MLB Player News

Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel had to settle for a no-decision Friday night against the Angels in Anaheim. The left-hander permitted five runs on 13 hits and one walk while striking out one over five innings of a 7-6 defeat.

Keuchel owns a 3.06 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP over 16 starts (108 2/3 innings). He will make his next start Wednesday at Texas.

Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish took a step back Friday and was forced with a no-decision against the Mets. The right-hander permitted four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six over five innings of a 6-5 victory.

Darvish owns a 2.63 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP over 16 starts (109 1/3 innings). He has allowed four earned runs in four of his last six starts. He will look to get back on track Wednesday at home against Houston.

Tigers pitcher Drew Smyly was hit hard again Friday night against Tampa Bay, dropping 4-8 on the season. The southpaw was charged with five runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out three over 5 1/3 innings of a 6-3 defeat.

Smyly owns a 3.89 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP over 81 innings of work. He will look to get back on track Thursday at Kansas City.

Rays pitcher Alex Cobb was not at his best on Friday, but still managed to pick up a win Friday night against the Tigers to improve to 4-6 on the year. The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings of a 6-3 victory.

Cobb owns a 4.28 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP over 12 starts (69 1/3 innings). He will look to keep rolling Wednesday at home against Kansas City.

According to a report from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Athletics have acquired pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Cubs for shortstop prospect Addison Russell. 

Billy McKinney, pitcher Dan Straily and a player to be named later.

Hammel tossed a quality start in a win over Nationals Friday and Samardzija was scheduled to pitch Sunday for the Cubs before the deal. Samardzija is 2-7 with a 2.83 ERA over 17 starts (108 innings). Hammel is 8-5 with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP over 17 starts (108 2/3 innings).

White Sox pitcher Chris Sale got back on track and went the distance Friday night against Seattle to pick up his eighth win of the season. The left-hander permitted one run on six hits and no walks while striking out a season-high 12 over nine innings of a 7-1 victory.

Sale notched his first complete game of the season. He has recorded 10-plus strikeouts four times this season. He owns a 2.16 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP over 13 starts (87 1/3 innings). He will make his next start Wednesday against the Red Sox in Boston.

The Cubs have engaged in serious talks with the Athletics on a potential deal involving pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel, FOX Sports reports Friday.

The Cubs have been unable to lock Samardzija down with an extension and are listening to offers leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. Samardzija is 2-7 with a 2.83 ERA over 17 starts (108 innings). Hammel is 8-5 with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP over 17 starts (108 2/3 innings).

Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman tossed his best outing of the season Friday, but got nothing to show for it as the game against the Athletics went into extras.

Stroman twirled seven shutout innings in the game, limiting the A's to just three hits. Only one of those hits went for extra bases, while he struck out seven batters and walked three in the no-decision.

The game headed into extra innings with a scoreless tie intact, leaving Stroman's record at 4-2. He lowered his ERA to 3.44 with the start, with his next outing set for Wednesday against the Angels. 

Twins pitcher Kyle Gibson struggled through another brief start Friday, in a 6-5 loss to the Yankees.

Gibson accounted for all six runs in just two innings, though only five were earned. He allowed six hits and a walk in the game, with all six runs coming around to score without the benefit of a home run.

Gibson has lasted just two innings for the second time in three trips to the mound. He fell to 7-7 while his ERA rose to 4.17 with the loss. Gibson will try to end his slide when he takes on the Mariners Wednesday. 

Mariners pitcher James Paxton threw another bullpen session without incident Friday, and has now been cleared to take the next step in his recovery from a lat injury.

Paxton will throw a simulated game Monday, the Seattle Times reports. Paxton has been out since early April due to the injury, and could go out on a rehab assignment shortly, if he avoids setbacks.