MLB Player News

Odorizzi (10-2) earned the victory Saturday against the Royals by surrendering four runs on seven hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

Odorizzi gave up more than three runs for only the second time this season, but the Minnesota offense rallied to provide him with his third straight win. The 29-year-old has a 2.24 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 85:24 K:BB in 14 starts this season, and he lines up to pitch again versus the Royals on Thursday.

Cortes (1-0) earned the win Saturday versus the White Sox by allowing two runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out seven and walked none.

Cortes followed opener Chad Green and didn't allow an extra-base hit to the White Sox. The 24-year-old gave up three runs in both of his first two outings this season but has now fired 13 straight scoreless innings over his last four appearances.

Bieber allowed two runs on four hits with 12 strikeouts and one walk across 7.2 innings to earn a victory against the Tigers on Saturday.

Things got a little hairy for Bieber in the seventh, as he allowed the first four batters to reach and two runners scored, but he escaped that frame without further damage because of a strikeout and double play. Outside of the seventh, Bieber allowed just one other hit. It was also the third time in his last six outings where he struck out at least 10 batters. Bieber is 6-2 with a 3.92 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 108 strikeouts in 85 innings this season. His next start will be at the Rangers on Thursday.

Valdez (3-2) allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out eight over six innings to pick up the win Saturday against Toronto.

Valdez made his second start since taking over as Houston's fifth starter and tossed a second straight quality start. He's been aided by facing the Orioles and Blue Jays, two of the bottom three in the AL. The opposition gets harder the next time out for Valdez, who will kick off the four-game set in New York against the Yankees on Thursday.

Bundy (3-8) took the loss Saturday against the Red Sox, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks while striking out eight batters over five frames.

The strikeouts tied Bundy's season high, but the outing was decent at best overall. He didn't allow any runs through the first five innings but was pulled with no outs in the sixth after allowing hits to the first four batters, three of whom would come around to score. Bundy has an unremarkable 4.44 ERA on the season, though that's at least over a run better than his 5.45 mark from last season. He'll next pitch Thursday in Seattle.

Sale improved to 3-7 on the season Saturday against the Orioles, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out 10 in six innings.

Sale gave up an earned run for the first time this month, but the outing was overall a strong one. He's reached double digits in strikeouts in his last four starts and eight of his last nine. After an awful start to the season, he's managed to drag his ERA down to 3.49 while raising his strikeout rate to 35.7 percent. He'll get the chance to improve on those numbers Friday against the Blue Jays.

Morton (8-1) took the loss Saturday, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out nine over six innings against the Angels.

Morton lost his first decision since last August after permitting three runs in the second inning on a Brian Goodwin RBI double and a David Fletcher home run and another tally on a Justin Bour solo home run in the fourth. The 35-year-old still has an outstanding 2.37 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and a 107:31 K:BB. Morton will look to rebound in his next start Thursday on the road in Oakland.

Suarez (2-1) allowed three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out three over 5.2 innings to pick up the win in a 5-3 victory over the Rays on Saturday.

Suarez shut out the Rays over the first five innings but yielded a three-run homer to Yandy Diaz in the sixth inning and departed after 81 pitches. The 21-year-old has now won two of his three starts but has been nicked for three home runs in 16 innings. He has a 4.50 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP this season and is not currently scheduled for another start.

Stephens was claimed off waivers by Cleveland on Saturday and optioned to Double-A Akron.

Stephens has thrown 37.2 innings for Triple-A Charlotte this season, struggling to an ugly 8.60 ERA. The 26-year-old will drop down a level to sort things out, and he doesn't appear to be close to making an impact at the highest level.

The Red Sox hope Brian Johnson will fill in for Eovaldi (elbow) though the All-Star break, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Eovaldi's rehab from arthroscopic elbow surgery has hit a couple of snags, and it sounds like the Red Sox are going to give him plenty of time to get ready. "Most likely he'll be the guy," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said about Johnson filling Eovaldi's spot. "Hopefully now all the way to the end of the All-Star break it's a regular schedule. We have our guys lined up every five days and it's going to benefit everybody, I believe." Cora hopes the left-handed Johnson stabilizes the rotation after multiple pitchers took Eovaldi's turn, including Ryan Weber, Hector Velazquez, Josh A. Smith and Darwinzon Hernandez.