MLB Player News

The Rays optioned Burch Smith down to the minors after his Grapefruit League outing on Friday against the Blue Jays, according to Tampa Tribune.

Smith, who was viewed as an outside candidate for a rotation spot, was hit hard for six runs on six hits and three walks while striking out three over 3 2/3 innings of work. The competition will be down to Nathan Karns, Matt Andriese, Mike Montgomery and Everett Teaford, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Mariners pitcher Danny Farquhar is none the worse for wear after being struck with a line drive during a relief appearance Thursday, according to MLB.com. 

Farquhar was struck on his non-pitching arm in the eighth inning, but the ball richocheted to the second baseman and the final out of the inning was recorded. Farquhar said he felt no ill effects Friday. 

"I'm good. It's my non-important arm. It did leave a nice little tattoo though," said Farquhar, who has a 4.76 ERA in six spring appearances. 

With pitcher Enny Romero getting optioned to the minors, there remains five candidates for three spots in the Rays' rotation, per MLB.com. They are Matt Andriese, Nathan Karns, Everett Teaford, Burch Smith and Mike Montgomery.

Montgomery is the only left-handed pitcher in the group, but manager Kevin Cash said that doesn't mean he has an advantage over the other pitchers.

"I don't think that's a priority," Cash said. "I think we're going to try and find what will be the best matchup for us. You factor in a lot of things, and if you look at our first couple of games, it's not like there's a pressing need for a left-handed pitcher in there.

"We're still working on the rotation and how everything will unfold."

Yankees pitcher Esmil Rogers surrendered three earned runs on five hits and one walk in 3 1/3 innings while striking out three in his team's 7-3 loss to the Phillies Thursday.

"I know I (allowed) a couple of base hits; I got a homer," Rogers said after the outing, per The Journal News. "I just try to pound the zone. That’s one of the keys I got in this spring training. Today I came in a couple of times behind in the count, and I’ve got to pay for that."

Manager Joe Girardi indicated Wednesday that the race for the team's final rotation spot would reach another gear this time through the spring rotation. He spoke about the merits of Rogers Thursday.

"Well, he’s got a good arm," Girardi said. "He’s got four pitches that he can go to, so he’s got a couple of different breaking balls and a changeup, so it allows him to get right handers and left handers out. Larry (Rothschild)’s tried to make subtle changes to come of his mechanics to give him more consistency. It’s there, it just comes down to consistently making pitches. This was a position player who made a change, so sometimes those guys bloom a little later."

Twins manager Paul Molitor is facing a tough decision with a healthy battle underway for the team's fifth-starter role between Mike Pelfrey, Tommy Milone, Alex Meyer and Trevor May, MLB.com reports.

"We hope it's tough because people are performing well," Molitor said. "Mike has had a good spring to this point and is scheduled to pitch again in Clearwater, Fla., [against Philadelphia] on the 23rd. And Milone has looked good and we'll see him [Saturday]. Meyer is a little behind on pitch count but has been fine, and May seems like he has a little more mound presence so far than he did last year. That's probably what that experience did to him."

Pelfrey and Milone remain the top two candidates for the job, with Meyer and May having options remaining that can allow them to open the season at Triple-A. Pelfrey was impressive in a split-squad start Wednesday.

"Mostly, his fastball is getting the groundballs he needs, but he's using his split-finger more and gaining confidence with that pitch, and mixing in his curveball, which he hasn't done for a while," Molitor said. "His pace was pretty good, and we're always looking for those little things like pace and holding runners, and he knows that's important."

Astros starting pitcher Collin McHugh allowed just two runs in four innings Thursday against the Mets, but he still dropped to 0-2 during a 3-1 loss. McHugh allowed four hits and no walks, while striking out three.

McHugh, who threw 43 of 62 pitches for strikes, gave up solo home runs to Michael Cuddyer in the second inning and Curtis Granderson in the fourth inning.

“I feel much better today,” McHugh said, per the Houston Chronicle. “I feel like all my pitches were there to an extent. I did some good things out there today.

“I worked on my breaking ball, got it a little bit tighter, a little bit sharper at times and was able to execute some pitches that I’ve had trouble with earlier in the spring. We’re working our way toward the season, definitely making some good changes and getting some momentum.”

McHugh has a 5.56 ERA through four spring starts. He has 12 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings.

“I feel like I’m getting a little bit better, working on refining things a little bit more each outing,” he said. “I think with two or three more outings left to go I think we’re making good progress. …

“When you got out and you’re pumping the zone full of strikes with all your pitches you got to feel good about it. That’s what we’re doing today. That’s what we’re working on.”

Red Sox starting pitcher Joe Kelly, who left his last spring start Monday against the Mets due to biceps tightness, completed a 32-pitch bullpen session without any reported issues. The right-hander used all of his pitches in the bullpen, and appeared pleased after his session, per WEEI.

Kelly is expected to make a spring start on Sunday, per the Boston Globe.

"I didn't throw it obviously 100 percent, which I never do in my bullpens," Kelly said, per the Boston Herald. "What I got out there today was I got my body going, tried to see how the arm feels. I knew it was feeling fine, but it was more for staff, medical staff, coaching staff, for them to see and make sure. I'm a guy who likes to pitch through a lot of things. It was more for them. But I felt pretty good out there. I threw about 70 percent. It went well."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Wednesday that the competition for the fifth starting spot in the rotation begins in earnest with this trip through the rotation, MLB.com reports.

"The competition is on now, in a sense," Girardi said. "These guys are competing for jobs. Even though they probably felt they already were before, this is when we're really going to start paying attention to it."

Esmil Rogers is scheduled to take the mound Thursday against the Phillies, while Adam Warren is slated to make his case Friday against the Tigers. Girardi added that he expects Bryan Mitchell to get at least one more start but was less commital on Chase Whitley or Scott Baker getting another look in the rotation.

Athletics pitcher Drew Pomeranz surrendered one earned run on four hits and one walk in four innings while striking out five in his team's 4-0 loss to the Mariners Wednesday.

"I’m trying to fill up the (strike) zone," Pomeranz said after the outing, per the Contra Costa Times. "I got the ball a little up in the first inning. After that there were a lot more low strikes. I felt pretty good. I just need to build up stamina for a higher pitch count."

Pomeranz has been a strikeout machine in camp, racking up 15 punchouts against three walks in nine innings over three spring appearances. His only blemish Wednesday came on an RBI single in his final inning of work.

Manager Bob Melvin called Pomeranz "in the mix" for a rotation spot after the outing. "He has been from the beginning," Melvin said.

Pomeranz is competing to open the season in the Oakland rotation after going 5-4 with a 2.35 ERA and 64:26 K:BB ratio in 69 innings last year.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said pitcher Alex Colome, who contracted pneumonia, has been released from the hospital, according to The Tampa Tribune. 

Colome is being treated with antibiotics. He was previously listed as out indefinitely, putting his status for the beginning of the regular season in doubt.