Baseball-Major League Baseball roundup

March 12 (The Sports Xchange) - Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has apparently avoided a serious injury to his left knee. An MRI exam performed on Sunday displayed no structural damage. Perez, a four-time All-Star, was injured on Saturday night while playing for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. He was hurt on a play in which his backup with the Royals, Drew Butera of Team Italy, collided with him at the plate. Perez was helped off the field and could not put weight on his left leg. Sunday's exam displayed inflammation in his knee. The Royals plan to examine Perez on Monday when he returns to spring training at Surprise, Arizona. - - Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis most likely will miss the season opener on April 3 because of a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Manager Terry Francona told reporters that the two-time All-Star was scheduled to be the designated hitter on Sunday against the San Diego Padres but the team's medical staff decided to shut him down for two weeks. Kipnis had a cortisone shot in his shoulder on Feb. 25 and was told to avoid throwing for four to five days. He played his first two games of the spring as a designated hitter on Thursday and Friday. Kipnis hit a career-best 23 home runs last season while batting .275 with 82 RBIs in 156 games. - - Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson said he expects to begin playing in spring training games later this week. The 2015 American League MVP has been sidelined with a right calf injury suffered the day before the Blue Jays opened camp three weeks ago. - - The Philadelphia Phillies acquired switch-handed pitcher Pat Venditte from the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners received minor league outfielder Joey Curletta, who will report to Seattle's minor league camp. - - The Washington Nationals placed catcher Derek Norris on waivers, according to multiple reports. The team made the move to dwindle their glut at the catching position, the Washington Post reported. Norris lost his starting job with the Nationals due to the signing last month of Matt Wieters to a two-year contract worth $21 million. (Editing by Gene Cherry)