MLB Player News

Three days after demoting right-handed reliever Andrew Bellatti, the Rays have brought him back up to replace shelved starter Jake Odorizzi, per the Tampa Tribune.

Bellatti had performed well this season with Tampa Bay, allowing just two earned runs in 10 innings and pitching shutout ball in three of four appearances.

Though Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon has removed reliever Fernando Rodney from the closer's role, it doesn't appear the move is permanent. 

McClendon told MLB Network Radio, "for us to be successful we need Rodney to be a viable part"

Rodney owns 14 saves this season, but has not recorded one since May 29. The right-hander has been scored upon in four of his last five outings, which has left him with a hefty 6.94 ERA for the season.

Rays starting pitcher Matt Moore has made just one start on his rehab assignment, which lasted just 2 1/3 innings. Apparently he was impressive enough for Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey to feel the left-hander, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, is ready to return.

However, despite his excitement, Hickey knows Moore is still a few weeks away from joining the major-league rotation. Hickey estimated Moore will need 5-6 rehab starts and could be back in the rotation by early July.

"He looks really good," Hickey told MLB Network Radio on Tuesday. "Really strong. Almost want to put him that [rotation] right now, but obviously can't do that."

White Sox pitcher David Robertson pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 11th save of the season during Monday's 3-1 win over the Astros.

Robertson struck out two batters during the inning and his ERA now stands at 2.19. Robertson has converted 11 of his 14 save opportunities this season.

Lloyd McClendon has declared that Fernando Rodney is out as closer for the Mariners. It remains to be seen how long he will be removed from that role.

McClendon said Sunday that if his team needed a closer, it would not be Rodney. Carson Smith served in that capacity Saturday night and recorded his first career save.

Rodney, who owns a 6.94 ERA with three blown saves in 17 opportunities, has been working with pitching coach Rick Waits and bullpen coach Mike Rojas. McClendon told the Tacoma News-Tribune that Rodney is trying to "break down some things, and [trying] to get it straightened out."

Smith is not the lone candidate to close in his absence. McClendon also mentioned Charlie Furbush and Mark Lowe as possibilities.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said pitcher Brad Boxberger has not pitched in the last four games because of tightness in his triceps, reports The Tampa Tribune.

Boxberger was able to throw off a mound Saturday and he is expected to be ready for Tuesday's game against the Angels. The Rays are off Monday.

Red Sox relief pitcher Tommy Layne warmed up while his team was down 4-0 to the Athletics in the bottom of the eighth inning on Sunday.

He entered the game in the ninth with a 7-4 lead and a save opportunity. Layne capitalized on that opportunity by striking out two batters en route to his first save of the season.

Layne has a 2.50 ERA in 18 innings this season.

Athletics pitcher Kendall Graveman didn't factor into the decision on Sunday, giving up just one earned run on six hits and two walks in seven-plus innings while striking out six in his team's  7-4 loss to the Red Sox.

Graveman pitched into the seventh inning for the first time in his career on Sunday, and he completed that inning with the Red Sox still scoreless on the day. He was run back out in the eighth inning and surrendered a leadoff homer to Rusney Castillo, who was the last batter he faced.

"I still felt strong coming back out for the eighth, still felt like the baseball was coming out good," said Graveman. "My body felt great. I did a good job this week working in the bullpen and weight room trying to go seven and not wear out in the sixth."

Graveman owns a 4.83 ERA and 24:17 K:BB ratio in 41 innings but has pitched far better in his four starts since returning to the team than he did at the beginning of the year. He's set to face the Angels on Saturday.

Astros pitcher Collin McHugh didn't factor into the decision on Sunday, giving up three earned runs on seven hits and one walk in six innings while striking out three in his team's 7-6 loss to the Blue Jays.

"As the starting pitcher, even if you don't have your sharpest stuff on the day, you gotta go out there every inning and try to keep it at par," McHugh said, per MLB.com.

McHugh served up a solo homer in the first inning and a two-run homer in the fourth, and he was on the hook for the loss before the Astros offense racked up four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 6-3 lead and put him in line for a win. However, the Blue Jays scored three runs of their own in the bottom of the ninth to pull out the victory.

McHugh owns a 4.34 ERA and 61:14 K:BB ratio in 76 2/3 innings. He's scheduled to square off with the Mariners at home on Saturday.

"I don't think it's any secret, I haven't been very sharp lately with any of my outings probably in the last month," he said.

Red Sox right-handed knuckleballer Steven Wright has been consistent and effective as a starter. Joe Kelly has been inconsistent and greatly ineffective.

No matter. John Farrell has booted the former to the bullpen and left the latter in the rotation.

Wright has pitched between 5 and 6 1/3 innings and allowed two or three runs in each of his six starts to post a 2-2 record and 4.01 ERA. Kelly has given up at least five runs in four of his 10 outings. He is 2-4 with a 5.40 ERA.

But Farrell belives Kelly has more upside and Wright is versatile enough to make the transition. "Both have pitched well enough to either remain in the rotation or earn a rotation spot," he told ESPN. "But when you set aside a couple of bumps Joe Kelly has had of late ... he's got the ability to be a dominant starter."

Among those bumps was a start against Minnesota in which he surrendered seven runs on eight hits in 1 2/3 innings. But Kelly rebounded in his last two opportunties by yielding only two runs in 11 innings.