Will Kershaw pitch this season?
10:30
AM ETClayton Kershaw | Dodgers Recommend0Comments0EmailClayton Kershaw was examined Tuesday by a hip specialist who says the ace lefthander can continue to pitch without risking damage to his sore right hip.
The Dodgers, however, want to keep him sidelined if the pain persists and their terse response to the exam seems to raise more questions than it answers, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
Kershaw hasn't been shut down, but he has yet to be scheduled for a bullpen session. With two weeks left, a return by the end of the regular season appears questionable at best.
Rookie Stephen Fife will continue to fill Kershaw's spot in the rotation.
Tuesday's statement on Kershaw made no mention of surgery. Hernandez reported Monday that if Kershaw must undergo surgery, he isn't expected to be pitching in the major leagues until the middle of May.
The Dodgers could enter spring training with three starters coming off notable injuries, a disturbing number for a franchise that is built to win now. Kershaw is under contract next season for $11 million and won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2014 season. Chad Billingsley suffered a season-ending elbow injury and Ted Lilly is scheduled to undergo a shoulder operation Friday.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers, Stephen Fife
Young done for season?
10:02
AM ETChris Young | Diamondbacks Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Arizona Diamondbacks may have seen the last of center fielder Chris Young for 2012.
The center fielder, back in the starting lineup for the first time since September 3, exited Tuesday's game against the Padres in the first inning with a re-aggravated right quadriceps muscle suffered while chasing a fly ball. "It's getting late (in the season). I tried to push it today and it didn't work," Young told MLB.com.
There has been talk that the D-backs might consider dealing Young and/or Justin Upton, so Tuesday might have been Young's last start in an Arizona uniform.
Gerardo Parra, who has seen limited playing time in September while rookie Adam Eaton has been auditioned, took over for Young in center field Tuesday and could get more at-bats the rest of the way.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:Gerardo Parra, Chris Young, Arizona Diamondbacks
Limited role for Gardner
9:37
AM ETBrett Gardner | Yankees Recommend0Comments0EmailThe New York Yankees are close to bringing back outfielder Brett Gardner in a limited role for the remainder of the regular season, reports Wallace Matthews.
Gardner, who has missed all but nine games with a right elbow injury, would likely be used as a defensive replacement and a pinch-runner. Manager Joe Girardi also is leaving open the possibility of adding Gardner to any postseason roster. For now, the Yankees are ruling out Gardner as a pinch-hitter.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:Brett Gardner, New York Yankees
A healthy Lackey in 2013?
9:20
AM ETJohn Lackey | Red Sox Recommend0Comments0EmailThere was a John Lackey sighting Tuesday at Tropicana Field, where the Red Sox righthander threw two simulated innings.
An ESPNBoston.com report said Lackey "seemed to have pretty good hop on his fastball." Lackey, 26-23 in two seasons with Boston, will pitch in an intrasquad game in Fort Myers, Florida on Sunday that will end his season.
Lackey, who had Tommy John surgery last November, is expected to enter spring training without any restrictions. The righthander is due over $30 million over the next two seasons plus an option for 2015, so there is little chance of a trade (Salary dumps, like the one with the Los Angeles Dodgers, don't happen all that often).
- Doug Mittler
Tags:John Lackey, Boston Red Sox
Ike surprised by trade report
8:53
AM ETIke Davis | Mets Recommend0Comments0EmailIke Davis has rebounded from a disastrous start that almost saw him demoted to the minors, but he may no longer be entrenched as the first baseman for the New York Mets.
Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports Mets will consider trading Davis this offseason as a way to upgrade other areas and possibly open a spot for Lucas Duda.
Rubin adds the Mets are disappointed with Davis' unwillingness to make changes based on coaching advice and worry that he stays out too late after games, which could be a bad influence on younger players.
Davis seemed surprised and confused by the report, telling Andy Martino of the Daily News: "It is unfair to me, and it doesn't make sense."
Mets manager Terry Collins did his best to downplay the report. "There's not a guy in that clubhouse who can't get traded," Collins said.
Maybe not, Terry. The Mets can't find to take Jason Bay off their hands.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:Ike Davis, New York Mets
If the Pirates fall short...
8:40
AM ETPittsburgh Pirates Recommend0Comments0EmailExactly two weeks remain in the regular season and the Pittsburgh Pirates are scrambling to avoid another epic collapse. Unless they make up 3 1/2 games in the wild card chase, the Bucs will be out of the playoffs for two full decades.
If the Bucs fall short, owner Bob Nutting may not stand idly by, writes Dejan Kovacecic in Wednesday's Tribune Review.
Kovacevic still believes that manager Clint Hurdle and team president Frank ****elly will be retained, but both will have questions to answer since Nutting, who is far from a detached owner, could be looking to make changes at season's end. Hurdle, in particular, must convince ownership he is the man to avoid a third straight collapse.
A similar case might be the New York Mets, who kept Willie Randolph around following a 2007 collapse before firing him midway through the 2008 season.
- Doug Mittler
Tags
ittsburgh Pirates
Waiting on a Houston skipper
8:15
AM ETHouston Astros Recommend0Comments0EmailIt may be a while before the Houston Astros make an announcement on a new manager.
