MLB Player News

Mariners starter Taijuan Walker completed a three-inning simulated game at Safeco Field on Friday. He tossed 56 pitches and topped his fastball at 93-94 mph, while also mixing a few other pitches. He told the Seattle Times after his outing that he is ready to start a minor-league rehab assignment.

"I think I'm ready, yeah," Walker said. "Everything felt good today. I didn't get tired at the end. I felt like I was strong. I could've gone another inning or so."

Indians starter Justin Masterson took one for the team Thursday, pitching on short rest in an 8-7 extra innings win over the Orioles.

Masterson took the mound on three day's rest, though he had thrown just 70 and 76 pitches in his previous two starts. He threw 96 this time around, allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings of work. He struck out just one and settled for a no-decision as the game headed into extra innings.

Masterson is going through a rough patch right now, having allowed 17 runs in 15 1/3 innings during a three-game winless streak. He is 2-3 with a 5.32 ERA heading into his next start, set for Tuesday against the White Sox. 

White Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale shrugged off a trip to the disabled list and got right back to his dominant ways Thursday, in a 3-2 win over the Yankees.

Sale flirted with perfection over six innings of work, as he retired the first 17 batters he faced before allowing a two-out single in the top of the sixth. He struck out the next batter he faced, one of 10 punchouts he had in the game.

Sale was lifted after six innings due to a pitch count, but did a good job putting any concerns about his elbow to rest. He has a 4-0 record and 1.89 ERA heading into his next start, set for Tuesday against the Indians. 

The Mariners announced Thursday pitcher James Paxton will make his rehab debut Saturday for Triple-A Tacoma, rather than Sunday.  

Rays starting pitcher Alex Cobb looked like he didn't miss a beat in his return from more than month on the disabled list Thursday, in a 5-2 win over the Athletics.

Cobb pitched into the seventh inning against the A's without allowing a run, finishing with 6 2/3 scoreless innings to show for it. He limited the A's to just three hits and a pair of walks, while striking out six batters on 96 pitches. He settled for a no-decision despite his strong outing, due to a blown save.

Cobb ended up missing more than a month of action while recovering from an oblique injury, but looked great in his first action. He is 1-1 with a 1.40 ERA in four starts this season, heading into Tuesday's start against the Blue Jays. 

Athletics starting pitcher Sonny Gray continued his stellar start to the season, twirling eight strong innings in a game they would go on to lose in extra innings to the Rays.

Gray limited the Rays to just five hits, all singles, in his eight innings of work. He allowed just one run, in the seventh inning, but actually exited the game in line for a loss before a late rally sent it to extra innings.

Gray finished the start with three strikeouts and two walks, while taking a no-decision and dropping his ERA to an American League-leading 1.99 mark. He remains 5-1 on the season heading into his next start, Tuesday against the Tigers. 

Rangers ace Yu Darvish was his typical dominant self Thursday afternoon in Detroit. He racked up his eighth quality start in nine outings in raising his record to 4-2.

Darvish could pitch relaxed with great run support. He gave up two runs on six hits in seven innings while walking three and fanning six. His lone hiccup came in the sixth inning on the strength of RBI hits by Miguel Cabrera and Don Kelly.

Now sporting a terrific ERA of 2.35, Darvish will make his next scheduled start Tuesday at Minnesota.

What was anticipated is now official: White Sox ace Chris Sale has been activated off the disabled list. He is set to start Thursday night against the Yankees. He has been out since April 17.

Sale had gotten off to a brilliant start with a 3-0 record and 2.30 ERA in four starts before going down.

As expected, the Rays have officially activated right-hander Alex Cobb in time for his Thursday start against sizzling Oakland.

Cobb has been out since mid-April with an oblique injury. When he takes the mound against the Athletics, he will do so with a streak of 15 1/3 scoreless innings pitched.

Indians struggling right-hander Justin Masterson will be forced to pitch on three day's rest when he takes the mound Thursday night in Baltimore. Scheduled starter Josh Tomlin was needed for a three-inning stint in a Wednesday extra-inning win against Detroit.

The move leaves open a spot in the rotation for the Friday night game.

Masterson has not performed particularly well on four day's rest. He has given up 12 runs on 13 hits and eight walks in 9 2/3 innings covering his last two starts to raise his ERA from 3.86 to 5.06.