Notes

LITTLE ROCK — WHITE SOX Liriano acquired

MINNEAPOLIS - Francisco Liriano will be staying in the American League Central.

The Minnesota Twins traded the left-hander to the division rival Chicago White Sox on Saturday night for shortstop Eduardo Escobar and left-hander Pedro Hernandez.

Liriano, 28, who was scheduled to start against the Cleveland Indians today, will instead be heading to Chicago. Left-hander Brian Duensing will make a spot start in his place.

Liriano posted a 5.31 ERA with 109 strikeouts and 55 walks in 100 innings with the Twins this season, but he’s been pitching better recently with a 3.68 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 66 innings over his past 12 outings dating to May 30 after a stint in the bullpen due to early season struggles.

It’s the second time Liriano has been dealt in his career, as he was acquired by the Twins in a 2003 trade with the San Francisco Giants that also brought Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser to Minnesota for catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

Liriano, who is set to be a free agent after the season, had a 4.33 ERA in 156 career appearances with the Twins. He struck out 788 and walked 324 in 783 1/3 innings.

Escobar, a 23-year-old shortstop, has played in 35 games with the White Sox this season, batting .195. He’s a career .270 hitter in six minorleague seasons.

Hernandez, also 23, made his major-league debut against the Boston Red Sox on July 18 and allowed 8 runs on 12 hits over 4 innings. Hernandez has a career 3.42 ERAin six minor-league seasons. He has a 2.94 ERA split between Class AA Birmingham and Class AAA Charlotte this year.

RED SOX Crawford limited

NEW YORK - Carl Crawford was out of Boston’s starting lineup for Saturday’s game against the New York Yankees and said his balky elbow may need ligament-replacement surgery.

After missing the first half of the season because of left wrist and elbow injuries, Crawford returned July 16.

Red Sox Manager Bobby Valentine said the team’s medical staff had told him not to start Crawford more than four days in a row.

Crawford appeared in six consecutive games when he returned,

“I did a manager no-no thing and went against what I was told to do. Never to be done again,” Valentine said. “I kind of did the old veto power.”

In the second season of a $142 million, seven-year contract, Crawford is batting .222 (8 for 37) with 1 home run and 2 RBI - connecting for a home run as last-place Boston lost Friday’s series opener 10-3. Valentine said he hopes Crawford will be able to build up endurance so that the restriction can end.

Crawford anticipates he will need elbow surgery at some point.

RANGERS Hamilton sits out

ARLINGTON, Texas - Slumping Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was out of the starting lineup Saturday night against the ChicagoWhite Sox because Manager Ron Washington wanted to give the outfielder a mental break.

Hamilton is batting .145 in July. The former AL MVP was booed by his home fans Friday night after striking out twice against White Sox ace Chris Sale.

“He’s the manager,” Hamilton said. “He makes the decisions. I just live with them.” BLUE JAYS Bautista not expected back

TORONTO - Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is not expected to return immediately when his time on the 15-day disabled list concludes Wednesday. He swung the bat Saturday for the first time since injuring his left wrist

Bautista, who led the majors in home runs in 2010 and 2011, was hurt in the eighth inning of a July 16 game at Yankee Stadium in New York, grabbing his wrist in pain after hitting a long foul ball.

He swung a light fungo bat, then his regular bat before Saturday’s game against Detroit, and took a few swings off the tee.

Bautista is eligible to come off the DL on Wednesday, but Blue Jays Manager John Farrell said he will likely need a few more days.

Bautista was leading the AL with 27 home runs at the time of his injury but has since been passed by Adam Dunn, Curtis Granderson and Josh Hamilton.

GIANTS

Scutaro, Huff added

SAN FRANCISCO - Marco Scutaro arrived at the San Francisco Giants’ clubhouse two hours beforegametime Saturday and was immediately put in the lineup at third base and batted seventh.

The NL West leaders also activated Aubrey Huff from the disabled list before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

To make room on the roster, San Francisco put infielder Pablo Sandoval on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain and designated infielder Emmanuel Burriss for assignment.

Scutaro was obtained by the Giants during Friday night’s 5-3 loss to the Dodgers in a trade that sent minor league infielder Charlie Culberson to the Colorado Rockies.

BRAVES Medlen in rotation

ATLANTA - Kris Medlen is moving into the Atlanta Braves’ rotation and will start Tuesday against the Miami Marlins.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday Medlen is replacing Jair Jurrjens in the rotation unless the team adds a starting pitcher through a trade before Tuesday. Jurrjens was available in the bullpen for Saturday night’s game against Philadelphia.

Medlen was 5-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 14 starts in 2010, when he was 6-2 overall. He missed most of last season following right elbow ligament-replacement surgery. He is 1-1 with 1 save and a 2.48 ERA in 38 games this season.

Jurrjens struggled early this season, was sent to Class AAA Gwinnett and then had mixed results in his return to Atlanta. He is 3-4 with a 7.04 ERA in 10 starts.