MLB Player News

Indians manager Terry Francona announced Monday his rotation plans for this weekend's series at Oakland, which starts Friday. Francona flipped Friday and Saturday's starters, while inserting Scott Kazmir back into the rotation after giving him extra rest for arm fatigue.

"Kaz is doing well," Francona said, per The Plain Dealer. "So in Oakland we'll start Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez and Kazmir. The day off really helps us out there."

White Sox ace Chris Sale got the start Monday night at home against Detroit. Sale managed to go the distance in a winning decision over the Tigers.

The Chicago ace gave up a solo homer to Miguel Cabrera and an RBI double to Brayan Pena in the second. He didn't give up another run the rest of the way in the 6-2 victory to improve to 8-11 on the year with a 2.73 ERA.

Obviously having a far better season than his record would suggest, Sale struck out six and scattered nine base hits without walking a batter over 109 pitches.

The 24-year-old has won his last two outings with two runs allowed over 16 1/3 innings with 12 Ks. He has 167 Ks over 158 1/3 innings for the White Sox. Sale will make his next scheduled starting appearance Saturday at Minnesota.

Orioles starter Jason Hammel said Monday that the cortisone injection he received in his injured forearm has helped, The Baltimore Sun reports. The injection was given Friday. 

Hammel remains uncertain when he'll be allowed to begin throwing again. He's dealing with flexor mass strain in his right forearm. Hammel seems unlikely to return before the end of August at this point. 

Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish held the Astros to just one hit Monday, picking up the win. Darvish lost a no-hitter in the eighth inning when Carlos Corporan took him deep. 

Darvish lost a no-hitter to the Astros earlier in the season in the ninth inning. The starter pitched eight innings, striking out 15 hitters.

The 26-year-old has gone 3-0 in his last three outings with just four runs allowed over 22 innings with 35 strikeouts over that span. His ERA is now at 2.84 and his next start is scheduled for Sunday against Seattle. 

Rangers starter Martin Perez registered a career-high eight strikeouts and managed to go the distance for his first complete game Sunday at Houston.

Perez earned the win to move to 5-3 on the year as he gave up just one earned run on four hits and two walks with the eight strikeouts over nine strong. He threw 115 pitches as he went the distance. The only run Perez allowed came in on a Chris Carter solo homer in the ninth inning.

Perez lowered his ERA to 3.44 with the win and has won back-to-back outings for the Rangers. He's given up just four runs over his last three starts spanning 22 2/3 innings with 19 Ks over that stretch. Perez will make his next starting appearance for the Rangers on Saturday against Seattle.

Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel managed a rare feat Sunday at home against the Rangers. Keuchel came within one out of pitching a complete game, but allowed six runs -- five earned -- in taking the loss.

Keuchel dropped his record to 5-7 on the season with a 4.97 ERA as he surrendered five earned runs and four in the ninth inning. He gave up eight hits and walked one batter with eight strikeouts for the Astros over 8 2/3 innings. He threw 115 pitches in the loss and 72 went for strikes.

After rejoining what will be a six-man rotation going forward for the Astros, Keuchel will make his next scheduled starting appearance on Saturday in Anaheim against the Angels.

White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana fell to 6-4 in his team's 5-2 loss to the Twins Sunday, giving up five earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six in five innings. All five runs scored on two fifth-inning home runs by the Twins.

Quintana hadn't given up more than four earned runs in a game since his first start of the season April 5, when he surrendered five earned runs in four innings against the Mariners. He brings a 3.70 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 116:42 K:BB ratio into Friday's rematch with the Twins.

Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander didn't factor into the decision in his team's 5-4 loss to the Yankees Sunday, giving up four earned runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out nine in seven innings.

Verlander posted his high strikeout total since racking up 13 strikeouts on May 27. He brings a 12-8 record, 3.57 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 154:57 K:BB ratio into Friday's matchup with the Royals.

Indians pitcher Justin Masterson couldn't make it out of the fifth inning in his team's 6-5 win over the Angels Sunday, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and four walks while striking out five in 4 1/3 innings. While Masterson departed with his team down 5-0, he avoided a loss in the comeback victory.

Masterson has struggled in two straight games after reeling off four consecutive quality starts. He brings a 13-8 record, 3.59 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 171:64 K:BB ratio into Saturday's scheduled start against the A's.

Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel is optimistic he'll return to the team to pitch again this season, MLB.com reports. Hammel, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a flexor strain, does not want to push things in the recovery and risk a more serious injury.

"After speaking with the doctors and everything, not necessarily the writing is on the wall but it's right there, the forearm can be a precursor to ligament damage [in the elbow] and things like that," Hammel told MLB.com. "It's not worth the risk, especially if it's something we can look at and handle now. Obviously I don't want to miss time, but it's better than missing a year [for Tommy John surgery]."

Hammel is 7-8 with a 5.20 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 85:46 K:BB ratio in 123 innings.