St. Louis Cardinals: Jim Edmonds bruised his ribs making a lunging catch Wednesday against Houston and will miss at least the next few days.

Trainer Barry Weinberg said there was some slight separation of the ribs from the cartilage. But he said the team wouldn't have a time frame for Edmonds' return until the weekend.

"It's very serious," Weinberg said. "Right now, without overreacting, we'll see how it is Saturday and Sunday."

General manager Walt Jocketty said simply, "It's not good."

Edmonds robbed Brad Ausmus of a hit when he snared a sinking liner in shallow center field, but came up holding his right side.

"Usually when you dive in the outfield you slide a little bit in the grass, and it just stuck," Edmonds said. "It felt like everything just stretched.

"It's just sore and we'll just have to wait and see how it is tomorrow."

Anaheim Angels: Anaheim's Darin Erstad, out five weeks with of a hamstring injury, told The Los Angeles Times that he hopes to complete a minor-league rehab assignment next week and rejoin the Angels on June 9.

Although Erstad has been hitting regularly, he believes he needs five to seven days in the minors to get back fully in game shape.

"It's just so weak," he told The Times. "I haven't used it for five weeks. I have to build it up so I don't blow it out by coming back too fast. We have a lot of baseball left. The last thing you want to do is come back too quickly and have a setback. You want to come back so you're back for good."

Houston Astros: Right-hander Brian Moehler, on the disabled list since April 17, will undergo reconstructive elbow surgery Thursday and miss the rest of the season.

The surgery will be performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. Moehler met with Andrews on Wednesday to get a second opinion on his injury, diagnosed last week as a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament.

Before the game the Astros purchased the contract of right-hander Jonathan Johnson from Triple-A New Orleans. Johnson made his second career start, and first since 1998, against St. Louis.

Infielder Tripp Cromer was designated for assignment.

Moehler began the year as the Astros' fourth starter and is 0-0 with a 7.90 ERA in three starts. He allowed four home runs in 13 2/3 innings.

Moehler was 3-5 with a 4.86 ERA in 12 starts last year with the Tigers and Reds. He missed almost all of the 2001 season due to shoulder surgery.

Detroit Tigers: Starting pitcher Mike Maroth left Wednesday's game against Cleveland in the second inning after straining his right hamstring.

Maroth (1-9) was injured backing up the plate on Tim Laker's RBI single that gave Cleveland a 2-1 lead.

Rookie Wil Ledezma replaced Maroth and got Brandon Phillips to pop up, but Jody Gerut hit a two-run single to give the Indians a 4-1 lead.

Maroth, who won his last start after an 0-9 start, was charged with four runs -- two earned -- on two hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings. He will be reevaluated later this week. His next scheduled start would be Tuesday in San Diego.

Kansas City Royals: The Royals placed outfielder Dee Brown and second baseman Carlos Febles on the 15-day DL.

They joined right-handers Runelvys Hernandez, Albie Lopez and Miguel Asencio on the disabled list.

Brown injured his wrist and Febles has an injured ring finger on his left hand.

In other moves, the Royals designated LHP Scott Mullen for assignment, purchased the contract of left-hander Rick DeHart from Triple-A Omaha and recalled outfielder Aaron Guiel and infielder Brent Abernathy from Omaha.

Abernathy hit .308 in 29 games in Omaha with three home runs and 19 RBIs. Guiel hit .279 with eight homers and 30 RBI in 52 games. DeHart was 1-3 with a 5.49 ERA in 17 appearances.

Hernandez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with inflammation in his right elbow. Hernandez is expected to be sent on a minor league rehabilitation assignment soon.

Milwaukee Brewers: For $36, the club will guarantee fans leave Miller Park with either a foul ball or a ball used during a game.

"One of the great thrills for a baseball fan is to leave the ballpark with a ball used during the game," Jim Bathey, assistant vice president in charge of ticket sales, said. "The Guaranteed Foul Ball ticket ensures that fans will leave Miller Park with a special souvenir."

The tickets, in the outfield boxes at field level, come with a voucher that can be redeemed for a game-used baseball. The promotion begins with the Brewers' next home game, on June 6 against the Red Sox.

Through 29 home dates, the Brewers are averaging 16,993, down more than 25 percent from last year.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Right-hander John Patterson was recalled from Triple-A Tucson to start Wednesday night's game against San Francisco.

Patterson was brought up to replace right-hander Brandon Webb, who skipped his start Wednesday because of tendinitis near his right elbow and was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Patterson's only other big league start this season was a 12-1 loss April 15 against Colorado in which he allowed five runs and five hits in four innings, striking out three and walking five.