MLB Player News

Rays starter Matt Moore wasn't at his best on Tuesday night at home against Boston. He still managed to earn his seventh victory of the season compared to zero defeats.

Moore mowed down eight Boston batters over six innings and left with a 5-3 lead to improve to 7-0 with a 2.44 ERA. He gave up three earned runs on just three hits and two walks with the eight Ks over his six frames and 100 pitches. Moore was only hurt by a David Ortiz three-run homer in the first inning.

The 23-year-old Tampa burgeoning ace allowed more than two earned runs Tuesday for just the second time all season. He's been terrific and will look to keep it up in his next start scheduled for Sunday at Baltimore.

White Sox pitcher Hector Santiago ended up being done in by one poor inning on Monday night against the Twins. After making it through the first two frames unscathed, he put the first three men on in the third.

Minnesota wound up plating four in the inning and the left-hander surrendered a solo home run to Aaron Hicks in the fifth. His final damage came in the form of another Hicks solo homer in the sixth and he was done after throwing 109 pitches, 75 for strikes.

Santiago allowed six runs (three earned) on eight hits over his 5 2/3 innings in a 10-3 defeat. He also struck out six and walked one while taking his second loss.

The 25-year-old is scheduled to make his next start on Saturday against the Angels.

Twins pitcher Liam Hendriks has been placed on the disabled list at Triple-A Rochester due to a sore elbow, the Star Tribune reports. The right-hander is 1-3 with a 5.53 ERA in five starts at Rochester.

Orioles reliever Pedro Strop continues to get further away from his slow start. Strop fired a 10th straight scoreless outing Sunday against the Twins, lowering his ERA from 11.81 to 4.50 during that stretch.

"I've been working and getting my feeling back," Strop said, per MASNsports.com. "Mechanically-wise, I try to stay closed as much as I can. It's been getting me to the position where I want to be."

Strop said he has sought out advice from pitching coach Rick Adair and closer Jim Johnson.

"I've been getting help from coaches, my teammates," he said. "Jim Johnson's been helping me a lot, because he's pretty much a sinker pitcher. Sometimes, it's not that easy getting those pitches where you want them. It's all about rhythm and location."

Rays closer Fernando Rodney worked around a two-out walk to Jesus Guzman in the ninth inning to secure his sixth save in a 4-2 win Sunday against the Padres. Rodney struck out two.

With Sunday's outing, Rodney managed a save on consecutive days for the first time this season. He has also lowered his ERA from 5.06 to 3.95 in his last three outings.

Red Sox starting pitcher prospect Matt Barnes has rebounded in May after a disatrous April. Although he didn't win a third straight start Saturday for Double-A Portland, Barnes managed to allowed less than two runs for a third straight outing.

Barnes is 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA and .177 opponents' batting average through three May starts. He also has 21 strikeouts to six walks in 17 innings. This coming after he was 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA and .387 opponents' batting average in four April starts. Barnes entered the season as the Red Sox's third-best prospect, according to MLB.com.

Red Sox starting pitcher prospect Rubby De La Rosa continues to show improvement at Triple-A Pawtucket as he continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery in 2011. The right-hander struck out a season-high seven batters Saturday in four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks.

De La Rosa, who remains on a strict pitch count, hasn't allowed a run in four straight outings (14 innings). He's allowed eight hits and four walks, while striking out 19 batters in that span.

De La Rosa threw a season-high 71 pitches Saturday, which 46 went for strikes, according to WEEI. He also had seven swings and misses.

Mariners pitcher Brandon Maurer had problems keeping the ball in the park Saturday night against the Athletics. Maurer, who made his seventh start, allowed three runs on six hits over five innings in the 4-3 defeat.

Two of the three runs he surrendered came on solo home runs, including Josh Donaldson's solo blast in the second inning.

Maurer (2-5) was pulled after throwing 95 pitches and finished with four strikeouts and two walks. He has allowed three home runs over his last two starts (nine innings).

He is scheduled to make his next start Friday at Cleveland.

As expected, Astros reliever Josh Fields started a minor-league rehab assignment with Class A Quad Cities Friday. Fields, on the 15-day disabled list with a forearm injury, allowed just one hit over his lone inning of work. He did not issue a walk and finished with three strikeouts. 

Blue Jays pitcher Sean Nolin recently returned to action after missing the first month of the year with a groin injury.

Nolin, who is pitching at Double-A New Hampshire, made his first start Tuesday. He surrendered three runs -- two earned -- and six hits over 3 1/3 innings of work.

Nolin could enter the mix as a potential starter for the Blue Jays down the line, especially with the lack of depth in the big-league rotation, but general manager Alex Anthopoulos wants to see more out of the left-hander.

"Nolin is someone that just got back to New Hampshire, just saw him throw the other day, and he's just not ready yet," Anthopoulos said. "It's his first start back. He's still not sharp. If Sean Nolin ends up getting on a roll, he could definitely end up being a candidate for us."