MLB Player News

Gonzales recorded his first career save Tuesday against the White Sox, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out two over three scoreless innings.

After Kumar Rocker limited Chicago to one hit across six scoreless innings, Gonzales took over for his first appearance of the season after being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Monday. He allowed at least one baserunner in each inning but was able to finish off the game for the first save of his major-league career after spending most of his time as a starter since debuting in 2014. Gonzales joined the Rangers on a minor-league deal in late June and allowed 16 earned runs over 16.2 innings in three Triple-A starts before his promotion. He isn't expected to see many future save chances.

Schultz (3-7) took the loss Tuesday against the Rangers, allowing five runs on 11 hits while striking out two over 3.2 innings.

Schultz fell behind early after serving up a two-run homer to Brandon Nimmo in the first inning and Jake Burger added an RBI double in the third. The rookie was unable to escape the fourth after surrendering five hits that produced another pair of runs, forcing his exit. Schultz has now allowed a home run in each of his last six starts and owns a 7.24 ERA and 1-5 record during that stretch. He'll carry a 6.04 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 49:29 K:BB into his next scheduled start at home against a difficult Yankees lineup.

Rocker (3-8) earned the win Tuesday against the White Sox, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out six over six scoreless innings.

After surrendering seven runs with three long balls in his final start before the All-Star break, Rocker bounced back in dominant fashion Tuesday. He threw 50 of his 75 pitches for strikes, generated 12 whiffs and retired 15 of 16 batters during one stretch. The outing marked his fourth scoreless start of at least six innings this season, as he's shown flashes of upside despite an inconsistent campaign (4.40 ERA, 1.37 WHIP in the first half). Rocker is lined up to make his next start at home against the Mariners.

Mahle (2-9) took the loss Tuesday against the Royals, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out four over five innings.

Mahle surrendered a solo homer to Carter Jensen in the third inning to open the scoring, though it was just the second home run he has allowed over his last 26.1 innings. He kept Kansas City in check after that but ran into trouble in the sixth, issuing a walk and hitting a batter before exiting the game. Sam Hentges and Keaton Winn were unable to strand the inherited runners, inflating Mahle's line. The veteran right-hander has completed six innings just once over his last 11 starts -- his final outing before the All-Star break -- and owns a 5.36 ERA during that stretch. Mahle is projected to make his next start at home against a difficult Brewers lineup.

Drake allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings in a no-decision versus the Athletics on Tuesday.

Drake threw 46 of 85 pitches for strikes in his major-league debut. He was able to limit the damage to an RBI single by Alika Williams in the third inning. Drake had managed an unsightly 6.92 ERA with a 60:31 K:BB over 66.1 innings with Triple-A Reno this season, but he showed well enough in his major-league debut to potentially get another look. If that happens, he's tentatively lined up for a tough road matchup versus the Nationals over the weekend.

Avila (5-3) earned the win Tuesday against the Giants, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out seven over 6.1 innings.

Avila was dominant early, allowing just one hit through his first four innings before the Giants strung together three consecutive hits in the fifth to produce a two-run frame. He set career highs with 6.1 innings and seven strikeouts while improving to 5-1 over his last six decisions. The right-hander has struggled at Kauffman Stadium this season, posting a 7.88 ERA at home compared to his 3.00 ERA on the road. Avila's next start is scheduled to be a road outing against the Tigers.

Sproat (3-5) took the loss Tuesday against the Mets, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out four over 4.2 innings.

Sproat surrendered a solo homer to Jared Young in the third inning to open the scoring. He struggled to settle in, failing to record any 1-2-3 innings and allowing a runner to reach scoring position in every frame. He exited in the fifth after being dinged only by the early homer, but Chad Patrick allowed an inherited runner to score. The right-handed Sproat has now gone five straight starts without allowing more than two earned runs, though he has completed at least five innings in only two of those outings. He'll carry a 5.09 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 91:43 K:BB into his next scheduled start on the road against San Francisco.

Castillo (3-9) allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three over seven innings to take the loss Tuesday versus the Reds.

Two of the four hits Castillo allowed were solo home runs, though it was Sal Stewart's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning that ultimately sealed the loss for Seattle. This was a third straight defeat for Castillo, who has allowed nine runs over 18 innings with an 11:4 K:BB in that span. For the season, he has a 4.85 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 84:30 K:BB through 94.2 innings across 19 appearances (16 starts). Castillo is tentatively lined up for a tough road start versus the Dodgers next week, though he is a candidate to be traded if the Mariners want to clear their logjam of starters.

Thornton (1-1) earned the win Tuesday against the Brewers, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out two over six scoreless innings.

Thornton threw 53 of his 81 pitches for strikes and picked up the first major-league victory of his career. The left-hander allowed just one hit through his first five innings and retired 13 consecutive batters during one stretch before finishing with his second straight scoreless outing. Thornton has now thrown 18 consecutive shutout innings and through his first four major-league starts he owns a 1.93 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 17:6 K:BB across 23.1 innings. He's lined up to make his next start Monday at home against Atlanta.

Burns (12-1) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out six over five scoreless innings to earn the win over the Mariners on Tuesday.

Burns dealt with a groin issue in his last start, but the All-Star break gave him enough time to recover. He responded with his sixth scoreless outing in 19 starts this season. The right-hander, who signed a seven-year extension during the break, is looking like a future ace for the Reds. He's recorded a 2.42 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 124:39 K:BB through 107.2 innings this season. Burns is projected to make his next start at home versus the Guardians.