MLB Player News

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus confirmed that pitcher Justin Verlander will come off the disabled list and start on Saturday against the Indians. Verlander will make his season debut after missing all season with a triceps injury in spring training.

David Price, who was scheduled to start Saturday, will take the mound on Friday against Cleveland, according to MLB.com

An oblique injury has forced the Rays to place starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi on the 15-day disabled list, the Tampa Tribune has reported.

Odorizzi referred to it as a mild strain and added he hopes to be throwing again by this weekend. How his oblique reacts to that will determine a timetable for his return.

Pitching coach Jim Hickey had indicated that the right-hander was going to miss a few starts with the injury, which was sustained in his Friday start.

Odorizzi has been a pleasant surprise after posting a mediocre 4.13 ERA in 2014. He has lowered it to 2.47 despite a 4-5 record. He has markedly improved his control, walking just 15 in 76 2/3 innings.

Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey is optimistic starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi doesn't have a serious oblique injury. However, it appears he is bracing for Odorizzi to miss a few starts, per MLB Network Radio.

"I don't think it is all that serious, but he is probably a few weeks away from pitching in a major-league game," Hickey said.

Odorizzi left his last start Friday against the Mariners due to an left oblique injury. After opening the season with a 3-2 record and 2.09 ERA in seven starts, Odorizzi is 1-3 with a 3.07 ERA in his last five starts.

Despite producing a solid outing Monday, Astros pitcher Lance McCullers received the loss during Monday's 3-1 loss to the White Sox.

McCullers (2-1) allowed three runs on four hits over seven innings of work. He also struck out seven and walked none. His biggest mistake was giving up a two-run home run to Avisail Garcia in the fourth inning.

Prior to Monday's outing, McCullers had given up a total of six runs in his first four starts this season. His next expected start is scheduled for Saturday against the Mariners.

White Sox pitcher Chris Sale struck out a season-high 14 batters during Monday's 3-1 win over the Astros.

"I try to just come in every day and do my job," Sale said, per MLB.com. "If it's good, it's good. If it's bad, it's bad. Just go out there and give it everything I've got."

Sale allowed one run on five hits over eight innings of work. He also only walked one batter during the outing. He earned his sixth win of the season and his ERA now stands at 3.04.

Sale (6-2) has now recorded double-digit strike outs in his last four starts and he has pitched at least seven innings in each of his last six starts. His next expected start is scheduled for Sunday at Tampa Bay.

The Astros will call up pitcher Vincent Velasquez from Double-A to start Wednesday's game at the Chicago White Sox, the team announced.

A roster move will be made Wednesday in order to make room for Velasquez on the roster. He is 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA in five starts at Double-A Corpus Christi.

Rays starter Jake Odorizzi, who left Friday's game with an oblique strain, said he was feeling better, but his status wouldn't be known until at least Tuesday, per the Tampa Tribune. 

"I felt better (Sunday)," Odorizzi said. "I was able to sleep on it and everything. I felt a good amount better."

Odorizzi is scheduled to meet with team doctor Koco Eaton on Monday. 

The Astros continue to promote their top prospects to the majors, as a report indicates the team will call up starting pitcher Vincent Velasquez on Monday, with the expectation that he will start Wednesday's game, per MLB.com. 

Velasquez, the organization's No. 4 prospect, was 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA in five starts at Double-A Corpus Christi. He will join Lance McCullers as a Houston pitccher called up without making an appearance at Triple-A. 

Velasquez was the Astros' second-round pick in 2010.

Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco took the loss on Sunday, giving up five earned runs on seven hits and two walks in four-plus innings while striking out three in his team's 7-3 defeat against the Orioles.

"It kind of surprised me," Carrasco said, per MLB.com. "I thought he was going to take me out of the game or something. He asked me how my arm was feeling. I was feeling good. I was stretching my arm -- that was it. I was sitting there for maybe 10 minutes [between innings], but I'm fine."

Carrasco (7-5) has been on a run of three great starts coming into Sunday's matchup, but the Orioles were able to get on the board in the top of the first inning with a solo home run. Carrasco gave up three more runs in the fourth inning and was left in for the start of the fifth but surrendered a leadoff triple and was removed from the game.

"I didn't have my best stuff today," Carrasco said. "My fastball command, it was a little bit out of the zone. I had to use more sliders, so they saw that a lot, and that's why I gave up hits."

Carrasco has posted a 4.35 ERA and 77:17 K:BB ratio while recording a decision in each of his 12 starts. He's scheduled to face the Tigers in Detroit on Saturday.

The Red Sox have squashed any notion of right-hander Justin Masterson returning to Boston after two rehab starts. He will pitch a third Wednesday for Triple-A Pawtucket, per the Boston Herald.

Now the team has one more decision to make - whether to keep him in the rotation or place him in the bullpen.

Masterson did not earn his spot as a starter when he was pitching for the Sox and has also not earned a quick promotion. After posting a 6.37 ERA in the majors and going down with shoulder tendinitis, he has allowed four runs on 10 hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings against Double-A and Triple-A hitters.

That's not what anyone had in mind when he signed a one-year deal for $9.5 million in the offseason.

"I'd like to be throwing 96 mph again," he said. "But I don't know if that will come or not. I'm doing everything in my ability to try to make that happen. ... I feel physically the best I've felt since the start of the year."