MLB Player News

The Astros are looking to trade DH Chris Carter, according to the New York Post. Carter is batting .212 with 111 strikeouts in 92 games, but he has 21 homers and is slugging .474.

The Post reports the Astros would also be willing to listen to trade offers for starting pitchers Jarred Cosart, Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh.

Yankees closer David Robertson recorded his 27th save Tuesday despite surrendering two earned runs on two hits and three walks while striking out one in the ninth inning of his team's 12-11 win over the Rangers.

Robertson started the inning off with a strikeout, but a single, walk and sacrifice put two runners in scoring position with two outs. After the next batter walked to load the bases, Elvis Andrus delivered a two-run single. Robertson walked the bases loaded again but was able to retire the next batter to finish off the game. He owns a 2.88 ERA and 68:14 K:BB ratio in 40 2/3 innings.

Rangers pitcher Nick Martinez took a loss Tuesday after giving up six earned runs on six hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings and striking out two in his team's 12-11 defeat against the Yankees.

Martinez (1-7) gave up a first-inning solo home run but held a 4-1 lead after five innings. The Yankees offense caught fire in the sixth, scoring seven runs before the inning was up and tacking on a few more in the seventh. Martinez owns a 5.08 ERA and 34:35 K:BB ratio in 78 innings. He's scheduled to face the White Sox Monday.

Orioles pitcher Ryan Webb earned a win Tuesday, giving up two hits and striking out one in a scoreless inning of work in his team's 7-6, 12-inning victory over the Angels.

Webb (3-1) has had a rough July, giving up seven earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, but Tuesday's win was a ray of sunshine for the reliever. He owns a 3.67 ERA and 34:9 K:BB ratio in 41 2/3 innings.

Mariners closer Fernando Rodney picked up his 29th save Tuesday, giving up one hit and striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning to close out his team's 5-2 win over the Indians.

Rodney has bounced back from giving up two runs in a blown save on July 20, tossing four scoreless innings and only surrendering one hit and one walk in his last four outings. He owns a 2.11 ERA and 48:17 K:BB ratio in 42 2/3 innings.

Red Sox pitcher Rubby De La Rosa was stuck with a loss Tuesday, giving up three earned runs on nine hits and two walks in six innings and striking out just one in his team's 4-2 defeat against the Blue Jays.

De La Rosa (3-4) bounced back from an ugly effort in his last start, but he still took his second straight loss after giving up a solo home run in the second inning and a two-run double in the fourth. He owns a 3.64 ERA and 37:16 K:BB ratio in 54 1/3 innings. De La Rosa is scheduled to face the Cardinals next Tuesday.

Athletics pitcher Jesse Chavez took a step backward on Monday against the Astros in Houston, dropping to 8-7 on the year. The right-hander coughed up six runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five over 5 1/3 innings of a 7-3 defeat.

Chavez has allowed four-plus runs in three of his last six starts. He owns a 3.44 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 119:41 K:BB ratio in 125 2/3 innings. His next start will come Sunday at home against Kansas City.

The Royals have assigned newly acquired pitcher Liam Hendricks to Triple-A Omaha, FOX Sports Kansas City reports. Erik Kratz, who was also acquired in the Danny Valencia trade, will join the big-league team Tuesday. The Royals have also recalled shortstop Christian Colon and designated catcher Brett Hayes for assignment.

The Blue Jays have traded pitcher Liam Hendriks and catcher Erik Kratz to the Royals, according to Sportsnet.ca.

Hendricks went 8-1 with a 2.33 ERA in 18 appearances (16 starts) with Triple-A Buffalo. he was shelled for six runs over 1 2/3 innings in his last major-league start on June 21. Kratz hit .299 with three homers and 17 RBI in 87 at-bats. Kratz is expected to join the big-league team, per SB Nation.

Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow indicated earlier this season that young starters such as Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh were not going to be used as trade chips because they were too valuable for the team's future. But times have changed, according to Fox Sports.

A shortage of starting pitchers among some contenders could result in strong packages offered for Keuchel and/or McHugh. And the Astros have become open to exploring such a deal.

"We do seem to have an excess of pretty good young starters so we wouldn't rule out anything," Luhnow said. "We'd have to get back a big-league piece, preferably a bat, in a package that makes sense for the future and present."

Both Keuchel and McHugh, however, have cooled off as the weather has heated up. The former is 0-4 in his last six starts with 57 hits allowed in his last 36 2/3 innings. McHugh has lost his last six starts, though a lack of run support has played as big a role in that misery as poor performance.