MLB Player News

Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish, out for the season after Tommy John surgery in March, has completed the range-of-motion portion of his rehab. 

The Star Telegram reported that Darvish is out of the elbow brace he's been wearing since the surgery and is working on strengthening his forearm. 

White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon is still trying to get comfortable with his new role as a relief pitcher, according to MLB.com.

Rodon threw three scoreless innings in Saturday's loss to the Twins. He scattered six hits with two strikeouts in the appearance.

"It's a little more comfortable. I had a plan," Rodon said. "I felt good coming in. I just wish I would have got one of those guys out and kept it 3-3."

Manager Robin Ventura likes the changes he's seen from Rodon so far this season.

"He's improving," said Ventura. "Getting him stretched out, too, he's got to get in there and pitch, and that's his spot. For what he is in our bullpen and who he is facing and where he's coming in, that's his spot."

Mariners pitcher Taijuan Walker allowed eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits in three innings of work in Seattle's 11-4 loss to the Astros Saturday. 

Walker struggled early and often, failing to record an out in the fourth inning. After giving up two runs in the second, Walker gave up a two-run blast to Evan Gattis followed by a solo shot to Colby Rasmus in the third.

"I just feel like I didn't use my fastball enough like I did my last two starts," Walker said per the Associated Press. "First inning I pounded them with fastballs and got groundballs with it and then the second inning I just felt like I didn't throw the fastball enough. They hit my off-speed, hit my mistakes."

Things only got worse for Walker in the fourth when after allowing the first two hitters to reach base, Jose Altuve cranked a three-run blast.

Walker, now 1-3, ballooned his ERA to 8.74 in 22 2/3 innings. He will look to bounce back Friday against the Athletics.

Forget about Waldo. Where's Corey Kluber?

The Kluber that won the American League Cy Young Award for the Indians last season is missing. He has been replaced by a guy who continued to struggle Saturday against Toronto and fell to 0-4 on the year.

Kluber performed decently early in the year and could have sued his hitters for non-support. But his most recent performance in which he gave up four runs on eight hits in five innings continued a string of uncharacteristically bad outings.

"I think the biggest thing is probably just needing to sequence a little better," Kluber said. "I'm not doing that good of a job of keeping guys honest. For the most part, guys are kind of hanging out over the plate and when they're doing that, you kind of eliminate one half of the plate, so when you do make a mistake it's kind of magnified.

The right-hander gave up a run-scoring double to Edwin Encarnacion in the first, then collapsed in the middle innings. He allowed a game-tying home run to Russell Martin in the fourth, two-run single to Jose Bautista in the fifth and two baserunners in the sixth before his merciful removal.

Kluber, whose ERA has skyrocketed from 2.49 to 4.62 over the last three starts, has surrendered 31 hits in his last 17 1/3 innings pitched. He will attempt to find himself Friday against Minnesota.

Twins starter Ricky Nolasco (1-1) returned from the disabled list Saturday to throw five solid innings and earn the win against the White Sox.

Nolasco allowed three runs on eight hits and struck out four in the victory.

"I felt good," said Nolasco to MLB.com. "It was a huge sigh of relief to throw pain-free. That was the most important thing. It was a battle. I was pretty anxious to get out there but thought I settled down and got of a few jams there. But a couple two-out hits cost me a couple runs."

Nolasco was pitching in Class A for his rehab assignment because of right elbow inflammation.

Nolasco's next start is set for Thursday against the Athletics.

Red Sox starter Wade Miley (1-3) allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings on Saturday but took the loss against the Yankees.

Miley rebounded from his last start when he gave up seven runs (six earned) on five hits in 2 1/3 innings for a loss.

"We had a pretty aggressive game plan today," said Miley. "Just threw a lot of fastballs and got some outs. It was a lot better. Still got in some three-ball counts. Instead of trying to make too good of a pitch, 3-1, 3-0, I just needed to execute a pitch and get a ground-ball out rather than walk a guy."

Miley's next start is scheduled for Friday in Toronto.

Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi (2-0) allowed two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings on Saturday to earn the victory against the Red Sox.

"I thought he pitched in extremely well," catcher Brian McCann said. "When he pitches in, they have to cheat to that. Once they start cheating, they have to start expanding. He pitched to both sides of the plate effectively, and had them off balance. ... I think he's getting better and better, I really do."

The damage off Eovaldi came via a solo homer from Dustin Pedroia and an RBI double from Mookie Betts.

"I didn't think they were that bad today," Eovaldi said. "When we were at home with the Mets, they were a lot worse. I was like, 'Wow, we're at home!' New York-New York."

Eovaldi's next start is set for Thursday against the Orioles.

Rays pitcher Alex Cobb, who opened the season on the disabled list due to forearm tendinitis, has continued to throw bullpen sessions but remains without a date yet to face hitters, leaving him without a timetable for return, reports the Tampa Bay Times. 

The Twins activated pitchers Ricky Nolasco and Brian Duensing from the disabled list Friday, the team announced.

Nolasco was pitching in Class A for his rehab assignment because of right elbow inflammation, while Duensing missed the last 14 games with a right intercostal strain.

In order to have Nolasco and Duensing on the 25-roster, the team sent pitchers Tommy Milone and Caleb Thielbar to its Triple-A affiliate.

Twins starter Kyle Gibson (2-2) tossed eight shutout innings to defeat the White Sox on Friday.

Gibson gave up four hits and struckout four in the victory.

Gibson returns to the mound Wednesday against the A's.