MLB Player News

With Scott Kazmir on the disabled list with a ribcage injury, the Indians will be forced to occupy his spot in the rotation at least twice before his return. Cleveland provided the first assignment -- Saturday at Tampa Bay -- to Trevor Bauer, but Carlos Carrasco could replace Kazmir for future starts following his suspension.

Carrasco is currently serving a six-game ban dating to July 2011; he missed the end of 2011 and all of 2012 after Tommy John surgery. The hard-throwing righty posted 13 strikeouts and four walks over 18 innings this spring.

To accomodate Cole De Vries's forearm injury, the Twins will move starter Vance Worley's next start up from Sunday to Saturday, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

Worley will be on regular rest Saturday, and he remains matched up with Baltimore. Worley allowed three runs on eight hits over six innings Monday against Detroit.

One game shouldn't change your opinion of a player, but it may reinforce what you already believe. That's the case for me with the Rangers' Yu Darvish, who I had pegged as a breakout candidate and Cy Young contender provided he maintained his low walk rate from his final seven starts last year.

In his season debut Tuesday at the Astros, his control was perfect. He also issued just three walks in 13 2/3 innings in spring training.

So far, we have yet to catch even a glimpse of the control problems that plagued Darvish early last season, so I'm feeling a little more confident in my breakout claim. On Wednesday's podcast, host Adam Aizer asked if I'd be willing to trade Darvish for, say, CC Sabathia, and in my heart of hearts, I wouldn't.

It's now refelected in my rankings.

Rangers starter Yu Darvish developed a small blister on his right ring finger during his brilliant start Tuesday night but is expected to make his next start, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

The blister isn't expected to have any lasting impact. Any and all excitement left over from Darvish's 8 2/3-inning, 14-strikeout masterpiece Tuesday night should continue unless news of a setback surfaces.

Rangers starter Yu Darvish came within one out of throwing the 24th perfect game in the history of major-league baseball on Tuesday night against the Astros.

The right-hander struck out nine over the first four innings -- including striking out the side in the second and fourth -- and entered the ninth having yet to allow a baserunner. He was able to retire the first two batters quickly in the frame but Marwin Gonzalez hit a line-drive single back through the box, ending the perfect game bid.

Darvish was then pulled for Michael Kirkman, who secured a 7-0 win.

Darvish ended up striking out a career-high 14 batters while surrendering the lone hit over 8 2/3 innings. He also threw 111 pitches, 78 for strikes, while earning his first win of the season.

The last Texas pitcher to strike out at least 14 was Nolan Ryan on July 7, 1991 against the Angels.

Indians starting pitcher Justin Masterson wasn't particularly sharp to open the season Tuesday against the Blue Jays, but he was able to pitch out of trouble often enough to finish with a quality start and a win.

Masterson ran into his worst spot of trouble in the third inning, as he walked a pair of batters, after allowing a leadoff single, to load the bases with none out. His ability to get out of that jam with limited damage was indicative of his effort throughout the game. Masterson, holding a 2-0 lead at the time, induced a run-scoring double play and then struck out J.P. Arendibia to end the inning.

He ultimately allowed just the one run on three hits and four walks in six innings of work, while striking out five batters. Masternon earned the win, in a 4-1 victory. He tossed 103 pitches, 63 for strikes, and appeared to be close to midseason form. He averaged 92.76 miles per hour on his fastball, per BrooksBaseball.net, right in line with his average last season.

Masterson will make his next start Sunday against the Rays, a team that gave him plenty of trouble a year ago. Masterson allowed 12 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings against Tampa in 2012. 

Orioles opening day starter Jason Hammel took the mound against his former team the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday at Tropicana Field. He matched arms with American League Cy Young award winnder David Price and walked away a winner. 

Hammel (1-0) opened the season with three scoreless innings before allowing a Ben Zobrist solo homer in the fourth. He allowed the Rays to take the lead in the sixth with two runs, but remained in the game long enough to see Baltimore rally for a 7-4 victory. 

The right-handed starter allowed three earned runs on three hits and a walk over six innings and 75 pitches. He struck out two batters and 43 of his pitches went for strikes. 

Hammel, who went 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA over his first four starts last year for the Orioles, will make another start this week on Sunday against Minnesota. 

With pitcher Yu Darvish's trial run in the majors complete, the Rangers have raised their expectations for the right-hander heading into his second season. Backed by glimpses of improved command during the second half of his rookie campaign, manager Ron Washington believes he should settle in among the elite pitchers in the majors.

"I expect him to be a very good pitcher in the American League. And if he does what we know what he's capable of doing -- and that's keep us in ballgames -- there's no reason why he can't win enough ballgames to be considered (for the Cy Young Award)," Washington told ESPN before Darvish's first start at Houston Tuesday. "There's no reason why he can't pitch well enough to be considered."

If anyone was wondering why Justin Verlander, who finally earned his first opening-day victory Monday in his sixth try, left the game after five innings and 91 pitches, ask manager Jim Leyland.

"It was his first start of the year and he's really not a quick out guy," Leyland said to the Detroit News, explaining that his pitch limit was "100 max" and his starter was close enough. "I just thought it was the right thing to do. You have to remember one thing: We've just come from where it was 80 degrees to where it's 30-something. Ninety-one pitches were enough. That was a no-brainer for me. I'm not going to do anything silly. He has more security than I do, but I make the decisions. He wanted to stay in, but that's what I get paid for."

Verlander was not happy about the Tigers skipper's decision, but realizes there will be plenty of other opportunities to go deep in games this year, as long as he stays healthy.

"I told Ricky [Porcello] when I came out, 'I don't know what to do.' It's kind of different," Verlander said. "If the weather hadn't been the way it was, I would have pitched more innings. I argued a little bit, but I understood."

Twins opening day starter Vance Worley didn't have the most brilliant beginning to his season Monday against the Tigers. That said, pitching at home, he was at least able to give his team a chance.

Opposing Justin Verlander in his first start with his new team, Worley took the loss to fall to 0-1. Still, he kept the Tigers to going 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position and survived a couple misplays in the field by his shortstop, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Worley gave up three earned runs on eight hits and a walk over six innings. He threw 101 pitches, 69 for strikes, and struck out three batters. His ERA after the one start is at 4.50 and he's scheduled for a second start in this opening week of baseball. That start comes Sunday in Baltimore.