MLB Capsules: Dodgers get OF Podsednik from Royals

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The banged-up Detroit Tigers acquired third baseman Jhonny Peralta from the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday for minor league left-hander Giovanni Soto.

Detroit also received cash considerations in the trade. Peralta will fill-in for Brandon Inge, the Tigers' injured third baseman.

"I was trying to do something to help our ballclub and do something to stay in this," Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said before the game against Tampa Bay. "We think this helps our ballclub with a solid big league player. We've got a lot of young players. Right now it gives us another veteran in our lineup."

Dombrowski said Inge (broken left hand) and second baseman Carlos Guillen (strained right calf) could return in the next two weeks. Outfielder Magglio Ordonez (broken right ankle) is expected to be out six to eight weeks.

Detroit manager Jim Leyland, after the Tigers were beat 7-4 by Tampa Bay, said Inge will start at third when he returns and that Peralta will get playing time at shortstop and DH.

"I think it sends the right message to the team," Leyland said of the trade. "We're going to do something."

The Tigers started Wednesday third in the AL Central, four games behind the Chicago White Sox.

Peralta, who might join the Tigers for Thursday's day game at Tampa Bay, was in the lineup for Cleveland's game against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, but was pulled around 6 p.m. He's batting .246 with seven homers and 43 RBIs in 91 games.

The 28-year-old Peralta is in the final season of a five-year, $13 million contract. He's making $4.6 million this season and the club has a $7 million option for 2011.

"The stark reality was we had come to the decision we were not going to pick up his option for next year," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said.

The 19-year-old Soto has spent the entire season at Class-A West Michigan and will be assigned to Class-A Lake County. He is 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts.

"We're trying to make some moves that maybe help us a little bit. I don't have anything else right now," Dombrowski said.

Infielder Luis Valbuena has been called up from Triple-A Columbus to take Peralta's roster spot.

Shapiro said infielder Jared Goedert, who is batting .304 with 17 homers at Columbus, will be called up this season.

"We wanted to take a look at some of our internal alternatives at third base for next year," Shapiro said.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Peralta, Detroit designated outfielder Wilkin Ramirez for assignment.

Pineiro hurt an oblique muscle while throwing in the bullpen. After an MRI exam, the Angels immediately announced he'll be out for well over a month while putting him on the 15-day disabled list.

"I just threw a curveball, and a lot of pain came through the oblique," Pineiro said. "It's weird. I have no idea how to explain it. It was just one of those weird things that happens. I'm really frustrated and angry that this happened right now, at this moment."

The injury further hampers the Angels' attempts to get back in contention for their sixth AL West title in the past seven seasons.

A 7-3 loss to Boston on Wednesday dropped the Angels into third place in the division, nine games behind leader Texas. The Angels have lost seven of eight, and the Red Sox ended Los Angeles' streak of 79 straight home series without being swept dating back to June 2007.

Pineiro has been a dependable starter in his first season with Los Angeles, going 10-7 with a 4.18 ERA. He had won seven straight decisions before losing his most recent start in New York last week.

Pineiro even had two extra days of rest since his last start, but hurt himself midway through warmups. He couldn't believe the extensive recovery time required.

"My heart just dropped to the ground," Pineiro said. "'There's no way. There's got to be a mistake,' I told them. They said: 'You've got a pretty good strain in there, but everybody recovers differently, so we'll see what happens with you.'"

Veteran Angels reliever Scot Shields struggled while making just the 15th start of his major league career against Boston, giving up two homers and two walks in his last-minute assignment before leaving in the second inning with the bases loaded. The longtime middle reliever hadn't started a game since Sept. 28, 2003, against Texas.

After relievers Francisco Rodriguez and Rich Thompson combined on 5 1-3 solid innings, Fernando Rodney gave up Marco Scutaro's decisive grand slam in the eighth inning.

"I felt like I should take that loss, no matter whether I was out there or not," Pineiro said. "Those guys in the bullpen tried to pitch their hearts out. It was unexpected — 10 minutes before the ballgame — but those guys did what they had to do."

The Angels' once-solid starting rotation suddenly looks shaky. Left-hander Scott Kazmir is out with shoulder fatigue, and Los Angeles traded steady Joe Saunders to Arizona last Sunday in a deal to land three-time All-Star Dan Haren, who was hit on the right forearm by a line drive on Monday.

Ace Jered Weaver and Ervin Santana both are healthy, and Haren said he'll make his scheduled start Saturday against the Rangers.

-- Greg Beacham

Haren says he'll start Saturday for Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Newly acquired Angels pitcher Dan Haren expects to make his next start as scheduled despite a bruised forearm.

The three-time All-Star plans to make his second start for Los Angeles on Saturday against the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. The right-hander was acquired Sunday in a trade that sent lefty Joe Saunders and three minor league prospects to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He was drilled on his pitching arm by a line drive off the bat of Boston's Kevin Youkilis in the fifth inning of his Angels debut on Monday night. X-rays were negative.

