Indians
“I think Klubes is a really good pitcher,” manager Terry Francona said of Corey Kluber (9-6). “You’re not going to have your best command every night, but he still stayed out there for six and gave us a chance to win.” Kluber: “When you have 30-some starts, there are going to be times when it’s a struggle to get through it. You have to keep your team in the game. The important thing is we got a win.” … LHP T.J. House was optioned to the minors and reliever RHP Austin Adams was called up.
Royals
Despite missing the All-Star game because of a sprained right wrist, just getting picked was rewarding for OF Alex Gordon. In addition to the $50,000 bonus, Gordon will benefit from an escalator provision in his deal. By making the All-Star team, his 2015 salary and a 2016 player option rise by $500,000 each to $14 million. Gordon’s deal, which began in 2012, originally was worth $37.5 million but now guarantees him at least $40.2 million over four years and $54.2 million over five seasons.
Tigers
From MLB.com: “Neither Joel Hanrahan nor the Tigers had a timetable for the pitcher getting onto the mound in a Detroit uniform when he signed in early May amid his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Two months later, that uncertainty remains. While Hanrahan continues to throw off a mound at the Tigers’ Spring Training facility in Lakeland, Fla., he has not yet faced hitters – either in live batting practice or simulated games.”
Twins
The team’s recent surge has been built through starting pitching, thanks to Kevin Correia, Phil Hughes, Kyle Gibson and even Yohan Pino. … Joe Mauer landed on the DL for the third time in four years. His numbers were well below his career norms across the board. From the Pioneer Press: “It’s been a very trying year for me personally. I’d get things going, and something would happen. That’s baseball. I’m trying to stay as positive as I can and trying to work through it. This is another thing I have to try to work through. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long.”
White Sox
The team reached a deal with LHP Carlos Rodon on a minor league contract that includes a nearly $6.6 million signing bonus. The deal with Rodon, the No. 3 pick in the draft, was a first-team, all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection as a junior with North Carolina State this past season after he went 6-7 with a 2.01 ERA. He ranked ninth in the nation with 117 strikeouts and held opponents to a.229 average in 14 starts. General manager Rich Hahn said he sees 21-year-old as a “premium front end starter,” and there is a chance Rodon could be called up to the majors this season.
Compiled by Rick Crotts from wire reports.
