MLB Player News

The Red Sox have unveiled their rotation for the first series of the second the half. Taking on the Angels in Anaheim, Wade Miley will open up the weekend set on Friday. Rick Porcello will take the hill on Saturday, with Eduardo Rodriguez wrapping up the series on Friday.

The Red Sox will open the second half Friday with Wade Miley taking the hill against the Angels, according to The Boston Globe. 

Rick Porcello will pitch the second game of the series and Eduardo Rodriguez will throw Sunday. However, the Red Sox haven't named a starter for the series finale Monday.

Boston heads into the second half with a 42-47 record and in last place in the AL East.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia has partially laid out his rotation plans for the start of the second half. Lefty C.J. Wilson will get the first start out of the All-Star break, as he'll open up the weekend series against the Red Sox on Friday.

Garrett Richards and 2015 All-Star Hector Santiago will go on Saturday and Sunday respectively. 

Meanwhile, the futures for Andrew Heaney, Matt Shoemaker and Jered Weaver are rather unclear. Scioscia said Heaney will get another start. Weaver is on the disabled list with a hip injury, but he is expected to throw a simulated game on Thursday, and could be back early next week. This could leave Shoemaker as the odd man out, according to the Orange County Register. 

The White Sox announced Jeff Samardzija will start the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Royals and John Danks will start the second game.

Jose Quintana will start the third game of the series Saturday. However, the team hasn't decided who will start Sunday's series finale.

The White Sox open the second half with a 41-45 record and in fourth place in the AL Central.

The Rays have laid out their rotation for the first series of the second half. Right-hander Jake Odorizzi will start Friday's game in Toronto against the Blue Jays.

Following him in the weekend set will be Erasmo Ramirez and All-Star (and 2015 Opening Day starter) Chris Archer on Saturday and Sunday respectively. 

The Rays have not yet announced how the rotation will follow in the next series in Philadelphia.

As expected, Twins pitcher Ricky Nolasco underwent ankle surgery on Monday, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Nolasco has been on the disabled list since June 4 with the ankle injury, and there is currently no timetable for his return to the Twins' rotation. 

Five American League pitchers didn't appear in the All Star Game on Tuesday. 

The pitchers who didn't appear were: Brad Boxberger, Rays; Kelvin Herrera, Royals; Darren O’Day , Orioles; Chris Sale, White Sox; Hector Santiago, Angels.

The American League got every position player into the All Star Game. 

Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel started in his first All Star Game appearance on Tuesday. 

Keuchel pitched two innings, allowing a run on two hits. He left with the score tied, taking a no-decision. He was the first Astro to start the game since Roger Clemens in 2004.

Keuchel didn't walk a batter and struck out one. 

"I was super amped," Keuchel said on the Fox broadcast. "I thought I was gonna throw up out there." 

The desire of Robin Ventura to keep White Sox ace Chris Sale off the mound Tuesday night in the All-Star Game is apparently being heeded by American League manager Ned Yost.

Yost said Sale would only pitch in an emergency, per the Kansas City Star.

The Sox want Sale available immediately upon their return off the break, especially considering they play a doubleheader against Kansas City on Friday.

Sale owns an 8-4 record and 2.72 ERA.

The Astros are eyeing Reds ace Johnny Cueto, who might even be their top trade target, people familiar with their thinking told CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman.

Pairing Cueto with All-Star Game starter Dallas Keuchel would give the surprising American League contenders a formidable 1-2 punch. 

One person connected to the team added to Heyman that the Astros know they need to bolster their rotation to stay in the division race the rest of the season.