MLB Roundup: Braun, Rodriguez suspensions reported to be coming

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and as many as 20 others players allegedly at the center of Major League Baseball's investigation into the use of performance enhancing drugs are expected to be suspended next week, according to ESPN's Outside the Lines.

The length of the suspensions is not yet known, but ESPN reported in June that MLB was considering 100-game bans for the players connected to the south Florida anti-aging clinic and Anthony Bosch, who alllegedly supplied the PEDs.

Braun, who was scheduled to return to the lineup Tuesday night after missing a month with a thumb injury, would not answer questions last week from baseball investigators about possible ties to Bosch and the Biogenesis clinic, according to ESPN sources. Rodriguez, meanwhile, is scheduled to be interviewed Friday, the New York Daily News reported,

---St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was to start behind the plate in a game against the Houston Astros on Tuesday after sitting out two games with a knee injury.

Molina is the top vote-getter in the National League for the All-Star Game, to be played July 16. He is batting a league-leading .346 and has an NL-best 26 doubles.

---Veteran relievers Shawn Camp of the Chicago Cubs and Brandon Lyon of the New York Mets were released Tuesday.

The 37-year-old Camp cleared waivers after the Cubs designated him for assignment last week. He pitched in a National League-leading 80 games last season. This year, Camp had given up 18 runs in 23 innings and had a 1-1 record with a 7.04 ERA in 26 games.

The 33-year-old Lyon also cleared waivers after being designated for assignment last week. Lyon had a 2-2 record with a 4.98 ERA in 34 innings and 37 games for the Mets, Last year, Lyon posted a combined 4-2 record with one save and a 3.10 ERA for the Houston Astros and the Toronto Blue Jays.

---The San Francisco Giants added Jeff Francoeur to their injury depleted outfield Tuesday, reaching a minor-league deal with the former Kansas City Royals outfielder, according to a FOXSports.com report.

Francoeur, 29, was designated for assignment June 30 and released Sunday. The Royals will pay most of Francoeur's $6.75 million salary.

San Francisco entered Friday having lost 17 of their previous 22 games, and sit in fourth place in the National League West. The team was looking to replace outfielder Angel Pagan, who could miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left hamstring.

---Detroit Tigers second baseman Omar Infante was placed on the 15-day disabled Tuesday, retroactive to July 4, with a left ankle sprain.

Infante was injured on a hard slide into second base by Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus, which angered some Tigers. Infante has been one of the team's better performers batting second in the lineup, ahead of sluggers Miguel Cabrera and Price Fielder. The second baseman is batting .309 with six home runs.

The team recalled second baseman Hernan Perez from Double-A Erie to take Infante's place. The 22-year-old Perez is hitting .300 with 28 doubles and four homers in 86 games with Erie.

---San Diego Padres President and CEO Tom Garfinkel has resigned after four years with the team.

Garfinkel had been team president since April 2009 and promoted to chief executive officer in 2012. He stayed with the Padres after Ron Fowler and Peter Seidler bought the franchise from John Moores last August for $800 million. Fowler, the executive chairman, will take on Garfinkel's responsibilities until the team secures a new president and CEO.

---The St. Louis Cardinals released infielder Ty Wigginton on Tuesday.

Wigginton, 35, signed a two-year, $5 million deal in the offseason, but batted .158 in 63 plate appearances. He can sign for the prorated major-league minimum. Catcher Rob Johnson was recalled to replace Wigginton on the active roster.

---The Miami Marlins recalled reliever Duane Below from Triple-A New Orleans on Tuesday. The lefty will replace Chris Hatcher on the roster. Below appeared in two games with the Marlins in May and will work in middle relief.