MLB Player News

Rays pitcher Drew Smyly will start a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Durham on Sunday, per the Tampa Bay Times. 

Smyly is on the 60-day disabled list, recovering from a shoulder injury. 

The Yankees have contacted the Phillies about starting pitcher Cole Hamels' availability via a trade, per FOX Sports.

Hamels (5-7) has a 3.91 ERA with 124 strikeouts and 37 walks in 119 2/3 innings this season.

Tigers starter Justin Verlander picked up a no-decision against Boston on Friday. Verlander is now winless in eight starts on the year, with an 0-3 record and five no-decisions. 

Verlander pitched a season-high eight innings, allowing a run on seven hits. He left with the score tied. 

Verlander struck out three and threw 111 pitches, the fourth start this season he's topped 100 for pitch count. 

Indians ace Corey Kluber was solid for seven innings in his start against the White Sox on Friday night. But he ran in to trouble in the eighth, as the Indians dropped the game 6-0.

Overall, Kluber allowed six runs on eight hits over seven-plus innings. He walked two and struck out seven, throwing 74 of his 109 pitches for strikes.

Kluber (5-11) allowed two of those runs over his first seven innings, including a solo home run to Jose Abreu in the sixth. But the wheels came off in the eighth, as he allowed the first four batters to reach before being pulled from the game. The White Sox would tack on four runs in that inning, all charged to Kluber.

Friday marked the first time since May 7 that Kluber allowed more than four runs in an outing. He has a 3.45 ERA over his last six starts following Friday's performance.

White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana pitched the best game of his career on Friday night, as he blanked the Indians in a seven-hit complete-game shutout. This was the first complete game and shutout of Quintana's four-year career. 

Quintana allowed just the seven hits and did not issue a walk while striking out eight. He was simply dominant in this one, retiring 15 of 16 at one point, including 11 in a row, as the White Sox went on to win 6-0. 

The strong outing lowered his ERA to 3.56 on the year. 

Astros rookie starter Lance McCullers saw mixed results in his outing against the Red Sox on Thursday. The young right-hander allowed two runs on six hits over five innings of work. He struggled with his control, as he walked three and struck out two. He threw 52 of his 89 pitches for strikes.

McCullers was down early, as he gave up a run in the first inning. The Astros would tie the game in the bottom half, but McCullers surrendered a solo home run to Mike Napoli in the second inning.

The youngster was able to keep the Red Sox off the board from there, but the bullpen coughed up the lead. The Astros were able to capture the 5-4 win in walk-off fashion however, leaving McCullers with a no-decision.

McCullers owns a 2.79 ERA over his last five starts.

Red Sox starter Wade Miley battled, but ultimately pitched well in his outing against the Astros on Thursday. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits over six innings. He did have control issues, as he walked five and struck out four. He threw 107 pitches, with just 55 going for strikes. But he was able to avoid any major damage against him.

The only run Miley allowed came on a solo home run by Marwin Gonzalez in the first inning. Miley would be left with a no-decision however, as the bullpen coughed up the lead. The Red Sox would go on to lose the game 5-4 in walk-off fashion.

Thursday's performance lowered Miley's ERA to 4.33. He has posted quality starts in three of his last four outings, including each of the last two. But he has failed to earn a win in any of those games. 

The Red Sox have laid out the rotation plans for their weekend series against the Tigers. Rick Porcello will open the series on Friday. He has a hefty 7.32 ERA over his last seven outings.

Porcello will be followed in the series by Steven Wright and then Eduardo Rodriguez. 

The Indians have claimed that they will not part with any of their starting pitchers, but the Blue Jays have expressed interest in right-hander Carlos Carrasco, according to Yahoo Sports.

That interest was confirmed by Fox Sports MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal, who added that it would take "quite a haul" to land Carrasco.

The 28-year-old Carrasco has proven inconsistent this season, following strong starts with poor ones. The result is a mediocre 3.94 ERA to go along with a 10-7 record.

But Carrasco has 128 strikeouts in just 114 1/3 innings and is under team control through 2020 with two club options and no annual salary above $9.5 million, which will make him tough for the frugal Indians to trade.

With the addition of left-hander Scott Kazmir in the rotation, the Astros have altered their rotation heading into the weekend series with the Royals. 

Kazmir will open the series on Friday with Scott Feldman going on Saturday. 2015 All-Star Dallas Keuchel will wrap-up the series on Sunday.

Vincent Velasquez, who was originally scheduled to pitch on Saturday, will be available out of the bullpen, according to manager A.J. Hinch.