PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander A.J. Burnett (North Little Rock, Central Arkansas Christian) is hopeful of pitching again this season after an MRI on his pitching elbow revealed a strained flexor tendon rather than a torn ligament.
Burnett, 38, said Monday that “I’m going to do everything I can to make it back.” He reiterated that he will retire at the end of the season.
Doctors told Burnett to rest four weeks before he starts throwing again, but he said that is subject to change. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday
Burnett has gone 1-2 with a 10.13 ERA in three starts since the All-Star break, allowing at least five runs in each outing. That came following a first half in which he went 7-3 with a 2.11 ERA in 18 starts and was selected to the All-Star game for the first time in his 17-year career.
Also, first baseman/outfielder Michael Morse joined the Pirates after being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade last week.
The Dodgers got Morse from Miami in a three-player trade that also involved Atlanta. Los Angeles immediately designated Morse for assignment, then traded him for minor league outfielder Jose Tabata a day later.
Morse, 33, hit just .212 with 4 home runs and 12 RBIs in 53 games with Miami. He signed a two-year, $16 million contract with his hometown team in the offseason after helping San Francisco win a World Series title last year.
BLUE JAYS-ROYALS
Feud escalated by Twitter barbs
TORONTO — The Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays have moved on from their weekend series, but after an exchange of hit batters, they’re now trading barbs on Twitter.
First, Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista posted a message Sunday night, saying he had “lost a lot of respect” for Royals Manager Ned Yost after hearing him praise home plate umpire Jim Wolf’s handling of Sunday’s game.
Two Toronto batters were hit by pitches and reliever Aaron Sanchez was ejected for retaliating by hitting Kansas City infielder Alcides Escobar.
That prompted Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura to post Tweets calling Bautista a “nobody” and accuse him of stealing signs. Ventura later deleted the messages.
Bautista took the high road when asked to respond to Ventura’s comments Monday.
“He’s a young player that could use some maturing,” Bautista said. “Hopefully he focuses on playing the game and allowing his ability to create a name for himself.”
Bautista didn’t back down from his remarks about Yost, calling the manager’s praise of Wolf “ridiculous.” Wolf warned both benches after Kansas City pitcher Edinson Volquez hit Toronto’s Josh Donaldson in the first inning of Sunday’s game, a 5-2 Blue Jays victory. Donaldson complained to Wolf after Volquez and reliever Ryan Madson missed high and inside later in the game. Madson also hit Toronto’s Troy Tulowitzki. Neither pitcher was ejected.
Volquez responded after the game by calling Donaldson “a little baby.”
Wolf ejected Sanchez after Escobar was hit on the thigh in the eighth, causing both benches and both bullpens to empty. Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons, who had been ejected earlier for arguing with Wolf, returned to the field for the melee. No punches were thrown.
CUBS
Szczur recalled from AAA Iowa
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs recalled outfielder Matt Szczur from Class AAA Iowa and designated left-hander Clayton Richard for assignment Monday night before their game with Pittsburgh.
Szczur was hitting .295 with 7 home runs, 26 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 58 games with Iowa. In 32 games with the Cubs earlier this season, he batted.211 with 1 home run, 8 RBI and 2 steals.
Richard was 2-0 with a 4.29 ERA in four games. Right-hander Dan Haren, acquired last Friday from Miami in a trade, will take Richard’s spot in the rotation and make his Cubs’ debut Wednesday night against the Pirates.
WHITE SOX
OF Thompson called up
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox recalled outfielder Trayce Thompson, brother of Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, from Class AAA Charlotte before the game with Tampa Bay on Monday.
Thompson, 24, takes the roster spot of right-hander Scott Carroll, who was optioned to the minors Sunday. The White Sox had been playing one outfielder short since J.B. Shuck (left hamstring strain) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday.
Thompson was hitting .260 with 13 home runs, 39 RBI and 53 runs for Charlotte this season.
ATHLETICS
Crisp returns from neck injury
OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland Athletics left fielder Coco Crisp has been activated from the 60-day disabled list after being sidelined with a strained neck since May 20.
Crisp was in the lineup and batted second in his return Monday night for the opener of a three-game series against Baltimore. Manager Bob Melvin said he expects Crisp to play a couple of games then get a day off as he gets back into the flow.
The Athletics optioned outfielder Jake Smolinski to Class AAA Nashville to clear roster room. Oakland also recalled right-hander Arnold Leon from Nashville to get a better look at the reliever in a new bullpen role, Melvin said. Right-hander Dan Otero also was optioned to Nashville.
Also, infielder/outfielder Danny Valencia was claimed off waivers from Toronto and was expected to join the team today.