MLB Player News

Rays starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi, who is competing for the final spot in the team's rotation, allowed a run for the first time in three spring outings Monday against the Red Sox. Odorizzi, who made his first spring start Monday, held Boston to one run on two hits and one walk in 2 1/3 innings.

The right-hander also struck out one, while facing a Red Sox lineup that featured Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino and Xander Bogaerts. The only run Odorizzi allowed came on Will Middlebrooks' RBI double in the bottom of the second.

Odorizzi has a 2.08 ERA through 4 1/3 spring innings. He also has one save.

White Sox manager Robin Ventura named Chris Sale the opening day starting pitcher.

"Just what he’s done in the past and what you expect him to do, he’s the logical choice. He deserves it," Ventura said, per MLB.com.

Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said starting pitcher Taijuan Walker (shoulder) threw from 120-150 feet Monday, but he wouldn't announce a target date for the right-hander's return to action.

"He threw the ball extremely well. No pain whatsoever," McClendon said. "It’s too early. You don’t want to speed up the process. I know we’re all anxious to him back, but this young man has a long career ahead of him. We’ve got to make sure we do it right."

The competition for the final spot in the Rays' rotation is down to four candidates after Enny Romero and Alex Colome were optioned to the minors Saturday. Jake Odorizzi, Nathan Karns, Erik Bedard and Cesar Ramos are the four remaining options for the last spot in the team's rotation.

"You look at each one individually," manager Joe Maddon said, per MLB.com. "Let's say Odorizzi. Here's a guy vying for a job and he's out there working on a new pitch (changeup). It's a beautiful thing. And now he's made some progress with that.

"Karns had a little bit of a setback the other day [general soreness]. He came back and was throwing the ball well, kept the ball down. And Bedard had a nice outing his last time out. Bedard's velocity came up a little bit. Odorizzi's developing this other pitch. And Karns is just kind of interesting the way he throws the ball hard and down. That's what I've focused on with all three."

Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson, who is competing for the final spot in the team's rotation, make his second spring appearance Sunday against the Phillies. Gibson was the team's third pitcher of the afternoon and allowed one unearned run in two relief innings.

The right-hander allowed one hit and one walk, while recording no strikeouts. Gibson hasn't allowed an earned run in five innings. However, all of his innings have come in relief.

White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana, who left Saturday's spring game after he was hit by a comebacker on the left ankle, said he will receive one day of treatment before throwing on the side, per 670thescore.com. He said the injury is responding to treatment.

Rays pitcher Jake Odorizzi is working on a splitter this spring, according to the Tampa Tribune.

Odorizzi has worked with Alex Cobb during camp on the pitch. Cobb started throwing a splitter/changeup hybrid in 2009. It was a big part of his success in the majors last season. Odorizzi asked Cobb to show him how to grip the pitch, and has been working on it ever since. Odorizzi used his first two spring appearances to refine the pitch. "At this point there’s nothing wrong with throwing it to death," Odorizzi said. "My other pitches are fine right now. They feel perfect."

Odorizzi is fighting for the final spot in the team's rotation this spring. He posted a 3.94 ERA in 29 2/3 innings last year.

Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman looked sharp on Saturday, earning his first win of the spring against the Red Sox in a 13-2 win.

Gausman allowed one hit and no walks while striking out three over three scoreless innings pitched. He has allowed just one run over five innings pitched this spring.

White Sox lefty Jose Quintana was removed from the game Saturday against Arizona after taking a comebacker off the bat of Gerardo Parra to the left ankle. He had pitched to just two batters before leaving with a trainer. He has been diagnosed with a contusion and is considered day-to-day.

Tigers fifth starter Drew Smyly tossed a variety of off-speed pitches Saturday in an impressive outing against the Mets. He gave up three hits and a walk while striking out three in three innings.

His performance marked an upgrade from his first outing of the exhibition season in which he yielded two home runs in three innings.