Off the wire

BASEBALL Former Razorback called up

The Pittsburgh Pirates called up 2007 second-round pick right-handed pitcher Duke Welker on Wednesday. Welker, a former University of Arkansas player, was 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA at Class AAA Indianapolis this season.

The Colorado Rockies held shortstop Troy Tulowitzki out of Wednesday’s lineup because of soggy weather and not soreness in his legs. Tulowitzki said he ran before the game Wednesday against the New York Yankees and his legs “felt good.” But given the damp conditions, the Rockies elected to play it safe and sit the All-Star out for a second game in a row. Manager Walt Weiss, trainer Keith Dugger and Tulowitzki met in Weiss’ office for quite a bit before reaching the decision. Tulowitzki missed most of last season with a groin injury that required surgery to remove scar tissue.

Oakland placed outfielder Josh Reddick on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right wrist Wednesday, where he joined center fielders Coco Crisp (hamstring) and Chris Young (quadriceps). The A’s have seven players on the disabled list and have used the DL nine times in just more than a month. Reddick hurt his wrist colliding with the wall in foul territory while chasing a fly ball on April 7 at Houston. He missed three games, but the injury was not improving and the A’s decided to put him on the DL. Reddick returned to Oakland for treatment. He was batting just .152 - third lowest in the AL - with one home run and 14 RBI in 29 games.

The Houston Astros have moved struggling starter Philip Humber out of the rotation and into the bullpen. Just a year removed from pitching the 21st perfect game in major league history, Humber has had a terrible start to 2013. He is 0-7 with an 8.82 ERA. Former Razorback Dallas Keuchel, who started in Class AAA this season before joining the Astros, will take Humber’s start on Friday against Texas. Keuchel is 0-1 with a 4.96 ERA in six appearances.

TENNIS

Meltdown highlights action

Victoria Azarenka lost her temper, broke her racket and argued with the chair umpire in an exit Wednesday from the Madrid Open, where she has been runner-up the past two years. Losing to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the second round ended Azarenka’s 18-match winning streak to start the season. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal spoiled Benoit Paire’s 24th birthday by sweeping past the Frenchman 6-3, 6-4. The fifth ranked Nadal’s hopes of returning to the top four in time for the French Open were boosted by Novak Djokovic’s loss Tuesday. Azarenka returned after a two-month layoff because of an ankle injury. She double-faulted five times and got in just over half of her first serves. The 24th-ranked Makarova had 60 percent first-serve accuracy.

The WTA has signed a five year deal to host its season-ending championship in Singapore beginning in 2014. WTA chairman and chief executive Stacey Allaster said the top eight singles players and top eight women’s doubles teams will compete for $6.5 million in prize money beginning next year, describing the deal with Singapore as a “record breaker” for “the WTA’s crown-jewel season finale.” The WTA announced the deal for 2014-18 on Wednesday, saying the event would be held at the $1 billion Singapore Sports Hub’s 7,500-seat indoor stadium.

FOOTBALL Browns sign offensive lineman

The Cleveland Browns have signed free agent offensive lineman Rashad Butler to a one-year contract. Butler spent the past six seasons with the Houston Texans. He was on injured reserve all of 2012 with a triceps injury, and he played in just two games in 2011 because of an elbow injury. The 6-4, 310-pounder has made 41 career starts in the NFL. In 2010, he played in all 16 games and made four starts at left tackle for the Texans.

BASEBALL Happ discharged after line drive to head

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ was released Wednesday from a Florida hospital, one day after he was hit on the head by a line drive, and hopes for a quick return to the mound.

Bayfront Medical Center said in a statement that Happ was discharged after being upgraded from fair to good condition. Happ was taken there after being struck on the left side of the head by a ball off the bat of Desmond Jennings during Tuesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Blue Jays said Happ was responsive and feeling better after suffering a head bruise and cut to his left ear.

“I’m in good spirits,” Happ said in a statement released by the hospital. “I definitely appreciate the support of the baseball community. It’s been overwhelming, the messages and kind words I’ve been getting. I just want to thank everyone for that, and I look forward to getting back out there soon.”

Happ was placed on the 15-day disabled list rather than the seven-day concussion DL.

His frightening injury at Tropicana Field left players on both teams shaken and revived questions about whether Major League Baseball is doing enough to protect pitchers, who often find themselves in harm’s way on the mound.

The pitcher raised his glove in front of his face as quickly as he could in a futile attempt to shield himself from the batted ball headed straight for his temple, but it was too late. The sickening sound of a sharply hit baseball striking his skull was heard all the way up in the press box.

Happ, hit squarely in the second inning during Toronto’s 6-4 victory, was immobilized on a backboard, lifted onto a stretcher and wheeled off the field.

It was the latest injury to a pitcher struck by a batted ball in the past few years, and baseball has discussed ways to protect pitchers who ply their craft against the world’s strongest hitters just 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate.

General managers discussed the issue during their meetings in November and MLB presented several ideas at the winter meetings weeks later.

MLB staff have said a cap liner with Kevlar, the material used in body armor for the military, law enforcement and NFL players, is among the ideas under consideration. The liners, weighing perhaps 5 ounces or less, would go under a pitcher’s cap and help protect against line drives that often travel over 100 mph.