MLB Player News

The Mariners have announced a pair of roster moves prior to Friday's game against the Tigers, the Tacoma News Tribune reports. The team recalled outfielder Endy Chavez and optioned pitcher Brandon Maurer down to Triple-A Tacoma. The Mariners also transferred Blake Beavan from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL.

Mariners pitcher Brandon Maurer will undergo an MRI on his back, according to the Seattle Times on Friday. His status remains uncertain for Tuesday's scheduled start in Atlanta.

Maurer dropped his fourth straight decision Thursday night against the Angels, surrendering five runs on six hits and four walks while striking out two over four innings. During his four-start skid covering 19 1/3 innings, Maurer has allowed 15 earned runs.

Mariners struggling starter Brandon Maurer might have lost his place in the rotation if the words of Lloyd McClendon are any indication.

Maurer is 1-4 with a 7.52 ERA after a pounding Thursday against the Angels. He has worked more than five innings just once in seven starts - and he gave up 14 hits in losing that one.

"When you look at options, you have to sit down and make sure you have a viable option," McClendon told the Tacoma News-Tribune. "That's something (GM Jack Zduriencik) and I will talk about and see where we go from there."

Maurer is scheduled to make his next start Tuesday in Atlanta. The impending return off the disabled list of Taijuan Walker and James Paxton at least sometime next month will likely knock Maurer out of the rotation at some point anyway.

Mariners pitcher Brandon Maurer (1-4) continued to struggle on Thursday, dropping his fourth straight decision in his team's 7-5 defeat to the Angels. The right-hander permitted five runs on six hits and four walks while striking out two over four innings.

During his four-start skid covering 19 1/3 innings, Maurer has allowed 15 earned runs. His ERA has ballooned from 6.92 to 7.52 over that span. He will look to get back on track Tuesday at Atlanta.

Astros reliever Josh Fields picked up his first relief win Thursday night against the Orioles.

Fields (1-3) struck out three and allowed one hit in two scoreless innings to secure the win. He dropped his ERA from 8.00 to 7.20 following Thursday's outing. He owns a 1.45 WHIP and 28:9 K:BB ratio in 20 innings of relief.

The Red Sox have named pitcher Rubby De La Rosa as the starter for Saturday's game at home against the Rays, the Providence Journal reports. In 10 starts at Triple-A Pawtucket, De La Rosa is 2-3 with a 3.04 ERA and a 52:23 K:BB ratio in 53 1/3 innings.

Athletics starter Jesse Chavez tossed a quality start in a losing effort on Thursday against the Tigers, dropping to 4-3 on the year.

Chavez allowed a run to score on a Miguel Cabrera ground out in the third and two more in the fifth, including a run-scoring double to Ian Kinsler. He pitched six innings and yielded three runs on eight hits, with two walks and three strikeouts. Of his 107 pitches, 70 were strikes in a 5-4 defeat.

Chavez dropped back-to-back decisions, allowing five earned runs in 11 1/3 innings over that span. He will look to get back on the win column Wednesday against the Yankees in New York. In six starts away from home, Chavez is 2-1 with a 2.48 ERA and a 41:7 K:BB ratio in 36 1/3 innings.

We've said it before, but with Ronald Belisario blowing two of his five save opportunities -- and nearly two more -- in his first week and a half on the job, the White Sox have to turn to Daniel Webb pretty soon here, right?

Not that trying out Belisario in the role (which is still technically his, by the way) was a bad call. He's been an effective late-inning reliever before and has been one of the more consistent strike-throwers out of the White Sox bullpen this year. But clearly, he isn't getting a job done.

While he certainly wouldn't pass as a strike-thrower, issuing 18 walks in 26 1/3 innings, Webb has been one of the White Sox's more reliable relievers this season. His ERA isn't as low as Zach Putnam's or Jake Petricka's, but he throws hard, which is what most teams want in a closer, and has a 1.35 ERA in his last 11 appearances.

If Robin Ventura doesn't turn to Webb next, opting for Putnam, Petricka or -- who knows? -- Javy Guerra instead, he's clearly making a deliberate effort to avoid the young right-hander, perhaps because he doesn't trust him to throw strikes.

And perhaps he shouldn't. Truth be told, whoever claims the closer role for the White Sox is about the last closer I'd want in Fantasy, even behind Chad Qualls.

Rangers pitcher Nick Martinez had a tough time against the Twins Thursday.

Martinez got knocked around by Minnesota, giving up nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. Josh Willingham proved to be a big problem for Martinez. He reached on a walk during his first plate appearance, drove in a run with single his second time up and hit a two-run home run in his third at-bat. Martinez wound up allowing four earned runs during the start. He struck out two and walked two.

Twins starter Samuel Deduno was just as bad, which allowed Martinez to escape with the no decision. Martinez's next start will come against the Orioles. 

Mariners closer Fernando Rodney didn't have to do much to record his 13th save of the season Wednesday, as Felix Hernandez did much of the heavy lifting in a 3-1 win over the Angels.

Rodney was needed to record just one out, as Hernandez left the game with a runner on second and two out in the ninth inning. Rodney tossed just three pitches en route to the save, inducing a line-drive out to shortstop to end up.

Rodney is now 13 for 15 on save tries, with a 2.75 ERA in 19 2/3 innings of work.