MLB Player News

Gonzales (0-1) took the loss against the Braves on Tuesday, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks over 4.2 innings while striking out five.

The lefty needed 99 pitches (59 strikes) to record 14 outs but was able to avoid serious damage in a 4-0 defeat. Gonzales has now failed to complete five innings in any of his four starts since joining the Mariners, putting even more pressure on an over-taxed bullpen, and he'll likely shift into a long-relief role once the team's rotation gets healthier. For now, though, he'll take his next turn Monday on the road in Baltimore.

Melville was designated for assignment Tuesday, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Melville was recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Monday to take the mound against the White Sox. He turned in a miserable outing (five runs over 3.1 innings) and will now be cast off the 40-man roster. Minor-league arm John Curtiss is expected to occupy the open spot on the roster.

Asher was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday.

Asher was promoted to the majors on Sunday to take the roster spot of Miguel Castro, who was recently placed on the bereavement list. With Castro set to rejoin the active roster Wednesday, Asher will be sent back to the minors to rejoin the starting rotation for Norfolk. The 25-year-old tossed 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in his short time up this week.

Blackburn, who exited Tuesday's game early, was diagnosed with a bruised right wrist, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Blackburn was forced to exit Tuesday's game against the Orioles early after being struck on the right wrist by a comebacker in the fifth inning. Preliminary tests revealed no structural damage to the injured wrist, so it sounds like Blackburn may not require a trip to the DL. His availability for his upcoming start will depend on how quickly the bruise heals.

Blackburn exited Tuesday's game against the Orioles in the fifth inning after being hit by a comebacker on his right wrist/hand area, Joe Stiglich of NBC Sports California reports.

Blackburn tossed four scoreless frames before being struck by a Trey Mancini line drive in the bottom of the fifth inning. He appeared to be in quite a bit of pain and quickly exited the game with team trainers. An update on his condition should become available following Tuesday's contest.

The White Sox recalled Giolito from Triple-A Charlotte ahead of his scheduled start Tuesday against the Twins.

Widely viewed as the top pitching prospect entering the 2016 campaign when he was member of the Nationals, Giolito has lost a bit of luster in the last two seasons, but still ranks as one of the better young arms in the White Sox system. The right-hander turned in a middling 4.48 ERA and 1.41 WHIP over 128.2 innings with Charlotte, but showed much improvement in his final eight outings with the Triple-A club, submitting a 2.86 ERA and 9.6 K/9 rate over that stretch. He'll now get his first chance to settle into a rotation spot with the White Sox, replacing Reynaldo Lopez (back), who was moved to the 10-day disabled list last week. Giolito could be a fixture in the rotation for the rest of the season for the rebuilding White Sox in what amounts to an audition for a full-time role in the big leagues in 2018.

Ramirez, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list Monday with a right forearm strain, is without a timetable for a return, J.P. Hoonstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports. "[Ramirez is] in a no-throw situation as we assess his strength," Angels general manager Billy Eppler said.

After working out of the bullpen in his first three seasons in the big leagues, Ramirez has surprisingly emerged as a key cog in the Angels' rotation while converting to a starting role in 2017. Though his 4.15 ERA and 6.4 K/9 rate aren't anything special, Ramirez's mere competence while eating 147.1 innings for the Angels has been quite valuable for a pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries. It now looks like the Angels will have to dig further into their limited starting pitching depth to replace Ramirez, whose potential return date likely won't be established until he's cleared to start throwing again. Triple-A Salt Lake starter Troy Scribner could be the top candidate to fill the void when Ramirez's next turn in the rotation comes up Thursday against the Rangers.

Hamels (9-1) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts over seven innings to earn the win Monday against the Angels.

Hamels has now thrown quality starts in four of his last five appearances, a stretch in which he owns a 4-0 record and a 2.31 ERA. He was extremely efficient Monday night, needing just 92 pitches to finish his seven frames. The Rangers have been keeping the veteran lefty under 90 pitches whenever possible since his return in late June. While he could be going deeper into games, it's hard to argue with the strategy, given Hamels' recent success.

Rodriguez allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five batters through 5.2 innings during Monday's loss to Cleveland. He didn't factor into the decision.

The young lefty has struggled to find consistency since returning from the disabled list July 17; he posted a 4.78 ERA and 1.47 WHIP during that six-game stretch even before Monday's uninspiring outing. Rodriguez has maintained an excellent strikeout rate all season (9.8 K/9), and pitching for a winning team is an added bonus. However, considering his recent form, it's not out of the question to use him conservatively according to his matchups. Rodriguez projects to face the Orioles at Fenway Park in his next start.

Clevinger allowed four runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four batters during Monday's win over Boston. He didn't factor into the decision.

The last time Clevinger faced Boston, he allowed five runs through three innings, so this was another underwhelming outing against the Red Sox. Still, there have been more solid outings than poor ones, and the 26-year-old righty sports a 3.97 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 10.1 K/9 for the campaign. With Cleveland in contention, Clevinger projects to continue moving the fantasy needle across all categories. He lines up to face the Royals at Progressive Field in his next start.