MLB Player News

Paxton (10-5) allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five over 5.2 innings in a win over the Astros on Thursday.

He ran into trouble in the third and sixth innings, allowing four hits and all three walks (while also hitting a batter) in those two frames. The lefty was otherwise effective, inducing 14 swinging strikes on 116 pitches, and he got plenty of help from his offense to improve to 6-1 against the Astros over the past two seasons. Paxton is now 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA and 20:4 K:BB in three starts (19.2 innings) since returning from a back injury July 30. Up next is a road start in Oakland.

Chirinos (1-4) threw five innings and earned the victory Thursday, yielding one run on three hits (one homer) while striking out four in the 5-4 win over Baltimore.

Chirinos came in to start the third inning, relieving Rays opener Hunter Wood. He would earn his first career win in one of his strongest outings of the year. The only real damage to him was a Renato Nunez solo home run. Chirinos owns a 3.50 ERA and should see his next outing against the Yankees on either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Verlander was ejected from Thursday's game against the Mariners after arguing with the home plate umpire, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. He allowed six runs on seven hits while striking out two across two innings as he left the game on the hook for the loss.

Verlander was unhappy about a balk call earlier in his outing, and he was ejected from the ballgame between innings. In what turned out to be his shortest start of the 2018 season, his ERA jumped from 2.19 to 2.50, though he still owns an impressive 0.91 WHIP with a 206:28 K:BB across 158.1 innings. Following an uncharacteristic performance, he'll look to get back on track against Colorado on Wednesday.

Kluber allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out seven over seven innings Thursday as he didn't factor into the decision against the Twins.

Kluber cruised through four scoreless innings, but he surrendered a run in the fifth, followed by a three-run homer to Jorge Polanco in the sixth, and he'd leave with the game tied 4-4. Despite an uncharacteristic outing, the 32-year-old right-hander owns a 2.74 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with a 153:20 K:BB through 161 innings. He'll have a favorable matchup his next turn through the rotation, as he lines up to face Cincinnati on Tuesday.

Berrios allowed four runs on four hits and six walks while fanning five across four innings as he didn't factor into the decision Thursday against Cleveland.

Berrios was plagued by walks in his 24th start of the season, as he issued a season-high six free passes. He exited the ballgame after throwing just 54 of 97 pitches for strikes. The 24-year-old right-hander will look to demonstrate more control in his next outing Wednesday against Pittsburgh. Berrios owns a 3.66 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with 153 strikeouts across 150 innings this season.

Nuno (hamstring) tossed a 20-pitch bullpen session Thursday and will embark on a rehab assignment in the near future, Joey Knight of The Tampa Bay Times reports.

Knight added that Nuno might be back in action during the club's next homestand, which doesn't begin until Aug. 20. If Nuno is able to head out on a minor-league assignment in the next few days, it wouldn't be surprising to see him return prior to that timetable, but the Rays could have the southpaw throw another bullpen session before going up against live action.

Rays manager Kevin Cash mentioned Chirinos as the top candidate to cover most of the innings in Thursday's game against the Orioles after opening pitcher Hunter Wood exits, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Chirinos started July 29 against the Orioles before tossing five innings in relief in his most recent appearance Aug. 4 against the White Sox. Rather than appoint Chirinos to the rotation on a full-time basis, it appears he'll be one of the pitchers the Rays deploy as a multi-inning reliever on days where openers are used. So long as he's up with the big club, Chirinos still projects to cover close to the same amount of innings out of the bullpen that he would in a starting role, but it will be more difficult for fantasy owners in weekly leagues to predict when exactly he'll take the hill.

Clevinger didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Twins, allowing one run on five hits and a walk over seven innings while striking out five.

The right-hander delivered his 14th quality start of the season and was in line for his eighth win, and first since July 1, before Cody Allen blew the save in the top of the ninth inning. Clevinger will take a 3.38 ERA into his next outing Monday in Cincinnati.

Odorizzi didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Cleveland, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks over 4.1 innings without striking out a batter.

The right-hander was actually on the hook for his eighth loss of the season before Miguel Sano took Cody Allen deep to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the ninth, setting the stage for a walkoff blast by Francisco Lindor. Odorizzi will carry a 4.50 ERA into his next start Tuesday at home against the Pirates.

Giolito (7-9) got the loss Wednesday, allowing seven runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two over five innings against the Yankees.

Much of the damage came in a six-run second inning, and the big blow came via a Giancarlo Stanton grand slam -- one of two home runs Giolito yielded. The 24-year-old seemed to be turning a corner of late with quality starts in four of his last five starts prior to Wednesday, but he's now been knocked around for at least five in two of his last three. Wednesday's outing pushed his ERA and WHIP back up to 6.23 and 1.50, respectively, to go along with just a 84:71 K:BB over 125.2 innings. Next up is a road start in Detroit on Tuesday.