MLB Player News

Pruitt (1-3) allowed five earned runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out six across seven innings to take the loss Thursday against the Mariners.

Pruitt entered the game in the second inning and immediately allowed three earned runs on a string of singles by the Mariners. He surrendered two solo home runs later in the game, but mostly settled in, allowing only four hits in his next six innings. Most of his work now comes in long relief, pitching the majority of innings in Rays "bullpen" games. However, he doesn't generate many strikeouts and his ratios aren't particularly impressive, so his fantasy value comes from his occasional wins and saves.

Beeks was optioned after his start Thursday against the Tigers, Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston reports. He was tagged for six earned runs over four innings while registering four strikeouts and three walks.

It wasn't the debut Beeks, the minor-league strikeout leader entering Thursday, had envisioned. He struck out the first batter he faced before surrendering five earned runs in a rocky first inning. With that, it's clear that Beeks isn't quite ready to stick in Boston's rotation just yet. The club will make a corresponding roster move Friday.

VerHagen is expected to work out of the bullpen during the Tigers' weekend series with the Indians after manager Ron Gardenhire named Artie Lewicki as the team's starter for Sunday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Due to a doubleheader Monday against the Yankees, VerHagen was summoned from Triple-A Toledo and made his first start of the season with the big club, giving up seven runs on seven hits and two walks in 3.2 innings. With Jordan Zimmermann (shoulder) and Francisco Liriano (hamstring) both set to remain on the disabled list through the weekend, VerHagen could have made a case to stick in the rotation for one more turn with a strong showing Monday. Since VerHagen fared poorly in that outing, it was likely an easy decision for Gardenhire to give another start to Lewicki, who filled in for Liriano on Tuesday against the Red Sox and also lasted only 3.2 innings, but limited the damage to four runs (two earned). VerHagen seems unlikely to stick around in the Tigers' bullpen for long, regardless of how he performs in his subsequent appearances.

Covey will remain in the rotation for at least one more turn and start Friday against the Red Sox, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

When Covey was called up from Triple-A Charlotte on May 19 to replace Carson Fulmer in the rotation, it was widely assumed the right-hander would merely be a seat filler until Carlos Rodon (shoulder) was ready to return from the 60-day disabled list. Though Rodon appears set to make his season debut this weekend, Covey looks like he has done enough to maintain his starting role after three solid outings, perhaps putting Lucas Giolito or Hector Santiago more at risk of losing their rotation spots. Covey has posted a 1.65 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 18 strikeouts in 16.1 innings over his last three turns, a stark turnaround from the 7.71 ERA, 1.67 WHIP and 41 strikeouts he submitted over 70 frames in 2017 as a Rule 5 pick. Per James Fegan of The Athletic Chicago, an uptick in Covey's fastball velocity -- along with his increased usage of the offering -- seems to be a major reason behind his improved swinging-strike and groundball rates, and could continue to make him a serviceable back-end arm in spite of his still-spotty control (4.0 BB/9).

Pruitt will piggyback starter Ryne Stanek in Thursday's game against the Mariners and is expected to cover most of the innings for the Rays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Though the Rays have no healthy full-time starters at the moment beyond Blake Snell and Nathan Eovaldi, it doesn't appear manager Kevin Cash is itching to fill the remaining two openings in the rotation. Instead, the Rays will continue to mix and match relievers as "openers" for games when needed, with Ryan Yarbrough and Pruitt acting as de facto starters and maintaining more regimented pitching schedules. The unorthodox usage pattern has seemingly suited Pruitt well, as he has posted a 1.78 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over the five games this season in which he has thrown at least four innings out of the bullpen.

Beeks was called up by the Red Sox prior to Thursday's start against Detroit.

In a corresponding move, the team optioned reliever Bobby Poyner to Triple-A Pawtucket. Through 10 starts with Pawtucket this year, Beeks has accumulated a 2.56 ERA with an 80:14 K:BB in 56.1 innings.

Yarbrough didn't factor into the decision in a loss to the Nationals on Wednesday and allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out three.

After opening pitcher Jonny Venters managed to only record one out, Yarbrough came on even earlier than expected and put in a rocky long-relief effort. The 26-year-old southpaw has been vulnerable of late, allowing at least one earned run in six straight outings, and 16 runs overall during that span. Yarbrough still offers solid strikeout upside, but occasional issues with both the long ball and location have conspired to get him into trouble on multiple occasions recently.

Hendriks allowed two earned runs on three walks over 1.2 innings in a loss to the Rangers on Wednesday. He struck out one.

The veteran made his first appearance since returning from an extended disabled list stint due to groin and hip issues, and he encountered problems with his location in his second and final frame. The two runs that went on his ledger crossed the plate after Hendriks had gotten the hook, but partly came about as a result of the three walks he'd issued to Delino DeShields, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Nomar Mazara. Now that he's apparently back to health, Hendriks will look to gain a rhythm and improve on the unsightly 9.64 ERA and 2.79 WHIP he's generated across his first 4.2 innings this season.

May (elbow) was reinstated from the 60-day DL on Thursday and subsequently optioned to Triple-A Rochester, Brandon Warne of Zone Coverage reports.

May just hasn't been able to find any consistency over the past month on his rehab assignment. Through five starts at the Triple-A level, he posted a 7.07 ERA and 1.79 WHIP over 14 innings of work. Manager Paul Molitor is hopeful that May will be able to rebuild his arm without having the pressure of competing in the majors, though the club doesn't have a specific timeline in place for his eventual return to Minnesota. In order to make room for May on the Twins' 40-man roster, Jason Castro was transferred to the 60-day DL (knee).

Staumont has moved back to the rotation for Triple-A Omaha, giving up two earned runs on four hits and one walk while striking out nine over 8.2 innings across two starts.

Staumont's stuff is so electric that he is fantasy relevant as a starter or reliever, but there's a bit more upside if he is able to make it as a starter long term. It's only been two starts, but the fact he has just one walk over that span is very encouraging. A blow-up outing could be right around the corner, but if he can string together some good outings and continue to limit the free passes, he could join the big-league rotation sometime this summer.