MLB Player News

White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana allowed five earned runs on nine hits and one walk in five innings while striking out four in his team's 7-5 loss to the Royals Wednesday.

Quintana wasn't a factor in the decision after surrendering one run in the first inning, a three-run home run in the third and one final run in the fifth. He gave up five earned runs or more in four of his 32 starts last season, including his final start of 2014, and finished the year with a 3.32 ERA and 178:52 K:BB ratio in 200 1/3 innings.

Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco allowed just three hits and one walk in 6 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out 10 in his team's 2-0 victory over the Astros in Houston Wednesday.

Carrasco racked up double-digit strikeouts in three of his six September starts last season, and picked up right where he left off in his season debut Wednesday, limiting the Astros to a double, two singles and one walk. His next start will likely come Wednesday against the White Sox.

Rays pitcher Jake Odorizzi went 6 2/3 innings in Wednesday's 2-0 win over the Orioles. Odorizzi tossed seven strikeouts with two hits and non runs allowed in his outing. 

Odorizzi didn't get much resistance from Baltimore, working efficiently through his appearance. He did not allow a baserunner to get past second base in his 6 2/3 innings.

He will look to keep things rolling Tuesday against the Blue Jays.

Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco underwent a non-invasive heart procedure last October, something the team didn't know about until after he signed his four-year extension, according to FOXSports.com.

Carrasco also dealt with palpitations during spring training, requiring more medication to regulate his heartbeat. Carrasco said he first felt it after the season ended and was really scared to go under the knife.

"I think it's safe to say that we were comfortable that he was getting the right medical treatment and he'd be fine," Indians manager Terry Francona to the Akron Beacon-Journal. "It's not like a sprained wrist, though. It's not something you mess around with. But I think everybody was comfortable knowing how it was taken care of and what he has to do. So it's not really an issue."

Indians pitcher T.J. House will make his season debut Sunday, MLB.com reports.

House was initially announced as the probable starter for Saturday, but ace Corey Kluber will make his second start of the season Saturday before House takes the mound Sunday.

Twins pitcher Ricky Nolasco failed to make it out of the fourth inning and was hit with the loss in his first start of the season on Wednesday against the Tigers.

Nolasco surrendered a two-run single to Ian Kinsler and a run-scoring double to Miguel Cabrera in the third inning. He allowed a run-scoring triple to Anthony Gose before he was pulled for Tim Stauffer with no outs in the fourth.

"I put in a lot of hard work and all that, but one start isn't going to kill you as far as mental-wise," Nolasco said. "So I just have to go back to work and do what I have to do for the next one."

The right-hander permitted six runs and six hits in three innings, walked four and struck out two.

"The first couple innings, he came out and did a good job, but lost his command from that point forward," manager Paul Molitor said. "I'm not sure if the cool weather or slick baseballs affected him as the game went on, but obviously, he lost some of the things he had the first couple innings."

Nolasco will try to get back on track Monday at home against Kansas City. He went 2-2 with a 3.31 ERA in five starts against Kansas City in 2014.

Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman went 2 1/3 innings Tuesday against the Rays, earning his first relief win of the season in Baltimore's 5-4 win.

Gausman allowed two runs on one hit with four strikeouts and two walks in his appearance. Manager Buck Showalter was most impressed by Gausman working out of a jam when he first came into the game, reports MLB.com.

"I think some of the situations he was in last year, it all plays into it," manager Buck Showalter said of Gausman performing well in a relief role. "He's been exposed to a lot of things like that and it will play well.

"He was capable of throwing 70 pitches tonight, but I want him to take two days [off] and be back for us [on] Friday."

Gausman, who lost out on the fifth spot in Baltimore's starting rotation, was happy to be back on the mound.

"I think last time I pitched was last Tuesday. I definitely had my rest," Gausman said. "I felt good. Also adrenaline, [the] first game out had something to do with it."

With Rick Porcello locked up for at least four years, Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson is the only starter remaining without a contract beyond 2015. Masterson, 30, is playing under a one-year, $9.5 million deal with Boston and is scheduled to become a free agent for the second straight offseason. He told reporters he won't let his contract uncertainty impact his approach on the mound, per WEEI.

"It can affect people when they do that, but it's also an easy out if a guy struggles or something happens to say, 'That's affecting him.' It may or my not be. But that's always an easy out when those things happen," Masterson said. "Like last year for me, people saying, 'The contract stuff must be affecting him.' That didn't feel good. You get that all the time. 'You should have taken it.' No. I would have actually felt worse if I had taken it because I knew I wasn't feeling good. I just think it's based off the person. But for some people it can make it hard to play."

The Tigers announced Wednesday starting pitcher Justin Verlander was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a right triceps strain. The move is retroactive to March 29.

Verlander was placed on the DL for the first time in his 11-year career. The Tigers also announced Wednesday they recalled Kyle Lobstein from Triple-A Toledo. He is tentatively listed as Verlander's replacement for Sunday's start against the Indians. Lobstein made seven appearances, including six starts, for Detroit in 2014. He went 1-2 with a 4.35 ERA.

The six-time All-Star and 2011 AL Cy Young award winner has been sidelined since leaving a March 27 spring training start against the Blue Jays. He appeared to be progressing toward making his first start of the season Sunday before Wednesday's announcement.

"Early on it was kind of grabby, I guess. Right now it's more just kind of achy. It gets tired quickly," Verlander said.

Manager Brad Ausmus said Verlander felt good throwing long toss Tuesday and is "extremely optimistic" Verlander will only miss one start, per the Detroit Free Press.

James Paxton pitched well enough to win, but the Mariners couldn't provide any offense in a 2-0 loss to the Angels. 

Paxton pitched six innings, striking out five. He walked one and gave up four hits. The big hit was a two-run home run by David Freese in the fourth inning that provided all the offense the Angels needed.

"I left that fastball up and away to him and that's where he hits the ball hard," Paxton said, per the Associated Press. "I was trying to go down and away and left the ball up."

Paxton threw 87 pitches, 52 for strikes. His next start will be Monday, on the road at the Dodgers, against Zack Greinke.