MLB Player News

Rangers pitcher Martin Perez gave up one unearned run in Thursday's 5-4 win over the Mariners, allowing eight hits and two walks while striking out four in 5 1/3 innings.

Perez didn't factor into the decision after leaving with the score tied 1-1, keeping him at 2-1 through four starts. He takes a 1.85 ERA into Tuesday's start against the Orioles.

Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander moved to 9-5 by holding the Blue Jays scoreless in seven innings Thursday, allowing  three hits and two walks while striking out five in an 11-1 win.

It was Verlander's first win in five starts and his fourth scoreless outing of the season. He brings a 3.54 ERA into a matchup with the White Sox Tuesday.

Astros starting pitcher Jordan Lyles threw a quality start but did not factor into the decision in a 7-5 loss to the Rays Thursday. He pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out three.

Lyles put together a nice stretch from mid-May through mid-June before giving up nine earned runs in nine innings over his previous two starts heading into Thursday. He's scheduled to face the Rangers Wednesday.

Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson struggled through the worst start of his professional career in a 9-5 loss Thursday to the Yankees.

Gibson struggled early, allowing three runs on four hits in the first inning. He was ultimately charged with eight runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out two, one batter and thew 52 of 79 pitches for strikes.

Gibson looked impressive in his major-league debut Saturday. The eight runs are the most he has allowed in 72 starts as a professional, including the minors.

Gibson has allowed 10 runs in 11 1/3 innings with 19 hits, a walk and seven strikeouts. He is 1-1 entering his third start, scheduled for Tuesday in Tampa. 

White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana dominated the Orioles but settled for a no-decision  in a 3-2 win Thursday.

Quintana held the Orioles scoreless over seven innings. He allowed two hits, walked two and struck out a career-high 11. Quintana threw 72 of 112 pitches for strikes.

He exited the game in line to win, but reliever Nate Jones allowed the Orioles to rally for a 2-all tie in the eighth inning. Quintana (3-2) lowered his ERA to 3.69 and does not have a decision in his last seven starts.

Quintana's next start is scheduled for Tuesday at Detroit. 

Orioles top pitching prospect Kevin Gausman will remain in the bullpen for Baltimore for the time being, MLB.com reports. 

"I think he's got a chance to be a starter again," manager Buck Showalter remarked dryly of Gausman, who is the organization's top pitching prospect. "We got 70-some games left. We are going to have to do some things between now and the All-Star break. He and Zach [Britton], they both have options, we like them both on the club. I think these things kind of solve themselves. It's going to be about the need of the club. And the need of the club may be for [Gausman] to be starting at [Triple-A] Norfolk. We'll see."

Gausman, who made the jump from Double-A Bowie to the big leagues, has made back-to-back relief appearances, including earning his first career win with a team-high 4 1/3 scoreless Friday. 

With Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker still in jeopardy of not making his start Thursday against the Cubs because of a hamstring injury, the top candidates to start if Parker is unable are Dan Straily and Sonny Gray, according to MLB.com.

Straily is already expected to be recalled for Saturday's start against the Royals, and Gray was scratched from his start Tuesday for Triple-A Sacramento presumably as insurance if Parker is sidelined.

Orioles starting pitcher Jason Hammel surrendered two home runs during Tuesday's 5-2 loss against the White Sox, but he was more upset with the one batter he hit with a pitch.

"I'm more frustrated by the hit by pitches than the home runs," Hammel said, per The Baltimore Sun. "I'm not going to shy away from pitching to a guy, but tonight I had two strikes on the hitter before with nobody on and it sets up and inning where trouble can happen. If I execute a curveball there where I want to instead of spiking it in the dirt and it hits him in the shin, it's a different story."

The long ball has plagued Hammel all season. He has allowed at least one home run in six straight starts and 18 home runs through 17 starts. Hammel is allowing a career-high 1.6 home runs per nine innings.

"The home runs are killing me this year," Hammel said. "That's the bottom line. … I don't know how to answer [why], just balls up in the zone that are getting hit out this year that weren't last year. That's just the way I'm going right now. Mistakes are being amplified."

The Marlins have been aggressively looking to deal starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco, but they might have been too demanding, according to FOX Sports.

Sources said the Marlins are looking for prospects that possess upside in return for the veteran right-hander. Sources added the Marlins also want the trading partner to absorb most or all of the remaining $5.7 million left on Nolasco's contract.

According to sources, the Rockies agreed to send the Marlins two quality prospects if the Marlins included cash in the trade. The Marlins balked and the Rockies lost interest.

Sources said the Dodgers are willing to absorb Nolasco's contract, but only at a minimal cost in talent. The Rangers, Giants and Padres have also expressed interest in trading for Nolasco, who the Marlins were looking to deal before his Wednesday start at Atlanta.

Indians starter Corey Kluber was a little better than Kansas City's Luis Mendoza Tuesday night. Neither pitcher walked away factoring into the decision.

Kluber was rolling right along until the fifth inning. That is when he gave up all his runs. Kluber surrendered a grand slam off the bat of Alex Gordon in the fifth as the Royals tied the score at four. That gave him the no-decision despite Kluber allowed just four hits with two walks over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three and threw 84 pitches. Kluber's ERA is now at 4.33.

The 27-year-old has had two poor outings in a row as he's allowed 10 earned runs over his last 10 frames. Still, he'd won three straight before that and his record remains 6-5 on the year. Kluber makes his next scheduled start Sunday against Detroit.