Owner Jim Crane said the club hopes to wrap up its managerial search by the end of next week. But if the Astros decide to hire a skipper who is currently on the staff of a team that makes the playoffs, they'll have to wait until that team's season is complete before announcing the choice, reports MLB.com's Brian McTaggert.
Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar will interview for job this week, according to WEEI.com, while former Padres and Phillies manager Larry Bowa said Tuesday he is no longer in contention.
Nationals bench coach Bo Porter, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez and interim manager Tony DeFrancesco reportedly have been interviewed for the opportunity to replace the fired Brad Mills.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:Houston Astros
Bundy to The Show
7:55
AM ETBaltimore Orioles Recommend0Comments1EmailWhen a team plays an extra-inning marathon, they almost always dip into the minors the next day to bolster a taxed bullpen. After enduring 18 innings Tuesday in Seattle, the Baltimore Orioles will make a big splash and call up top pitching prospect Dyland Bundy, tweets Ken Rosenthal.
The promotion would cap a meteoric rise for the 19-year-old Bundy, who pitched at three different minor league levels this season, finishing with a 2-0 record and a 3.24 ERA in three starts at Double-A Bowie. He had been working recently in the Instructional League.
The Orioles withstood the temptation to promote to call up Bundy earlier this season, but, with an AL East title in sight, they justifiably are pushing all their chips into the middle of the table. Baltimore used seven relievers for a combined 12 2/3 scoreless frames in Tuesday's 4-2 win.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:Baltimore Orioles
Impact of Scherzer injury
7:34
AM ETMax Scherzer | Tigers Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Detroit Tigers appear to have dodged a bullet with Max Scherzer, who lasted only two innings in Tuesday's start against the Athletics with right-shoulder fatigue.
An MRI revealed no structural damage and 28-year-old will be reevaluated in a few days. The righthander says he can make his next start, although that's not guaranteed.
Any absence would be devastating for the Tigers, who are three games off the pace in the AL Central. Scherzer, the major league leader in strikeouts (224), entered the game 8-1 with a 2.61 ERA since the All-Star break and has settled in as the No. 2 starter behind Justin Verlander.
Left-hander Drew Smyly would likely move into the rotation if Scherzer needs to miss a start.
- Doug Mittler
Tags
rew Smyly, Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers
No cameo for Clemens
7:14
AM ETRoger Clemens | Yankees Recommend0Comments0EmailTime appears to be running out on any chance Roger Clemens will pitch for the Houston Astros this season.
Clemens, even at 50, still has enough stuff to get hitters out in the Independent circuit. He pitched eight scoreless innings for the Sugar Land Skeeters earlier this month, leading to speculation that the Astros would bring him back for a cameo that would reset the clock on his Hall of Fame eligibility.
Owner Jim Crane reiterated Tuesday he does not expect Clemens to pitch this season, according to a tweet from Zachary Levine. although the seven-time Cy Young Award winner is on the attendee list for the Astros' Legends Weekend.
- Doug Mittler
New system in Denver
6:52
AM ETColorado Rockies Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Colorado Rockies are not afraid to think outside the box. Just look at the experiment with a four-man starting rotation that recently ended.
Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com says the Rockies' next attempt to address their pitching problems is to hire a Director of Pitching, and give that individual authority over all parts of the organization, from scouting and drafting, through development.
Knobler says the Rockies are waiting for permission to talk to Mark Wiley, the former pitching coach of the Marlins who remains with the Fish as a special assistant. Wiley has spent 17 seasons as a big league pitching coach for four different teams and has worked previously for the Rockies.
The Rockies' plan follows the trend of many teams to have more central planning in all aspects of the front office. The injury-plagued Rockies are last in the majors with a 5.13 ERA, so Denver is as good a place as any to institute a new plan.
Troy Renck has more on the Rockies' pitching issues in Wednesday's Denver Post. "The Rockies have to develop more functional big-league starters. There's no bigger issue for the Rockies going forward," Renck writes.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:Colorado Rockies
Yanks hope Pettitte goes five
6:42
AM ETAndy Pettitte | Yankees Recommend0Comments1EmailThe New York Yankees will welcome Andy Pettitte to the rotation Wsednesday afternoon against the Blue Jays following a nearly two-month absence due to a broken foot. All that time away has the southpaw contemplating a return for a 15th season in 2013, reports Matt Ehalt of ESPNNewYork.com.
"I could probably say that when I came back I thought there was no chance that I was coming back, this is a one-year deal," Pettitte said. "But getting hurt and only having 60 innings right now and you were hoping to have a couple hundred innings under your belt, it definitely gives me the option to consider coming back again next year, that's for sure."
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he was hoping to get five innings and 70 pitches out of Pettitte against the Blue Jays. Dan Martin of the New York Post says Pettitte will likely be backed up by Freddy Garcia and perhaps David Phelps until he is ready to get to 100 pitches.
Pettitte's was scheduled to pitch Tuesday before the game was called due to rain. He will work the opener of Wednesday's day-night doubleheader.
- Doug Mittler