MLB Player News

White Sox starter Carlos Rodon needed to be lights-out Wednesday night at Minnesota. He was only good.

The result was a defeat that evened his record to 6-6 as his team got shut out. Rodon allowed two runs on five hits in six innings with three walks and four strikeouts.

He gave up the only run the Twins really needed in the second on a Miguel Sano homer. Two more runs scored in the second on a Trevor Plouffe double.

Rodon has been on a roll. He has surrendered only seven runs over his last 34 innings, but has just two victories to show for it. 

Twins southpaw Tommy Milone has experienced both good and bad starts this season. But he had not pitched seven shutout innings since the first time he took the mound in April.

That is, until Wednesday night against the scuffling White Sox. Milone allowed just three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts, his largest total since June 28.

Milone did not yield a hit until a Tyler Saladino single in the third. He then retired nine of the next 10. 

His 3.60 ERA is at its lowest point since July 25.

Mariners left-hander James Paxton was considered to be one healthy rehab start away from returning to the big-league mound. But a monkey wrench might have been thrown into those plans.

Paxton was removed in the fourth inning of his outing Wednesday for Triple-A Tacoma. He left the mound with the trainer looking at a finger on his pitching hand. He had been sidelined for more than three months with a finger injury.

It remains to be seen if what appears to be a setback will prevent him from joining the Mariners in the near future.

The hope that Marcus Stroman can return to full health in time to pitch for the Blue Jays this season was strengthened by his rehab effort Wednesday for Class A Lansing.

Stroman tossed 4 2/3 innings of no-hit ball against Great Lakes. He walked one, fanned seven, and threw 44 of his 69 pitches for strikes.

The right-hander has been sidelined all year after undergoing knee surgery.

Angels rookie starter Andrew Heaney appeared destined for an early departure from the mound Wednesday in Oakland.

Heaney allowed three runs on five singles and a wild pitch in the first inning after his teammates handed him a 6-0 lead. But he did not fritter it away. He responded with six shutout innings and finished having yielded seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

The talented southpaw has given up just three runs in 13 innings over his last two starts. He has now won six of eight decisions and is sporting a 3.18 ERA.

It was not a sunny day for Sonny Gray in Oakland on Wednesday. He took a rare pounding by the Angels.

The Athletics right-hander allowed six runs in the first two innings before settling down to toss shutout ball over the last three he pitched. He gave up eight hits while walking one and fanning two, matching a season-low.

The first four batters he faced singled as Gray gave up four in the first inning. Albert Pujols took him deep for a two-run homer in the second.

It marked the first time he has surrendered six earned runs in an outing this season.

Tigers rebounding right-hander Justin Verlander put together the worst performance in his last five starts Tuesday night in Kansas City. But that's not saying much - it was still pretty darn good.

Verlander, who was coming off a one-hitter, yielded two earned runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings with one walk and four whiffs. He raised his record to 2-4 in the process. The big blow was a Kendrys Morales home run in the fourth inning.

He has given up a mere three runs over his last 35 2/3 innings to lower his ERA to 3.40 as he continues to show flashes of the Verlander of old.

The Royals acquired Johnny Cueto to be their ace. Now if he can only start living up to those expectations.

Cueto did not rise to the occasion Tuesday against visiting Detroit. He surrendered four runs on nine hits in six innings with no walks and two strikeouts, which tied a season-low.

The big blows against him were RBI singles by Miguel Cabrera, Jose Iglesias and Ian Kinsler. He did manage to retire the last seven batters he faced, but he was saddled with his fourth loss in six decisions since arriving in Kansas City.

Cueto has gone south since pitching well in his first four starts. He has given up 16 runs on 30 hits in his last 19 innings.

To Superman, it's kryptonite. To Chris Sale, it's Target Field.

The home of the Twins continued to haunt the White Sox ace Tuesday night. He allowed four runs on nine hits in just 6 1/3 innings with one walk and his usual 10 strikeouts.

Sale was fine outside a miserable second inning in which he yielded run-scoring hits to Eduardo Escobar, Kurt Suzuki and Brian Dozier. A Chicago rally prevented him from taking the loss.

The super lefty has been far from super at Minnesota, where he has surrendered 17 earned runs in 16 innings this season and been forced to accept three of his seven losses on the season.

Rays pitcher Drew Smyly tossed seven scoreless innings to help send the Rays to an 11-2 win over the Orioles on Tuesday.

Smyly allowed four hits while striking out 10 and walking one. He is now 2-2 with a 3.11 ERA. The 10 strikeouts matched his season high. Smyly is 2-0 in his last three outings.