MLB Player News

Smyly (2-4) allowed one run on four hits and four walks with six strikeouts over five innings in a win Monday over Toronto.

The Rays gave Smyly 11 runs in the first four innings, giving him an easy path to the win if he could just get through five innings. Smyly was playing with fire with his wildness, and he needed 101 pitches just to get record the 15 outs. Smyly continues to bring the strikeouts and now has 58 in 49.2 innings. Although Smyly was wild, more important is that he got past the dangerous Blue Jays lineup without allowing a home run, particularly considering he had allowed four homers in his past three starts. Smyly still has a rough 1.3 HR/9 on the season, but it's encouraging to see him keep the ball in the yard.

Alvarez (shoulder) will undergo an MRI after suffering a setback Monday, John Hickey of the Oakland Tribune reports.

Alvarez was already rehabbing from a torn right labrum but is now apparently dealing with right shoulder soreness. The specificity and severity of the 26-year-old's injury should be made clear following the results of his MRI.

Alvarez (shoulder) was pulled an inning early in his rehab start because of shoulder soreness, Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Alvarez, who received surgery last July to repair a torn right labrum, experienced what A's manager Bob Melvin called "a setback." It's troubling news for the 26-year-old, as he's been rehabbing his shoulder for more than nine months now and was nearing a major league return until Sunday's complication. More news concerning the severity of his setback will be released in the coming days, but either way, he's likely headed for an even longer rehab stay.

Carrasco (hamstring) threw a 40-pitch bullpen session and felt great afterward, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Carrasco appears to be doing very well in his rehab process and is inching ever closer to his return to the Cleveland rotation. The next step in his program is a two-inning simulated game Thursday, which could shed some light on a potential return date for the right-hander.

Gausman (0-1) came away with a no-decision Sunday, allowing four runs on 10 hits and two walks over five innings while striking out only one in a 6-5 loss to the Tigers.

He was actually in line for his first win of the season before Darren O'Day gave up back-to-back solo shots to J.D. Martinez and Miguel Cabrera in the eighth inning. Gausman now has a 3.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 24:7 K:BB through 30 innings and five starts, and will get another shot at win No. 1 on the road against the Angels on Saturday.

Gray (3-4) got roughed up for six runs (three earned) on six hits, including three home runs, in 5.2 innings Sunday, but came away with a no-decision in a 7-6 win over the Rays. He struck out four and walked two.

The A's shoddy defense helped soften the blow to his ERA, and Danny Valencia's ninth-inning heroics got him off the hook for another loss, but Gray has now surrendered at least three runs in five straight starts while serving up seven home runs to go with a 21:12 K:BB over 25.1 innings during that stretch. With his control and command both shaky right now, Gray will be a very risky lineup option in his next start Friday at home against the Yankees.

O'Sullivan was designated for assignment after his start Sunday, Mass Live reports.

This move was entirely expected. O'Sullivan, who gave up six runs (five earned) on five hits and two walks Sunday, was filling in for a couple of turns through the rotation. With Boston having two off days in the next eight days, they can get by with four starters and bide their time until Eduardo Rodriguez (knee) and/or Joe Kelly (shoulder) is ready for the rotation. Each of those injured pitchers are nearing the end of rehab stints. The Red Sox are expected to call up a position player to take the roster spot O'Sullivan had been occupying.

Alvarez (shoulder) is on track to make a start during next weekend's four-game series with the Yankees, MLB.com's Jane Lee reports.

Alvarez is making his fourth rehab start at Triple-A Nashville, which may be the final tune-up he needs before getting activated from the DL. The 26-year-old missed just about the entire 2015 campaign after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder, but assuming he's able to regain some of his premium velocity, he could develop into a useful cog at the back end of the A's rotation. However, he's never been a big strikeout guy, as he tends to rely on inducing weak contact against opponents.

Darvish will make his next rehab start with Double-A Frisco on Tuesday, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

He'll be held to a limit of five innings or 75 pitches during the rehab start, his fourth thus far. Assuming all goes well in the outing, Darvish will likely make one more start in the minors where he'll throw close to 100 pitches before being activated from the DL.

Kluber (2-5) surrendered seven hits, four earned runs and three walks over 6.2 innings in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Twins. He struck out seven.

Kluber had some trouble with his control, throwing only 66 of his 110 pitches for strikes. He also issued multiple walks for the third straight start, and has now given up nine earned runs over the last nine innings across the two starts, following a complete-game gem against the Tigers on May 4. The recent struggles have the 30-year-old's ERA back up to 4.30, while his record continues to drift further away from the .500 mark.