The Red Sox dugout is becoming a lonely place for Boston manager Bobby Valentine. (David Richard-US PRESSWIRE)
Baltimore: LH reliever Troy Patton, who sprained his left ankle while walking in a parking garage near his home, was placed on the disabled list. Patton has thrown 13 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings over his past 18 appearances. The Orioles recalled RHP Steve Johnson from Class AAA Norfolk (Va.), and he will serve as a reliever and possible spot starter. … LHP Brian Matusz will make one more start before potentially transitioning to a relief role. Matusz is open to the idea, manager Buck Showalter said. Matusz has made 68 appearances in the majors, all as a starter.
Boston: A group of Red Sox player were highly critical of manager Bobby Valentine in a meeting with team owners last month, Yahoo Sports reported. 1B Adrian Gonzalez and 2B Dustin Pedroia were at the forefront of the meeting, according to Yahoo. “I’m glad that July is over because they’re still playing for me,” Valentine said. … RH reliever Andrew Bailey, who had right thumb surgery late in spring training, was activated from the disabled list. Although Bailey was acquired last winter to replace Jonathan Papelbon as the closer, it was uncertain where he would fit in the bullpen for the short term, Valentine said. … C Ryan Lavanway will get increased playing time due to the trade that sent C Kelly Shoppach to the Mets for a player to be named. Lavarnway, called up Aug. 1, was 2-for-20 entering his start Tuesday.
Chicago: One night after hitting two solo homers for the White Sox’s only two runs, 1B Adam Dunn was moved down to the cleanup spot in the batting order. He had batted third in all but two of his previous 111 starts this season. LF Dewayne Wise batted second, with RF Alex Rios moving from fifth to third, and 3B Kevin Youkilis dropping from second to fifth. … 1B Paul Konerko (concussion) resumed baseball activities, though he was in Chicago, not with the team. He will be eligible to come off the seven-day disabled list Friday.
Cleveland: RHP Roberto Hernandez was added to the active roster, and he’ll make his season debut Wednesday against the Angels. Hernandez, formerly known as Fausto Carmona, served a three-week suspension from Major League Baseball for identity fraud. He went 2-1 with a 4.07 ERA in four minor league starts over the past three weeks. … RHP Josh Tomlin, who was demoted to the bullpen last month, went on the disabled list due to an inflamed right elbow. In four relief appearances, Tomlin posted an 11.88 ERA. He had a DL stint in May due to a sore right wrist.
Detroit: LH reliever Duane Below was optioned to Class AAA Toledo (Ohio) after Monday’s game, in which he gave up a three-run home run. Below had pitched in just five games since the All-Star break, compiling a 7.84 ERA in that span. RH reliever Luke Putkonen was recalled from Toledo. … RH reliever Brayan Villarreal had an MRI on his right elbow that showed inflammation but no structural damage. Villarreal hopes to be available to pitch as soon as Friday.
Kansas City: CF Lorenzo Cain, who was in a 2-for-20 skid, was dropped to eighth in the batting order for the series opener against the A’s. Cain became the 13th Royal used in the eighth slot this season. … IF Yuniesky Betancourt, designated for assignment last week, was released. He hit .228 with a .256 on-base percentage, seven homers and 36 RBI in 57 games this year.
Los Angeles: Pitching coach Mike Butcher was suspended one game and fined an undisclosed sum for his confrontation with umpire Mike Estabrook during Sunday’s Angels-Mariners game. Butcher was ejected by Estabrook in the first inning, and he bolted from the dugout to get in the umpire’s face and argue. … 1B Albert Pujols hit his 25th home run of the season Monday. He is the ninth player in baseball history to have 25 or more home runs in 12 or more consecutive seasons, joining Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Alex Rodriguez, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Sammy Sosa and Manny Ramirez.
Minnesota: CF Denard Span missed his second consecutive start due to a sore collarbone. He was hurt while taking an awkward tumble as he tried to snare a soft liner in Sunday’s game. Span will sit out Wednesday’s game, too, manager Ron Gardenhire said. … RH reliever Matt Capps had hoped to begin a throwing program this week, but that won’t happen. An MRI taken Monday revealed no change of the inflammation in his rotator cuff. Instead, team doctors have given him the go-ahead to increase his strengthening exercises. Capps hasn’t thrown a baseball since going on the disabled list July 17.
New York: LHP Andy Pettitte said the latest X-rays of his fractured left fibula were encouraging, but he would be “overcautious” after experiencing a setback in his rehab last month. “I know that if I have another setback, then we got serious problems and my season is probably over,” Pettitte said. … 3B Alex Rodriguez was scheduled to undergo an X-ray of his fractured left hand. Rodriguez, who has been out since July 25, has done some running and throwing. He is expected back in September.
Oakland: 3B Brandon Inge went on the disabled list with a sprained right shoulder. Manager Bob Melvin believes Inge will be ready to return when eligible or soon thereafter because an MRI did not show significant damage. 3B/C Josh Donaldson, who hit .335 with 13 homers and 45 RBI in 51 games for Class AAA Sacramento (West Sacramento, Calif.), was recalled. … LHP Dallas Braden, who had shoulder capsule surgery in May 2011, will have more surgery on the same shoulder. Melvin called the procedure “exploratory” because Braden’s shoulder has not responded as hoped after the initial operation. Braden will not pitch this season.
Seattle: 1B/OF Mike Carp landed on the disabled list for the third time this season. His latest injury is a strained left groin. His two previous DL stints were caused by right shoulder injuries. 1B Justin Smoak, who hit .242 with no homers in 20 games since his July 24 demotion to Class AAA Tacoma (Wash.), was recalled. … CF Franklin Gutierrez is hoping a change of medications will solve the ongoing issues he’s having with headaches. He hasn’t been able to shake the headache problems since being hit behind the right ear by a pickoff throw on June 29.
Tampa Bay: IF/OF Ben Zobrist started at shortstop for the fifth time in six games, and manager Joe Maddon sounded more than willing to continue the experiment and possibly turn it into a semi-regular assignment. “I’m almost thinking, he’s back home, that’s where he began,” Maddon said. … After Wednesday’s game, the Rays will have played the Mariners 37 times since LHP David Price made his debut, but he has yet to face Seattle. Price starts Thursday’s series opener against the Angels.
Texas: RH reliever Koji Uehara (strained right lat muscle) is scheduled to throw the first of two bullpen sessions Wednesday, with a pair of rehab appearances to follow. If all goes well, Uehara could be activated from the disabled list on Aug. 26, manager Ron Washington said. … C Luis Martinez made his first major league start of the season with Geovany Soto getting a rest. Martinez was teamed up with LHP Matt Harrison, who worked with the catcher in spring training.
Toronto: C Jeff Mathis signed a two-year, $3 million contract extension with a $1.5 million club option for 2015. Mathis, 29, was batting .215 with a .252 on-base percentage, six home runs and 19 RBI in 46 games entering play Tuesday. … CF Colby Rasmus was scratched from the lineup, and he missed his fourth consecutive start since aggravating a groin injury Friday. “We want to make sure he’s really feeling good about himself and confident from a physical standpoint before running him back out there,” manager John Farrell said.
