MLB Player News

The Rangers had two scouts in Chicago on Saturday to watch Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels throw a no-hitter in his last start before the non-waivers trade deadline.

The Yankees and Red Sox each had scouts present as well, but Comcast Philadelphia is reporting that the Rangers are the favorites to complete a trade for Hamels. 

Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto was nearly traded to the Royals on Saturday, but a medical issue with one of the players the Royals were sending to Cincinnati scuttled the deal at the last minute. 

Despite the setback, Cueto may still be traded to the Royals. ESPN's Jim Bowden reported that the two teams continue to work on rebuilding the deal. 

Twins starter Tommy Milone went into the All-Star break as one of the team's best pitchers, but he's struggled since the return, and Saturday was hit hard by the Yankees in a no-decision. 

Over the course of his six innings, Milone allowed just four hits while striking out four, but he also gave up four runs and two home runs. Over his last two starts, he's given up five homers. 

Milone labored through 83 pitches as his ERA rose to 3.58. 

Indians starter Carlos Carrasco needed to be great in his matchup against White Sox ace Chris Sale on Saturday. Instead, he was terrible.

The result was a no-doubt defeat. Carrasco allowed three runs before recording an out and finished with six runs allowed on seven hits in four innings. He walked two and fanned five.

He was greeted by four consecutive singles, including a two-run job by Jose Abreu. A double and two-run single by Tyler Flowers capped a disastrous first inning. Carrasco then settled down for a bit, striking out three in a row at one point, but his night was all but done when he yielded the first career home run to Carlos Sanchez in the fourth.

Carrasco, who managed five quality starts in his previous six outings, hasn't recorded a victory since July 1 and now owns a 4.26 ERA on the year.

The victory for White Sox stud starter Chris Sale was not official until nine innings were played. But he pretty much had it won before he took the mound. His team scored five runs for him in the top of the first.

Game, set, match.

Sale was his usual efficient and dominant self against the Indians. He allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings with no walks and seven strikeouts. His lone hiccups were an RBI single by Jesus Aguilar in the fifth and run-scoring double by Giovany Urshela in the seventh.

The southpaw rebounded quite nicely from a rare poor outing Sunday. He has raised his record to 9-5 and lowered his ERA to 2.85.

Rays pitcher Drew Smyly will start a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Durham on Sunday, per the Tampa Bay Times. 

Smyly is on the 60-day disabled list, recovering from a shoulder injury. 

The Yankees have contacted the Phillies about starting pitcher Cole Hamels' availability via a trade, per FOX Sports.

Hamels (5-7) has a 3.91 ERA with 124 strikeouts and 37 walks in 119 2/3 innings this season.

Tigers starter Justin Verlander picked up a no-decision against Boston on Friday. Verlander is now winless in eight starts on the year, with an 0-3 record and five no-decisions. 

Verlander pitched a season-high eight innings, allowing a run on seven hits. He left with the score tied. 

Verlander struck out three and threw 111 pitches, the fourth start this season he's topped 100 for pitch count. 

Indians ace Corey Kluber was solid for seven innings in his start against the White Sox on Friday night. But he ran in to trouble in the eighth, as the Indians dropped the game 6-0.

Overall, Kluber allowed six runs on eight hits over seven-plus innings. He walked two and struck out seven, throwing 74 of his 109 pitches for strikes.

Kluber (5-11) allowed two of those runs over his first seven innings, including a solo home run to Jose Abreu in the sixth. But the wheels came off in the eighth, as he allowed the first four batters to reach before being pulled from the game. The White Sox would tack on four runs in that inning, all charged to Kluber.

Friday marked the first time since May 7 that Kluber allowed more than four runs in an outing. He has a 3.45 ERA over his last six starts following Friday's performance.

White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana pitched the best game of his career on Friday night, as he blanked the Indians in a seven-hit complete-game shutout. This was the first complete game and shutout of Quintana's four-year career. 

Quintana allowed just the seven hits and did not issue a walk while striking out eight. He was simply dominant in this one, retiring 15 of 16 at one point, including 11 in a row, as the White Sox went on to win 6-0. 

The strong outing lowered his ERA to 3.56 on the year.