St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals activated pitcher Jason Isringhausen and catcher Joe Girardi on Tuesday after both spent the first 61 games of the season on the disabled list.

The Cardinals optioned outfielder So Taguchi to Triple-A Memphis and placed catcher Chris Widger on the 15-day disabled list with a bruised right thumb.

Isringhausen and Girardi both went on the disabled list in spring training.

Isringhausen, who went 3-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 32 saves for St. Louis last year, had offseason shoulder surgery. Girardi, who spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Cubs, suffered a herniated disk in his neck during spring training.

Taguchi was 1-for-3 in nine games with St. Louis this season, while Widger went 2-for-19 in nine games.

Boston Red Sox: Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez is expected to pitch for the first time in nearly a month Wednesday night and will be replaced on the disabled list by another starter, Casey Fossum.

Martinez, whose last appearance for the Red Sox was on May 15, had an inflamed tendon and strained muscle high on his right side. He went on the 15-day disabled list May 25, retroactive to May 16.

Manager Grady Little said Fossum would go on the disabled list when Martinez is activated.

Martinez, a three-time Cy Young award winner, is 4-2 with a 2.83 ERA. He's expected to throw 45 to 50 pitches Wednesday night against St. Louis, and be relieved by John Burkett.

Fossum's last appearance was on Saturday, when he lasted just one inning at Milwaukee before leaving with a sore left shoulder. He gave up two runs and one hit in Boston's 11-10 win.

The left-hander is 4-4 with a 5.76 ERA in his third season with the Red Sox. This will be his first time on the disabled list. Martinez's current stay marks the fourth season in five that he's been on the DL.

Little said the team probably would make another move with its pitching staff later in the week.

Texas Rangers: Juan Gonzalez was scratched from the Rangers' starting lineup Tuesday night against the New York Mets because of tenderness in his right elbow, which has been hurting for at least 10 days.

After the Rangers' 9-7 win, Gonzalez said he wasn't able to throw because of tightness in his forearm and triceps. The outfielder said he's had some pain in the elbow since at least the final game of a series at Baltimore on June 1.

The Rangers said only that Gonzalez was day to day. Gonzalez said he hopes to be the designated hitter as early as Wednesday if he still is having trouble throwing.

Gonzalez came out of the lineup the same day shortstop Alex Rodriguez returned as a starter.

Carl Everett moved from center field to right to replace Gonzalez. Doug Glanville played center.

Rodriguez was out of the lineup for games in Puerto Rico on Saturday and Sunday because of a bruised left knee, but pinch-hit both days. The Rangers were off Monday.

Rodriguez played in his 448th straight game Tuesday night, the second-longest active streak behind Oakland's Miguel Tejada (493). Rodriguez's streak includes all 386 games since joining the Rangers, a club record.

Cleveland Indians: Indians designated hitter Ellis Burks may need season-ending surgery after tests found a pinched nerve in his right elbow caused muscle degeneration in his hand.

The club placed Burks on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday and said the 38-year-old probably will undergo an operation.

"Unfortunately, Ellis is going to be out longer than 15 days,'' general manager Mark Shapiro said. "He is in the process of gathering opinions, and so are we. Right now, we don't have a firm grasp on the entire situation, but there is no reason to rush into things. We will make a collective decision.''

Burks is waiting to consult again with team doctors before deciding whether to have surgery, which would end his season and require a long recovery.

"We haven't narrowed anything down yet,'' said Burks, who plans to meet with doctors Wednesday. "If something needs to be done, I want to get it done.''

Philadelphia Phillies: Veteran infielder John Valentin signed a minor-league contract with the team Tuesday.

Details of the contract were not announced.

Valentin will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on June 12.

The 36-year-old Valentin played in 114 games with the Mets last season and hit .240 with three home runs and 30 RBI. In 11 major league seasons, 10 with Boston before joining the Mets last season, he hit .279 with 124 home runs and 558 RBI.

"He has some versatility in that he can play all four infield positions, and we're willing to find out if he can help us," assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said in a statement Tuesday.

Chicago White Sox: Outfielder Aaron Rowand was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte and utilityman Willie Harris will start an injury rehab program with the minor-league club.

Rowand began the season with the White Sox, but was optioned to Charlotte May 1. He hit .242 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 32 games with the Knights.

Harris has been on the disabled list since May 23 with a mild separation of his right shoulder. He was hurt diving for a ball May 16 at Minnesota.

Harris has hit .162 in 14 games with Chicago since being recalled May 1 from Charlotte.

New York Mets: Jose Reyes got an early birthday present when the highly touted shortstop's contract was purchased from Triple-A Norfolk.

Reyes, one day shy of turning 20, was leading the International League with 26 stolen bases. He was batting .269 with 13 RBI.

Last season, Reyes delivered a three-run double en route to winning Most Valuable Player honors at Major League Baseball's Futures Game.

Reyes was given an opportunity to join the Mets after the team placed starting shortstop Rey Sanchez on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 6, with a strained left thumb.

Mets general manager Steve Phillips, who has come under fire this season, does not expect Reyes to be with the Mets long before he returns to the minor leagues.

Detroit Tigers: Outfielder Gene Kingsale was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Monday, with a pulled groin muscle.

Kingsale suffered the injury while running to first base in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

In 39 games this season, Kingsale is batting .208 with one homer and eight RBI.

To replace Kingsale on the roster, the Tigers purchased the contract of outfielder Ernie Young from Triple-A Toledo of the International League. Young was batting .288 with 11 homers and 41 RBI at Toledo.

Montreal Expos: Baseball officials focused on financing for a new stadium when they visited Portland to discuss the city's bid to lure the franchise.

Baseball's delegation included general counsel Tom Ostertag, executive vice president for administration John McHale Jr., and chief financial officer Jonathan Mariner.

The group met informatively for three hours with Portland Mayor Vera Katz and David Kahn, head of the Oregon Stadium Campaign. It was the third meeting between local officials and baseball representatives.

"We continue to advance the ball -- although that would be the wrong sport," joked Kahn.

Portland is bidding for the Expos along with Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., but it is unclear whether the team will be moved in time for the 2004 season.