Notes

LITTLE ROCK — PHILLIES Halladay out 6 to 8 weeks

NEW YORK - Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay is expected to miss six to eight weeks because of a strained right shoulder, the latest setback for the five-time NL East champions.

Halladay was put on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, two days after he was hit hard and pulled from a start in St. Louis after just two innings because of shoulder soreness.

The two-time Cy Young winner will be shut down for a minimum of three weeks, then work toward rejoining the rotation, Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said.

Proefrock said tests done in Philadelphia indicated Halladay doesn’t need surgery to recover and that the injury doesn’t affect his rotator cuff.

“We hate to have him down, but it’s nothing that requires anything other than rest,” Proefrock said.

Halladay is 4-5 with a 3.98 ERA in 11 starts. He has pitched at least 220 innings in each of the past six seasons, and four times led the league in 1 innings. His 72 /3 innings this year tied Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez for the NL lead.

The move with Halladay was made retroactive to Monday.

Minutes before the injury was announced as a Grade I/Grade II strain of the latissimus dorsi, Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel said he thought Halladay needed a break.

Halladay initially felt discomfort in his shoulder last Tuesday in a start against Washington but worked through it. He cut back on his throwing regimen before his next outing, but was tagged by Yadier Molina for a grand slam in St. Louis.

ANGELS Weaver goes on DL

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Los Angeles Angels put ace Jered Weaver on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a lower-back injury, likely forcing last season’s AL Cy Young runner-up to miss at least two starts.

Weaver threw just 12 pitches and faced four batters Monday night against the New York Yankees before pulling up awkwardly after a pitch to Robinson Cano. He was diagnosed with lower-back spasms and a strained muscle around a disc in his lower spine.

Weaver is 6-1 with a 2.61 ERA this season, throwing a no-hitter against Minnesota on May 2.

RANGERS Oswalt gets contract

The Texas Rangers have agreed to a minorleague deal with free-agent pitcher Roy Oswalt with the anticipation that he will join the rotation within a few weeks.

Assuming Oswalt passes a physical, he is expected to join Class AAA Round Rock at some point this week.

The deal was announced in the middle of the Rangers’ game Tuesday night against Seattle.

The three-time All-Star was interested in joining the two-time defending American League champions during the offseason, but the Rangers were then set with their starting rotation.

NATIONALS Tracy requires surgery

MIAMI - Washington Nationals infielder Chad Tracy will require surgery for a torn groin muscle and is expected to be sidelined at least six weeks and perhaps longer.

Tracy, who leads the major leagues with nine pinch-hit RBI, was hurt Saturday. A specialist in Philadelphia determined surgery was necessary after Tracy had a magnetic resonance imaging Tuesday, and the operation will be performed Thursday.

Tracy went 6 for 18 (.333) as a pinch hitter and was batting .265 overall. On Monday, he became the 11th player to go on the disabled list for the first-place Nationals.

MARLINS Oviedo back in U.S.

JUPITER, Fla. - Reliever Juan Carlos Oviedo stood outside the Miami Marlins’ spring training clubhouse Tuesday, eager to resume his career under a new name.

He last pitched as Leo Nunez. His 2011 season ended abruptly in September after officials discovered he had been playing under a fake name since he turned professional in 2000.

Oviedo was issued a new visa last week after clearing up his immigration status in the Dominican Republic, and now that he’s back in the United States, he can begin serving an eightweek suspension from Major League Baseball for age and identity fraud.

He’ll be eligible to rejoin the Marlins on July 23 and expects to be ready.

“With my name Juan Carlos Oviedo, I’m the same guy,” he said in Spanish through a translator. “It’s the same arm.”

Oviedo saved 92 games for the Marlins in 2009-2011, including 36 last year, and the Marlins gave him a $6 million, one-year contract this offseason. But with his availability uncertain, they also signed All-Star closer Heath Bell, and Oviedo will have a setup role when he returns.