MLB Player News

Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish surrendered two earned runs on three hits and a walk in five innings against the Reds Saturday. Both runs came on solo homers and raised his spring ERA to 1.98. He'll start the Rangers' second game of the year against the Astros.

Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander does not want to discuss contract extensions during the season, CBS Sports Baseball Insider Jon Heyman reported Saturday. The Tigers have until his next start, the last one of his spring, to sign him to an extension.

"Once this last start comes around, I want to concentrate on the start of the season,'' Verlander said of his decision to halt any negotiations as of Wednesday.

The Cleveland Indians' rotation battle is down to its fifth and final spot and it looks like the team will choose between Scott Kazmir and Carlos Carrasco, with Kazmir having the inside track at the moment, reports CBSSports.com Senior Columnist Scott Miller.

Kazmir has gone eight spring innings without allowing a run with eight Ks. Carrasco, who hasn't started in the majors since 2011, has given up 12 runs this spring over 18 innings for an ERA of 6.00 with 13 strikeouts. However, Carrasco has been better later in the spring.

Orioles starter Jason Hammel pitched in a minor-league game on Friday against Tampa Bay Class-A hitters, reports MASNSports.com.

Hammel threw 86 pitches and went six innings at Twin Lakes Park.

"I gave up a few singles, and the Rays are the Rays. They run on everything after that. As soon as they get a runner on, the Rays run," Hammel said. "I think I gave up one run, but other than that, it was all singles and I got my pitch count up and I felt strong."

Hammel has pitched fairly well this spring and looks to build off his solid first year with Baltimore when he went 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA, including 113 strikeouts over 118 innings. He is over the knee injuries that kept him limited to just 20 starts last year.

White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana turned in another productive performance during Friday's Cactus League contest against the Athletics. 

Quintana, who made his third start of the spring, cruised through the first five innings before allowing a run-scoring double to Yoenis Cespedes and a run-scoring single to Derek Norris in the sixth.

He allowed just two runs on two hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. He also struck out nine and walked three as he improved his ERA to 2.19 this spring.

Indians pitcher Justin Masterson turned in a decent outing, but he did not get much help from his defense Friday night against the Diamondbacks in Cactus League play. Masterson, who made his fifth start of the spring, gave up four runs -- one earned -- on four hits in five innings of work. He also struck out seven and issued three walks as he lowered his ERA to 5.09 this spring.

Minnesota starting pitcher Vance Worley allowed five runs -- four earned -- and eight hits over five innings during the Twins' 9-7 loss to the Yankees in a Grapefruit League matchup Friday. Since firing two scoreless innings during his spring debut, Worley has been on the hook for multiple runs in each of his past four starts to register a 6.35 ERA. He struck out two batters and walked none against New York.

"He was up an awful lot. Not many breakers early. Slow paced, that type of stuff. It didn't seem like he had much of a feel for it. The ball came out a little bit better there at the end," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Rays starting pitcher Alex Cobb yielded three runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings during Tampa Bay's 6-4 Grapefruit League loss to Pittsburgh on Friday. Cobb, slated to assume the No. 4 spot in the rotation, struck out five batters but also walked three. He has now amassed at least five strikeouts in five of his six outings this spring.

"It was the most comparable (thing) to a real game that I've felt this spring," Cobb said about his performance. "I went through my challenges with runners on, working through jams, working through my mechanics, figuring things out. It's a different mentality when you go deeper in the game."

Drew Smyly held the Nationals lineup in check Friday, as he allowed one run on four hits and no walks over five innings Friday for the Tigers. 

Smyly picked up his fourth win of the spring in the outing, and he now has a sharp 3.38 ERA with an excellent 17-to-3 strikeout-to-walk total. A good start was much needed for Smyly after he laid an egg on Sunday with five earned runs on seven hits, also against Washington. Smyly remains in a competition with Rick Porcello for the Tigers' fifth starter job.

Tigers ace Justin Verlander allowed three home runs to the Astros Thursday while surrendering four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five batters and walked none. The outing gives Verlander a 4.74 spring ERA but is no cause for concern for fantasy owners. He allowed three home runs in a game just once in 2012, against the Rays in Tampa.