MLB Player News

Athletics pitcher Drew Pomeranz surrendered just three hits and two walks in five scoreless innings while striking out eight to earn a win in his team's 11-0 win over the White Sox Tuesday.

Pomeranz (3-1) has tossed 10 scoreless innings and struck out 13 batters since being transitioned into the rotation due to injury. Including his relief work, he owns a 1.14 ERA and 24:8 K:BB ratio in 23 2/3 innings. Pomeranz is on track to face the Rays Tuesday.

White Sox pitcher Scott Carroll was rocked for six earned runs on 11 hits and one walk in five innings while striking two in his team's 11-0 loss to the A's Tuesday.

Carroll (1-3) gave up a run in the first and one in the fourth before things turned south in the fifth, where he surrendered four earned runs on three doubles and a home run. He owns a 5.24 ERA and 7:6 K:BB ratio in 22 1/3 innings. Carroll is tentatively slated to pitch Monday in Kansas City.

Astros pitcher Jose Cisnero is headed for Tommy John surgery on his injured elbow, MLB.com reports.

Cisnero was placed on the disabled list last week with elbow discomfort, and the worst-case scenario has come to pass. He finishes the 2014 season with a 9.64 ERA in 4 2/3 innings.

When Bryan Shaw filled in for an overworked John Axford in a save situation May 6, it seemed like just a one-shot deal. After all, Cody Allen was the reliever the Indians were hyping as a future closer before signing Axford this offseason.

But considering Shaw got -- and converted -- the first save opportunity after Axford's removal Sunday, with Allen working the eighth, it's safe to conclude he has first dibs.

And he should do fine in the role. His stuff isn't as impressive as Allen's, but it has yielded similar results. Through 20 appearances, he has a 1.45 ERA and 0.86 WHIP, averaging 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

Ultimately, Axford figures to get another shot at the role. It's what the Indians acquired him to do, and he did a good enough job of it in April to deserve a second chance. But in the meantime, Shaw is the Indians reliever to own in Fantasy.

Athletics pitcher Jesse Chavez went eight innings strong for his third win of the season Monday night at home against the White Sox. He permitted two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven in eight innings of a 5-4 victory.

Over his last four starts covering 25 2/3 innings, Chavez (3-1) has allowed 10 earned runs. He is 2-1 over that span. He will make his next start Sunday at Cleveland. He is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in four starts away from home.

After he threw five shutout innings against the Mariners in a spot start Wednesday, I wrote that Drew Pomeranz was worth a speculative stash in case the Athletics chose to make him a permanent member of their starting rotation down the line. Little did I know it was already in the works.

Now that he has a spot to call his own with the demotion of Dan Straily, Pomeranz is more than just a speculative stash. He needs to be owned in all leagues, as Jon Heyman and I discussed on Monday's Fantasy Baseball Today.

It's not quite the same as a top prospect ascending to the role -- Pomeranz exhausted his rookie eligility years ago -- but given his upside, it's deserving of that kind of hype. As I mentioned before, he was the fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft -- a prospect so highly regarded that when the Indians traded him along three others for Ubaldo Jimenez in 2011, most pundits believed they had given up too much.

Pomeranz couldn't make it in Colorado, as is the case for most pitchers who attempt it, but the Athletics seem to have gotten him back on track. If that's the case, he could be instrumental for your Fantasy team down the stretch.

Mariners reliever Danny Farquhar was not at his best on Sunday, as he was charged with a blown save and the loss against the Royals.

Farquhar blew a 7-5 advantage in the seventh inning, surrendering four runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one in one inning of a 9-7 defeat. He owns a 3.20 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in 19 2/3 innings of work.

Indians reliever Bryan Shaw picked up his second save of the season Sunday afternoon against the Rays in Tampa.

With John Axford removed from the closer role, Shaw was the first reliever to get a crack in the ninth. He made quick work of the Rays, requiring only nine pitches to secure a 6-5 win. He owns a 1.45 ERA with a 0.86 WHIP and 17:3 K:BB ratio in 18 2/3 innings.

Indians pitcher John Axford believes fatigue is the reason for his recent struggles, according to the Plain Dealer.

Axford started out well Wednesday, getting two outs immediately. He had a tough time getting the third, giving up a double and walk before eventually getting out of the inning. Axford said he's been worked quite a bit to start the year. "I’ve thrown a lot recently and, obviously, you can only throw 25 to 30 pitches an inning so many times before it catches up to you," said Axford. He added that he needs a clean inning in order to get back to form.

Axford has posted a 4.91 ERA in 14 2/3 innings.

Mariners closer Fernando Rodney gave up a hit in a scoreless ninth inning while picking up his 11th save in his team's 3-1 win over the Royals Saturday.

Rodney racked up three groundball outs in the save, failing to record a strikeout for the first time in eight outings. He owns a 2.30 ERA and 21:8 K:BB ratio in 15 2/3 innings.