MLB Player News

Athletics pitcher Sonny Gray's start will be pushed back to Friday against the Giants, the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reports.

From a matchup standpoint it actually works out nicely for Gray's owners, as he faces the Giants instead of the Rangers this week. Following Friday's outing Gray will presumably get one final start in the last series of the season in Seattle.

Athletics pitcher Chris Bassitt (shoulder) will start Thursday's game against the Rangers, the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reports.

After missing almost a month with the sore shoulder, Bassitt will be able to return to the mound for at least one more start in 2015. He has a 2.73 ERA in 62 2/3 innings as a starter this season, but it would not be surprising if his pitch count was monitored Thursday.

Astros starter Dallas Keuchel improved to 18-8 with a win Monday against the Angels, as he allowed one run on six hits and a walk over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out six.

Keuchel broke the 200 strikeout milestone Monday night, as he's now up to 203 on the season against just 47 walks. Keuchel now has the AL leads in wins, innings pitched and shutouts (tied with three others) as he makes his push for the American League Cy Young Award, but David Price (17-5, 2.34 ERA, 219 strikeouts) will be tough competition.

Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez hurled a quality start in a no decision Monday against Tampa, as he allowed three runs on six hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out four.

Rodriguez was sharp, as he induced 12 swinging strikes in just 91 pitches. He tossed five shutout innings after a three-run first, which included an infield single RBI from Logan Forsythe. Rodriguez owns a 3.97 ERA in in 115 2/3 MLB innings and will likely make only one more start this year, as his 164 innings between MLB and the minors is the most of his career.

Twins pitcher Tommy Milone will miss his next scheduled start due to shoulder fatigue, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

"It was a combination of just not quite feeling right and a lack of feel for pitches," manager Paul Molitor said. "I think it's a little soreness, but more just a fatigue thing than soreness."

He'll be replaced by Phil Hughes for Wednesday's start. It's not clear how long Milone will be out or if he'll be available out of the bullpen.

Orioles starter Kevin Gausman allowed four runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and one walk in Sunday's loss to the Rays.

Gausman was not as sharp as his last two starts (one run allowed in 11 innings). It seems Gausman is much more comfortable at home (2.38 ERA) than away (6.00 ERA).

Rays starter Jake Odorizzi had a rough Sunday against the Orioles but finished with a no-decision, allowing four earned runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings pitched.

Odorizzi's largest error came on a changeup that Chris Davis hit 10 rows into the stands during the third inning, but he did leave the game tied at four. The 25-year-old's three strikeouts is his lowest total since a July 17 disaster start. That, combined with all of his allowed hits, means he was lucky to escape without a loss.

Red Sox pitcher Rich Hill picked up the win, throwing seven innings while giving up three earned runs while striking out 10 in Sunday's victory over the Blue Jays.

Making his second start of the season, Hill was once again electric, racking up double-digit strikeouts in both of his starts this season. With how well he's pitched in the past two starts, he'll likely continue to pitch through the rest of the Red Sox season.

Indians starter Carlos Carrasco (13-11) took the loss in Saturday's 5-2 defeat by the White Sox despite striking out nine in five-plus innings. He surrendered four hits, three runs (two earned) and two walks.

The 28-year-old hard-throwing right-hander couldn't get by with just his wicked stuff on Saturday, although the performance did mark his second consecutive nine-strikeout outing. Carrasco had come into Saturday in good form, having posted quality starts in six of his previous seven trips to the mound, including back-to-back complete games during that stretch.

In spite of Saturday's setback, Carrasco has enjoyed a banner year, posting career-highs in wins, strikeouts, starts and innings pitched, and his current 10.3 K/9 rate ranks him among the best in baseball in that category.

White Sox starter Carlos Rodon (8-6) surrendered six hits, one earned run and a walk in 7 2/3 innings in Saturday's 4-3 victory over the Indians. He struck out four.

Rodon has now posted seven consecutive quality starts, and his sparkling 1.74 ERA in September speaks to the degree that he has stymied opposing batters. The young southpaw has also demonstrated improved efficiency and control in his most recent pair of appearances, only surrendering one walk in each.

Tellingly, Saturday's performance was also the longest Rodon has pitched into a ballgame with as few a number of pitches, with the 25-year-old averaging a bit over 13 offerings per inning (102 pitches total) against the Indians in just under eight frames. If he can continue to reduce the control problems that have plagued him in his young career, Rodon's potential for dominating performances appears to be substantial.