MLB Player News

The Red Sox will return to a five-man rotation following this weekend's series against the Athletics, manager John Farrell told reporters Thursday.

“Our plan is not to [stick with six guys],” Farrell said, per WEEI.com. “We’ll get through this weekend where we need all six starters, but coming out of the off-day [Monday], it’s our intent to get back to five starters. We have the remainder of this next series to work through that.”

Farrell said Eduardo Rodriguez will slide between Clay Buchholz and Rick Porcello in the rotation. It appears Wade Miley also as a spot in the rotation, so the final spot is down to Joe Kelly and Steven Wright.

Rays closer Brad Boxberger took his first blown save of the season on Wednesday, but earned the win after allowing one earned run on two hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings of work in his team's 6-5, 10-inning victory over the Angels.

Boxberger (3-3) opened the ninth inning by giving up a single, but the runner was cut down trying to steal during the following at-bat. The closer then surrendered a walk and followed with a single on a hit-and-run to put runners at the corners. A subsequent sacrifice fly evened the game and resulted in the blown save. Boxberger intentionally walked Mike Trout and got an inning-ending grounder from Albert Pujols to move the game into extra innings.

Boxberger threw 32 pitches in the game. He owns a 2.95 ERA and 29:10 K:BB ratio in 21 1/3 innings.

Angels pitcher Hector Santiago didn't factor into the decision on Wednesday, giving up five earned runs on five hits and two walks in five-plus innings while striking out three in his team's 6-5, 10-inning loss to the Rays.

Santiago cruised through five innings but hit a wall in the sixth, hitting a batter before serving up a two-run home run to Joey Butler. He then allowed a single and a walk before surrendering his second homer of the inning to Steven Souza and being removed from the game immediately after.

Santiago owns a 2.69 ERA and 60:27 K:BB ratio in 67 innings. He's slated to face the Rays again on Monday in Tampa.

Rangers pitcher Nick Martinez was rocked in Wednesday's loss, giving up seven earned runs on nine hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings while striking out five in his team's 9-2 defeat against the White Sox.

Martinez (4-2) made it through the first inning without issue but gave up six runs in the second, two each on a single, double and home run, while racking up three strikeouts in the rocky frame. He was removed in the fourth after walking his second batter of the inning following an RBI single.

Martinez hadn't allowed more than three earned runs in any of his first 10 starts of the season before Wednesday's dud. He owns a 2.89 ERA nad 40:21 K:BB ratio in 65 1/3 innings heading into Tuesday's matchup with the Orioles.

Twins pitcher Trevor May was fantastic in Wednesday's win, giving up just two hits in seven scoreless innings while striking out nine and walking none in his team's 2-0 victory over the Red Sox.

"That might be as well as I've seen him pitch in terms of command, first-pitch strikes," manager Paul Molitor said, per MLB.com. "No walks. He had a couple three-ball counts along the way. They weren't just first-pitch strikes, they were quality strikes. Pitches that they really couldn't do a lot with if they would have decided to offer."

May (4-3) threw 98 pitches while delivering his first scoreless outing of the season on Wednesday. He's starting to show excellent control as of late, walking just one batter in his last four starts combined.

"I think that we're pleased that he's come along and showed a maturation that we like to see in a young pitcher who's gaining experience and seems to be learning both from his success as well as when he struggles," Molitor said. "He's an intelligent guy. I think he puts a lot of thought into the work he does when he's out there on the mound. Tonight was one of those ones where he kind of put us on his back."

May owns a 4.45 ERA and 50:9 K:BB ratio in 56 2/3 innings. He's slated to face the Royals on Tuesday.

The Mariners have acquired outfielder Mark Trumbo and Vidal Nuno from the Diamondbacks for catcher Welington Castillo, pitcher Dominic Leone, infielder Jack Reinheimer and outfielder Gabby Guerrero.  

Trumbo is hitting .259/.299/.506 this season. Trumbo figures to add power to a Seattle lineup that has been about average this year as the Mariners have a collective .395 slugging percentage.

