LDN - Sports

Major League Baseball roundup

[September 07, 2016] Sept 6 (The Sports Xchange) - Houston Astros ace Dallas Keuchel will miss at least two starts and possibly the rest of the season due to left shoulder inflammation.

The left-hander was originally pushed back from Friday's start and then scratched from Tuesday's start against the Cleveland Indians.

On Monday, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner flew back to Houston for further evaluation on the shoulder. Manager A.J. Hinch told reporters he didn't have a feel for whether Keuchel will return this season.

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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop/third baseman Matt Duffy is expected to undergo season-ending surgery this week to repair his left Achilles' tendon.

The Achilles' injury bothered Duffy most of the season, and with the Rays not in the race for a playoff berth, it made sense to have the procedure performed soon so that he will be ready for spring training.

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The Rays fired hitting coach Derek Shelton and promoted Chad Mottola to the same position prior to Tuesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Shelton was in his seventh season as hitting coach for Tampa Bay (58-78), which has struggled to get its offense going in 2016. The Rays rank 22nd in the majors in runs scored (576) and 27th in batting average (.243).

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The Seattle Mariners recalled veteran outfielder Norichika Aoki from Triple-A Tacoma.

Aoki hit .226 with one homer and three RBIs in eight contests with the Rainiers after being demoted to Triple-A following a game on Aug. 26.

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Washington pitcher Stephen Strasburg (15-4) threw on the flat ground in the outfield. He has been on the disabled list since August 22, retroactive to August 21, with right elbow soreness and could pitch Wednesday, according to manager Dusty Baker.

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The New York Yankees recalled right-hander Bryan Mitchell and left-hander James Pazos from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Manager Joe Girardi told reporters that Mitchell could replace the injured Chad Green (elbow) and start Wednesday's contest versus the Blue Jays.

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The St. Louis Cardinals recalled outfielder Jose Martinez and right-handers Mike Mayers and Sam Tuivailala from Triple-A Memphis.

Martinez, who was expected to make his major-league debut on Tuesday, batted .278 with 11 homers and 60 RBIs in 124 combined games with Triple-A outfits Omaha and Memphis this season.

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Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Alec Asher is expected to start Thursday in place of Vince Velasquez, who is being shut down due to an innings limit. Asher's 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs expired Monday.

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Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli, who left Monday's game with left thumb discomfort, was not in the starting lineup Tuesday.

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Rafael Montero was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas by the New York Mets to start Tuesday's game at Cincinnati. (Editing by Frank Pingue)

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