"As of now, barring any setbacks, I should be good to go," Haren said Wednesday. "It's obviously still bruised and a little tight, but I don't see it being a problem. I'm staying on top of it and getting treatment before, during and after the games. And I'm doing my best to be out there. My arm feels great. I only threw 62 pitches Monday, so I feel real fresh, so I'll have plenty in the tank on Saturday."

Haren returned to the clubhouse Wednesday morning after spending a day in Arizona to pick up some personal belongings at his home and get in a workout at the team's Tempe training facility.

"I didn't know if there would be any restrictions or anything, so I was a little cautious at first. But I was able to pretty much just let it go," Haren said. "I threw all of my pitches, and by the end, I had no restrictions. So I'm definitely encouraged."

Manager Mike Scioscia shared Haren's optimism.

"We'll look at Dan again the next couple of days and make sure he's still progressing," Scioscia said. "But it looks like he had no problem manipulating the ball and making all his pitches. So he should be good to go on Saturday."

The eight-year veteran has made 190 consecutive starts without missing a turn since 2005.

"It's scary. You don't really even have time to react," he said. "It's just kind of instinct. I kind of moved my arm up into the ball. I've had some close ones, but that was about as hard as I've ever been hit. I've gotten hit below the waist quite a few times, but never above. It got me good. Someone said the bat might have been broken — but it didn't feel like it."

Regardless of Haren's condition, Scioscia and general manager Tony Reagins are trying to piece together a starting rotation that is in a sudden state of flux. Scott Kazmir is on the disabled list with shoulder fatigue. Joel Pineiro was a last-minute scratch before Wednesday's game against the Red Sox due to an oblique strain he felt while he was warming up. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

"With Joel going down, it's a significant blow. But there's candidates in the minor leagues that we'll look at to fill that need," Reagins said. "And with Scott Kazmir coming back — which we hopefully expect to be relatively soon — and the days off that we'll have, we can absorb having to deal with anything from a starting pitching standpoint."

M's recall LHP French, put Rowland-Smith on DL

CLEVELAND (AP) — A fan wearing a Miami Heat jersey of LeBron James drew the ire of the crowd at a Cleveland Indians game and was escorted out of the ballpark.

Fans in the left-field bleachers chanted obscenities and pointed at the man Wednesday night during the sixth inning of the game between the Indians and New York Yankees. Hundreds of fans joined in before security led the man out of Progressive Field.

As he left, some fans followed him toward the gate with more derisive chants. James' recent departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Heat caused a lot of anger in the city.

Many fans were near the left-field foul pole in hopes of catching the 600th home run ball by Alex Rodriguez.

HP umpire Runge leaves Mariners-White Sox game

Shut down for at least two days — and perhaps three or four — because of a stiff pitching shoulder, Strasburg did not need to hurry to put on his uniform. Backup catcher Wil Nieves, whose locker is next to Strasburg's, turned to the rookie sensation and asked, "How you doing, man? You all right?"

Strasburg's answer — the one the Washington Nationals and their fans care so much about — was inaudible. About two hours later, though, standing against a cinderblock wall in the hallway outside that clubhouse, the prized right-hander spoke to reporters for the first time since being scratched Tuesday, shortly before what was supposed to be the 10th major league start of his much-hyped career.

Strasburg said he first sensed tightness in his pitching shoulder "a couple days ago," and he chalked it up to "kind of hitting the wall a little bit."

He said he felt "a lot better" and his range of motion is "starting to come back."

Washington general manager Mike Rizzo and trainer Lee Kuntz said Strasburg did not indicate he had a problem before Tuesday, when his pregame bullpen session was stopped about a half-dozen throws in.

"I wasn't really scared, because it's kind of something that I've had happen to me before," Strasburg said, referring to feeling stiffness in his right shoulder while in college at San Diego State. "It wasn't on just one pitch, so that's obviously a big thing."

He took anti-inflammatory medicine Wednesday and underwent treatment that Kuntz said included "stretching, strengthening ... using heat, using ice." But the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft did not toss a ball. Instead, during batting practice, Strasburg stood in the right-field grass, chatting with pitching coach Steve McCatty.

It's not exactly clear when he will next throw a baseball, much less pitch in a game; his next scheduled start would be Sunday.

"We don't have an update whether he's going to pitch Sunday or when he'll pitch again, if not Sunday," manager Jim Riggleman said. "We're just really going to give it another day or two before we do anything."

The Nationals have been quite careful in the way they have brought along Strasburg since giving him a record $15.1 million contract right before the deadline for getting deals done.

Even though Strasburg was dominant at times during spring training, he was moved to minor league camp in Florida, then began the season at Double-A Harrisburg. The righty was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse in early May, before making his highly anticipated major league debut June 8 — and, somehow, surpassing expectations by striking out 14 batters in a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

He left that game after seven innings, part of a pattern of being eased into the rigors of the major leagues. The Nationals have said they would end Strasburg's season when he reaches 160 innings, even if that cap were to come in late August or early September.

He's been by far the brightest spot in another last-place season for the Nationals in 2010, going 5-2 with a 2.32 ERA, 75 strikeouts and 15 walks in 54 1-3 innings.

So far in 2010, he's thrown 109 2-3 innings total, including in the minors, which essentially matches his count in his final college season at San Diego State: 109 innings.

