Major League Baseball notebook: St. Louis' Wacha likely headed to disabled list

[June 21, 2018]  St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha departed the Cardinals' Wednesday contest against the Philadelphia Phillies due to a strained left oblique muscle.

He will undergo an MRI exam Thursday, and multiple media outlets reported that he is headed to the disabled list.

Wacha winced after throwing ball four to Philadelphia's Rhys Hoskins with two outs in the fourth inning.

Pitching coach Mike Maddux initially visited the mound before waving for the team trainer to come out. Wacha was removed from the game, and the Cardinals announced the nature of the injury a short time later.

--Brandon Morrow has 16 saves this season, but the Chicago Cubs closer was unavailable for a Tuesday doubleheader because he was experiencing back spasms.

On Wednesday, the team placed him on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to June 17.

Morrow said he injured himself while taking off his pants after returning home from a Cubs' road trip early Monday morning.

--Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun was unavailable Wednesday night after leaving the team to get an injection in his right thumb.

Braun flew to Los Angeles to undergo a cryotherapy injection, a procedure in which a needle delivers freezing temperatures to treat an irritated nerve.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Braun first underwent this type of procedure in 2014 after being bothered by thumb pain most of the season. Earlier this week, the 34-year-old veteran had a setback that led to the decision to receive treatment.

--Former major league pitching coach Billy Connors died on Monday. He was 76.

Connors had three stints with the New York Yankees and two with the Chicago Cubs. He also served as pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals (1980-81) and Seattle Mariners (1987-88).

Cardinals pitching coach Mike Maddux (31) calls for the trainer after an apparent injury to St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) during the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Connors was pitching coach for the Yankees from 1989-90, 1994-95 and on an interim basis in 2000. He also held a front-office post from 1996-2012. His stints with the Cubs were from 1982-86 and 1991-93.

--The Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals will play a regular-season game in Omaha, Neb., the week the 2019 College World Series begins, multiple media outlets reported.

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is scheduled to make an announcement Thursday at TD Ameritrade Park, host site of the CWS.

Per ESPN, the contest would be the third of a three-game series between the teams. Games 1 and 2 would be played in Kansas City.

--The Pittsburgh Pirates placed left fielder Corey Dickerson on the family medical emergency list. The nature of the family emergency wasn't immediately known.

MLB rules require Dickerson to miss at least three days and a maximum of seven.

Pittsburgh recalled second baseman/outfielder Adam Frazier from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the roster opening.

--Field Level Media

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