Injuries:
- Laynce Nix (ankle) and Jim Edmonds (oblique) left Monday's loss to the Giants. Of the two injuries, Edmonds' looks worse - he had to leave the game in the middle of an at-bat and looks bound for the DL.
- Ricky Romero didn't pitch on Monday, but he left the team early because of a case of strep throat. He's still slated to start on Thursday, but stay posted.
- Edwin Encarnacion returned from a wrist injury, going 0-for-3. He's previously had surgery on this wrist.
- Marlon Byrd got hit on the hand by a pitch and had to leave the game. X-rays were negative.
- Ross Ohlendorf left after two batters with a right shoulder injury.
- Stephen Strasburg's flexor tendon will indeed put him on the DL.
- Conor Jackson will have surgery on September 1 to repair his sports hernia.
- Scott Feldman went on the DL with a knee injury to make room for Rich Harden to come off the DL.
- Colby Rasmus (calf) remains out of the lineup, but he's participating in outfield drills.
Waiver Wars:
- Johnny Damon has been claimed off waivers from the Tigers by the Red Sox, presumably to block the Rays from getting him. Damon can block the claim because of his no-trade clause, but hasn't yet decided what to do.
- Manny Ramirez will supposedly get passed through by the Dodgers this week, and the White Sox are contemplating making a claim. He'd be a perfect fit for them, especially in that ballpark. There's some risk that he'll be limited by his calf injury, but he can easily play the DH spot for the Sox.
Detroit 12, Kansas City 3:
- Royals manager displayed his tactical chops by issuing three intentional walks in the fifth and sixth innings, immediately leading to four runs scored by the Tigers when the next batter got a hit. Granted, two of those walks were to Miguel Cabrera.
- The Tigers called up Casper Wells and started him in right field, though Brennan Boesch pinch-hit for him once a right-hander came into the game. This could be a platoon for the final month of the season.
- Bruce Chen has had a nice little renaissance, but he was miserable on Monday night, giving up five runs over 4.1 innings, allowing five hits and five walks (one of the aforementioned intentional walks included).
- If you're looking for the Erickson trade jinx indicator, I acquired Gregor Blanco as a spare part in Tout Wars as part of a bigger David Ortiz - for - Jonathan Papelbon swap. Blanco has gotten steady work in center field and in the leadoff spot. He went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI on Monday, and he's provided a burst of speed since getting dealt to the Royals.
St. Louis 10, Pittsburgh 2:
- Adding insult to injury, Ross Ohlendorf allowed the two hitters he faced to reach and both eventually scored, which was enough to drop him to 1-11 on the season.
- It was a pretty rotten day for the Pirates - they lost (again), badly (again), lost a starting pitcher due to injury and had their financial books opened up for the world to see on Deadspin.
- Oh yeah, Albert Pujols is good at baseball.
- The Cards are now 2.5 games back after winning for the third day in a row.
- Jeff Clement went on the 15-day DL with left knee irritation. He had been playing about once a week lately.
Houston 3, Philadelphia 2:
- Brett Myers was dominant against his former team, allowing two runs over seven innings while striking out nine.
- Michael Bourn got the benefit of a call at first base where he might have been out of the basepaths while beating out a bunt single. He ended up being the winning run. Charlie Manuel got ejected on the play.
- Chase Utley is 5-for-22 with one extra-base hit since returning from his thumb injury.
- Jayson Werth managed to get picked off second base after the final pitch of an intentional walk.
Chicago Cubs 9, Washington 1:
- Casey Coleman picked up his first major league win, taking a shutout into the seventh inning.
- The less said about Rob Dibble's comments about Stephen Strasburg the better - he was clearly stirring the pot, in my opinion.
Toronto 3, New York Yankees 2:
- "Don't shoot him, it'll only make him madder." Jose Bautista got buzzed by an Ivan Nova fastball after hitting his first homer, then responded in his following at-bat with the game-winning homer and a very slow trot around the bases, followed by an extended curtain call. He's now up to 40 on the season.
- Speaking of Nova, he was ok in his spot start, allowing two runs over 5.1 innings, giving up six hits and a walk while striking out three.
- Brandon Morrow was stretched out to six innings in this start and struck out 12.
Boston 6, Seattle 3:
- All 17 hits in the game between the two teams were singles.
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia (leg infection) is out of the hospital now.
- John Lackey had a really nice start against the Mariners for the second time this season, striking out 10 in eight innings. In previous start against them, he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning.
Texas 4, Minnesota 0:
- Speaking of no-hitters, the Rangers had a combined effort taken into the ninth inning before Joe Mauer's single spoiled the effort. Rich Harden, even on a good day, was his typical self, issuing five walks over 6.2 innings while striking out six after coming off the DL. He's earned at least another start or two over Derek Holland in September.
- Nick Blackburn wasn't bad in his first start with Kevin Slowey on the DL, giving up three runs over seven innings, but fell behind with two of those runs allowed in the first inning. He draws Seattle in Seattle next.
- The Rangers sent down Taylor Teagarden to Triple-A to make room for Matt Treanor on the roster, despite him posting a .961 OPS in 25 August at-bats.
Colorado 5, Atlanta 4:
- Carlos Gonzalez (knee) went 2-for-3 with a double and a stolen base. Good timing for his owners to get him back, with the Rockies home all week.
- Huston Street actually didn't blow a save chance, instead throwing a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to get his 11th save of the season.
- Todd Helton had his first four-hit game in over a year, knocking in the game-winner off of the hard-throwing Johnny Venters.
- Rick Ankiel hit his first homer as a Brave.
Tampa Bay 4, Los Angeles Angels 3:
- Rafael Soriano struck out the side on nine pitches. Yeah, the Rays pulled off a pretty good deal to land him for Jesse Chavez, ridding themselves of Akinori Iwamura in the process.
- The Rays jumped on former teammate Scott Kazmir early, scoring three in the first and another in the second, highlighted by B.J. Upton's leadoff homer.
- Peter Bourjos robbed both Upton and Sean Rodriguez of homers, though the latter ended up with a double as the ball came out of Bourjos' glove as he brought it back.
- Juan Rivera got his first career start at first base.
San Francisco 11, Cincinnati 2:
- Edinson Volquez basically took a blowtorch to this game in the first inning, giving up five runs on five hits and three walks while retiring only two batters. He got yanked from the game after walking the leadoff hitter, Andres Torres, for the second time in the inning.
- Wladimir Balentien or Juan Francisco could get the call if/when Jim Edmonds goes on the DL.
- Aubrey Huff's great season continues - he started the scoring in the first with a two-run double and he later homered in the eighth.
- Cody Ross joined the Giants midgame and entered into center field, moving Andres Torres over to left field, because Ross was less comfortable in left.