MLB Player News

The impending return of Rick Porcello to the rotation has motivated the Red Sox to option fellow starter Matt Barnes to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Reliever Jonathan Aro will take the place of Barnes on  the roster until Porcello is activated for a start Wednesday against the White Sox, per MLB.com.

Barnes did not distinguish himself in two starts this week, losing both decisions and allowing 11 runs in 10 1/3 innings. He has given up eight homers in 23 appearances this season.

Following Saturday night's loss to the White Sox, the Mariners optioned reliever Danny Farquhar to Triple-A Tacoma. Farquhar took the loss on Saturday, as he allowed three runs (one earned) to score in the top of the 10th inning.

Mariners reliever Fernando Rodney was designated for assignment following Saturday's loss to the White Sox. Rodney, who signed a two-year deal with the Mariners prior to the 2014 season, has really struggled in 2015.

In 54 appearances, the right-hander posted a hefty 5.68 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP in 50 2/3 innings. He struck out just 7.6 batters per nine innings, his lowest mark since 2011.

Rodney has been particularly bad in the month of August. In 10 outings this month, he owns a 6.23 ERA.

In 2012, Rodney finished fifth in the American League Cy Young award voting, when he saved 48 games and posted a miniscule 0.60 ERA with the Rays.

White Sox closer David Robertson needed 12 pitches to retire the side in order, protecting a 6-3 victory over the Mariners on Saturday. Robertson struck out a batter en route to recording his 25th save of the season.

Athletics reliever Drew Pomeranz suffered his second blown save of the season on Saturday against the Rays. Pomeranz entered the ninth innning with the A's leading 4-3, but the left-hander coughed up the lead, and the Rays went on to win 5-4.

Pomeranz has been fairly effective since being moved to the bullpen. In eight outings prior to Saturday, he posted a 0.93 ERA in 9 2/3 innings of relief. 

Making just his second big-league start, Red Sox rookie pitcher Matt Barnes did not have a good outing against the Royals on Saturday. Barnes allowed five runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings, en route to the 6-3 loss.

Barnes (3-4, 6.89 ERA) allowed two runs in the top of the first inning, and then settled in a bit. But he struggled in the sixth inning, when he gave up three runs, including a two-run home run to Salvador Perez.

Barnes has now given up 11 runs in 10 1/3 innings over his first two starts. 

Angels left-hander Hector Santiago did not fare well in his start against the Blue Jays on Friday. Santiago lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits. He struggled with his command in this one, as he walked four and struck out four, en route to the 9-2 loss.

Santiago (7-7, 2.91 ERA) was done in by shotty defense and poor control in this one. He got off to a bad start, as he allowed three runs to score in the first inning. One of those came on a bases-loaded walk, and another came on a fielding error.

He is 0-2 with a 4.10 ERA in four starts in August.

Rays reliever Brad Boxberger took a walk on the wild side on Friday, but he managed to pick up his 30th save of the season in Friday's 2-1 win over the A's. 

Boxberger came into the game with a 2-0 lead, but he allowed three consecutive one-out hits, leading to a run. But he managed to get the final two outs, leaving the potential tying and winning runs in scoring position.

Boxberger has now been scored upon in three straight appearances, and five of his last seven. 

Brad Ausmus has indicated that the oblique injury that landed Tigers starter Daniel Norris on the disabled list could knock him out for the season.

"The strain looks to be a little bit worse than even initially diagnosed," Ausmus told MLive.com. "We're probably looking at a minimum of four weeks."

That makes the most optimistic timetable for his return Sept. 16, which would leave him little time to recuperate and get back on the mound.

Norris, who was the key piece in the trade that sent David Price to Toronto, had been getting clobbered before going down. He allowed 13 runs on 19 hits in his last 14 1/3 innings after a strong debut start in Baltimore.

Twins rookie starter Tyler Duffey gave up 10 hits Thursday in Baltimore, but that's the ultimate not-as-bad-as-it-sounds.

His victory had long been clinched when he allowed half of those hits in the eighth inning. His team had taken a 14-0 lead by then.

Duffey finished having yielded just two runs. He walked none and fanned eight in his second straight fine outing. Singles by Gerardo Parra and Caleb Joseph in the eighth ruined his shutout.

He has surrendered only two runs in 13 2/3 innings over his last two starts.