MLB roundup: Jeter's season ends on DL
The New York Yankees on Wednesday placed Derek Jeter on the disabled list, ending the 39-year-old shortstop's injury-plagued 2013 season.
"It's very disappointing not to be able to play," Jeter said at a news conference at Baltimore's Camden Yards, before the Yankees played the Orioles, USA Today reported. "Especially this time of year, this is when I want to play the most."
Because of two surgeries to repair a fractured ankle suffered in last season's American League Championship Series, the Yankees captain was able to play in only 17 games this season. He missed the first 91 games of the season and then finally made his debut on July 11. He suffered a quadriceps injury and continued to be bothered by leg and ankle issues.
He last played on Saturday against the Red Sox, but left the game after injuring his ankle again.
One year after leading the major leagues with 216 hits, Jeter batted only .190 with two extra-base hits and seven RBIs this season. On Wednesday, he promised to play in 2014.
"There's a lot of end talk here, man," he said. "You guys want this to be the end for me?"
Also, the Yankees are hoping to re-sign Robinson Cano after this season, but it appears that they are not willing to bring him back at any cost.
Yankees president Randy Levine suggested that the second baseman could potentially go to another team in free agency that offered him more than the Yankees wanted to pay him.
"Robinson Cano is a great player," Levine told Bloomberg Television. "We will sit down and talk to him. Hopefully, he's a Yankee. Nobody is a re-sign at all costs, but we want him back and we feel good about negotiating something with him. But nobody is a re-sign at any cost."
Cano would be difficult to replace. This season, he leads the Yankees in batting average (.308), home runs (26), RBIs (98), hits (167), walks (63) and total bases (277).
--Former major leaguer Wladimir Balentien tied Japanese baseball's season home run record held by the legendary Sadaharu Oh and two others on Wednesday when he connected for the 55th time this year.
The 29-year-old Tokyo Yakult Swallows outfielder homered in the sixth inning of a 6-2 loss to Hiroshima at Jingu Stadium. Former major leaguers Tuffy Rhodes and Alex Cabrera share the record with Oh and now Balentien, who has 21 regular-season games remaining this season to break the mark.
Balentien played portions of three seasons in the major leagues with the Seattle Mariners and the Cincinnati Reds. He went to Japan in 2011 and had back-to-back seasons of 31 home runs for Toyko.
--Cincinnati Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto is open to pitching out of the bullpen when he returns to the mound once he recovers from a lat injury.
"I'll do whatever they want," Cueto said, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Cueto threw 60 pitches to live hitters on Wednesday before the Reds played the Cubs in Great American Ball Park. He has made just nine starts this season because of injuries. The last came June 28.
The Reds will wait to see how Cueto feels on Thursday before making any decisions. Cueto thinks he's set to go.
