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MLB roundup: Yankees' Rodriguez may return Monday

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said on Sunday there is a good chance Alex Rodriguez will rejoin the Yankees on Monday for the game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rodriguez has been out since fracturing his left hand on July 24.

He has been on a rehab assignment the past two days with Class A Tampa, going 0-for-7 with a walk.

Rodriguez worked on the side on Sunday, rather than playing in Tampa's day game after Saturday's night game.

The Yankees are 18-17 without Rodriguez, which is batting .276 with 15 homers this season.

-- Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who has not played for the Reds since July 15, might return to the Cincinnati lineup on Monday, although the decision ultimately will be Votto's.

Votto has been out more than six weeks since he had surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his left knee. He hit a home run in a rehabilitation game with Triple-A Louisville on Saturday, and he took the day off Sunday.

"We'll wait and see if he thinks he's ready," Reds manager Dusty Baker said Sunday, according to MLB.com. "We've got a spot for him."

He's hitting .342 with 14 homers this season for the Reds, who have gone 31-15 without Votto in the lineup heading into Sunday's game.

---New York Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson was not in the lineup Sunday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and may miss another day or two as he deals with mild tendinitis in his right hamstring, according to ESPNNewYork.com.

Granderson left Saturday's game in the second inning after striking out on a checked swing.

---The Los Angeles Dodgers brought up outfielder Bobby Abreu from Class AAA Albuquerque, the club announced Sunday.

Abreu, 38, was signed by the Dodgers in May after being let go by the Los Angeles Angels. The Dodgers designated Abreu for assignment Aug. 1. He batted .353 in five games with Albuquerque. He is hitting .246 with two homers and 22 RBI in 78 major league games this year.

The Dodgers also recalled right-handed pitcher Chris Withrow from Class AA Chattanooga before placing him on the 60-day disabled list.

---Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler was scratched from Sunday's lineup with a stiff lower back and was replaced by top-prospect Jurickson Profar, who hit a home run against Cleveland in his first major-league at-bat.

Kinsler's injury is not considered serious and he could play on Monday against the Kansas City Royals.

Profar, 19, was called up from Class AA Frisco on Saturday and is currently the youngest player sin the majors.

---The Cleveland Indians recalled right-handed pitcher Frank Herrmann from Class AAA Columbus, the club announced Sunday.

Herrmann, 28, went 2-2 with a 4.78 ERA in a team-best 42 relief appearances for Columbus. He made four appearances for Cleveland earlier this year.

---The Colorado Rockies activated right-handed pitcher Edgmer Escalona from the 15-day disabled list, the club announced Sunday.

Escalona had inflammation in his right elbow. In nine relief appearances, Escalona is 0-1 with an 11.88 ERA. He went 3-3 with a 2.93 ERA in 32 appearances with Class AAA Colorado Springs.

---Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Chris Tillman left Sunday's game against the Yankees after three innings because of stiffness in his right elbow.

Tillman's velocity was down and he issued a walk in each of the first two innings, with Chris Dickerson belting a two-run homer in the second.

The severity of the injury was not immediately known, but losing Tillman for any period would be a blow to the Orioles' push for a postseason berth.

Before Sunday, Tillman was 6-1 with a 3.67 ERA in his last eight starts and was 7-2 with a 3.26 ERA for the season.

--- On Tuesday, the Reds are expected to promote from Class AA Pensacola pitcher Tony Cingrani, the club's third-round pick in the 2011 first-year player draft.

--- Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was not in the lineup for Sunday's game against Oakland because pain in his right wrist.

Manager Bobby Valentine said this was a logical time to give Ellbury a rest since it was a day game following a night game.

The Red Sox also called up infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. from Triple-A Pawtucket. He was one of the players acquired in the nine-player trade with the Dodgers.

---The Marlins called up lefty reliever Dan Jennings and right-hander Tom Koehler from Triple-A New Orleans. Jennings was 1-3 with a 3.14 ERA in 42 appearances for the Zephyrs. Koehler was 12-11 with a 4.17 ERA.

--- The Cubs recalled right-handed reliever Miguel Socolovich, who was claimed off waivers from the Orioles on Aug. 23. Socolovich, 24, was 4-0 with two saves and a 2.11 ERA in 31 relief appearances between Triple-A Norfolk and Triple-A Iowa.

---Jayson Werth, who has been bothered by hamstring cramps, and Adam LaRoche, who has a sore back, were both held out of the Nationals' starting lineup Sunday, but manager Davey Johnson said both should play in Monday's series opener against the Cubs.