MLB Player News

Twins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco will test the stability of his ankle during a bullpen session on Thursday, per TwinCities.com.

Nolasco, who is on the 15-day disabled list, will throw a light session on Thursday and is expected to pick up the intensity in another session come Sunday.

"The light pen is because I’ve been off for a good time from throwing,” Nolasco said. “We’ll try to get my arm back into it just a little bit. We’ll do a heavy one Sunday, then we’ll see where we’re at.”

Nolasco received a cortisone shot last week to ease the pain, but part of the rehab requires him to feel comfortable back on the mound. 

“The mound is the biggest thing because there’s a rubber there that you’re pushing off,” Nolasco said. “With the angle and the way a pitcher’s foot drags, that’s obviously what caused it in the first place. We’ll see if I can do it or not.”

Nolasco is 5-1 with a 5.51 ERA in 32 2/3 innings this season.

Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi pitched well in a no-decision against the Nationals on Wednesday. Eovaldi tossed seven innings, allowing three runs on eight hits. He walked one and struck out four, needing just 97 pitches on the afternoon.

Eovaldi gave up an RBI double in the third inning and a solo home run to Danny Espinosa in the fifth. The right-hander actually started the eighth inning with the Yankees leading 4-2.

But after giving up a single to lead off the inning, manager Joe Girardi gave Eovaldi the hook and brought Jacob Lindgren in to pitch. Michael Taylor then tied the game with a two-run home run, with the first run being charged to Eovaldi. 

Eovaldi (5-1, 4.13 ERA) will try to get back in the win column against his former club, as he takes on the Marlins in Miami on Tuesday.

Red Sox starter Justin Masterson moved his minor-league rehab assignment to Triple-A Pawtucket and pitched very well in his start on Wednesday. Masterson allowed one run on two hits over six innings of work. He walked one and struck out six, throwing 47 of his 75 pitches for strikes.

Masterson is recovering from shoulder tendinitis, and the team has not declared the next step in Masterson's recovery, though another rehab start is a very possible scenario. 

Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman (shoulder) is hoping to pitch five innings during a rehab start for Double-A Bowie on Thursday, per The Baltimore Sun. He will have a 65-pitch limit.

Gausman said he feels physically fine and is probably ready to return after Thursday's start, but he will probably need one more outing after Thursday to get his pitch count up.

Gausman tossed three scoreless innings on Saturday for Class A Frederick, allowing one hit and no walks. He struck out four, while throwing 32 of 40 pitches for strikes.

Rangers starting pitcher Martin Perez, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday. However, it appears the Rangers will not rush the left-hander back into the major-league rotation and he could use up all of his time on the rehab assignment.

"He's probably a month out," Rangers manager Jeff Banister told MLB Network Radio on Wednesday. "The reports have been really good. The stuff is really crisp. We're excited."

Athletics pitcher Sonny Gray allowed two runs on eight hits over six innings of work during Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Rangers.

Gray's biggest mistake came in the sixth inning when Mitch Moreland hit a solo home run off him. He also struck out six and walked one during the outing. He received a loss for his effort and his ERA now stands at 1.74.

Over his last three starts, Gray (7-3) has given up a total of four runs over 22 innings of work. His next expected start is scheduled for Sunday at the Angels.

As expected, the Astros called up RHP Vincent Velasquez from Double-A Corpus Christi on Monday.

Velasquez was 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA in five starts at Double-A.

To make room on the roster, the Astros optioned Jonathan Villar to Triple-A Fresno. Villar was hitting .263 with a home run and seven RBI for the Astros. 

While Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel was solid throughout his Tuesday start, the Astros could not muster enough offense and fell 4-2 to the White Sox.

"Dallas was very sharp early," manager A.J. Hinch said, per MLB.com. "He kept his pitch count extremely low early, and they got a couple singles to build that inning, but I thought he showed a lot of character coming out of that."

Keuchel (7-2) allowed two runs on seven hits over seven innings of work. He also struck out five and walked two during the outing. His biggest mistake was giving up a two-run home run to Jose Abreu in the sixth inning.

Keuchel has earned a quality start in each of his last three starts and allowed a total of four runs over 22 innings of work during those starts. His next expected is start is scheduled for Monday against the Rockies.

White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon did not allow a run during Tuesday's start to help send the White Sox to a 4-2 win over the Astros.

"I'm just trying to get early contact, throw six or seven innings for these guys and give the team a chance to win and stay light on the bullpen," Rodon said, per ESPN.com. "I'm getting more confident. I had some tough situations there early on, but there was the big play by Gordon and the defense played great. Two big plays by Melky out there on line drives, topspin like that, those are tough to catch."

Rodon (2-0) only gave up four hits over six innings of work and his ERA now stands at 2.66. He also struck out five and walked two during the outing.

"He got in some tight spots and for him, it's just nice to see a guy go out and battle at that level, with that (opponent) and to kind of gut his way through it," manager Robin Ventura said. "He wanted to go back out but it's at a point where he was with the pitch count, high leverage that it was, you didn't want to let him go back out. But to get through it like that, with a lot of traffic out there, it was pretty impressive for a young guy. He kept his composure."

After Tuesday's start, Rodon has given up a total of three earned runs in his last four starts over 24 1/3 innings. His next expected start is scheduled for Monday at Pittsburgh.

Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez threw six scoreless innings in a no-decision during Tuesday night's 1-0 loss to the Orioles. 

Rodriguez allowed only three hits and three walks. He struck out seven batters in a strong outing. In 20 2/3 innings over three starts, Rodriguez has an 0.44 ERA. In those three starts, he only has allowed eight runs.