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Major League Baseball notebook: Pollock returns to Diamondbacks

[July 03, 2018] Center fielder A.J. Pollock was back in the Arizona Diamondbacks' starting lineup batting cleanup Monday after missing 43 games with a fractured left thumb.

Pollock was activated from the 10-day disabled list amid several transactions. Pollock told Arizona Sports that his thumb has been fine for a few days, but that he needed to get his legs ready as well.

Pollock, who was hitting .293 with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs in 40 games, played two games with Triple-A Reno on a rehab assignment. He hurt the thumb on May 14 in Phoenix while trying to make a diving catch on a line drive.

Arizona also optioned right-hander Silvino Bracho and utility man Christian Walker to Triple-A Reno, released right-hander Troy Scribner and purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Joey Krehbiel. It's Krehbiel's first time on a major league roster.

--Cleveland Indians right-hander Danny Salazar will miss the rest of the season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in Dallas, the team announced.

Salazar cannot throw for 12 to 16 weeks, the Indians said. He injured his shoulder in January during a winter workout and started the season on the 10-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation. He was moved to the 60-day disabled list in May.

Heading into the season, Salazar, 28, was expected to be a key member of the Cleveland starting rotation. An All-Star in 2016, he appeared in 23 games (19 starts) and finished with a 5-6 record and a 4.28 ERA in 2017.

--The St. Louis Cardinals placed struggling outfielder Dexter Fowler on the paternity list, the same day in which team president of baseball operations John Mozeliak questioned Fowler's effort and energy level during an interview.

Mozeliak appeared on the Scoops with Danny Mac podcast with Dan McLaughlin and wasn't shy about expressing his disappointment in Fowler, who is batting just .171 with five homers and 20 RBIs this season.

"In Dexter's case, maybe taking just a brief timeout, try to reassess himself, and then give him a chance for a strong second half is probably what's best for everybody," Mozeliak said. "I'm hopeful to touch base with him in the near future and to decide what makes the most sense. But clearly he's not playing at the level we had hoped."

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Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock (11) rounds third base and scores a run during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Picture Supplied by Action Images

--The Detroit Tigers placed closer Shane Greene (strained right shoulder) and outfielder Leonys Martin (strained left hamstring) on the 10-day disabled list.

Left-handed reliever Daniel Stumpf was activated from the disabled list to fill the roster spot of Greene, whose ninth-inning role will be handled primarily by Joe Jimenez. The team also recalled outfielder Mikie Mahtook from Triple-A Toledo.

Greene informed the team after Sunday's 9-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, in which he pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, that his throwing shoulder had been hurting recently. Martin left the same game with what was initially diagnosed as a "hamstring cramp" by the training staff.

--The Toronto Blue Jays recalled infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from Triple-A Buffalo and started him at second base in their afternoon loss to Detroit.

To make room for Gurriel, the team optioned utility man Darnell Sweeney down to Buffalo.

The 24-year-old Gurriel, who made his MLB debut on April 20, has a .224 batting average with three home runs and eight RBIs in 22 career games and 76 at-bats. He went 1-for-4 against the Tigers.

--Right-handed pitcher William Cuevas is back on the Boston Red Sox's active roster, called up by the club from Triple-A Pawtucket.

To make room on the active roster, the Red Sox optioned right-hander Justin Haley to Pawtucket. The team also transferred right-hander Carson Smith to the 60-day disabled list to create a spot for Cuevas on the 40-man roster.

The Red Sox also made a trade, sending minor league outfielder Lorenzo Cedrola to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for international bonus pool money.

--Field Level Media

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