MLB Player News

White Sox starting pitcher Carlos Rodon didn't have his best stuff on Wednesday against the Rays.

Rodon lasted just 4 2/3 innings because he allowed four runs on six hits. He walked two batters and allowed a home run in the no-decision. Rodon's last two starts have been shaky, as he has allowed 12 runs in 7 2/3 innings.

Rodon (4-4) now has a 5.00 ERA in 84 2/3 innings this season.

The Orioles have shuffled their rotation plans for a weekend series against the Angels with Chris Tillman's status still up in the air.

Kevin Gausman will start the series opener on Friday and will be followed by Ubaldo Jimenez. Sunday's starter has not been announced, but it could be Tillman, who was originally scheduled to pitch Saturday. He is sidelined due to an ankle injury. 

If Tillman can't pitch Sunday, then it could be Miguel Gonzalez in the series finale.

Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman, who has been sidelined all season due to a torn ACL, will throw off the mound next Wednesday for the first time since getting hurt during spring training, manager John Gibbons told reporters.

Gibbons didn't assure Stroman would be back this season, but if he is available to pitch in September, it will be out of the bullpen.

Mariners pitcher Vidal Nuno will be in the rotation for at least one more start, manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters Wednesday. However, McClendon still not viewing Nuno as a full-time starter.

The left-hander made his first start of the season Tuesday, allowing three runs on five hits (two home runs) and two walks in 3 2/3 innings at Colorado. He struck out three and threw 62 pitches.

Indians starter Carlos Carrasco went nine innings for the second straight game, but he left as the game went to extra innings, settling for a no-decision. 

Carrasco allowed just one hit and didn't give up a run, but the Indians also couldn't score. He walked one batter and struck out seven. 

Carrasco joined some elite company with a gem ending in a no-decision. He's the fourth pitcher to allow one hit to the Angels over nine innings and not earn a win, and first since Randy Johnson. 

He's the first MLB pitcher to have nine scoreless innings, allowing 1 hit or fewer in a no-decision since Matt Harvey, in 2013.

After striking out seven and allowing just two hits in a complete game last start, Carrasco is the first AL pitcher with back-to-back starts with nine innings, seven strikeouts and no more than 2 hits since Teddy Higuero, in 1987.

Athletics pitcher Chris Bassitt was dominant throughout his start Tuesday against the Orioles, which the A's won 5-0.

Bassitt tossed seven scoreless innings while striking out seven and walking two. He was making his sixth start of the season and received his first win. He is now 1-4 with a 2.64 ERA.

Bassitt has earned a quality start in each of his last four starts, but has just one win to show for it.

Mariners pitcher Vidal Nuno started his first game of the season, after 21 relief appearances, Tuesday against Colorado. 

Nuno started 28 games last season. He lasted 3 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits. After allowing three home runs all season coming into the game, he gave up two homers on Tuesday. 

Nuno left with the score tied and took a no-decision. 

White Sox starter Chris Sale struggled again in his outing against the Rays on Tuesday. The 2015 All-Star allowed seven runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out nine, but suffered his seventh loss of the season in the 11-3 defeat.

Sale (9-7) got off to a bad start in this one, as he allowed a two-run home run to Logan Forsythe in the top of the first inning. He settled in after that, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters to face him.

But he served up a solo shot to Mikie Mahtook in the fifth, before giving up four more in a five-run sixth inning. 

This makes back-to-back starts in which Sale has allowed seven runs. The two rough outings have lifted his season ERA to a rather pedestrian 3.52 clip.

Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander allowed five runs on 10 hits in seven innings of work in Detroit's 5-1 loss to the Royals on Tuesday. Verlander, who struck out five and walked none, ran into problems in the second when he allowed three singles to plate a run.

Then in the fourth, Verlander gave up a two-run homer to Salvador Perez. Verlander, now 1-4, allowed just two runs in his previous two outings. The defeat on Tuesday moved his ERA to 5.05 on the year.  He will look to bounce back against the Astros on Saturday.

The Rays said that pitcher Drew Smyly will have two more minor league rehab starts. 

Smyly is on the 60-day disabled list with a shoulder injury. He's made one rehab start in Triple-A Durham. 

Smyly is expected to start for Durham on Thursday and then again on Tuesday.