MLB Player News

Twins pitcher Tommy Milone threw a 35-pitch bullpen session without any issues on Saturday and could return in a relief role as soon as Monday, MLB.com reports.

Milone will not return to the rotation unless needed, manager Paul Molitor said. It sounds like he'll make a few appearances in relief the rest of the season.

Angels rookie starter Andrew Heaney hurled a quality start on Saturday, striking out five batters across six innings while allowing two runs on five hits and two walks in a no-decision against Seattle.

Heaney was actually lucky not to allow five runs, as a three-run homer by Jesus Montero was robbed by Mike Trout for one of the catches of the season. In any case, he pitched well for the third straight start and it appears more and more that the Angels got a steal when they traded for Heaney at the beginning of the season. The lefty now has a 3.29 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 17 starts this season.

The Mariners are hoping starter James Paxton (finger) will be able to pitch Wednesday against the Astros, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

A torn fingernail abruptly ended Paxton's outing Thursday, his third start back after missing more than three months with a strained finger tendon. The M's will give him at least one additional day between starts this time through, with Vidal Nuno now tabbed to start Tuesday on short rest.

Mariners pitcher Vidal Nuno will start on short rest Tuesday against the Astros, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

James Paxton will need at least one additional day between starts after leaving his last outing with a torn fingernail, and the Mariners will turn to Nuno on just three days' rest. Nuno did only throw 67 pitches Friday against the Angels, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out four over 4 1/3 innings.

Athletics ace Sonny Gray is dealing with some hip soreness, but the team will give it a little time before it will be decided if he can make his next start Wednesday against the Angels, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

Gray pitched pretty well Friday, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks, but apparently sustained the hip injury along the way.

Athletics starter Sonny Gray (14-7) pitched well on Friday, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven across six innings in a win over the Giants.

Gray allowed a two-run homer in the first inning to Matt Duffy, but settled down big time after that. The first inning blunder looked like the beginning of another bad start for Gray, but the resiliency is nice to see. He had allowed 18 runs over his four previous starts and his walks have been creeping up as well. This may be the case of his 208 innings getting to him, as it's only his second full season as a starter.

Red Sox starter Rich Hill was dazzling again Friday night, tossing a complete game, two-hit shutout against the Orioles. He walked one and struck out 10.

Hill (2-0, 1.17 ERA) was inserted into the Boston rotation on September 13 - making his first major league start since 2006. All he has done is hold opponents to 10 hits in 23 innings while striking out 30 (10 in each start). Opponents are hitting .127 against him and he has a 0.52 WHIP to go with a 1.17 ERA. With a career 4.55 ERA in 200 games (73 starts) it's not likely to last, but enjoy the ride.

Orioles starter Kevin Gausman allowed five runs on five hits, walking three and striking out five over five-plus innings of a 7-0 loss to Boston on Friday night.

Gausman (3-7, 4.49 ERA) was effective for five innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth, departing after putting three men on base without retiring a batter. Those three came around to score and it turned into a disappointing outing for the Orioles' young hurler. He maintains a very high ceiling, but he'll need to be more consistent to take the next step.

Tigers pitcher Matt Boyd allowed four runs (two earned) on one hit, walking four and striking out four over six innings, but came away with a no-decision against the Twins on Friday night.

He flashes glimpses of ability, but he struggles to find the plate at times and his ERA, while improving, still sits at an ugly 6.91 on the year. This is an audition for 2016, and there have been some positive signs, but the youngster is going to need to show more consistent command.

Indians starter Carlos Carrasco (14-11) tossed a complete-game shutout on Friday, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out a career-high 15 in a win over Kansas City.

Carrasco carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and went the distance for the third time in his past nine starts. Carrasco has been striking batters out all season, ranking ninth in the league. Over the past few months, however, he has become similarly dominant in other categories. In his 11 starts since the All-Star break, Carrasco has a 2.49 ERA with a minuscule 0.84 WHIP. He can be counted on to shine during fantasy playoffs.