"You look where we're at offensively and we're not doing exactly what I thought we'd do or what most people thought we'd do, and Trumbo is a guy that brings an awful lot to the table," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said, per MLB.com. "He's a big power hitter that will bat somewhere in the middle of the lineup and will be very good insurance for the ballclub." 

Late last week, CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reported the Diamondbacks were potentially interested in dealing Trumbo, who has nine home runs and 23 RBI this season. 

Zduriencik said Trumbo can play either corner-outfield spot, as well as designated hitter and first base.

"We'll have a rotation system where he'll get his ABs along with Nelson Cruz and the other corner players," Zduriencik said. "That will still unfold. More than anything else, to bring the bat to this organization is what we're desiring to do."

Rays starter Matt Moore made his first minor-league rehab start, pitching for Class A Charlotte on Wednesday. Moore, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, tossed 2 1/3 shoutout innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out three. The left-hander threw 31 of his 52 pitches for strikes, as The Tampa Tribune reports.

"I feel all right," Moore said, per MLB.com. "It's definitely not bad for the first one. As a competitor, we like to go out there and have the results we all desire, but it's not the reality of things. This early in my rehab stint, I think it was a solid place to start."

The team has not yet revealed next steps for Moore or when they expect him to join the rotation in Tampa.

"It's not a comfortable place to be, on the DL," Moore said. "It definitely can make your mind do a lot more wondering than you used to, so having said that, I'm very excited to get back to the team, whenever that may be."

Athletics reliever Drew Pomeranz will be used in all types of relief situations, including late in games, manager Bob Melvin said Wednesday.

Pomeranz was activated from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday. He went on the DL in mid-May due to shoulder inflammation. He began the season in the rotation, going 2-3 with a 4.40 ERA in eight starts.

If you take a quick look at Mariners rookie reliever Carson Smith's numbers, you can make the easy conclusion he is having a pretty good season. He is 1-2 with a 1.17 ERA and 0.74 WHIP in 24 outings. He also has 28 strikeouts to just five walks in 23 innings.

With closer Fernando Rodney struggling, Smith appears to be a potential option to step into the closer's role, if manager Lloyd McClendon were to make a change. However, if that were to happen, it doesn't appear Smith would be his first choice.

“We have to be careful with him, particularly with his innings," McClendon said, per The News Tribune. "Particularly with back-to-back-to-back (situations). I’m not sure if he can do that. I think his velocity goes down quite a bit.

“He doesn’t yet have his man muscles. He needs to mature and continue to develop. He’s doing a nice job, but I think part of him doing a nice job is the fact we’ve put him in positions where he can be successful. When you’re a closer, you don’t have that (luxury). It is what it is, and you’ve got to go in and get it done.”

Once again, Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon stood behind veteran closer Fernando Rodney on Wednesday after he suffered his third blown save Tuesday against the Yankees. The right-hander has a 6.85 ERA through 23 appearances.

"The fact is he’s our closer," McClendon said, per The News Tribune. "We need him. We’re going to need him to be successful.

“I think people talk very lightly about changing closers. That’s fine, but you’ve got to have someone to do it. You don’t just throw anybody into the ninth inning and say, `Well, let him do it.' The old adage that anybody can do it…that’s just not the case.”

Rookie Carson Smith is enjoying a nice start to his career, but McClendon isn't even close to linking his name as a potential option for the closer's role, if Rodney continues to struggle.

“We have to be careful with him,” McClendon said, “particularly with his innings. Particularly with back-to-back-to-back (situations). I’m not sure if he can do that. I think his velocity goes down quite a bit.

“He doesn’t yet have his man muscles. He needs to mature and continue to develop. He’s doing a nice job, but I think part of him doing a nice job is the fact we’ve put him in positions where he can be successful. When you’re a closer, you don’t have that (luxury). It is what it is, and you’ve got to go in and get it done.”