MLB Player News

Hamels allowed just two runs with four strikeouts and four walks across seven innings Tuesday versus the Astros. He did not factor into the decision.

The veteran lefty delivered his fourth quality start in the last five outings, but the Rangers once again waited until the latter stages of the game to pull away and cost him a shot at a win. Hamels' performances of late have masked a couple of worrisome items, as he has a 14:9 K:BB ratio over his last three starts and has allowed 10 home runs over his last six. Nevertheless, he has a solid 3.32 ERA on the season and should improve upon that figure if he can get back to limiting the free passes as well as the long balls. His next chance to do so will come Sunday at Seattle.

Milone has a 2.08 ERA with a 27:1 K:BB in 34.2 innings at Triple-A Rochester. Despite his strong stats, he's not close to being called up to the majors. "I think he's behind the guys that are here," GM Terry Ryan told Brandon Warne of Cold Omaha.

Milone dominated Triple-A with a 0.70 ERA and 47:3 K:BB ratio in 38.2 innings when sent to the minors last season, but that same domination hasn't translated to the majors. He may get another shot in the majors before too long with Minnesota's rotation struggling and in flux much of the season.

Hill (groin) will most likely pitch Saturday against the Reds, John Hickey of the San Jose Mercury News reports.

If Hill is able to get through his bullpen session Wednesday without any setback, he will likely be on the mound against Cincinnati on Saturday. He has been out since leaving a game on May 27 after appearing to tweak his left leg on a pitch. Hill was scratched from his scheduled start on Saturday since the A's have proceeded cautiously with this injury and will see how he feels after throwing a bullpen.

Gibson (shoulder) is slated to be activated from the DL and start Saturday against the Red Sox, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The original plan was for Gibson to return last week, but the club decided to exercise caution and have the righty make a rehab start at the Triple-A level before rejoining the team. He'll draw a tough matchup in his first start back against a potent Boston lineup, and it remains to be seen if he'll be held on any sort of pitch count or innings limit.

Rodon is dealing with neck discomfort and will have his next start skipped, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports.

Rodon underwent an MRI that came back without revealing any issues, so it sounds as though this may be more of a short-term issue. Miguel Gonzalez will get the start Thursday in his place, but Rodon could be ready to slot back into the rotation after missing just one turn.

Paxton (0-2) struck out 10 and allowed three runs (just one earned) on five hits and a walk over six innings in a loss Monday against Cleveland.

After Paxton's rough debut (3.2 IP, 8 R, 3 ER) Wednesday, he needed a start like this one to reaffirm that he belongs in Seattle's rotation. This is the kind of nastiness expected of Paxton, who brings the rare upper-90s heat as a left-hander. Paxton drew an absurd 20 swinging strikes on 107 pitches and backed it up with six groundball outs out of eight outs in play. If Paxton can combine that kind of swing-and-miss stuff with regular grounders, he can live up to the expectations the Mariners' high expectations for him.

Stroman is planning to make adjustments to ensure that his struggles don't linger much longer, the Jays' official site/a> reports.

Stroman has surrendered at least six runs in three of his past four starts, and his ERA has jumped from 3.54 on May 11 to 4.82 following Saturday's loss to the Red Sox. Stroman did not get into specifics when asked about what those adjustments will be. Instead, he mentioned that over the next few days, he will be watching video of his recent starts and comparing it to when he was throwing well earlier in the year and previously in his career. Owners certainly hope Stroman can improve so that he pays dividends on his draft-day price tag. More specifically, those who invested in Stroman would like to see his 6.16 K/9 look more like the 7.65 rate from his 2014 rookie season.

Smyly allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks across just five innings Sunday versus the Twins. He struck out seven en route to a no-decision.

The left-hander allowed three extra-base hits Sunday, but unfortunately they all came in the third inning, when he allowed three runs and elevated his pitch count enough to limit himself to just two more frames. Smyly has fallen on rough times after a strong start to the season, as he has just one win in his last seven starts and has seen his ERA balloon over two full runs to 4.92 during that time. Things don't get any easier for Smyly, as he will face a hot Astros team in his next scheduled start Saturday.

Gray (back) allowed just one run with five strikeouts and one walk across five innings in Sunday's start versus the Astros. He did not factor into the decision.

The righty was making his first start since May 20 after recovering from a back strain, and he was extremely effective despite the limited usage, as he was removed after throwing just 69 pitches. Gray's return should be considered an extremely positive sign given his struggles earlier this season, and he will likely be on a longer leash in his next start Sunday versus the Reds, as Oakland will enjoy two off days over the next week.

McCullers earned the win Sunday versus the Athletics, allowing just two runs with nine strikeouts and three walks across seven strong innings.

The right-hander earned his third consecutive win Sunday, setting season-highs in innings pitched and pitch count in the process. He has pitched well since a rocky season debut and has now lowered his ERA to 4.23, which is supported by an excellent 12.04 K/9 rate. McCullers is in a groove at the moment and will face a favorable matchup at the Rays Friday in his next scheduled start.