MLB Player News

Al Melchior and I have been debating the merits of stashing the Orioles' Kevin Gausman vs. dropping him after his seven-run shellacking at the Nationals Tuesday, and here is my admittedly convoluted take:

If you play in a league where starting pitching abounds, with relatively high-end options like Phil Hughes, Jonathon Niese and John Lackey still available on the waiver wire, then those options are more likely to attract the attention of your leaguemates than a struggling call-up, and you should feel comfortable releasing Gausman with the hope of picking him up later, whenever he shows signs of putting it all together. If, on the other hand, the best pitchers available on your league's waiver wire are relatively low-end types like Scott Diamond and Lucas Harrell, you're better off sticking with Gausman and hoping for the best. It's a matter of protecting him from other owners, you see. In some leagues, it's more necessary than others.

Now, here's where it gets tricky. If you play in a league that uses FAAB rather than add-drop for free-agent acquisitions and you invested more in Gausman than a simple roster spot, you should probably stick with him a little longer just so you don't risk squandering that investment for a flavor-of-the-week type.

White Sox starter Chris Sale will remain on schedule and pitch Sunday against Oakland, ESPN Chicago reports Wednesday.

The club considered moving Sale up a day after his Tuesday start was washed out by a rain delay. The White Sox will decide to play it straight instead, as they couldn't find a reasonable advantage from moving Sale up.

The Rangers have optioned Martin Perez to Triple-A Round Rock, the club announced Tuesday.

Perez was called up to be the 26th man for Monday's doubleheader against Arizona. He allowed three runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. Expect him to be the first starter up if the Rangers suffer a blow to their rotation.

The Rays optioned starter Jake Odorizzi to Triple-A Durham following Tuesday's game against the Marlins. 

Odorizzi filled in for starter David Price, but allowed nine runs over nine innings in two starts and will not take the ball Wednesday against Miami. Tampa has not decided who will start, but Chris Archer is an option. 

Orioles starter Kevin Gausman made his second career start Tuesday in Washington. After two outings, Gausman is 0-2 in the big leagues.

Gausman wasn't fooling anyone Tuesday as he surrendered three homers over just four innings. Adam LaRoche hit a three-run shot off him in the first inning, and Roger Bernadina and Tyler Moore went back-to-back in the fourth.

Gausman threw 67 pitches and allowed seven earned runs on eight hits and a walk without a strikeout over four frames. His ERA is 11.00 after two outings, as he's given up 11 runs over nine innings with five Ks, three walks and four homers.

Despite flashing some impressive velocity, Gausman's fastball has been getting hit hard. Things won't get any easier when he next takes the ball for his third career start Sunday against Detroit.

White Sox starter Chris Sale surrendered a homer and had a 2-0 deficit when Tuesday's game against the Cubs went into a rain delay. Sale's stats were eventually wiped out as the game was postponed. 

Sale, who missed his last start with a mild case of shoulder tendinitis, may have to wait until his next scheduled start Sunday at Oakland to take the hill. Pitching coach Don Cooper said the White Sox will re-evaluate the possibility of Sale starting Saturday, instead of Sunday, the Chicago Tribune reports. 

Astros starting pitcher Jordan Lyles improved for the third start in a row Tuesday against the Rockies, but Houston lost 2-1 in the ninth inning.

Lyles held the Rockies to a run on six hits and three walks in seven innings thanks to 11 goundball outs, including double plays that ended the fourth and sixth innings.

Lyles has allowed one earned run in each of his last three starts to lower his ERA from 8.36 to 4.50. He has 10 strikeouts and six walks in his last 18 innings, while allowing one home run.

His next start is set for Sunday against the Angels. 

Rangers starter Yu Darvish matched his career best with 14 strikeouts but settled for a no-decision in Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks.

Darvish, who picked up his second no-decision in 11 starts this season, surrendered a run-scoring triple to Didi Gregorius and a sacrifice fly to Eric Chavez in the opening frame. He couldn't hang on to a late lead as he served up a two-run home run to Gregorius that tied the game in the eighth inning. The right-hander permitted four runs on seven hits over 7 2/3 innings of work in a 5-4 defeat.

Darvish has allowed three runs or more in five of his last six starts. All three of his 14-strikeout performances have come this season. He is scheduled to make his next start Saturday at home against the Royals.

White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana endured a rough outing as he suffered his second loss of the season Monday night against the Cubs.

Quintana (3-2), who made his 10th start of the season, surrendered a run-scoring single to Alfonso Soriano in the first and a two-run home run to Julio Borbon in the fifth. The left-hander was charged with four runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five in six innings.

Quintana has allowed four runs in two of his last three starts. He is scheduled to make his next start Saturday at Oakland. He is 1-0 with a 3.26 ERA in five starts away from home.

Rangers starting pitcher Martin Perez was hit hard Monday in his start against the Diamondbacks. 

Perez allowed nine hits in 5 1/3 innings, though just two of them went for extra bases. He allowed four runs -- three earned -- while walking two batters and striking out two more. Perez threw just 52 of 96 pitches for strikes.

Perez, who posted a 5.45 ERA in 12 appearances last season, is likely heading back to Triple-A Round Rock, as he was just called up for the start as the 26th-man for the team's doubleheader.