MLB Player News

Starting pitcher Justin Masterson is drawing a lot of interest in free agency, despite coming off a down season, according to ESPN. Teams are considering Masterson as a potential bounce-back candidate and looking to sign him to a one- or two-year deal.

Masterson struggled in 2014 as he was dealing with rib, knee and shoulder injuries. He expects to be at full health in spring training.

The Twins, Red Sox, Braves, Royals, Cubs and Giants are among teams believed to have shown interest in Masterson, who went 7-9 with a 5.88 ERA in 28 appearances (25 starts) between the Indians and Cardinals in 2014. He was an All-Star and had a career-high 14 wins in 2013.

The Indians are considering a reunion with pitcher Justin Masterson, according to the Northeast Ohio Media Group. 

Masterson opened the year as the team's ace, but was dealt to St. Louis by midseason. Cleveland reportedly offered Masterson an extension worth $45 million last season, but he declined that deal. Masterson posted a 5.88 ERA over 128 2/3 innings last year.

The Blue Jays have called the Phillies to inquire about starting pitcher Cole Hamels, second baseman Chase Utley and left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo, according to the Toronto Sun.

Utley has a full no-trade clause in his contract, while Hamels has a limited no-trade clause and has only 20 teams on that list, which includes the Blue Jays. Bastardo is arbitration eligible and won't be a free agent until next offseason.

The Red Sox are one of "many" teams that have contacted Justin Masterson's camp, according to ESPN on Monday. The Cardinals acquired Masterson from the Indians late in the season, and after earning $9.7625 million in 2014, he's now a free agent. Masterson went 7-9 with a 5.88 ERA and a 4.50 FIP over 128 2/3 innings of work between his stint with Cleveland and St. Louis.

The Red Sox are one of 20 teams on Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels' no-trade list, according to FOX Sports. Hamels might not reject a trade to Boston, but it would likely require any team on his no-trade list to pick up his $20 million option for 2019.

Industry sources told CSNPhilly.com that Philadelphia is looking for at least three top prospects -- two that can play right away and another one that isn't far off -- in a trade for Hamels. The Red Sox and Cubs are two teams interested in trading for Hamels and could have the prospects to get a deal done. 

The Yankees have their sights set on mid-level free agent pithers such as Brandon McCarthy and Jason Hammel as they try to bolster their rotation, per CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman, who has also reported that they hope to bring back lefty Chris Capuano as well.

McCarthy thrived after landing with the Yankees in early July, recording a 7-5 mark and lowering his ERA from 5.01 to 4.05. Hammel finished 10-11 with a 3.47 ERA with the Cubs and Athletics combined.

Wanting to move past a disastrous 2014 season for Twins pitcher Ricky Nolasco manager Paul Molitor still sees value in Nolasco.

"He can do some things out there," Molitor said, per FSN North. "We’re looking forward to him having a second shot.”

The Twins signed Nolasco after a solid 2013 season, when he produced a 13-11 record with a 3.70 ERA.  During his first season with the Twins, Nolasco went 6-12 with a 5.38 ERA.

Mariners pitcher Taijuan Walker was scratched from his most recent scheduled start in the Arizona Fall League and will not pitch again in the league, although the team said he is completely healthy, MLB.com reports.

"Taijuan is completely healthy and was very impressive in his two outings, but made a personal decision that he needed to return home at this time," general manager Jack Zduriencik said in a statement. "He will continue with his offseason program and we look forward to seeing him at spring training in February."

Walker posted a 2.00 ERA in his two AFL starts, striking out 11 and walking two in nine innings of work.

Aside from missing nearly six weeks with a strained oblique, there wasn't much about Alex Cobb's 2014 season for the Rays that Fantasy owners could complain about. He still made a career-high 27 starts and posted his second straight season with a sub-3.00 ERA, while trimming his WHIP to 1.14. Yet there is still plenty of room for Cobb to improve in 2015.

In a recent blog post, I identified five starting pitchers whose sagging strikeout rates could spell trouble next season, but even though Cobb's K/9 ratio fell from 8.4 to 8.1, he was not included. Though Cobb's strikeout rate was merely average for a standard mixed league starter, the surge in his swinging strike rate from 9.9 to 11.9 percent suggests he could be far from ordinary. Cobb's strikeout rate was dampened by decreases in called strikes and foul balls, but higher rates in both 2012 and 2013 show he is capable of getting more strikes, and in the process, more Ks.

From his return from the disabled list on May 22 forward, Cobb was the 28th-ranked starting pitcher in standard Rotisserie leagues and 31st in Head-to-Head leagues, but owners can expect far more from Cobb next season. Not only is he poised for a boost in strikeouts, but he should rebound from the majors' ninth-lowest level of run support among qualifying starters. Cobb deserved much better than a 10-9 record, and when you couple an increase in wins with an enhanced ERA, WHIP and strikeout total, you have the makings of a potential ace.

Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman played a big role in Friday's 7-6 Game 2 win over the Tigers, giving up just one earned run on three hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings while striking out five.

Gausman recorded as many outs as starter Wei-Yin Chen, who gave up five runs in the fourth inning to put his team behind before Gausman was called upon to get the final out of the inning. He faced the minimum over the next three innings but ran into trouble in the eighth, surrendering a walk, a single and an RBI double to open the inning, with a runner being thrown out at home on the run-scoring play and Gausman not facing another batter. It's possible he'll be considered for a starting role in the ALCS, which the Orioles are favorites to reach after going up 2-0 in the ALDS. Game 3 comes Sunday in Detroit.