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American League team-by-team notebook -- Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Baltimore: RHP Chris Tillman had an MRI on his right elbow that revealed an inflamed nerve but no structural damage, manager Buck Showalter said. Tillman is questionable for his next start. He left his Sunday start after three innings with elbow soreness. ... RHP Jason Hammel, out since undergoing arthroscopic right knee surgery in mid-July, is scheduled to be activated to start against the Yankees in Thursday's series opener. Hammel threw five shutout innings Saturday in a rehab start for high-A Frederick (Md.).

Boston: Guillermo Quiroz was acquired from the Mariners for cash, and he'll serve as the Red Sox's third catcher this month. Quiroz, 30, last played in the majors in 2010, going 2-for-7 for Seattle. He hit .278 with 15 homers and 52 RBI this year for Class AAA Tacoma (Wash.). ... 2B Dustin Pedroia reached 1,000 career hits Monday in his 833rd game. Only Nomar Garciaparra (746 games), Wade Boggs (747 games), Johnny Pesky (774 games), Ted Williams (814 games) and Jim Rice (827 games) got there faster with the Red Sox.

Chicago: RHP Gavin Floyd (elbow) is scheduled for another bullpen session Thursday after throwing a light session Monday. "I guess it would be a little longer, throwing breaking balls, so that will be kind of the true test to see what happens," Floyd said. "I hope it's just 15 days and I get back out there." ... RHP Dylan Axelrod was recalled from Class AA Birmingham (Hoover, Ala.), and he likely will start Sunday against Kansas City. Axelrod is 2-2 with a 4.93 ERA in 11 games (seven starts) for Chicago this season.

Cleveland: LHP David Huff, who led the Indians in wins in 2009 but had yet to pitch in the majors this year, was recalled from Class AAA Columbus (Ohio). Huff was 11-9 with the Indians in 2009 but a combined 4-17 in 2010-11. In 24 games (22 starts) for Columbus this year, he went 7-6 with a 4.97 ERA. ... LH reliever Scott Maine, who pitched two scoreless innings for Columbus after he was claimed off waivers from the Cubs on Aug. 29, was promoted to the majors. The Indians also called up 2B Cord Phelps and IF/OF Vinny Rottino.

Detroit: UT Don Kelly started at first base for the second time this season with manager Jim Leyland loading his lineup with left-handed hitters against Indians RHP Justin Masterson. Prince Fielder served as the designated hitter for the second time this year, the other coming April 22 -- the same day Kelly played first base in a 3-2 loss to Texas. ... RH reliever Luke Putkonen was recalled from Class AAA to give the Tigers another bullpen arm. Putkonen was 3-3 with a 4.92 ERA in 24 games (two starts) for Toledo (Ohio).

Kansas City: 1B Eric Hosmer was not in starting lineup against Rangers LHP Matt Harrison. Manager Ned Yost opted to start DH Billy Butler at first base and IF Tony Abreu, who had six RBI the previous two games, as the designated hitter. ... RH reliever Jeremy Jeffress was recalled from Class AA Northwest Arkansas (Springdale, Ark.), where he was optioned Aug. 27 and picked up a save in his only appearance. In two previous stints this year with the Royals, Jeffress appeared in eight games and allowed no earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Los Angeles: SS Erick Aybar was a career .340 hitter (53-for-156) in Oakland through Monday's game. Only two players have had a higher career batting average in Oakland: Ichiro Suzuki (.357) and Chili Davis (.342). ... RHP Barry Enright and C Hank Conger were promoted from Class AAA Salt Lake (Salt Lake City). Enright, who went 7-11 in 24 starts for Arizona in 2010 and 2011, finished 13-7 with a 4.86 ERA in 29 Class AAA starts this year. Conger hit .295 with 10 homers and 42 RBI in 67 games for Salt Lake.

Minnesota: IF Jamey Carroll ended the majors' longest active homerless drought at 1,384 at-bats when he went deep Monday. His previous homer came on Aug. 9, 2009. ... LH reliever Glen Perkins converted 10 of his first 11 save opportunities after RH closer Matt Capps was lost to a shoulder injury in mid-June. "He's certainly shown he's got the type of arm you're looking for on the back side of a bullpen, and he's got enough pitches, and I think he's got the temperament," GM Terry Ryan said.

New York: CF Curtis Granderson and 2B Robinson Cano were back in the lineup after recovering from minor injuries. Granderson had missed two starts since exiting Saturday's game due to right hamstring tightness. Cano hurt his left hip in the eighth inning Monday but remained in the game. ... RH reliever David Aardsma allowed four runs (two earned) in two-thirds of an inning Monday in a rehab outing for short-season Staten Island (N.Y.). Aardsma has been out since having Tommy John surgery in July 2011.

Oakland: 3B Josh Donaldson had been using 1B Chris Carter's bats, and the lumber was working for both of them. Donaldson had homered in four of his past five games entering play Tuesday, while Carter had four homers in his past eight games. ... LHP Tommy Milone went three-plus innings Monday, the shortest outing of his career, but he didn't issue a walk. In each of the past 13 starts, he has walked no more than one batter, one shy of the Oakland record set by Gil Heredia in 1999.

Seattle: The Mariners added seven players to the roster, including two who are coming off injuries. 1B Mike Carp had been on the disabled list since Aug. 13 due to a strained left groin. RH reliever Shawn Kelley bounced back after being hit in the elbow by a ball Aug. 29 while pitching for Class AAA Tacoma (Wash.). ... LHP Jason Vargas is the third Seattle starting pitcher since 2003 to win as many as 14 games in a season, joining Felix Hernandez (19 in 2009 and 14 last year) and Miguel Batista (16 wins overall, 15 as a starter in 2007). Since June 26, Vargas is 7-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 13 starts.

Tampa Bay: RHP Jeff Niemann will be out of action indefinitely, and potentially for the rest of the season, due to what has been diagnosed as slight inflammation in his rotator cuff. Niemann had returned Saturday after missing 3 1/2 months with a broken right leg. ... Evan Longoria was back in the lineup as the designated hitter after leaving Monday's game following the seventh inning. Longoria said he was just tired after playing third base for five innings Sunday and then traveling home from Toronto.

Texas: RH closer Joe Nathan did not get a save Monday for his scoreless ninth inning, but he did earn $300,000. It was his 50th game finished, which triggered the second incentive bonus in Nathan's contract. He can earn an additional $300,000 at both 55 and 60 games finished, which would take the total value of his 2012 salary to $8 million. ... OF David Murphy celebrated moving into the AL batting qualifiers with two more hits Monday. He entered the list at No. 3 after batting .407 (50-for-123) in his past 35 games.

Toronto: C J.P. Arencibia (broken right hand) is continuing his rehab assignment with high-A Dunedin (Fla.) in the Florida State League playoffs, which began Tuesday. Arencibia could rejoin the Blue Jays in Boston this weekend or next week. ... RH reliever Chad Beck, who had a 5.87 ERA in eight appearances for Toronto earlier this season, and OF Anthony Gose, who hit .183 in 28 games for the Blue Jays in July and August, were recalled from Class AAA Las Vegas.