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Tuesday, June 17
Updated: June 18, 3:44 PM ET
 
Astros pitcher out after reinjuring groin

Associated Press

Houston Astros: Right-hander Roy Oswalt was placed on the disabled list Tuesday for the second time this season with a groin injury.

Roy Oswalt
Oswalt

Oswalt reinjured his groin after pitching two innings on Wednesday before five other pitchers finished a combined no-hitter against the New York Yankees. The move is retroactive to June 12.

Oswalt was disappointed after a brief workout on Tuesday.

"It just hurt, that's all I know," Oswalt said. "It's the type of injury that doesn't give you a warning. You go out there and throw 20 pitches, and the 21st it's like somebody cut you."

Oswalt will be eligible to come off the DL on June 27.

"In my mind this was inevitable from the start given what we went through last month," general manager Gerry Hunsicker said. "We had an off day Monday and no sense of urgency to disable him right away.

"I don't think it was a serious setback but it was a setback and kept him from a Saturday start."

Oswalt was scheduled to start Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington.

The Astros have called up Rodrigo Rosario from Triple-A New Orleans to start in Oswalt's place.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Third baseman Shea Hillenbrand was placed on the disabled list Tuesday, with the club activating outfielder David Dellucci.

Shea Hillenbrand
Hillenbrand

Hillenbrand, who has a left oblique strain, was placed on the 15-day list retroactive to June 9. He had been suffering discomfort in his rib cage area since the first inning of the June 8 game against Cleveland.

Dellucci had been on the 15-day disabled list since June 7 after he suffered a concussion when colliding with Alex Cintron during a game against San Diego.

Philadelphia Phillies: Phillies pitcher Kevin Millwood has a lot to think about this week.

Kevin Millwood
Millwood

He pitches against Atlanta, his former team for six years before being traded in the offseason for catcher Johnny Estrada, on Wednesday night. Then, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Phillies and Scott Boras, Millwood's agent, will discuss a contract extension that appears to be in the works.

"I'm not going to say when we're going to talk," Phillies general manager Ed Wade told the paper. "As we've indicated, we'd like to have Kevin with us for a very long time. At some point, we'll talk, but I'm not going to make those talks public."

Millwood (8-4, 3.72 ERA), 28, is making $9.9 million this season. Will he try for a contract similar to that of another Boras client, Chan Ho Park (five years, $65 million)?

The Phillies obviously would love to see Millwood starting next Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park, their new ballpark. Citizens Bank bought the naming rights and an advertising package from the team for $95 million on Tuesday, a bank spokeswoman said.

The naming rights cost $57.5 million over 25 years, or $2.3 million per year. The bank will also pay the Phillies $37.5 million more for advertising on Phillies radio and television broadcasts.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Right-hander Kris Benson threw without problems on the sidelines Tuesday and said he's ready to return to the rotation Saturday against Cleveland.

Kris Benson
Benson

Benson, who allowed 16 runs in his two most recent starts, missed a weekend start in Tampa Bay to work on his mechanics and make sure there was nothing wrong with his pitching shoulder.

Benson reported some minor discomfort in the front of his right shoulder following a 13-8 loss June 10 in Toronto, but now thinks that was because he wasn't releasing the ball properly.

"I've been opening up a little too much in my delivery and that put some strain on my shoulder," Benson said Tuesday. "I kept my delivery closed today and I could feel the difference."

Benson will throw off a mound Wednesday and, if there are no problems, will go back into the rotation this weekend.

Toronto Blue Jays: Right-handed reliever Juan Acevedo, released by the Yankees last week, was signed for the remainder of the season.

Juan Acevedo
Acevedo

Acevedo went 0-3 with six saves and 7.71 ERA in 25 games with New York. He was cut after surrendering a three-run homer to Eric Karros of the Cubs, costing Roger Clemens a chance for his 300th victory. Clemens, who reached 300 wins in his next start, took the loss.

Acevedo has a career 27-38 record with 53 saves in 352 games with the Yankees, Colorado, the Mets, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Florida and Detroit. He will join the Blue Jays in time for Tuesday night's game in Baltimore.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Shortstop Rey Ordonez's return from the disabled list was pushed back. Now the Devil Rays hope he'll be ready for their series against the Marlins, which starts Friday.

Ordonez
Ordonez

Ordonez played in the Hall of Fame game Monday, his first action since going on the DL on May 9. He left with swelling in his injured left knee after going 1-for-3 in five innings

The Devil Rays had hoped to activate him before the second game of Tuesday's day-night doubleheader with the Yankees, but will wait several days before re-evaluating him.

"He's got some swelling and discomfort, which is not unexpected. That's the first time he played in six weeks," manager Lou Piniella said. "We were looking forward to activating him tonight but that's being too optimistic."

New York Yankees: Gene Michael agreed to a multiyear contract extension to remain as vice president and senior adviser.

The New York Daily News reported that the deal is for six years and worth nearly $4 million.

Michael is the only man to serve the Yankees as a player, coach, manager, general manager and scout, and has been largely involved in player evaluation and the architect of the Yankees' recent run of world championships in the late 1990s.

Michael played shortstop for the Yankees from 1968-74, before closing out a 10-year major league career in 1975 with the Detroit Tigers. Michael returned to the team as a coach in 1976 and has been with the organization since, with the exception of 1986 and 1987 when he managed the Chicago Cubs.

Kansas City Royals: The club is talking to Milwaukee about the availability of veteran relief pitcher Curtis Leskanic, the Kansas City Star reported, but reports of an imminent three-team deal involving Colorado appear premature.

"It's safe to say that I'm exploring every possibility to address areas where this ballclub needs to get better," Royals general manager Allard Baird told the Star. "By the same token, I am not going to be increasing the payroll to do that."

According to a Denver Post report, the Royals, Rockies and Brewers have been working on a trade in which Kansas City would get Leskanic and send a prospect to the Rockies, who would trade outfielder Gabe Kapler to the Brewers.

Leskanic, 35, would help a Royals bullpen saddled with a 5.19 ERA entering Monday night's game against Minnesota. Leskanic got the victory Monday against St. Louis and is 3-0 with a 3.04 ERA in 23 appearances.

Chicago White Sox: The club has agreed to terms with their first-round pick, center fielder Brian Anderson.

Anderson, the 15th overall pick out of the University of Arizona, will report to Advanced Rookie Great Falls pending the results of a physical.

The 21-year-old batted .366 with 14 home runs and 62 RBI in 57 games during his junior season. He had 12 doubles, three triples and scored 58 runs with 17 stolen bases.

Detroit Tigers: Outfielder Andres Torres was recalled from Triple-A Toledo, and the club also purchased the contract of catcher A.J. Hinch from the Mud Hens after Tuesday's 7-4 loss to Cleveland.

To make room for them, the Tigers optioned catcher Brandon Inge to Toledo and designated outfielder Ernie Young for assignment.

"As of right now, Hinch is the No. 1 catcher, and Andres will give us some depth in the outfield," Tigers manager Alan Trammell said. "We hate to send Brandon down, but we need at least some production out of that position."

Torres started the season with the Tigers, but hit just .224 in 23 games before being sent to the Mud Hens last month. Hinch, who has played with Kansas City and Oakland, was hitting .261 with four homers in Toledo.

Inge hit just .150 as Detroit's everyday catcher, striking out 45 times in 167 at-bats. Young hit .182 in five games after being called up on June 10.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.




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