American League notebook -- Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Baltimore: LF Nolan Reimold could be facing surgery to alleviate his problems with a neck disk, but manager Buck Showalter said a final determination had yet to be made. Reimold has been out since May 1, and he has received two epidural injections. ... After posting shutout wins Saturday and Sunday at Atlanta, the Orioles were shut out Monday and Tuesday by the Mets. The last time the Orioles were involved in more than four consecutive shutouts was Sept. 26-Oct. 1, 1995, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Baltimore won all five games in that stretch.
Boston: 2B Dustin Pedroia left Tuesday's game before the eighth inning after re-injuring his right thumb, and he was out of the starting lineup the next day. However, he expects to be back in action Thursday for the series finale against Miami. "I feel fine," he said. ... Arizona State SS Deven Marrero, the Red Sox's first-round pick, signed with the team. Marrero received a $2.05 million bonus, more than the $1.75 million recommended by Major League Baseball for the 24th overall selection.
Chicago: LHP Chris Sale could hit a team-imposed inning limit at some point this year. His career high is 136 2/3 innings in 2010, between college, the minor leagues and the majors. He is already at 80 1/3 this year. "We'll just take it day by day," Sale said of an inning limit. "When it comes up, we'll handle it and go from there." ... With 3B Brent Morel still out due to back problems, the White Sox kicked around the idea of moving OF Dayan Viciedo back to third base, where he played in Cuba. "It was shot down in the room pretty quickly," GM Ken Williams said, adding, "He wasn't as bad over there as people want to think he was."
Cleveland: 2B Jason Kipnis had started 66 of the Indians' first 67 games, and appeared in all of them, before sitting out the start Wednesday. "We had this planned for a while. It's a perfect time to do it. With (Thursday's off day), it gives him two days off," manager Manny Acta said. ... RHP Carlos Carrasco, who had Tommy John surgery last September, will join the team next week and throw in the Yankee Stadium bullpen. While in New York, he will be examined by orthopedist David Altchek, who performed Carrasco's elbow operation. The timetable for his return to game action remains unknown.
Detroit: RH closer Jose Valverde, unable to throw after spraining his wrist while warming up Tuesday, will have his wrist immobilized for three to four days and then have his flexor tendon re-examined. "We'll treat it aggressively," trainer Kevin Rand said, "We'll take it day by day and see where it's at. We're not thinking it's going to be long term." ... LHP Drew Smyly (blood blister on left middle finger) will make a rehab start Thursday for Class AAA Toledo (Ohio). If that goes well, he would slide back into the major league rotation Tuesday at Texas.
Kansas City: IF Irving Falu was recalled from Class AAA Omaha (Papillion, Neb.), where he hit .370 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 15 games since being sent down June 1. Falu hit .326 in 12 games with Kansas City earlier this season in his first major league action. ... RH reliever Louis Coleman was optioned to Omaha as the Royals pared their pitching staff from 14 arms to 13. Coleman was recalled Monday, and he gave up five runs in two innings that night in Kansas City's 9-7 loss at Houston.
Los Angeles: RHP Jerome Williams, who had been hospitalized after his Monday start due to breathing difficulties, was placed on the disabled list. The move cleared a roster spot for RHP Jered Weaver, who came off the DL. Williams said doctors believe he had an exercise-induced asthma attack. ... With five plate appearances Tuesday, rookie OF Mike Trout was qualified to appear on the AL leader boards. He went into Wednesday's game second in the league in batting (.337) behind White Sox 1B Paul Konerko (.357) and third in on-base percentage (.397) behind Konerko (.431) and Twins C/1B Joe Mauer (.415). Trout spent the first month of the season in the minors.
Minnesota: Manager Ron Gardenhire lamented not challenging a home run ruling in Tuesday's game. Pittsburgh's Josh Harrison was awarded a homer after the ball bounced off the left field wall and off LF Josh Willingham before going out. "Give me a red flag; I'll throw it out there," said Gardenhire, a proponent of instant replay. "I heard about this after the game." ... LHP Scott Diamond (5-3, 2.57 ERA) has lost consecutive starts for the first time this season. "I think it's just a little bit of work in the 'pen, and I think I need to refine the curveball a little bit," he said.
New York: 1B Mark Teixeira, who took a hard grounder off his left heel Tuesday, was out of the starting lineup the next day, but manager Joe Girardi said he was considering resting Teixeira for the day game after a night game anyway. Teixeira had a pinch-hit double in the eighth and stayed in the game at first base. He is expected to start Friday against the Mets. ... 3B Alex Rodriguez's sixth-inning solo home run gave him 1,925 career RBI. That moved him past Jimmie Foxx into sole possession of sixth place on the all-time RBI list.
Oakland: LH reliever Jordan Norberto worked a scoreless inning and struck out two Tuesday in a rehab appearance for Class AAA Sacramento (West Sacramento, Calif.). Norberto is expected to come off the disabled list Thursday after missing three weeks due to a left shoulder strain. ... Yoenis Cespedes made his first game appearance in a week, batting fourth and serving as the designated hitter. Cespedes was limited to one at-bat in the previous 10 games because of a left hamstring strain. Through Tuesday, the A's were 20-16 when Cespedes was in the lineup and 12-20 without him.
Seattle: PH Franklin Gutierrez hit a three-run, eighth-inning homer, his first home run since May 25, 2011, a span of 92 games and 323 at-bats. He came off the disabled June 13 after missing the first 64 games of the season due to a partially torn right pectoral muscle and plantar fasciitis. ... LHP Danny Hultzen and SS Nick Franklin were promoted from Class AA Jackson (Tenn.) to Class AAA Tacoma (Wash.). Hultzen, 22, went 8-3 with a 1.19 ERA in 13 starts for Jackson. Franklin, 21, batted .322 with a .394 on-base percentage and a .502 slugging percentage over 57 games in Class AA.
Tampa Bay: RHP Chris Archer, 23, was called up from Class AAA Durham (N.C.), and he made his major league debut against Washington. He took the place of RHP Jeremy Hellickson, who went on the disabled list retroactive to June 15 due to right shoulder fatigue. Archer was 4-8 with a 4.81 ERA in 14 starts for Durham. ... RF Matt Joyce left Tuesday's game during the fifth inning due to what the team said was back tightness, and he didn't start the next day. He said he did not expect to miss a major amount of time.
Texas: RHP Roy Oswalt will start Friday against the Rockies in his Rangers debut. Oswalt, who signed a free agent deal with Texas in late May, went a combined 1-1 with 5.87 ERA in three starts for Class AAA Round Rock (Texas) and one for Class AA Frisco (Texas). RHP Scott Feldman will move to the bullpen. ... 1B Mitch Moreland injured his left hamstring while trying to beat out a double-play grounder Tuesday, and he was out of the starting lineup the next day. The Rangers were awaiting the results of an MRI exam, but GM Jon Daniels said Moreland is likely to wind up on the disabled list.
Toronto: RHP Joel Carreno lasted three innings after he was called up from Class AAA Las Vegas to serve as an emergency starter. He was called up when RHP Carlos Villanueva, who probably would have started, was used in relief in Tuesday. Carreno had made 11 starts between Class AA and Class AAA this season, going 3-6 with a 5.24 ERA. IF Yan Gomes (.211 in 17 games) was optioned to Las Vegas. ... The Blue Jays claimed RH reliever David Pauley off waivers from the Angels. Pauley went 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA in five appearances for the Angels this year.
