MLB Player News

White Sox starter Chris Sale will join the team in Kansas City in order to be evaluated, according to MLB.com.

Sale performed well in a recent rehab game, and appears close to returning. If all goes well in Kansas City, there's a chance Sale could pitch in the team's next series. Sale has been out since April 17 with elbow soreness. 

Mariners pitcher James Paxton is set for a simulated game Tuesday. 

Paxton threw one Saturday, and checked out fine after the appearance. He and Taijuan Walker are set to throw Tuesday, and both could be on their way back to the majors. Paxton posted a 2.25 ERA over two starts prior to the injury.

Rays pitcher Alex Cobb looked good in his rehab debut for Class A Charlotte Saturday, his first game action since suffering an oblique injury in early April.

Cobb tossed five shutout innings and was overwhelming against the minor-league competition. He struck out nine batters and allowed just three hits while throwing 64 pitches.

The next step in his recovery is yet to be determined, but it could see him make his return to the majors. He will likely be evaluated Sunday for soreness before a decision is made. 

Rangers pitcher Martin Perez will undergo Tommy John surgery Monday, the team announced.

Perez was diagnosed with a partially torn UCL in his elbow this week, and could have tried to rehab the injury instead of going under the knife. He has instead opted to have the surgery now, giving him a better chance of returning with a chance to pitch next season. The typical recovery time for Tommy John surgery is 12 to 18 months. 

Mariners rookie right-hander Taijuan Walker threw a 55-pitch bullpen session Saturday as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury.

Walker, who has yet to pitch in a game this season, told MLB.com afterward that he felt fine and is set to hurl a simulated game Tuesday.

Mariners premier pitching prospect James Paxton threw 36 pitches at about 85 percent effort Saturday in a simulated game, the Seattle Times has reported. Paxton said afterward he felt no pain.

Paxton is recovering fom a lat strain. His next task will be a longer simulated game before launching a minor league rehab assignment.

Joe Maddon has yet to decide which pitcher will lose his spot in the rotation upon the return of Alex Cobb from an oblique strain. Cobb is set to make his lone rehab start Saturday night. That would line him up to start with the Rays on Thursday.

It also lines him up to replace Cesar Ramos. If Ramos performs poorly Saturday night against the Angels, he could be the odd man out. But Erik Bedard and Jake Odorizzi are also candidates.

"We honestly have not decided," Maddon told the Tampa Bay Times. "That's open for debate. It's a conversation. Quite frankly, they've all pitched well."

Ramos did not pitch well in his last start. He allowed five runs on 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings Monday night in Seattle. Bedard has been strong since joining the rotation and Odorizzi has not allowed an earned run in his last two outings combined.

White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana (2-3) bounced back with a solid outing on Friday, earning his second win of the season in a 7-2 victory over the Astros in Houston. The left-hander permitted two runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings. He tossed 102 pitches, 56 for strikes.

Quintana's ERA now stands at 3.67 following Friday's win. Over his last three starts covering 18 innings, Quintana has surrendered six earned runs. He will make his next start Wednesday at Kansas City.

Twins starter Kyle Gibson bounced back with a quality start on Friday, limiting the Mariners to only six hits and one run in seven innings, improving to 4-3 on the year.

Gibson struck out four and walked two in 96 pitches, 57 for strikes. He improved his ERA from 4.74 to 4.20 on the year. Over his last three starts covering 16 innings, Gibson has allowed eight earned runs.

Following a 5-4 victory, Gibson will make his next start Friday at San Francisco. He is 1-2 with a 7.41 ERA in four starts away from home this season.

Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish tossed another gem, but failed to receive any run support, in a 2-0 defeat to the Blue Jays on Friday.

Darvish pitched six scoreless frames before surrendering a two-run double to Melky Cabrera in the seventh inning for his only damage of the night. He yielded two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out 11 in eight innings of work, dropping to 3-2 on the year. He tossed 116 pitches, 78 for strikes.

Over his last two starts covering 16 2/3 innings, Darvish has allowed only two earned runs. He owns a 2.32 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP in 54 1/3 innings pitched. He will make his next start Thursday at Detroit. He is 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA in three starts away from home.