MLB Player News

Astros manager Bo Porter has tabbed pitcher Jordan Lyles to start Thursday's game against the Tigers, according to the Houston Chronicle. Lyles will be replacing Brad Peacock, who was moved to the bullpen.

Lyles is 2-2 with a 5.32 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 11 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings at Triple-A this season. He has posted a 5.20 ERA in 235 1/3 innings over 40 starts and five relief appearances with the Astros over the last two seasons.

Rays pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi won his second straight start for Triple-A Durham Monday by tossing five shutout innings against Syracuse. Odorizzi allowed four hits and struck out six.

The right-hander has the second-most strikeouts in the International League with 36. Odorizzi is 2-0 with a 3.33 ERA and .214 opponents' batting average through five starts. He also has allowed four home runs and issued nine walks in 27 innings.

Mariners starting pitcher prospect Taijuan Walker won for the second time in three starts in his last outing for Double-A Jackson. Walker has also allowed just one earned run in his last four starts.

Walker has managed 32 strikeouts through 29 innings, which has him tied with White Sox prospect Erik Johnson and Brewers prospect Jimmy Nelson for the Southern League lead. Walker is 2-2 with a 1.55 ERA and .150 opponents' batting average. He's also issued four walks in four of his five starts and 18 total on the season.

Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander is aware he's working with a slightly reduced fastball, but he's not concerned according to mlive.com.

Verlander's fastball averaged just over 95 mph last season, but is only at 92.51 mph this year. Verlander explained that he's not going to change anything in order to try to throw harder, saying, "You start trying to throw hard, and that creates a lot of bad habits that are hard to fix."

Tigers manager Jim Leyland believes the cold weather has been the main factor in Verlander's reduced velocity. In his final start, Verlander did hit 95 to 97 mph with his fastball early in the game. 

Although it would be hard to characterize what Orioles starter Jason Hammel did Tuesday night in Seattle as pitching well, he did earn the win.

Hammel (4-1) allowed two earned runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings with 102 pitches thrown. Only 59 of those were strikes.

Hammel struggled with his command and pitch count but did strike out five for the win as the Orioles scored four in the first.

Hammel has won his last three decisions and has given up two runs over his last 11 innings with seven Ks. His ERA is 3.79, and he makes his next start Sunday in Anaheim.

Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander told reporters after Tuesday's start that his thumb started bleeding again but is not concerned about it flaring up. Fantasy owners should not worry about taking him out of the lineup, as he has another start scheduled in Week 5 (April 29-May 5), Sunday against the Astros.

Verlander is 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA in three road starts. The Astros rank 18th in the league in runs scored per game at 4.14. 

White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana was knocked around but escaped without factoring into the decision Tuesday night against the Rangers.

Quintana allowed solo homers to Nelson Cruz and Jeff Baker on consecutive pitches in the fourth inning. The left-hander was charged with four runs on eight hits in five innings. He struck out two and walked one in 97 pitches, 58 for strikes. It was the first home run that he has allowed since his season debut April 5.

Quintana's ERA rose from 2.78 to 3.58. He'll try to get back on track Sunday at Kansas City. He has allowed seven runs and 17 hits in his last 12 innings at Kauffman Stadium.

It appears the Houston Astros are preparing to recall pitchers Jordan Lyles and Dallas Keuchel from Triple-A Oklahoma City, MLB.com reports by way of a baseball source.

Although general manager Jeff Luhnow was not available for comment, it seems one of those pitchers could take Brad Peacock's vacated spot in the rotation Thursday against the Tigers. The corresponding roster moves were not announced.  

The 22-year-old Lyles was strong in his latest start at Triple-A and was slated to begin the year in the rotation before he struggled in the spring.

The 25-year-old Keuchel was recalled April 6 and had a 3.38 ERA over 10 2/3 innings in relief before being sent back down.

Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander, who left his previous start with a blister on his pitching thumb, bounced back with a dominant performance Tuesday night against the Twins.

Verlander allowed a run-scoring double to Wilkin Ramirez in the 6-1 win. The left-hander allowed five hits in seven innings. He struck out eight and walked two in 114 pitches, 73 for strikes. It was his second-longest outing of the season.

Verlander, who has thrown 91-plus pitches in each of his starts, was not bothered by his thumb but said said he experienced bleeding.

"It bled a little bit, but it was just kind of superficial," Verlander said. "I was able to kind of manage it, which is why I came out of the game after seven last time."

Verlander is 9-0 in his last 10 starts against Minnesota. He has allowed five runs and has struck out 30 in his last 27 innings.

The 30-year-old is scheduled to start Sunday at Houston. He is 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA in his first three starts away from Comerica Park.

Twins starting pitcher Vance Worley endured another rough outing Tuesday night against Detroit.

Worley allowed three home runs, including a two-run shot by Miguel Cabrera in the first and a two-run homer by Prince Fielder in the fifth. The right-hander was charged with six runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 6-1 loss. He struck out one and walked one in 76 pitches, 53 for strikes.

"Today was the best I've felt all season. I made good pitches. They just crushed them," Worley said. "I made the exact pitch that I wanted to Cabrera. I even went back and watched the video. That pitch is a popup, and he drove it out of the park the other way. There's nothing you can do about that."

Worley has allowed at least five runs in three of his six starts. and has a 7.22 ERA.

The 25-year-old will try to bounce back Monday night at Boston.