MLB Notes

Kansas City Royals closer Greg Holland was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday because of a strained right pectoral muscle. “I tried to pitch through it,” Holland said. “The ability to recover each and every day as a reliever is important. For me, at this point in the season, it’s smarter for me to go on the DL. I just didn’t feel comfortable.”
Kansas City Royals closer Greg Holland was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday because of a strained right pectoral muscle. “I tried to pitch through it,” Holland said. “The ability to recover each and every day as a reliever is important. For me, at this point in the season, it’s smarter for me to go on the DL. I just didn’t feel comfortable.”

ROYALS

Closer Holland goes on DL

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Royals put All-Star closer Greg Holland on the 15-day disabled list Saturday because of a strained right pectoral muscle.

The Royals recalled right-hander Yohan Pino from Class AAA Omaha before playing Oakland.

Manager Ned Yost said Wade Davis would close in Holland's absence. He said if Davis works two or three days in a row that Kelvin Herrera "could do it."

Holland has four saves this season and has not allowed a hit in four scoreless innings. He has been an All-Star the last two years.

Holland called it a "slight stretch in my pec area."

"I tried to pitch through it," Holland said. "The ability to recover each and every day as a reliever is important. For me at this point of the season it's smarter for me to go on the DL. I just didn't feel comfortable."

Yost said Holland felt the problem after a save against the Angels on April 11.

"It just didn't feel good and didn't get any better after I was done throwing," Holland said. "I'm pretty optimistic. I feel a lot better today, but I'm a little sore."

Holland had 46 saves last year in the regular season, then earned seven more in the postseason for the AL champions.

Bullpen depth is a strength for the Royals.

"We've got three guys on this club that can close for any team," Yost said. "We've got enough candidates in house to be able to handle it."

The Royals also recalled Orlando Calixte from Class AAA to provide some depth in the infield with shortstop Alicedes Escobar's status uncertain. Escobar sprained his left knee when he was slid into by Oakland's Brett Lawrie on Friday night. Outfielder Reymond Fuentes was optioned back to Omaha to clear the roster space.

CARDINALS

Holliday out with tight back

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday left Saturday's game against Cincinnati in the bottom of the first inning because of tightness in his back.

Holliday doubled and scored before leaving. He has hit safely in all 10 games for St. Louis this season, and his double was his first extra-base hit. He is batting .363.

Jon Jay moved from center to left field and Peter Bourjos entered the game.

RANGERS

Moreland may need elbow surgery

Texas Rangers first baseman/designated hitter Mitch Moreland has a loose body in his elbow and could miss two weeks if it continues to cause the joint to lock up, General Manager Jon Daniels said.

Moreland initially felt discomfort Wednesday while swinging a weighted bat in the on-deck circle as he prepped for an at-bat. He felt soreness Thursday, and the left elbow locked up Friday after a few swings and caused him to be scratched from the lineup.

He was sent to an area hospital for an MRI exam, which showed a piece of bone or cartilage in the joint. If he hasn't improved enough by Monday to convince the Rangers that he should continue playing, he will have microscopic surgery and be held out of baseball activities for 7-10 days but return quickly.

"If the swelling goes down, it might be settled and I won't feel it," said Moreland, who wasn't feeling any pain after the Rangers' 3-1 victory Friday. "I don't want it. It's a freak thing. I've swung a heavy bat a million times. Everybody does it. It's just one of those things."

Moreland has never had a full season without an injury concern, the latest coming last year when he had reconstructive ankle surgery and missed most of the season.

PIRATES

Decker activated from DL

PITTSBURGH -- Outfielder Jaff Decker has been activated from the 15-day disabled list by the Pittsburgh Pirates and optioned to Class AAA Indianapolis.

Decker had been at Indianapolis since the start of the season on a rehab assignment. He strained a muscle in his left calf late during spring training.

Pittsburgh announced the move Saturday.

ORIOLES

Bad knee hobbles third starter

BOSTON -- Less than two weeks into the season, the Orioles have taken another significant injury hit.

The team lost their third starter to injury on Saturday as second baseman Jonathan Schoop went on the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 1 partial PCL tear and an MCL sprain in his right knee.

Schoop was injured when he landed awkwardly running through the first-base bag in the fifth inning of the Orioles' 3-2 loss to the Red Sox on Friday. He also absorbed a hard slide at second base from Boston third baseman Pablo Sandoval -- which triggered Ubaldo Jimenez's ejection when Sandoval was hit by a pitch in the fourth -- but Manager Buck Showalter said the injury had nothing to do with that play.

"Yeah, it was on first base," Schoop said. "When I stood up, I felt it a little bit. But I was able to finish the game. On the last play, I was running a little bit and I felt my legs burning. When I came in it was swollen. ... It was swollen a little bit, but I thought ice and treatment would make it better. And try to play. That wasn't it."

The Orioles have reinstated Jimmy Paredes from the disabled list. He could see time at second base as well as DH, but Ryan Flaherty and Everth Cabrera will log most of the innings at second.

Schoop was hitting .259 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI in 9 games this season.

The Orioles are already without catcher Matt Wieters and shortstop J.J. Hardy because of injury

Showalter gave no timetable for Schoop's return, but said he was optimistic he would return this season. He was optimistic that an MRI performed on the knee showed no damage to Schoop's ACL, and the team believes he won't need surgery.

Sports on 04/19/2015

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