"I'm just at the point in the season where I'm kind of going down uncharted territory," Strasburg said Wednesday.

Asked to describe when he feels a problem in his shoulder — the official team diagnosis was "inflammation" — Strasburg said: "After I throw the ball, when I finish."

He continued: "I've been learning a lot here, and when you're playing this many games throughout the season, you're going to start feeling things in your body that you wouldn't otherwise thought you'd feel. You know, little things getting to feel a little off. ... It really is a blessing in disguise, because I know what this feels like to get to the 100-game point, getting right up to this many innings. And I know how to prepare for it now. And next year, God willing, this won't happen again, and we'll be in playoff contention."

-- Howard Fendrich

Phillies place Victorino on DL

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies placed center fielder Shane Victorino on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and called up touted prospect Domonic Brown from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

The 22-year-old Brown was in the starting lineup for the Phillies' game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, playing right field and batting sixth. Brown batted .327 with 20 homers and 68 RBIs in 93 games at Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley.

"I'm pretty nervous, but a good nervous," Brown said. "I'm trying to get the first game under my belt and get rolling."

Brown shook off any nerves he had, hitting an RBI double off the right-field wall in his first at-bat.

Victorino has an abdominal strain on his left side. He was injured diving back to first base during a pickoff attempt in Tuesday night's win over Arizona. Victorino stayed in and left after making a catch later in the game. He was batting .250 with a career-high 15 homers, 53 RBIs and 20 steals.

Brown said he heard about Victorino's injury Tuesday from a fan in right field at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pa., and the thought of getting called up dawned on him after the game. When he got the official word around noon on Wednesday, Brown said it was one his greatest moments.

"I almost passed out," Brown said. "It's one of the best days of my life. I've been playing since I was three and this is the ultimate goal."

The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder never doubted his ability would land him in the big leagues, saying it was just a matter of time.

"I'm very confident in myself and set big goals," he said. "I was just waiting for (Phillies GM) Ruben (Amaro) and those guys to make the call."

While he realizes the intense spotlight he'll be under, Brown said he'll try to do the simple things that have allowed him to have success to this point.

"I'm just going to try to have fun and do the things I've been doing," he said. "I hope I can go out and put up the same numbers I've been putting up. Of course there's pressure, but I try to keep that in the back of my mind and try to have fun."

Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel is impressed with Brown, who spent much of spring training with the Phillies.

Asked what stuck out the most, Manuel said, "how much he likes to play. He puts the fat part of the bat on the ball and makes good contact. He has a chance to be a really good hitter."

Manuel expects Brown to be a middle-of-the-order hitter.

"I'll gradually work him in and get his confidence as high as I can and all the sudden I'll turn him loose," Manuel said. "He's a talented kid."

In other injury news, Manuel said shortstop Jimmy Rollins was still sore. Manuel targeted this weekend as a possible return to the lineup for Rollins, who bruised his left foot on Monday after fouling a ball off the foot.

Giants closer fined for wearing orange cleats

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson has been fined by major league baseball for wearing orange cleats during Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Florida Marlins.

The shoes, a gift from Nike and presented to Wilson at the All-Star game, apparently violated the league's dress code. It was the first time Wilson has worn them in a regular-season game.

"They all have to have the majority of your team's color on the shoe you wear," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday. "I was aware of it. It's going to be up to me to make sure these guys stay in uniform. I agree with it. We'll make sure his shoes are acceptable."

Baseball rules require all players on a team to wear uniforms that conform to his teammates.

Wilson was already on top of it. He sat in front of his locker before Wednesday's game against the Marlins and used a black marking pen to color in a portion of his cleats.

"The magic doesn't come from the shoes," Wilson said.

Wilson, who leads the majors with 30 saves, wore the same shoes during the All-Star game then broke them out Monday while warming up in the bullpen. He didn't pitch in that game but came in to work the ninth inning Tuesday.

"In the All-Star game anything goes, it's a little different there," Bochy said. "I'm not surprised he got fined with that."

Florida manager Edwin Rodriguez questioned the umpires about the shoes before Wilson pitched Tuesday and was told they could do nothing about it — the rulebook does not expressly reference a player's cleats.

"I went to the umpire and I was wondering about the shoes," Rodriguez said. "He thought the rule was meant more for the sleeves than to the shoes, and he said 'There's nothing I can do regarding the shoes.' I was surprised that they fined him without warning him. When I heard that he got fined, I said 'Well at least give him a warning to be fair.'"

Pirates' Ohlendorf hit in head by liner, bruised

NEW YORK (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals purchased the contract of right-hander Mike MacDougal from Triple-A Memphis before their game Wednesday night against the New York Mets.

MacDougal was 2-0 with one save and a 3.86 ERA in eight games for Memphis, after starting the season in the Washington Nationals system. MacDougal saved 20 games for the Nationals last year, and was an All-Star for the Kansas City Royals in 2003.

He's 14-21 with a 4.09 ERA in 10 seasons, including a stint with the Chicago White Sox.

The Cardinals optioned right-hander Fernando Salas to Memphis to make room for MacDougal.

Padres LF Blanks needs elbow surgery