American League team-by-team notebook -- Thursday, August 30, 2012
Baltimore: Despite striking out a career-high 10 and winning his third start in a row, LHP Zach Britton was optioned to Class AAA Norfolk (Va.) after the game. The move was made to clear a roster spot for LH reliever Randy Wolf, who will be officially signed Friday. Britton can return to the majors after Norfolk's season ends Monday. ... 1B Mark Reynolds batted cleanup for the first time since July 24, 2011, and he went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. He is 5-for-26 (.192) with no RBI in his past nine games.
Boston: RHP Zach Stewart, acquired two months ago in the trade that sent 3B Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox, allowed more runs than any pitcher in his Red Sox debut since 1903. He was touched for nine runs on 10 hits in three innings Wednesday against the Angels, then was optioned back to Class AAA Pawtucket (R.I.). RH reliever Daniel Bard was recalled. ... LH reliever Rich Hill (elbow) may join the Red Sox this weekend. He had allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings over seven rehab appearances, including four with Pawtucket.
Chicago: RHP Dylan Axelrod was sent down to Class AA Birmingham (Hoover, Ala.) after his solid Wednesday start, but he will be recalled next week after rosters expand. The White Sox purchased the contract of IF Jose Lopez from Class AAA Charlotte (Fort Mill, S.C.). Lopez was released by the Indians on Aug. 12 after hitting .253 in 66 games. ... The White Sox promoted C Hector Gimenez from Charlotte to replace C Tyler Flowers, who went on paternity leave. Gimenez had brief stints with the Astros (2006) and the Dodgers (2011).
Cleveland: C Carlos Santana, benched by manager Manny Acta for not hustling during Wednesday's game, was back in the lineup the next day as the DH. "We need full effort from everybody all the time. I didn't like the way he ran to first a couple times. Carlos and I have talked about it," Acta said. ... RH closer Chris Perez, who has had just one save opportunity since Aug. 13, pitched the ninth inning in a non-save situation and gave up a solo home run. Three of Perez's last four appearances have been in non-save situations.
Detroit: With RHP Doug Fister set to start Friday, having recovered from a groin strain, LHP Drew Smyly has been moved to the bullpen. Since Smyly began his pro career last year, the only relief appearance among his first 45 games was with Class AA Erie (Pa.) in 2011. ... Opponents were hitting .419 against LH reliever Phil Coke over his past 13 appearances through Wednesday, and Coke had a 7.00 ERA in that span. "He's got to do better. There's no ifs, ands, buts about it," manager Jim Leyland said.
Kansas City: CF Jarrod Dyson was held out of the lineup with a tender right shoulder. "It doesn't affect his running or his hitting. We'll give him a day or two and see what it looks like and go from there," manager Ned Yost said. ... LHP Bruce Chen threw eight shutout innings Wednesday against the Tigers for his 10th win of the year, reaching double figures for the third season in a row. The last Kansas City lefty to win 10-plus games at least three years in a row was Charlie Leibrandt from 1984-88.
Los Angeles: LHP C.J. Wilson snapped an 11-start winless streak and earned his 10th victory of the season Wednesday. He is the fourth pitcher in major league history to record three consecutive seasons with 10 or more victories after three consecutive seasons with 10 saves or more, joining Derek Lowe, Ryan Dempster and John Smoltz. ... 1B C.J. Cron, the Angels' first-round draft pick in 2011, underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Playing for high-A Inland Empire (San Bernardino, Calif.), he finished the season with 123 RBI, one short of the Angels' single-season minor league record.
Minnesota: CF Denard Span went on the disabled list after the Twins decided his collarbone injury wasn't likely to heal without further rest. Span, who had played four games since injuring himself diving for a ball Aug. 12, has a sprained sternoclavicular (SC) joint. ... C Joe Mauer had only one concern about reports that he'd been placed on revocable trade waivers. "I feel bad for my mom," Mauer said. "She was out at the state fair (Wednesday), doing a thing for Kemps, and I don't think they were talking a whole lot about ice cream."
New York: 3B Alex Rodriguez, out since July 25 with a fractured bone in his left hand, will begin a rehab assignment Friday with high-A Tampa. Rodriguez will serve as the designated hitter Friday and is slated to play third base Saturday, eying a return to the Yankees as early as Monday at Tampa Bay. ... RHP Hiroki Kuroda, who pitches the series opener against Baltimore on Friday, has not allowed more than three runs in any of his last eight starts. He is 4-2 with a 1.66 ERA over that span.
Oakland: RF Josh Reddick, the No. 3 hitter for most of the season, returned to that spot and went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBI. In the previous four games, three as the No. 6 hitter, one as the No. 2 hitter, he went 9-for-18. ... 3B Josh Donaldson has homered in back-to-back games, giving the A's something to think about when 3B Brandon Inge comes off the disabled list, which is expected to occur this weekend. Since his Aug. 14 recall, Donaldson is 21-for-60 (.350) with three homers and 11 RBI in 16 games.
Seattle: Michael Saunders should be back in the outfield Friday for the series opener against the Angels, manager Eric Wedge said. Saunders hasn't played since sustaining a groin injury Aug. 24 during an outfield collision. ... Rookie RH reliever Carter Capps needs to broaden his pitch selection beyond his 99 mph fastball, Wedge said after Capps threw 39 pitches Wednesday, 35 of them fastballs. "These big-league hitters, it doesn't matter how hard you throw, they can turn it around," Wedge said.
Tampa Bay: Carlos Pena started 117 of the Rays' first 130 games at first base, but he will have to share the position down the stretch. With Pena in an 0-for-17 slump entering play Thursday, manager Joe Maddon said Luke Scott and Jeff Keppinger would join Pena in a first base committee. ... LHP David Price was delayed in his arrival to Toronto after forgetting his passport at home. A friend brought the passport to Price in Dallas, and the two then flew to Canada separately from the team.
Texas: 1B Mitch Moreland is impressing the Rangers with his improved defense. "He's getting there. He deserves a ton of credit for it," manager Ron Washington said. "His hands are better because he's improved his footwork. He's quicker on his feet, and he's moving better laterally." ... The Rangers went 12-8 during their 20-games-in-20-days run that ended Wednesday. That tied the team's second-highest win total for a 20-in-20 stretch in the last 10 years.
Toronto: RF Jose Bautista's surgery to repair an unstable tendon in his left wrist has been scheduled for Tuesday. Bautista injured the wrist on a swing July 16 and aggravated it last Saturday in his second game back from the disabled list. He is out for the season. ... LHP J.A. Happ tweaked his ankle while covering first base in the first inning Wednesday, but he stayed in the game to complete five innings. He earned the win against the Yankees, improving to 3-1 with a 4.45 ERA in five starts with the Blue Jays.
