MLB Player News

Twins pitcher Tommy Milone (shoulder) will start Monday's contest against the Indians.

With Phil Hughes a late scratch with an illness, manager Paul Molitor tabbed Milone to take over in his place. Milone missed his last start due to shoulder fatigue, but was able to throw a bullpen session over the weekend and is apparently healthy enough to get the start Monday.

Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino (5-3) tossed six shutout innings, allowing five hits and one walk, en route to picking up the win Sunday against the White Sox.

It was one of the best outings of Severino's brief career, though he only added two strikeouts, as he registered his seventh quality start since being called up in August. He's quickly turned into one of the Yankees' most reliable starter and is scheduled to make his final turn through the rotation in the regular season Friday against the Orioles.

Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel (19-8) allowed one run on two hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts over seven innings during Sunday's 4-2 win over Texas.

Keuchel, who was a perfect 15-0 at home this season, lines up for one more regular season start at Arizona on Saturday. If Houston makes the playoffs, they'll undoubtedly want their ace to pitch in the AL Wild Card game three days later on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

It's possible manager A.J. Hinch shuffles his rotation a bit to accommodate this scenario, otherwise Keuchel would pitch the AL Wild Card game on short rest.

Rangers pitcher Martin Perez was saddled with his sixth loss of the season Sunday against the Astros, despite allowing just two runs (none earned) with six strikeouts and one walk in six innings. 

The left-hander made one of his best starts of the last two months, but Texas couldn't generate enough offense against Dallas Keuchel to make his effort stand up. Perez has endured some rocky performances of late, but he has now thrown four quality starts in his last six outings and will make his final start of the regular season Friday against the Angels.

Yankees pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (elbow) played catch Friday and Saturday, the NY Daily News reports.

Eovaldi was initially planning to throw last Monday, but that got delayed as he was still dealing with inflammation. It's an encouraging sign that he was able to throw on consecutive days, but at this point Eovaldi will likely only serve as a bullpen option in the postseason, if he's able to to return this year at all.

Twins pitcher Tommy Milone threw a 35-pitch bullpen session without any issues on Saturday and could return in a relief role as soon as Monday, MLB.com reports.

Milone will not return to the rotation unless needed, manager Paul Molitor said. It sounds like he'll make a few appearances in relief the rest of the season.

Angels rookie starter Andrew Heaney hurled a quality start on Saturday, striking out five batters across six innings while allowing two runs on five hits and two walks in a no-decision against Seattle.

Heaney was actually lucky not to allow five runs, as a three-run homer by Jesus Montero was robbed by Mike Trout for one of the catches of the season. In any case, he pitched well for the third straight start and it appears more and more that the Angels got a steal when they traded for Heaney at the beginning of the season. The lefty now has a 3.29 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 17 starts this season.

The Mariners are hoping starter James Paxton (finger) will be able to pitch Wednesday against the Astros, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

A torn fingernail abruptly ended Paxton's outing Thursday, his third start back after missing more than three months with a strained finger tendon. The M's will give him at least one additional day between starts this time through, with Vidal Nuno now tabbed to start Tuesday on short rest.

Mariners pitcher Vidal Nuno will start on short rest Tuesday against the Astros, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

James Paxton will need at least one additional day between starts after leaving his last outing with a torn fingernail, and the Mariners will turn to Nuno on just three days' rest. Nuno did only throw 67 pitches Friday against the Angels, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out four over 4 1/3 innings.

Athletics ace Sonny Gray is dealing with some hip soreness, but the team will give it a little time before it will be decided if he can make his next start Wednesday against the Angels, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

Gray pitched pretty well Friday, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks, but apparently sustained the hip injury along the way.