MLB notebook: Astros lose Springer to injury

[May 20, 2019]  Houston Astros All-Star outfielder George Springer will miss Monday's game and is day-to-day with lower back stiffness, manager AJ Hinch said after Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Hinch removed Springer from Sunday's game at Fenway Park in the fifth inning, after Springer struck out swinging three times against Chris Sale and winced after a missed swing in his second at-bat.

On Friday night, Springer grabbed his side after a swing. Josh Reddick moved from left field to take Springer's spot in right field, and Tony Kemp replaced Springer in the lineup to play left field.

Springer entered Sunday's game leading the league in OPS (on base percentage plus slugging percentage), runs scored, home runs and RBIs.

--The Philadelphia Phillies reinstated utility man Scott Kingery from the 10-day injured list ahead of the team's game against the visiting Colorado Rockies.

Kingery had not played since April 19 because of a right hamstring strain and was batting .406 with two homers and six RBIs in 14 games before the injury.

Against the Rockies, the 25-year-old played center field, batted seventh and went 1-for-3 with a run scored. To make room on the roster, the Phillies optioned outfielder Nick Williams to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

--The San Francisco Giants designated outfielder Aaron Altherr for assignment after just one at-bat with the team.

The move was made to open a roster spot for left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who was activated from the 10-day injured list to start Sunday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Altherr was claimed off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on May 11 and struck out Friday as a pinch hitter. In his first start since May 6, Pomeranz gave up two runs on two hits and five walks with two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.

--The Chicago White Sox optioned outfielder Nicky Delmonico to Triple-A Charlotte and are expected to activate rookie Eloy Jimenez from the injured list Monday.

Delmonico was batting .206 in 21 games this season with one home run and six RBIs. That one home run was a game-ending three-run shot against the Boston Red Sox on May 2. He has just one RBI in 13 games since.

Jimenez has not played since April 26 as the rookie has been on the injured list with a right ankle sprain. He was batting .241 with three home runs over the first 21 games of his career.

Astros center fielder George Springer (4) reacts after striking out against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

--The Chicago Cubs will not file an official protest over the ninth inning of Saturday night's game against Washington, when they contended that Nationals reliever Sean Doolittle was using an illegal toe tap on the mound during his delivery.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon twice came out in the ninth inning Saturday to discuss Doolittle's delivery with umpires. His main issue seemed to be that his own reliever, Carl Edwards Jr., was not allowed to use a version of a toe tap during a game early in the season.

After informing umpires he was playing under protest before the Cubs lost 5-2 to the Nationals, Maddon opted against filing the protest on Sunday, saying that while he believed is correct, he "really didn't anticipate a whole lot to be done with (the protest)." He had 24 hours to file the protest with the league.

--The San Diego Padres sent rookie left-hander Nick Margevicius back to Double-A Amarillo after his recent struggles continued to mount.

The Padres also sent right-handed reliever Gerardo Reyes to Triple-A El Paso, while right-hander Cal Quantrill was recalled from El Paso to start Sunday's game and right-hander Trey Wingenter was reinstated from the injured list.

Margevicius (2-5, 4.96 ERA) gave up just one run in each of his first three major league starts, but gave up a combined 14 earned runs in last three outings. Quantrill had a 3.60 ERA in two earlier starts with the Padres, while Wingenter sported a 2.93 ERA in 15 1/3 innings with the Padres earlier this season. He was on the IL because of right shoulder inflammation.

--Field Level Media

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