MLB Player News

Rays pitcher Alex Cobb threw 60 pitches in four innings during an extended spring-training game Monday and felt good Tuesday, MLB.com reports.

"He came out of [Monday's outing] really well," manager Joe Maddon said. "If [Saturday's start] goes well, we'll make the next step. More than likely it could be that he could pitch for us."

Cobb will throw a bullpen session Wednesday then make a rehab start for a yet-to-be-determined minor-league affiliate Saturday. He could be back in the Rays rotation by the middle of next week if all goes smoothly.

Twins pitcher Ricky Nolasco wasn't a factor in the decision Tuesday after giving up three earned runs on six hits and one walk in six innings while striking out six in his team's 8-6 win over the Red Sox.

Nolasco has managed three straight quality starts, but he's given up three runs in each so he hasn't been dominant at any point during the stretch. The three-game quality-start streak also follows an ugly pair of starts in which he gave up 11 runs in 11 2/3 innings. Nolasco owns a 5.51 ERA and 34:12 K:BB ratio in 50 2/3 innings. He's slated to take on the Mariners Sunday.

Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel was at the top of his game Tuesday, twirling a complete-game shutout in his team's 8-0 win over the Rangers.

Keuchel (4-2) needed just 108 pitches to breeze through nine innings while giving up seven hits, striking out seven and walking none. It was his second straight start with seven strikeouts and no walks. Keuchel now owns a 3.06 ERA and 47:11 K:BB ratio in 53 innings. He'll face off with the Angels Monday.

Tigers pitcher Drew Smyly didn't factor into the decision Tuesday after surrendering just one earned run on five hits and two walks in six innings and striking out seven in his team's 4-1 win over the Orioles.

Smyly bounced back from a loss last week to post his third quality start in his last four tries, but it wasn't enough to secure a win after the Detroit starter surrendered a first-inning solo home run. He owns a 2.70 ERA and 30:11 K:BB ratio in 33 1/3 innings. Smyly is slated to face the Indians Monday.

Indians pitcher Justin Masterson took a loss Tuesday after giving up five earned runs on six hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings while striking out four in his team's 5-4 defeat against the Blue Jays.

Masterson (2-2) retired the first nine batters of the game but gave up a leadoff triple in the fourth inning, with the runner coming home one batter later. He surrendered a solo home run in the fifth, then gave up three runs in the sixth before being removed. Masterson owns a 4.31 ERA and 52:23 K:BB ratio in 54 1/3 innings. He's slated to face the A's Sunday.

Mariners pitcher Taijuan Walker is scheduled for a 35-pitch bullpen session Wednesday in which he'll be limited to fastballs and changeups, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.

If the bullpen session goes well, the team may start thinking about using Walker in a simulated game. He'll also need a few rehab starts in the minors before he has the chance to make his season debut. Walker is recovering from a shoulder issue.

Kevin Gausman is back! The question is do you want him in Fantasy?

The easy answer is yes. He's talented, and talent, of course, wins championships. But when you consider who you might have to drop for him, it might not be worth it.

It's a subject I address in greater detail in the Fantasy Baseball Today blog. Is Gausman really must-add if it means dropping R.A. Dickey? Clay Buchholz? James Paxton?

Frankly, I'd stick with Dallas Keuchel over him, as you can see in my latest starting pitcher rankings. 

With Kevin Gausman getting called up mid-week to start against the Tigers on Wednesday, he will arrive too late to help weekly league owners in his season debut. That's no reason, though, to delay in picking him up in standard and deeper mixed leagues.

Because the former first-round pick has sped his way through the minors, it's hard to know what to make of his uneven minor league numbers. From last season's 47 2/3 innings with the Orioles we do know this: Gausman pitches with strong command, and if he can keep the ball in the park, he has a chance to be highly successful. He was very good in a relief role, and he deserved a much better fate in his five starts, which produced a misleading 7.66 ERA and 1.62 WHIP. Gausman struck out 20 batters with only six walks in 24 2/3 innings as a starter, but a .355 BABIP inflated both his ERA and WHIP.

Gausman is almost certain to allow fewer hits on balls in play, and he has shown stronger ground ball tendencies in the minors, so he should improve vastly on last season's 1.5 HR/9 ratio. Even if Gausman doesn't remain in the Orioles' rotation beyond this start, the potential for him to be a regular in the rotation at some point this season makes him worth stashing in the vast majority of leagues.

Orioles prospect Kevin Gausman will make his major-league season debut in a Wednesday afternoon start against the Tigers, the Orioles announced. Gausman will be called up from Triple-A Norfolk.

He has pitched 14 1/3 scoreless innings over his last three outings in the minors, a span interrupted when he went on the DL with pneumonia. Gausman went 3-5 with a 5.66 ERA last year with the Orioles, striking out 49 in 47 2/3 innings.

White Sox pitcher Chris Sale will begin his minor-league rehab assignment Thursday for Triple-A Charlotte at Durham. It will be his first game action in 28 days, according to Chicago Sun Times. His next scheduled throw day and location will be determined after Thursday's start.