Truth & Rumors > MLB

07:04 AM ET 05.17 | On the surface, Jose Valverde's return to the Tigers bullpen, which has spanned seven innings that have included only one hit, solves a problem, right? Not necessarily. The Tigers remain concerned enough about their late-inning relief that they're still "looking hard" for help on the trade market, according to a source who speaks regularly with Tigers management. The bullpen has remained a constant issue for the Tigers, even though it has yet to cost them many games and hasn't kept them from spending the last two weeks in first place in the American League Central. The Tigers made another bullpen move Thursday, demoting middle reliever Al Alburquerque a day after he had trouble throwing strikes in a 7-5 loss to the Astros.

CBS Sports

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10:10 AM ET 05.16 | The Pittsburgh Pirates released pitcher Jonathan Sanchez after his struggles on the mound that included an 11.85 ERA, but it hasn't taken long for him to find a new home. Sanchez will be making the journey to the West Coast where he will join the Los Angeles Dodgers pending a physical. Sanchez is expected to be sent to the team's Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque. He will have until July 1 to be promoted to the Dodgers big league roster or an opt-out clause will be activated that allows him to be released.

FanSided.com

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07:10 AM ET 05.16 | What a difference a year makes for David Price, who by this time last year was 6-2. The potty-mouthed, Price-baiting umpire was one thing. The allergies (allergies?), rash and blurred vision are another. But [Price's] nightmare Cy Young follow-up has a new twist: a pitch, a grimace, then Price strolling from the mound Wednesday in the third inning of a game he was already losing to the Red Sox, 2-0, and the Rays would drop, like a rock, 9-2. Just when you thought it couldn't get worse ... This time, it was left triceps tightness. That's in the arm. The left-hander didn't bother trying to throw a practice pitch. He knew. How can this be good?

The Tampa Tribune

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07:10 AM ET 05.16 | There, that's settled. [Angels owner] Arte Moreno said Wednesday that the job of manager Mike Scioscia is safe. Moreno spoke to FOXSports.com outside Major League Baseball's headquarters in New York, where he is attending this week's owners' meetings. He said the chances of an in-season managerial change are "right now, zero." "Mike has zero problems, OK?" Moreno said. "This is his 14th year. Mike goes beyond what he does on the field. He's a good person. He's a good person in the community, a very good baseball guy." ... Scioscia, one of the highest-paid managers in baseball, is under contract with the Angels through 2018 -- a significant disincentive for Moreno to fire him.

FOX Sports

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07:09 AM ET 05.16 | Not only could the Red Sox use a hot streak from Jacoby Ellsbury, but he could, too. [Ellsbury], who becomes a free agent at the end of the season, is having a disappointing year at .256/.321/.363 with one home run and 13 RBIs. "He just doesn't look nearly as comfortable at the plate, he's not being as efficient at the plate as he's been in the past," [Buster Olney] said. ... "And it's having a huge impact, without a doubt, on the perception of him as a player. ... [He] could theoretically be a $100 million player. But if he continues on this same trajectory for the entire year, it's going to be a crusher for him in terms of how much money you would lose, to the point that you'd almost think that he'd want a mulligan."

WEEI.com

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