MLB Player News

Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney was impressive during his start against the Indians on Friday.

Heaney threw six innings of shutout ball before leaving the game with a lead. He struck out three batters and allowed just one walk.

Heaney (5-2) has a 3.11 ERA in 72 1/3 innings of work this season.

Tigers starting pitcher Matt Boyd was roughed up during his start against the Blue Jays on Friday.

Boyd allowed five runs on seven hits in six innings. He allowed three home runs and three walks in the sub-par outing.

With the loss, Boyd dropped to 1-5 on the season with a 7.12 ERA.

The illness that pushed Indians starter Danny Salazar back from Friday to Monday results in both Corey Kluber and Josh Tomlin having their outings moved up one day.

Terry Francona has declared that Kluber will now start Saturday against the visiting Angels with Tomlin going in the series finale Sunday.

White Sox starter Carlos Rodon tossed another fine outing against the Mariners on Thursday. Rodon allowed two runs on three hits over six-plus innings. He walked three and struck out five, earning the victory in the 4-2 win.

Rodon (6-5, 4.15 ERA) blanked the Mariners over his first six innings. Rodon started the seventh inning, but he walked the first batter he faced and then gave up a two-run home run to Franklin Gutierrez for the only damage against him.

On Saturday, Rodon took a no-decision against these same Mariners. But Thursday he was able to pick up the victory. In five August starts, Rodon went 2-1 with a 2.48 ERA.

Twins starter Drew Smyly was bailed out by his offense on Thursday, though he did not factor in the final decision. Smyly went 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits. He walked two and struck out five.

Smyly was given a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but he allowed the Twins to creep back into it. He allowed a run in each of the second and third innings to tie the game. Then he gave up two runs in the fourth, including a solo home run to Eduardo Escobar. Smyly left the game trailing 4-2.

But the Rays were able to rally back and get Smyly off the hook, as they went on to win 5-4.

In three starts since returning from the disabled list, Smyly is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA.

Twins starter Tommy Milone was roughed up a bit in his outing against the Rays on Thursday. The left-hander allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings, as the Twins lost by a score of 5-4. 

Milone (6-4, 3.86 ERA) got off to a bad start, as he allowed the Rays to score twice in the first inning, including a solo home run by Logan Forsythe.

The Twins rallied to take a 4-2 lead over the next few innings. But Milone gave up another run in the fifth and two more in the sixth.

Milone last pitched on Sunday, working the 12th inning and picking up his first-career save in a 4-3 win over the Orioles. In three starts since returning from the disabled list, Milone is 1-1 with a 4.93 ERA

A few weeks is going to have to be better than nothing for Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman in 2015. A torn ACL has prevented him from gracing a big league mound all season, but he is at least scheduled to begin a rehab assignment for Class A Lansing on Sept. 2.

Stroman will throw about 40 pitches in a simulated game Friday. He will then throw around 55 for Lansing and 70-75 for Triple-A Buffalo in his next start.

The 24-year-old right-hander is being stretched out, but is more likely to join the bullpen when he returns to Toronto, according to mlb.com. General manager Alex Anthopoulos explained that reasoning.

"It's always easier to shorten somebody up, so at any point in time, if we say, 'He has that one outing and we want to put him in the bullpen as a two-inning guy, we can do that," Anthopoulos said. "Right now he's being stretched out to start because at least it gives us more options, more flexibility."

Justin Verlander came oh-so-close to registering the third no-hitter of his stellar career Wednesday, as the Tigers starter allowed a ninth-inning double for his only hit in a complete-game, shutout win over the Angels.

Verlander was in command most of the night, striking out nine and walking two. Facing the Angels' Chris Iannetta to lead off the ninth, Verlander gave up a lined shot that just landed fair down the left-field line, kicking up the chalk as it hit the ground. 

Verlander then retired the Angels in order to earn just his second victory of the season. He had lost three of his last four starts, although over his last three starts had given up just one earned run. 

Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon announced left-hander Roenis Elias will make the start on Thursday against the White Sox. Elias will start in place of Vidal Nuno, who will be moved to the bullpen for the time being.

Elias has made 14 appearances for the Mariners this season, with 13 starts. His last start with Seattle came back on July 2; he was sent to Triple-A following that outing.

Nuno started on Saturday against the same White Sox, and he pitched well, allowing one run over 6 2/3 innings. McClendon did not say when Nuno would make his next start.

Indians starter Carlos Carrasco has been placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a shoulder injury. Carrasco had an MRI on Tuesday which came back clean, but he was still scratched from his start on Wednesday. He received a cortisone shot in his shoulder, and will rest for a few days, though he is expected to return after the minimum 15 days.

"Watching him throw his bullpen yesterday, he's OK, he's just a little bit stiff after," Indians manager Terry Francona said before Tuesday's game, per MLB.com. "I was glad they did the MRI. Sometimes when you give MRIs to pitchers, you have to be careful because anybody that's thrown a baseball can have something wrong in there. But his was very clean. We were thrilled."

In 2015, Carrasco is 12-9 with a 3.53 ERA.

Carrasco's move to the DL opens up a roster spot for Cody Anderson, who will return from the DL to start on Wednesday.