MLB Player News

Quintana (8-8) pitched 6.2 innings, allowing one run on seven hits and one walk while striking out nine in a no-decision Friday against the Twins.

After a rough June (0-3 with a 5.51 ERA in five starts), Quintana finished up July with a record of 3-0 and a stellar 1.95 ERA in five starts (32.1 innings). Friday's eight K's tied his second-most of the season and upped the right-hander's strikeout total to 125 in 137 inning this year. Quintana will look to keep things rolling when he takes the hill Thursday in Detroit for his next start.

Boyd (2-2) pitched five innings, allowing three runs, four hits and a walk while striking out six Astros in Friday's win.

Boyd was able to cruise to his second victory of the season thanks to a nine run explosion by the Tigers offense in the first two innings Friday. He threw 100 pitches for just the third time this year while allowing multiple home runs for the third time, too. The southpaw has won two straight decisions and will go for number three Thursday at home against the White Sox.

Gray will start on four days rest Sunday against the Indians, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

Scheduled starter Rich Hill suffered another setback with the blister on his finger Friday, leading him to be scratched from his turn in the rotation. Gray, who notched his fifth win of the season Tuesday, will start in Hill's place on four full days of rest. He has a 4.78 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP on the road this season and a very concerning 2:1 K:BB ratio (40 strikeouts, 20 walks) away from his home stadium.

Hill (hand) will not make his scheduled start Sunday against the Indians, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

This marks yet another setback for Hill as he tries to work his way around a blister on one of the fingers on his pitching hand. The blister burst in his start back on July 17 and there appeared to be more complications Friday. Hill threw a long toss session in Cleveland but he only lasted a little while before the training staff came out to check on his finger. The training staff ultimately pulled the plug on Hill starting Sunday, marking another frustrating development for the veteran lefty right before the trade deadline. The A's have not provided a timetable for a potential return for Hill and Sonny Gray will start in his place Sunday.

Walker (foot) will begin a rehab assignment Monday with Triple-A Tacoma, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.

Walker threw a bullpen session Friday without issue, and he has reached the final step in his recovery from his foot injury. It's not clear how many rehab starts Walker will make before rejoining the big club, but there is an outside shot he pitches for the Mariners next weekend, and he should be back in the majors by mid-August at the latest.

Manager Robin Ventura said Rodon (wrist) will likely start Sunday against the Twins, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The fact that the White Sox optioned Anthony Ranaudo to Triple-A on Thursday seems to foreshadow Rodon's activation this weekend. He should return to the majors for a favorable matchup - a Twins' lineup that may be further thinned by trades ahead of the July 31 deadline.

O'Sullivan allowed six runs on six hits in three innings during a rehab start at Triple-A Pawtucket. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter.

O'Sullivan lasted just 53 pitches before getting yanked. The right-hander, who had a few starts in Boston when the Red Sox had some problems at the back end of the rotation, is expected to be assigned to Pawtucket when he's ready to come off the disabled list.

Hamels (12-2) struck out a dozen Royals over eight innings Thursday, allowing just two runs on six hits and a walk in a 3-2 victory.

The Royals are usually a fairly contact-oriented team, as Hamels saw in his start against them last weekend, when he struck out just four. But apparently he picked something up, as the second go-around saw him whiff all but one of Kansas City's starting lineup. This was only his second double-digit-strikeout game of the year, but he's still averaging nearly a whiff per inning nonetheless.

Sale (14-4) gave up two runs on six hits and three walks with just four strikeouts over six innings in Thursday's loss to the Cubs.

Aside from the unusual lack of whiffs -- his second-lowest total of the year -- Sale was effective in his return from his jersey-destruction suspension, but he got narrowly outpitched by John Lackey. His relationship with the White Sox is clearly frayed; with the MLB trade deadline coming up and the team under .500, it's entirely possible that this could end up being Sale's last start with the team that drafted him 13th overall in 2010.

Mejia was traded to the Twins on Thursday in a move that sent Eduardo Nunez to the Giants.

The 23-year-old lefty was one of the Giants' top overall prospects and their third-best pitching prospect prior to being sent to Minnesota. He struggled a bit after being promoted to Triple-A Sacramento, posting a 4.20 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP over seven starts, but that's not entirely uncommon in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Mejia flashed dominant stuff at Double-A earlier this season with a 1.94 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 58 strikeouts, and just 16 walks. He will be assigned to the Twins' Triple-A affiliate at Rochester.