MLB Player News

Rodriguez (4-3) took the loss Wednesday, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks over five innings against the Pirates. He struck out five.

Rodriguez matched a season high with four runs allowed Wednesday after he'd allowed just two runs over his previous six starts (41.2 innings). The 30-year-old left-hander still sports a sparkling 2.06 ERA with a 0.86 WHIP and 52:12 K:BB through 56.2 innings this season. Rodriguez will look to get back on track in his next outing, tentatively scheduled for next week in Kansas City.

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said Rucinski is no longer lined up to start Sunday's game in Houston and is instead expected to take the hill Monday in Seattle, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Oakland will use Thursday's off day to reshuffle the rotation, with Kyle Muller moving ahead of Rucinski in the pitching order to stick on a four-day rest schedule between starts. As a result of the change, Rucinski will miss out on a two-start week, though it's unlikely many fantasy managers were including him in lineups after he's gone 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA, 2.28 WHIP and 6:14 K:BB in 18 innings through his first four outings. Though he's tentatively in line to get the start Monday in Seattle, Rucinski could be the odd man out of the rotation as soon as Paul Blackburn (finger) is cleared to return from the 15-day injured list.

Tampa Bay optioned Chirinos to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.

Chirinos gets the boot from the 26-man active roster after allowing three runs over 4.2 innings in Tuesday's win over the Mets. The Rays added Zack Burdi from Triple-A Durham to provide a fresh arm in the bullpen in the short term, but Tampa Bay will need to bring in another pitcher to fill Chirinos' turn in the rotation in the coming days. Both Taj Bradley and Cooper Criswell could be in store for call-ups from Triple-A Durham in the near future with replacements in the rotation needed for both Chirinos and Drew Rasmussen (elbow).

The Guardians promoted Cantillo from Double-A Akron to Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Cantillo has been electric with Akron so far this season, posting a 1.85 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 35 punchouts over 24.1 innings . The left-hander will now move one step closer to the big leagues and look to remain just as effective at the next level.

Castillo (2-2) took the loss Tuesday, coughing up seven runs (five earned) on six hits -- including three home runs -- and two walks over five innings as the Mariners were downed 9-4 by the Red Sox. He struck out six.

Boston jumped on the right-hander for four runs in the first inning, and after he'd seemed to right the ship, Castillo gave up three more in the fifth. All six hits off him went for extra bases, with Justin Turner, Triston Casas and Jarren Duran all taking him deep. After a great start to the season, Castillo has fallen into a funk, going five straight outings without recording a quality start and posting a 5.67 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over that stretch despite a 32:7 K:BB through 27 innings. He'll get a golden opportunity to turn things around in his next trip to the mound, however, as he's likely to face the A's at home early next week.

Gausman didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Yankees, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks over seven innings. He struck out 10.

The veteran right-hander fanned double-digit batters for the fourth time in nine starts, but Gausman exited with the score tied 3-3 and had no chance to earn his third win. The quality start was his fourth in his last five outings and seventh of the year, and he'll take a 3.27 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 77:9 K:BB through 55 innings into his next start, likely to come at home this weekend against the Orioles.

Chirinos (2-1) got the win over the Mets on Tuesday, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk while striking out two over 4.2 innings.

Chirinos qualified for the win after Jalen Beeks pitched two scoreless innings and handed the ball off to Chirinos in the third. Two of the three hits he gave up were home runs. Brett Baty took him deep in the fifth and then Pete Alonso crushed a two-run blast in the seventh. Chirinos has mostly been used as a bulk reliever this season and overall, he has been successful in that role. He has an unsightly 11:11 K:BB but owns a respectable 2.79 ERA and 0.97 WHIP across 29 innings.

Javier (4-1) allowed one earned run on two hits and two walks while striking out five across six innings to earn the win Tuesday against the Cubs.

Javier allowed a home run to Matt Mervis in the second inning but otherwise shut down the Cubs' offense. Though he didn't have his typical strikeout stuff, he still managed 10 swinging strikes on 88 total pitches. Javier now has four consecutive quality starts in his last five outings, maintaining a 2.93 ERA and 0.85 WHIP with a 40:8 K:BB across 30.2 frames in that span.

Crawford (hamstring) allowed one run on three hits while striking out four over three innings of relief in a rehab appearance at Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday.

Crawford worked behind rehabbing right-hander Garrett Whitlock (elbow), who started the contest. The Red Sox are expected to activate Crawford later this week, so the appearance he made Tuesday may be all he needs to get the green light to rejoin the big club.

Whitlock (elbow) allowed one run on five hits and struck out four over four innings Tuesday in his rehab start with Triple-A Worcester.

Whitlock, who made the first of at least two rehab starts for Worcester, didn't walk a batter and threw 49 pitches (35 strikes). Pending the outcome of his next start, Whitlock could rejoin the Red Sox next week, at which point manager Alex Cora will have a decision to make. Whitlock will presumably have a starting role waiting for him, but Boston will likely have to move one of its other six rotation members to the bullpen.