MLB Player News

Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish received acupuncture early in the week and is no longer experiencing stiffness in his neck, the Dallas Morning News reports. He is scheduled to make his next start on Sunday against Washington.

"There is no problem at all," Darvish said. "The situation is what it is, but I have more information now than in the past. I have the ability to take better care of it and want to do that."

Rays right-hander Alex Cobb has had his start moved back from Sunday to Monday, when he will open a series in Miami.

Joe Maddon told the Tampa Bay Times that he merely wanted to give Cobb an extra day of rest and that he wasn't concerned about him reinjuring his oblique by batting against the Marlins.

White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana has flip-flopped start dates with fellow southpaw Chris Sale. Quintana had been scheduled to pitch at home Sunday against San Diego, but will instead have a far less favorable matchup Monday night on the road against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers.

White Sox ace left-hander Chris Sale has had his next start moved up from Monday against the Dodgers to Sunday against the Padres. He only pitched three innings in his Tuesday outing due to a lengthy rain delay that precluded the possibility of him returning to the mound.

Sale has been downright filthy since returning from a five-week trip to the disabled list. He has given up just one hit and fanned 14 in nine innings over those two starts.

The switch from a road start in Los Angeles to a home start against weak-hitting San Diego is potentially a quite positive development for Sale.

Lloyd McClendon has indicated that Mariners rookie right-hander Taijuan Walker is not assured a starting spot upon his activation from the disabled list. Walker has been on the shelf all year with a shoulder injury and was hit hard in his rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Tacoma.

McClendon told the Tacoma News-Tribune that Walker will require at least one or two more rehab outings and must perform well to land back in the Seattle rotation.

"If he was healthy in spring training, he'd have to make the club," McClendon explained. "Nothing was given. I think we're under the assumption that he was given a spot on this club, and that's just not the case.

"I want him to do (well). Believe me, I want him here. But he's got to prove that he's healthy. He's got to get the rust off. And he's got to be ready to compete at this level on a consistent basis. It's going to take time."

Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson, who looked like one of this season's biggest finds off the waiver wire when he allowed a combined two earned runs in his first three starts, threw six shutout innings against the Rangers Tuesday.

But as far as I'm concerned, the start didn't even happen. Look too much into it, and you're sure to get burned.

Gibson allowed five-plus earned runs in four of his previous six starts. So what if he's turned the corner? It's a nice thought, but considering he allowed a combined one earned run in the other two starts, you weren't the first to have it.

He's just not enough of a bat-misser to succeed with any real consistency. Like Henderson Alvarez, his sinker is effective enough to shut down the opposition when the ball bounces his way -- or, more accurately, his fielders' way -- but it leaves him susceptible to disaster. And with no strikeouts to make up for the inconsistency, he's not really worth the headache in mixed leagues.

Mariners pitcher James Paxton will need about 10 days in order to get back on track, according to the Tacoma News Tribune.

Paxton was shut down with shoulder inflammation, and will need to rebuild his stamina. "I wouldn’t suspect it would take him more than 10 days to get back to where he was," manager Lloyd McClendon said. He's expected to toss one or two rehab starts before returning to the major-league roster. 

Twins starter Kyle Gibson tossed the ball very well Wednesday, but didn't get much help in settling for a no-decision in a 1-0 loss to the Rangers.

Gibson tossed six shutout innings in his best start in more than three weeks. He scattered five hits in his six innings, while striking out four batters and walking none, the second time in a row he has avoided any free passes.

Despite the strong performance from Gibson, the Twins were unable to get him the win. He remains 4-4 with a 4.18 ERA in 10 starts, heading into Monday's outing against the Brewers. 

Pitching in his first game in more than a month, Mariners pitcher Taijuan Walker was understandably rusty in his rehab debut for Triple-A Tacoma Wednesday.

Walker, working his way back from a shoulder injury, threw 61 pitches over three innings of work. He was charged with four runs on five hits, while striking out three batters and throwing 38 of 61 pitches for strikes.

Walker was scheduled to throw 70 to 75 pitches, but there is no indication he suffered any sort of setback. He is expected to need multiple rehab starts before the team considers bringing him back from the disabled list. 

Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish will probably end up missing just one start due to a neck injury, after an MRI showed no structural damage.

Darvish told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Wednesday he expects to make his next turn in the rotation Sunday, after he was scratched Tuesday due to stiffness. Barring an unforeseen setback, he will slot into the rotation for Sunday's series finale against the Nationals.