MLB Player News

White Sox pitcher Chris Sale gave up five runs and earned a no-decision in Wednesday night's 7-6 win over the Tigers. 

Sale went 5 1/3 innings and managed to strike out six batters in the process. However, he also walked five. Sale's ERA is now 5.93 for the season. 

His next start is projected for May 12 against the Brewers. 

Twins pitcher Kyle Gibson pitched six scoreless innings in Wednesday evening's 13-0 win over the Athletics. 

Gibson only allowed four hits in 104 pitches. He walked two batters and struck out one. Gibson has now gone the past 17 innings without giving up a run. He now holds an ERA of 2.97 for the season. 

Gibson's next start is projected for May 12 against the Tigers. 

Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson couldn't make it out of the fifth inning in Wednesday's loss, giving up four earned runs on seven hits and six walks in 4 1/3 innings while striking out one in his team's 5-3 defeat against the Rays.

"It was just lack of control as we got later on in the game," Masterson said, per MLB.com. "The first part was great, first three innings. The fourth, mixed through it. The fifth was kind of a culmination. Just couldn't make the adjustment out there to get back to throwing strikes. Close, but not close enough."

Masterson (2-1) threw just 49 of his 96 pitches for strikes and has now walked three batters or more in four of his last five games. He gave up a run on a single in the third inning and another on a solo home run in the fourth before watching two more runs score on a bases-loaded single in the fifth, which followed a pair of free passes and ended his night.

"For a little bit there I felt like I was in the refilming of Major League," he said. "I could hear the ump saying, 'Ball four, ball eight, ball 12, tried the corner and missed.'"

Masterson owns a 5.18 ERA and 23:18 K:BB ratio in 33 innings. He's scheduled to face the A's in Oakland Tuesday.

White Sox pitching prospect Carlos Rodon is expected to make his first Major League start on Saturday against the Reds, according to the Chicago Tribune. The young left-hander was seen throwing in Chicago's bullpen on Wednesday, which could be a prelude to a start, per MLB.com.

Rodon made his MLB debut on April 21, and has appeared in just three games for the White Sox. He last pitched on Saturday, when he gave up six hits and no runs while striking out two and walking one in three innings against the Twins.

The White Sox will need a spot starter now that Jeff Samardzija has dropped his appeal and will begin serving a five-game suspension on Wednesday. The team has not confirmed if Rodon will indeed make the start on Friday.

Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander was given clearance to resume his throwing program Wednesday, the team announced.

Verlander underwent a third MRI earlier in the week on his injured triceps and was given the go ahead from his doctor to throw. Verlander has not pitched in a game yet this season after leaving his final start of spring training with triceps inflammation. 

"He's got to start building up his arm strength again," manager Brad Ausmus said, per MLB.com, "basically from ground zero. We'll just have to see how it goes."

Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton turned in a sharp outing but had to settle for a no-decision Tuesday night against the Angels in Anaheim.

Paxton permitted a two-run home run to Albert Pujols in the opening frame for his only damage of the evening before settling down. He was charged with two earned runs on four hits and three walks while striking out one over seven innings of a 5-4 defeat. Of his 91 pitches, 51 were strikes.

Paxton has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his last three starts, but has yet to pick up his first win of the season. He will seek win No.1 on Tuesday at home against San Diego.

Results on Justin Verlander's MRI on his strained triceps muscle came back, but the Tigers have not consulted with all three doctors to determine the next step in his recovery. The team will make a formal announcement on his status on Wednesday, according to MLive.com.

Verlander began the season on the 15-day disabled list after suffering the injury in his final start of the spring.

Verlander went 15-12 with a 4.54 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP and 159:65 K:BB ratio over 206 innings in 2014. He has not won 20 games since 2011 when he won the AL CY Young award.

Rays pitcher Drew Smyly allowed one run on two hits in six innings of work in Tampa Bay's 2-0 loss to the Red Sox on Tuesday.

Smyly worked efficiently through his start, allowing no hits through the first five innings of the game. Smyly's only blemish came in the sixth inning when Mookie Betts ripped a solo home run to left center field. Smyly was pulled at the conclusion of the inning after throwing 92 pitches in the outing.

Smyly, now 0-1, moved his ERA to 2.70 in 16 2/3 innings of work. He will look to get in the win column Sunday against the Rangers.

Rays pitcher Alex Cobb underwent testing, which revealed a partial tear in his elbow ligament, the team confirmed on Tuesday, per the Tampa Bay Times.

Cobb suffered a setback in his recovery from forearm tendinitis on Monday. Although general manager Matthew Silverman told reporters that any setback is concerning, he reiterated that it's premature to speculate on surgery for Cobb. For now, the right-hander will try to pitch through the issue.

Rays general manager Matt Silverman said Tuesday that the team will take a wait-and-see approach in regards to pitcher Alex Cobb. Cobb suffered a setback in his recovery from forearm tendinities on Monday and he has ceased throwing for the time being.

Silverman also said that Cobb did undergo some tests and the team is waiting for the results. He did not specify what tests were performed. Right now, the team is focused on getting Cobb back into a routine and resuming his rehab, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

However, Silverman did not rule out the possibility of Cobb going to see Dr. James Andrews, the Tampa Tribune reports.