tomas is set to embark on his first major-league season after signing with the Diamondbacks this offseason. He was 7 for 33 with two doubles, one triple and one home run coming into Wednesday night’s game against the Rockies.

Dodgers’ McCarthy on Wednesday dud: ‘I struggled mechanically’
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(3/18/2015) Dodgers pitcher Brandon McCarthy was hit hard Wednesday, giving up six earned runs on eight hits in four innings while striking out two in his team’s 7-5 loss to the Cubs, but he didn’t use a “dead-arm” excuse after the outing, MLB.com reports.

“Physically, everything was fine,” McCarthy said. “I struggled mechanically, and my stuff didn’t do what I wanted it to do.”

“A lot of balls were up,” manager Don Mattingly said. “When that happens, they get flat, going from side to side and not down.”

The pitcher indicated that it’s sometimes beneficial to fail during the spring to dispel offseason notions of Cy Young campaigns. McCarthy had allowed two earned runs in five innings in his two previous spring starts.

Yankees P Andrew Bailey comfortable in debut
by Dave Peters | CBSSports.com

(3/18/2015) Yankees pitcher Andrew Bailey made his debut Wednesday after not being on the mound for 19 months, per MLB.com. The right-hander underwent shoulder surgery in 2013.

“I actually felt comfortable out there, which is great,” said Bailey, who last pitched in a Major League game on July 12, 2013. “I was pumped up. I was excited. The ball was coming out good and it was a lot of fun.”

In one inning pitched he allowed one unearned run on three hits. 

Braves’ Nick Markakis (neck) getting closer to return
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(3/18/2015) Braves outfielder Nick Markakis (neck) may soon be cleared by the team’s medical staff to participate in all baseball activities, manager Fredi Gonzalez told MLB.com.

Markakis has been limited to throwing and some hitting exercises as he continues to recover from December fusion surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck. He believes he still has enough time to get enough plate appearances this spring to be ready for Opening Day.

Diamondbacks’ Daniel Hudson faces minor league hitters Wednesday
by Brandon Wise | CBSSports.com

(3/18/2015) Diamondbacks pitcher Daniel Hudson threw two scoreless innings against minor league hitters Wednesday. Just another phase of Hudson’s rehab from multiple Tommy John surgeries, reports MLB.com.

“Arm feels good,” Hudson said. “We’ll see how it feels the next couple of days and go from there.”

Hudson has made two appearance in Cactus League play before Wednesday’s outing and is hoping to be ready before the start of the regular season.

“I’ve got plenty of time, I think,” Hudson said. “Probably three or four more outings.”

Diamondbacks’ Brad Ziegler feels ready after minor-league outing
by Brandon Wise | CBSSports.com

(3/18/2015) Diamondbacks pitcher Brad Ziegler made his first appearance this spring in one inning of work during a minor-league game Wednesday.

It’s all the same for Ziegler, who is recovering from microfracture surgery on his left knee.

“It just felt really good just to get the first pitch out of the way,” Ziegler said.

Ziegler, who struck out two batters, believes he’s ready for Opening Day with Arizona, but he won’t force anyone’s hand to make it happen.

“I feel like I’m ready, but I don’t want to rush it, either,” he said. “Bottom line is, I feel like I’m going to be ready for Opening Day, so we [don’t want to do] anything to jeopardize that.”

Braves’ Foltynewicz strikes out four, allows one run Wednesday
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(3/18/2015) Braves pitcher Mike Foltynewicz bounced back from Friday’s rough outing Wednesday, allowing just one earned run on three hits and one walk in 2 2/3 innings while striking out four in his team’s 12-5 loss to the Yankees.

“His pitches were really electric,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said after the start, per MLB.com. “He had a good fastball and command. His curveball was knee-buckling. He was good. I can’t wait to run him back out there again.”

Foltynewicz is in the mix for one of the Braves’ two open rotation spots but had struggled in his first two outings, allowing six runs in 2 1/3 innings, though only two runs were charged to the pitcher. He also issued four walks in those two outings but proved much better Wednesday.

“You can’t use ‘it’s too early’ anymore,” Foltynewicz said. “You’re getting down to where decisions are made. You really need to start opening some eyes or things are not going to fall the way [you want]. I’m really glad I came out and had this start. Now, I’ve just got to go out and do the same in my next starts.”

Foltynewicz made his major-league debut last season with the Astros, posting a 5.30 ERA and 14:7 K:BB ratio in 18 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He was part of the package the Braves received in the deal that shipped Evan Gattis to Houston this offseason.

Reds pitcher Jason Marquis gives up four runs in five innings
by Brandon Wise | CBSSports.com

(3/18/2015) Reds pitcher Jason Marquis struggled through his outing Wednesday, issuing two walks but giving up a two-run double against the White Sox. Manager Bryan Price isn’t overly concerned with Marquis’ performance.

“I didn’t anticipate him shutting out the Cactus League,” Price said. “He just wasn’t as sharp today. His ball was coming back. He was missing his lanes with his sinker a little bit. He still got a bunch of ground-ball outs. When he was in the zone, he was typically pretty good.”