MLB Player News

Starting pitcher Johnny Cueto will make his Royals debut on Friday at Toronto. The right-hander was acquired in a trade Sunday with the Reds.

Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez could hardly help performing better Sunday night against Detroit than he did in his previous start. But he went from horrible to excellent.

Rodriguez was coming off an effort against the Angels in which he allowed seven earned runs in 1 2/3 innings. He bounced back to give up just one run in seven innings in taming the Tigers. He yielded just three hits while walking one and fanning seven.

His lone hiccup wound up over the fence in the fifth inning, courtesy of Nick Castellanos. He received tremendous run support to raise his record to 6-3.

Rodriguez has proven quite inconsistent. He has surrendered two or less runs in five of his last eight starts and six or more in the other three.

Mariners starting pitcher Taijuan Walker struck out six batters in a no-decision on Sunday against the Blue Jays.

Walker allowed four runs, three of them earned, while giving up six hits and three walks in six innings of work. 

Walker now has a 5.03 ERA with 110 strikeouts and 30 walks in 112 2/3 innings this season.

Rays left-hander Drew Smyly finally returned to the mound Sunday for Triple-A Durham after missing nearly three months with a shoulder injury.

Smyly pitched 2 1/3 innings and yielded four earned runs on three hits and two walks against Tidewater. He fanned three.

There will be at least a few more minor league outings to come. His long absence will result in a lengthy rehab stint.

Ho hum. Another start, another win for Angels emerging starter Andrew Heaney.

The 24-year-old Heaney notched his fifth straight Sunday against Texas. It was tougher than the 13-7 final indicates - his offense didn't explode until after he was removed from the game. He allowed just two runs on six hits in six innings with one walk and four strikeouts.

Heaney gave up single runs in the third and fourth on a Rougned Odor single and bases loaded hit-by-pitch. He retired seven of the last eight batters he faced.

The southpaw has been tremendously effective and consistent since landing a spot in the rotation in late June. He has six straight quality starts in which he has given up two runs or less and now boasts a 1.79 ERA.

Perhaps the All-Star break layoff did not have a negative effect on Twins starter Kyle Gibson. But he certainly hasn't pitched well since his return.

Gibson experienced his second straight poor performance Sunday against the visiting Yankees. He yielded six runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings in lowering his record to 8-8 and raising his ERA to 3.48, its highest point since May 1. He walked two and fanned four.

The right-hander blanked New York through four before surrendering a solo home run to Chase Headley in the fifth. That signaled disaster as he was greeted by two walks, three singles and three runs to begin the sixth. Two more runs scored after he was removed.

Gibson has given up 12 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings covering his last two starts.

Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi has been bailed out by the bats often this year, which explains his 9-2 record despite a 4.43 ERA heading into his Sunday outing in Minnesota. He had allowed 127 hits in just 103 2/3 innings.

Eovaldi is now halfway to 20 wins, but not just because of offensive support. He performed quite well in shutting down the Twins. He surrendered two runs on five hits in eight innings with one walk and five strikeouts.

It wasn't until the fifth that the Yankees scored a run for him. He had fallen behind in the third on two singles and a groundout, then yielded another after his departure in the ninth when Miguel Sano, who had doubled, tallied a meaningless run.

Eovaldi has not allowed more than three runs in a start since June 16. But had not been extended into the seventh inning since June 10.

Astros starter Dallas Keuchel dropped to 12-5 on the season with a loss to Kansas City on Sunday. 

Keuchel allowed a season-high five runs on a season-high 10 hits. 

Keuchel allowed his first home run since June 20 and struck out five. 

White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon threw 6 2/3 shutout innings and earned a win for the first time since June 20. 

Rodon snapped a two-game losing streak, striking out nine and not walking a batter. 

Rodon improved to 4-3. He threw 111 pitches, the fifth time in six starts he topped the century mark.  

After a false start on Saturday, the Reds completed a trade sending pitcher Johnny Cueto to the Royals on Sunday. 

The two teams came to an agreement on Saturday, but one of the players Kansas City was sending to Cincinnati had a medical issue that put the trade on hold. 

Negotiations continued through Sunday morning, and CBSSports.com baseball insider Jon Heyman confirmed that the trade had been finalized.