MLB Player News

After coming out of the gates hot, Indians starting pitcher Justin Masterson has cooled down considerably over his last five starts. He has allowed a 5.91 ERA in his last 32 innings, scaring Fantasy owners off to the point where he was started in only 61 percent of CBSSports.com Fantasy leagues this week. That should be higher in Week 7 (May 13-19).

Masterson is set to take the mound twice in this upcoming scoring period, against teams that rank near the bottom of the American League in runs scored. He opens against the Yankees, a team that has been so depleted by injuries that they currently rank just 10th in the AL in runs scored, Monday. He faces the Mariners, who rank 14th in runs scored, Sunday.

Masterson's results have not been optimal recently, but he is still striking out a career-high 8.50 batters per nine innings on the season. In a two-start week, it makes a lot of sense to get him active. 

Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel failed to become the first pitcher since 1920 to pick up six road wins before May 17, as he failed to factor into the decision Friday night against the Twins.

Hammel, who earned all five of his wins this season away from home, was knocked around as he surrendered three runs through the first three frames and two more in the fifth, including a run-scoring double to Trevor Plouffe. The right-hander was shelled for six runs and eight hits over four innings of work. He struck out six and walked two in 87 pitches, 54 strikes.

Hammel has not lost a decision since April 7, but has surrendered 10 runs in his last 10 innings of work. He is scheduled to start Friday at home against Tampa Bay. He allowed three runs in six innings of work in his last meeting against the Rays on April 2.

As he reached the upper levels of the minors, Rays starting pitcher Alex Cobb started finding more swing-and-miss stuff. From 2010 on, when he reached Double-A, Cobb averaged at least 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings, without an increase in his walk or home run rates. Consequently, he lowered his ERA in each season leading to his callup, peaking with a 1.87 mark at Triple-A Durhamm in 2011.

So far in the majors, Cobb has mostly relied on a heavy diet of groundballs and pinpoint accuracy, with a strikeout rate over parts of three seasons that barely registered as above average. After Friday's ridiculous (and not entirely in a good way) start, in which he struck out 12 batters in just 4 1/3 innings, Cobb is starting to look a bit more like that player who was so strong through the upper minors.

Cobb's strikeout rate is now up to 8.74 per nine innings, while he still has a pristine 1.94 walks per nine innings. He has had real issues with home runs, but is picking up groundballs on 51.9 percent of his batted balls. There's a lot to like about what Cobb is doing right now, especially if you trust that eventually he will not allow a home run on one of every five flyballs. At this point, he probably deserves to be starting in the majority of Fantasy formats, as his breakout start seems sustainable.

Rays pitcher Alex Cobb became the first pitcher in major-league history to strike out 13 batters in fewer than five innings during Friday's contest against the Padres.

Cobb, who made his seventh start of the season, failed to make it past the fifth inning. He became the second pitcher in franchise history to strike out four in an inning. He also surrendered a run on a balk in that same frame. The right-hander served up a pair of solo homers, as he was charged with three runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings of work. Cobb, who failed to factor into the decision, walked two in 117 pitches, 77 strikes.

He is scheduled to start Thursday at home against Boston. He is 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA in four career starts against the Red Sox.

Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber surrendered eight earned runs on 11 hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings Friday night against the Tigers. He also had four strikeouts and gave up two home runs.

The poor outing raises Kluber's ERA to 5.64 in 22 1/3 innings this season. He's scheduled to face the Phillies on the road Wednesday.

After going 8-13 with a 6.28 ERA in 28 games last season with Triple-A Round Rock and Double-A Frisco, Rangers pitching prospect Neil Ramirez has gotten off to a great start this year. Ramirez, who is considered the team's 17th-best prospect by MLB.com, allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings Thursday night with Frisco.

The right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.75 ERA in seven starts to go along with 44 strikeouts and 18 walks. He has only surrendered one home run and opponents are hitting just .155 off him.

"He has been good all year," Frisco manager Steve Buechele told MLB.com. "It's not just the stuff. He seems more relaxed and more confident. He's a different person, as well as a different pitcher. Everybody has seen the stuff from Neil over the years. But nobody has seen it consistent like we have, and that's a nice step for Neil."

Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish's rise to leading the majors in strikeouts has not come without a price. That expense has been a high pitch count as the righty is averaging 107.1 pitches per game through seven starts -- the fifth-highest total in the league -- according to MLB.com.

But Darvish, who has 72 Ks over 45 2/3 innings for an average of 14.1 K/9, said he is not concerned about his high counts and he could throw up to 200 pitches in a game if needed. He has exceeded 110 pitches three times this year with a high of 127.

"I have no plans to change my pitching style; I'm not concerned about my pitch counts," Darvish said Thursday. "I don't look for strikeouts or go for strikeouts. I know my pitching coaches are concerned about my pitch counts because of all the strikeouts. But as long as I have four days to rest, I don't care how many pitches I throw."

Twins pitching prospect Kyle Gibson continues to knock on the door of the major leagues, and that rapping noise only grew louder after he twirled a four-hit shutout Wednesday -- the same day Pedro Hernandez allowed six runs in the majors.

Despite that bit of organizational synchronicity, general manager Terry Ryan does not see it as a sign that change is warranted in the rotation. According to his minor league coaches, Gibson is not quite ready for the majors.

"As soon as those guys tell me he's ready then I'll give it some consideration," Ryan told MLB.com Thursday. "But one outing does not make a promotion."

Gibson, who MLB.com ranks as the Twins' fourth-best prospect and No. 49 overall, has a 3.32 ERA in 40 2/3 innings at Triple-A Rochester. He has 35 strikeouts and 11 walks. 

Twins starting pitcher prospect Kyle Gibson recorded his first complete game in three years Wednesday as Triple-A Rochester blanked Toledo, 3-0. Gibson allowed four hits and two walks in nine scoreless innings, while striking out eight.

"I think the big thing for me is the slider," Gibson said, per MLB.com. "Chris Herrmann behind the plate did a great job, I was working on throwing some fastballs up and he did a good job adjusting to that. A lot of the credit goes to him. We both did our homework on these guys, and he helped me execute it."

Gibson improved to 2-4 with a 3.32 ERA and .242 opponents' batting average through seven starts. He's managed 35 strikeouts to 11 walks in 40 2/3 innings. He's also allowed just two home runs.

"I feel like I'm back to where I was before. I feel good," said Gibson, who had Tommy John surgery in September 2011. "The last two starts I feel like, endurance-wise, I'm back to where I was before. I still felt pretty good and was able to execute pitches when I needed to."

Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel failed to prove himself worthy in 16 turns in the rotation a year ago, but he is getting his first shot in 2013 this week. But that does not mean he is worth your attention as a Fantasy owner.

Keuchel got by as a prospect thanks to pinpoint control, but he has not been able to find the strike zone consistently in the majors. He doesn't light up the radar gun, meaning he needs to be more fine with his pitches to keep from being clobbered.

Keuchel has been too prone to mistakes to get away with his style of pitching in his 101 2/3 major-league innings, hence the 5.75 ERA between two seasons. At this point, I would leave him for just AL-only Fantasy formats.