MLB Player News

Lloyd McClendon has announced that surprising Cuban left-hander Roenis Elias has landed the fourth spot in the Mariners rotation. Elias won all three decisions in five exhibition starts and sported a 2.04 ERA. He yielded just 12 hits in 17 2/3 innings with eight walks and eight strikeouts.

Elias sits behind Felix Hernandez, James Paxton and Chris Young and ahead of Erasmo Ramirez in the rotation.

Rangers starter Yu Darvish (neck) will not travel with the team to San Antonio for their upcoming exhibition games. He'll travel to Arlington to play catch on Saturday and then throw off flat ground in front of pitching coach Mike Maddux, ESPN Dallas reports.

"Then we'll put together a plan from there," manager Ron Washington said.

Rays right-hander Alex Cobb lasted only four innings in his final Grapefruit League outing on Thursday against the Orioles.

Cobb surrendered one run on three hits and one walk while striking out two lowering his ERA to 2.30. He also posted a 20:3 K:BB ratio over 15 2/3 innings this spring. He'll make his first start of the regular season on Tuesday against Toronto.

Indians pitcher Corey Kluber looked sharp in his final start of the spring on Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

Kluber fired six shutout innings before surrendering a run-scoring singles to Rudy Flores and Sean Jamieson in the seventh frame. He yielded two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. He posted a 5.60 ERA and 23:3 K:BB ratio over 27 1/3 innings pitched.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon announced his starting rotation on Thursday, and there are no surprises, according to The Tampa Tribune.

Much like the spring rotation, David Price will open the season on Monday against Toronto. Alex Cobb, Matt Moore and Chris Archer will follow. Jake Odorizzi will start three-game weekend series on Friday against the Rangers.

The Astros will begin the season with pitchers Lucas Harrell and Dallas Keuchel in the rotation, while pitchers Brad Peacock and Jerome Williams will be in the bullpen, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Harrell is coming off a season in which he went 6-17 with a 5.86 ERA and 89:88 K:BB ratioi n 153 2/3 innings. He owns a 7.80 ERA and 3:7 K:BB ratio in 15 innings this spring.

Keuchel went 6-10 with a 5.15 ERA and 123:52 K:BB ratio in 153 2/3 innings last season, and he owns a 5.82 ERA and 12:3 K:BB ratio in 17 innings this spring.

Indians pitcher Justin Masterson allowed just one earned run on three hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings while striking out five in his team's 10-3 win over the Brewers Wednesday.

Masterson caps off an impressive spring with another strong performance, and he finishes the exhibition season with a 1.09 ERA and 25:6 K:BB ratio in 24 2/3 innings. Considering the team wasn't able to come to terms with Masterson on an extension this spring, he's primed to enjoy a big payday on the free market if he can turn in a quality season.

Athletics pitcher Sonny Gray gave up one earned run on one hit and one walk while striking out one in five innings in his team's 6-2 loss to the Angels Wednesday.

Gray has put together a solid spring, posting a 3.48 ERA and 16:6 K:BB ratio in 20 2/3 innings. He'll next face the Indians in the regular-season opener on March 31.

Twins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco tossed four scoreless innings Wednesday against the Pirates in his final spring start before opening day. Nolasco allowed one hit and one walk, while striking out three.

Wednesday's outing was one of Nolasco's best this spring. He lowered his ERA from 7.07 to 5.50. He finished the spring with 11 strikeouts in 18 innings.

Starting pitchers Colby Lewis (hip), Yu Darvish (back) and Matt Harrison (back) will all return in that order to the Rangers rotation by April 23, the Dallas Morning News has predicted.

Lewis and Harrison both missed the entire 2013 season with their injuries.

Texas needs quick recoveries from all three. Its opening day starter is Tanner Scheppers, who will be making his major league debut as a starter in that game.