MLB Player News

Rays pitcher Alex Cobb (forearm) threw 30 pitches in a bullpen session Monday, the Tampa Tribune reports.

Cobb opened the season on the disabled list due to forearm tendinitis. Provided he doesn't encounter a setback, he's expected to throw two more bullpen sessions before facing batters in live batting practice. Cobb has delivered back-to-back seasons with ERAs under 3.00, going 10-9 with a 2.87 ERA and 149:47 K:BB ratio in 166 1/3 innings in 2014.

Mariners starting pitcher Taijuan Walker (1-2) allowed one unearned run in seven innings on Monday to defeat the Rangers and earn his first win of 2015.

"I felt I didn’t have my best fastball today," he said, per The News Tribune. "But I think my fastball location was good. And I was getting a lot of ground balls. Keeping the ball down. The defense was working for me today."

The Rangers took advantage of a throwing error in the fourth inning to score their lone run.

Walker struck out five and walked one in the victory.

Walker's next start is scheduled for Saturday in Houston.

Indians starter Corey Kluber (0-3) gave up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings on Monday to take the loss against the Royals.

Kluber struck out five in the contest and notched his 500th for his career. Kluber reached the milestone in his 80th game with the Indians, the second fastest to do so in franchise history (Herb Score, 68 games).

"He's one of the best pitchers in the game, if not the best pitcher in the game," Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, who went 4 for 5 in the game, said. "We came away with a win against a great pitcher."

Kluber, the 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner, will look for his first win of the season Saturday against the Blue Jays.

Twins pitcher Ricky Nolasco said everything went well during his rehab start Sunday and he passed every test, reports Fox Sports North.

"I felt good," Nolasco said, per MLB.com. "I was able to throw free and easy, which was huge. We've been aggressive as trying not to lose out on what I did in spring with the build-up process. I've just been honest with myself and trying to push it. But I've passed every test and the big one was yesterday, obviously."

Nolasco is dealing with an elbow injury, which caused him to be placed on the 15-day DL. He threw five innings for the team's Class A affiliate Sunday, but he was not sure when his next assignment would be.

"I just came in [Monday] and they wanted to see how I felt today," Nolasco said. "But I felt good. Just some general soreness. But I played catch and it felt great. I think [Tuesday] we'll figure everything out."

The second opinion on the injury plaguing Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander is similar to the first - a strained right triceps muscle, MLB Network has reported.

Verlander has yet to pitch this year, but is a possibility to do some throwing on the team's upcoming 10-game road trip. It remains to be seen if the latest diagnosis has an effect on those plans.

"I think we're on the back end of it," Verlander said to MLive.com. "Definitely moving in the right direction. The second MRI said we're moving in the right direction."

Verlander has been frustrated by not being able to pitch yet this season.

"It's weird," he said. "I talked with the trainers and they told me this is probably going to be hardest thing I've ever hard to do because this does not mesh well with my personality. I want to be going out there. And historically in the past I've pitched through some stuff. I've pitched through a lot of stuff in my career. This is just one of those things you can't try to force your way through."

Yankees pitcher Nathan Eovaldi allowed four runs on seven hits, including a home run, in New York's 6-4 win over the Mets Sunday.

Eovaldi got off to a rocky start in the first inning when he allowed a lead off home run to Curtis Granderson. Then, Eovaldi allowed an RBI double to Daniel Murphy, bringing home Juan Lagares. Eovaldi's issues continued into the third when he allowed back-to-back doubles, which brought home two more runs.

"We were scoring runs early and it's frustrating having to go to the bullpen so early, that I couldn’t go further in the game," Eovaldi said to MLB.com. "But the bullpen has been awesome."

After recording a strikeout in the fifth, Eovaldi allowed Lagares to reach on an infield single and was pulled. He recorded six strikeouts with no walks and now boasts a 4.15 ERA in 21 2/3 innings. 

"I thought he was up in the zone a little bit," Girardi said of Eovaldi. "He didn’t have great command of his off-speed tonight. They hit some balls pretty hard early and scored two quick runs. And it all happened with two outs. He just struggled getting that third out."

Evoladi, who remains 1-0, will look to get back on track Saturday against the Red Sox.

Twins pitcher Kyle Gibson allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings of work in Minnesota's 4-2 win over the Mariners Sunday. 

Gibson worked efficiently through his start, with only one issue coming in the fourth inning. Gibson allowed a lead off home run to Seth Smith over the right field wall to get things started. Then after two batters reached base, Logan Morrison picked up an RBI on a groundout to third base. He finished off strong, with three strikeouts and three walks, but remains 1-2 on the year.

Gibson now boasts a 4.84 ERA and will look to get his second win Friday against the White Sox.

Twins pitcher Ricky Nolasco was able to throw five innings with 66 pitches in his rehab start for Class-A Cedar Rapids Sunday, according to the team.

Nolasco, who is currently on the 15-day DL with an elbow injury, said he felt good after the outing. Nolasco has appeared in just one game this season for Minnesota, posting an 0-1 record with four walks and two strikeouts in three innings of work. 

Twins manager Paul Molitor said he would discuss Nolasco's status with GM Terry Ryan. 

"Ricky threw the ball well," Molitor said. "Velocity was 91-93, settled in around 92 and had no physical restraint, so [a decision is] going to be coming around here pretty soon."

Red Sox starter Wade Miley (1-2) was tagged for seven runs (six earned) on five hits in 2 1/3 innings on Sunday in his loss to the Orioles.

Miley allowed a run in the second inning and then six more in the third before being removed with two outs.

"It's just embarrassing," he said to the Boston Herald. "I know I'm better than this. . . . Both those games, I didn't give us a chance at all. And it's so hard for an offense to keep going when a starter goes out in the third inning and gives up seven runs. I've got to do a better job."

The big blow in the third inning was a two-run double from first baseman Chris Davis.

"Each game is different, but just command of the strike zone," said manager John Farrell. "To their credit, they put the bat on some balls, they squared some balls up, they found some holes. Seemingly offensively they did whatever they wanted to today."

Miley will try to get back on track in his next start that's set for Saturday against the Yankees.

Carlos Carrasco gave up five runs on nine hits over four and a third innings. Carrasco took the loss for the Indians, dropping to 2-2 on the year with a 4.60 ERA. He walked two and struck out five. 

"I fell behind and fell behind," Carrasco said. "With that lineup, as soon as you have to start throwing strikes, they are going to hit you. That's what they did."

Carrasco threw 53 strikes in 91 pitches. His next start is scheduled for Friday, at home against Toronto.