MLB Player News

Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman threw on flat ground again prior to Thursday's game against the Mariners. Gausman, who has been on the 15-day disabled list since May 8 with a shoulder injury, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday in Miami, per MASN Sports. 

White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon wasn't a factor in the decision on Wednesday, giving up one earned run on four hits and five walks in six innings while striking out four in his team's 4-3 loss to the Indians.

"Uh, not great, not bad, just in between," Rodon said afterward, per ESPN.com. "It's tough with five walks, gets the pitch count up."

Rodon continues to have an issue with walks, and he's now dished out 15 free passes across his three starts. It didn't hurt him until the sixth inning Wednesday, when the Indians were able to score a run on a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

"I think for him, there is a learning curve of being young and being able to consistently do it because hitters up here don't swing as much as college hitters for at the good stuff that you throw," manager Robin Ventura said. "You have to be able to throw strikes."

Rodon owns a 4.03 ERA and 21:19 K:BB ratio in 22 1/3 innings. He's in line to face the Blue Jays in Toronto on Monday.

Rays pitcher Jake Odorizzi allowed two earned runs in Wednesday night's 2-1 losss against the Braves. 

Odorizzi gave up a run each in the third and sixth innings. He went six total innings and gave up four hits, two walks and struck out two batters. 

"You feel for him because he's pitched really well all year," Rays manager Kevin Cash said, via MLB.com. "At the same time, he's a pro. He gets it. He just keeps going out there giving us what we need."

This is Odorizzi's third loss in a row, even though he's had strong efforts in each game. His run support has been lacking, however, as the Rays have only scored a combined five runs in his last three starts. 

Odorizzi's next start is projected for May 25 against the Mariners. 

Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander is expected to throw a "lengthy" bullpen session on Friday, which will be very similar to a simulated game, according to MLB.com. 

Verlander is expected to throw 45-50 pitches of a warmup routine, cool down and then throw 15-20 pitches in the bullpen, according to manager Brad Ausmus.

"We just want to make sure that after he's thrown off the mound and he gets back, that he still feels OK," Ausmus said.

Verlander is yet to throw this season while battling a triceps injury.

Astros starter Dallas Keuchel bounced back from two sub-par outings with another dominant performance on Thursday. After allowing four runs in each of his last two starts, Keuchel went seven innings allowing just an unearned run on six hits in the 6-1 victory over the A's.

Keuchel walked two and struck out four while throwing 69 of his 106 pitches for strikes. The only run he gave up came on an error in the top of the sixth to tie the game at one. But the Astros came right back to take the lead in the bottom half, as Keuchel improved to 6-0 on the season.

"I think he was as sharp as he was early in the year," manager A.J. Hinch said after the game, per MLB.com. "They made him work a couple of innings that were pretty long, which got him out of there after the seventh. He really dialed it up in a couple of innings when they had the bases loaded. ... The perfectionist he is, he's probably going to be a little harder on himself than I am, but I love the way he found ways not to break."

He now holds a very impressive 1.67 ERA. He's scheduled to make his next start on Monday in Baltimore.

White Sox rookie pitcher Carlos Rodon, the third overall pick in last year's draft, has shown some flashes of brilliance in his brief Major League career. Since being recalled on April 21, the young left-hander has made five appearances, two of them being starts.

His first start came on May 9 against the Reds and he was sharp. He tossed six innings allowing just two runs on four hits. He did strikeout eight, but also walked four. And walks seem to be his nemesis so far this season. 

In his most recent start, last week against the A's, Rodon lasted just four innings and walked six batters in that performance. 

“He was a bit erratic,” manager Robin Ventura said, per ESPN.com. “He had the inning where he lost touch and feel to throw strikes. Up here, that’s something that will get to you at first, but it’s stuff he’s working on it. Going through it, there’s going to be some of that for a young kid. You have to handle it, get through it.”

Rodon will try to slow things down a bit when he toes the rubber on Wednesday against the Indians.

“Be patient, try to slow the game down, attack the zone,” Rodon said.

Athletics starter Sonny Gray (4-2) yielded three runs on seven hits in five innings Tuesday to take the loss against the Astros. 

Gray served up a homer to Chris Carter in the second inning -- a two-run shot that hit the facade. 

"Yeah stuff was OK, fastball wasn't great," Gray said. "Left a few balls up and that was it."

After winning his first four decisions of the year, Gray has now dropped his last two. 

Gray's next start is scheduled for Sunday in Tampa Bay. 

White Sox starter Jose Quintana (2-4) was solid in seven innings or work Tuesday, allowing two runs on eight hits but took the loss against the Indians.

Since allowing nine runs in four innings during an April 19 start, Quintana has a 2.18 ERA over his last five starts.

"[Quintana] was great," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.  "They just scratched across a couple more than we did."

Quintana returns to the mound for his next start Sunday against the Twins.

Yankees starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi lasted just 4 1/3 innings on Tuesday, allowing five runs on seven hits and fanning five in a no-decision against the Nationals. 

Eovaldi surrendered first-inning homers to Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper. 

Eovaldi couldn't make it through the fifth after giving up three RBI singles to the Nats. 

"In the fifth inning, I just fell apart," Eovaldi said, per MLB.com. "Walking the leadoff batter after we put up four runs in the fourth, and two more in the fifth, it's just frustrating. I've got to be able to bear down, make better pitches than that and get back to the dugout.

Eovaldi returns to the mound for his next start Monday against the Royals.

Twins starter Ricky Nolasco moved to 4-1 on the season with a win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday. 

Nolasco gave up 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs--three earned. He walked one batter and struck out eight. 

"I felt good getting back to that feeling where I can strike guys out when I want to," Nolasco said,per MLB.com. "It's nice getting all those runs with us having good at-bats. All I was trying to do was get us back to the dugout as quick as possible."

Nolasco threw 62 strikes in 93 pitches and lowered his ERA to 6.00. His next start is Monday against Boston.