MLB Player News

Gray (6-7) got the win Wednesday, firing six shutout innings with eight strikeouts while allowing three hits and a walk against the Orioles.

Gray was staked out to a five-run lead by the top of the third, and a combination of the run support and facing one of the league's weaker lineups was enough to get the 28-year-old back on track. He'd allowed at least four runs in four of his previous five starts and still has a bloated 5.46 ERA and 1.51 WHIP following Wednesday's outing, but this was a step in the right direction. He may benefit from the extended time off coming with the All-Star break approaching next week.

Lynn (7-7) got the win Wednesday, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out six over five innings against the Royals.

Lynn labored in this one, needing 114 pitches just to get through five frames. To his credit, the righty recovered well from a rocky start as he found himself in a 3-0 hole just four batters into the game and only allowed one the rest of the way. It's been an up-and-down first half for Lynn, but after carrying an ERA north of eight into May, he's been able to lower that mark to 5.22. Control remains an issue -- his 5.4 BB/9 would easily surpass his previous career high -- but he's also striking out a batter per inning with 91 punchouts in 91.1 frames.

Paxton will start Thursday against the Angels rather than Friday against the Rockies as originally scheduled, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The Mariners will shift things around with Felix Hernandez out with a back injury. Paxton will remain on normal rest, having last pitched Saturday. The shift is great news for Paxton owners, as he'll end up avoiding the hitters' paradise of Coors Field.

McGuire will be promoted from Triple-A Salt Lake to the big leagues Wednesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

McGuire was optioned to the minors Tuesday, but he's set to return to Los Angeles nearly 24 hours later. He's made eight appearances (two starts) in the big leagues this season, accruing a 6.41 ERA and 1.47 WHIP with an 18:10 K:BB over 19.2 innings.

Cobb (finger) will take the mound Friday against the Rangers, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports.

As expected, Cobb will not miss a start after leaving Sunday's outing with the Twins due to a callus issue on his finger. During that contest, Cobb allowed five earned runs on seven hits and one walk across five innings, saddling him with the loss. That raised his ERA to a miserable 6.67 on the year through 16 starts.

Paxton's next scheduled start could be moved up a day to Thursday in the wake of Felix Hernandez's placement on the disabled list with a back injury, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

If he's indeed called on to start Thursday's series finale against the Angels in Anaheim, Paxton will have avoided Coors Field. The southpaw last took the hill Saturday at home against the Rockies, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and a walk over seven innings while also racking up nine strikeouts.

Stroman (2-6) tossed seven innings of one-run ball to get the win Tuesday against the Braves, allowing six hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

Stroman was outstanding in a difficult matchup, throwing first-pitch strikes to 22 of 28 batters while inducing a whopping 15 groundball outs. The hosts manufactured a run with a bunt and an RBI single in the sixth, but Stroman lasted through the seventh and left with a win in hand. While his 5.90 ERA leaves a lot to be desired, the right-hander has begun to turn things around of late by allowing one earned run or fewer in three of his last four starts. He'll look to keep it up this weekend against the Red Sox.

Verlander struck out six in six scoreless innings Tuesday against the A's, allowing three hits and zero walks in a no-decision.

Verlander allowed a couple extra-base hits but otherwise shut down Oakland's offense on 110 pitches (74 for strikes) before the Astros' bullpen coughed up the lead. With the scoreless outing, Verlander's ERA now sits at 2.05 (second best in the majors), while his 0.83 WHIP leads all MLB starters and his .180 batting average against trails only Max Scherzer (.179). The veteran right-hander will look for his 10th win before the All-Star break in a matchup against the Tigers at home.

Boyd (4-8) took the loss Tuesday against the Rays, allowing five earned runs on four hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out eight.

Boyd actually pitched pretty well but he simply couldn't get out of trouble in the third inning, when all five Tampa Bay runs came across. A three-run home run by Wilson Ramos with two outs in the frame was the big blow. Boyd has allowed at least five earned runs in four of his last five starts, and he'll carry an uninspiring 4.76 ERA into his next outing, which should come in the first series back from the All-Star break.

Blackburn (elbow) underwent an MRI on Tuesday which revealed no structural damage, but he'll still be shut down for a couple weeks, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

The Athletics were hopeful earlier Tuesday that Blackburn would spend minimal time on the shelf, but it now appears as though a return in July is out of the window. Trevor Cahill (Achilles) and Daniel Mengden (foot) could return from the disabled list this week, which could leave Blackburn as the odd man out of the starting rotation once he's healthy. Blackburn has a 7.16 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.