MLB Player News

Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez pitched five innings but ended up with a no-decision, Friday against Tampa Bay. 

Rodriguez gave up three runs, just the second time in the last six starts that he's allowed more than two earned runs. 

Rodriguez walked a season-high four batters and also struck out four. 

Twins pitcher Tommy Milone suffered his second loss in a row, Friday against Seattle. 

Milone fell to 5-3 on the year. He hasn't won since July 8, going 0-2 with one no-decision since.

Milone allowed four runs on a season-high 11 hits. For the second time in three starts, he didn't walk a batter, and he struck out four. 

Mariners pitcher Taijuan Walker pitched a complete game to beat Minnesota on Friday. 

Walker gave up one run and recorded his second career complete game. He previously went the distance on September 24 of last year. 

Walker recorded his first career one-hitter and struck out a season-high 11 to improve to 8-7. 

Royals newcomer Johnny Cueto made his team debut on Friday. He went six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out seven, but did not factor in the decision as the Royals dropped the game 7-6 to the Blue Jays in extra innings.

Cueto was handed a 3-0 lead after the first inning, but he allowed a two-run double to Josh Donaldson in the third with the tying run coming across in the fourth. The Royals rallied back, and Cueto left the game leading 5-3. But the bullpen wasn't able to hold on the lead, leaving Cueto with the no-decision.

Pitching between the Reds and the Royals this year, Cueto went 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA in six July starts.

The Phillies and Rangers finally completed their blockbuster trade Friday.

The Rangers will receive starting pitcher Cole Hamels, reliever Jake Diekman and cash considerations in exchange for starting pitcher Matt Harrison, outfield prospect Nick Williams, catcher prospect Jorge Alfaro, starting pitcher prospect Jake Thompson, starting pitcher prospect Alec Asher and starting pitcher prospect Jerad Eickhoff.

The 31-year-old Hamels, who will make his Texas debut Saturday against the Giants, has compiled a 114-90 record, 3.30 ERA and 1.15 WHIP over 10 seasons in the majors -- all with the Phillies. The three-time All-Star is under contract through 2018 on a seven-year, $159 million deal. He also has a $20 million option ($6 million buyout) for 2019.

The 28-year-old Diekman is in his fourth MLB season. He has compiled a 9-11 record, 3.84 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 191 career relief appearances for Philadelphia. He is striking out 11.7 batters per nine innings.

Terry Francona has assured Indians starter Carlos Carrasco that he will not be traded.

Carrasco, who hurled a complete-game victory Thursday night in Oakland, had been rumored to be headed to Toronto, but reports have claimed that deal fell through and that the Blue Jays have given up their pursuit.

"[Francona] told me, "We're not going to trade you,'" Carrasco told MLB.com. "That's what he told me. ... I don't care what I hear about whether they're going to trade me. I'm still here and I'm still working. That's what I need to do."

Carrasco has arguably been the team's second-best starter behind Corey Kluber, but he's been inconsistent. He is 11-8 with a 4.03 ERA.

Athletics starter Chris Bassitt had a shaky first inning, allowing three runs, and despite pitching well for the remainder of his outing, wound up on the losing end of a 3-1 defeat Thursday.

Bassitt went seven innings, scattering six hits while striking out six and walking just one in what was the best of his five starts this season. However, Bassitt's record dropped to 0-4.

Carlos Carrasco was dominant for the Indians on Thursday, pitching a complete-game two-hitter as Cleveland earned a 3-1 win over the Athletics. 

Carrasco allowed a first-inning RBI double, but that was just about it, as he wound up striking out seven hitters while walking just one. Carrasco only needed 103 pitches to spin his gem, using 14 ground-ball outs to power through the Oakland lineup. 

It is Carrasco's first complete game of the season and the fourth of his career. He improves to 11-8 on the season, fourth-most wins in the AL. 

White Sox starter Chris Sale was not his usual dominant self, allowing a career-high 12 hits in a loss to the Red Sox on Thursday. 

Sale (9-6) was struck on the leg by a hit early in the game, and from that point, did not seem to have his best stuff. Over five innings, he allowed seven runs, the fourth-most he has allowed in his career. He did strike out seven batters, but the Red Sox did not seem to have trouble hitting him. 

It was Sale's shortest start since April 30, when he went just three innings in a loss to the Twins. He had won three of his previous four starts in July. 

Phillies starter Cole Hamels, one of the top targets on the trade market, has reportedly been traded to the Rangers as part of an eight-player and cash deal between the teams, per multiple sources.  

Hamels, who is coming off a no-hitter last Sunday, is 6-7 with a 3.64 ERA in 20 starts this season, but the left-hander is considered to be one of the top pitchers in the game, compiling 114 wins in his 10-year career, all with Philadelphia. In addition to Hamels, the Rangers also receive reliever Jake Diekman. 

The rebuilding Phillies get a large haul of young talent, including lefty starter Matt Harrison, top catching prospect Jorge Alfaro, outfielder Nick Williams and pitchers Alec Asher, Jerad Eickhoff and Jake Thompson. 

The trade has not been officially announced by either team.