MLB Player News

Means (1-1) took the loss against the Athletics on Tuesday by allowing five runs (one earned) on four hits over three innings. He had one strikeout and one walk.

Means was going to be limited to four or five innings Tuesday, but a five-run second inning -- elongated by an error -- ended up spelling an earlier finish to his evening. Alex Cobb (back) returned to the injured list, which will give Means at least one more look in the starting rotation, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports.

Severino (shoulder) was diagnosed Tuesday with a Grade 2 lat strain and will be shut down for the next six weeks, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.

Severino underwent the MRI after he didn't feel right during his most recent session of long toss, but he apparently didn't aggravate his shoulder and suffered a new injury while rehabbing, per Adler. According to Jack Curry of YES Network, the 25-year-old may not return until early or mid-July, as it will take some time for him to build up his arm strength once he resumes throwing.

Heaney (elbow) played catch Tuesday for the first time since receiving a cortisone injection, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Heaney received the injection April 1 and was expected to resume throwing within 7-to-10 days, so to this point he is right on schedule. The 27-year-old still has significant work to do as he ramps up his throwing program and remains without an official timetable for his return, though the expectation is that he'll be sidelined for at least another month, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.

Morton (2-0) allowed two runs on three hits while striking out seven and walking three across five innings in a victory against the White Sox on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old lasted only five frames for the second straight start, but he was very good again. He walked a couple too many Tuesday, but none of those walks scored, and he still has 21 strikeouts versus just seven walks through three outings. Overall, Morton is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 16 innings this season. Morton is expected to start again Sunday against the Blue Jays.

Sale (0-3) took the loss Tuesday against the Blue Jays, allowing five runs on seven hits and no walks across four innings. He struck out three.

Sale breezed through the first two innings, but gave up two runs in the third inning on three singles and a sacrifice fly. The left-hander then ran into more trouble in the fourth as four singles produced three runs. The 30-year-old has permitted 13 earned runs in 13 innings and has just eight strikeouts in his three appearances. Sale will take a 9.00 ERA and 1.54 WHIP into his next start, now scheduled for Monday at home versus the Orioles.

Cobb was placed on the 10-day injured list with a lumbar strain.

This is a lower-back injury and it's the first we've heard of Cobb dealing with the injury. He was supposed to start Wednesday against the A's. Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com noted that it could be Josh Rogers or Yefry Ramirez who gets the call from Triple-A to make that start. The move is retroactive to April 6.

The Orioles are expecting Means to be able to cover 4-to-5 innings in Tuesday's start against the A's, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.

Not only is Means not properly stretched out to be able to go deep into Tuesday's game, but he is facing an Oakland lineup that has a 119 wRC+ against lefties this season, so he probably wouldn't get much deeper than a handful of innings even if he were physically able. If Means fails to impress in the outing, he'll likely move back to relief right away, as the newly signed Dan Straily looms as an eventual addition to the rotation.

Kluber (1-2) allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and one walk over six innings while recording the win over the Tigers on Tuesday. He struck out eight.

Kluber permitted just one extra-base hit, a fifth-inning RBI double by Miguel Cabrera. He also was nicked for a first-inning unearned run on two singles and an error. The 32-year-old has a 3.86 ERA and 1.47 WHIP this season, and his next scheduled start is Sunday on the road against the Royals.

Chirinos isn't scheduled to start at any point this week and will instead work in relief on a temporary basis, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Manager Kevin Cash didn't officially clarify his plans for Chirinos, but the right-hander -- who made his first two appearances of the season as a starter -- presumably will be a candidate to cover the bulk of the innings in relief when the Rays deploy an opening pitcher Friday in Toronto. Chirinos would be available for his normal four days' rest after tossing five shutout frames in San Francisco last weekend, but he may not be asked to fill as many innings as he has in a starting role. The de facto fifth member of the rotation, Ryan Yarbrough, will also be available in relief this week, so the Rays could turn to both him and Chirinos for multiple innings once the opener exits Friday.

Morton, who will take the hill for Tuesday's game against the White Sox, is scheduled to make a second start this week in Sunday's series finale in Toronto, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

The Rays will take advantage of off days Thursday and April 15 and temporarily shorten their rotation. Yonny Chirinos has been serving as the team's No. 4 starter this season while Ryan Yarbrough has acted as the primary pitcher when the fifth spot in the rotation comes up, but both may see work in relief Friday, when the Rays plan to deploy an opener before turning the game over to the bullpen. The decision to bypass Chirinos' and Yarbrough's turns allows Blake Snell and Morton to both pick up second starts in the final two games of the weekend.