ST. LOUIS -- When Steve Cishek heard he might be traded, the side-arm reliever hoped it would be to the St. Louis Cardinals. He got his wish.
The Cardinals added Cishek to the roster Saturday, bolstering a bullpen that's been heavily used, and optioned rookie lefty Tim Cooney to Triple-A Memphis.
"I just remember telling my wife, if I would be traded to the Cardinals it would be the best situation possible situation," Cishek said. "It's going to be sweet coming out here and every seat's filled and the crowd's just jumping. I'm beyond thrilled to be here."
The team also announced that lefty Jaime Garcia, on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left groin, would rejoin the rotation either Tuesday or Wednesday. Garcia, 3-3 with a 1.69 ERA in seven starts, threw five hitless innings in his lone rehab start.
"When he's right and he's healthy, we want him on the mound," manager Mike Matheny said. "Everything was right, so let's go."
John Lackey would be on regular rest to pitch Tuesday but the 36-year-old right-hander will likely get an extra day of rest.
The NL Central leaders made the roster move a day after Cooney earned his first win in the majors this year by pitching seven strong innings against Atlanta.
St. Louis got Cishek, who has closing experience, from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Double-A pitcher Kyle Barraclough on Friday.
"Just want to first get him acclimated here, and who knows what that role might mean," Matheny said. "It will be more on need than anything else."
Cishek, 29, was 2-6 with three saves and a 4.50 ERA. He was demoted to Double-A earlier this season where he addressed mechanical difficulties, and had an 0.71 ERA in 13 games since returning to Miami in mid-June.
"Whenever my spot comes up, I'm just here to do whatever," Cishek said. "I'm a relatively quiet guy and just like to follow along with what skipper says.
"If he wants me to pitch the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth or 10th or play right field if we run out of position players, sure enough I'll do it."
Cooney is 1-0 with a 3.16 ERA in six starts for St. Louis.
TIGERS
Simon leaves game with limp
BOSTON -- Detroit Tigers starter Alfredo Simon left Saturday's 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox after throwing a pitch in the seventh inning with what was termed "a slight groin injury."
Simon threw the second pitch of the inning to Pablo Sandoval. Shortstop Jose Iglesias and catcher James McCann trotted to the mound. Simon appeared to land awkwardly after stretching his right leg.
Manager Brad Ausmus and a trainer came to the mound and Simon walked off slowly. He was replaced by Ian Krol.
Simon said after the game that he didn't think he would miss his next start.
"I don't think it's that bad," he said. "I felt it a little bit and that's when I stopped. I don't want it to be worse."
Ausmus also thinks he will make his next start.
"We're planning for him to make a start," he said.
Simon (9-6) got the win, allowing one run and five hits.
INDIANS
Statue of Doby unveiled
CLEVELAND -- Larry Doby's legacy as a baseball player and pioneer has a permanent home.
The Cleveland Indians unveiled a bronze statue of Doby, the first African-American player in the American League, before Saturday night's game against the Chicago White Sox.
Doby's son, Larry Jr., unveiled the statue, which stands outside Progressive Field and depicts his father completing his swing after hitting the ball.
Several other members of Doby's family, Indians owner Paul Dolan, Jim "Mudcat" Grant -- Doby's roommate with the Indians -- and Ted Toles, who played in the Negro Leagues for the Cleveland Buckeyes, were among those on hand for the ceremony, as well as several hundred fans.
"If my father was here he'd be overjoyed," Larry Doby Jr. said. "This is for our family and for Cleveland. Dad told me he was never booed in Cleveland and he always remembered that."
The statue stands alongside those of Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller and first baseman Jim Thome.
Doby's first game was July 5, 1947, just months after Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Doby was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 and died in 2003.
"He goes beyond wins and losses," Dolan said. "He was a man who was second to none and it's time the world got to know him."
After playing several years in the Negro Leagues, Doby was signed by Indians owner Bill Veeck and debuted two months into the '47 season. Doby suffered the same hardships Robinson did when it came to adjusting to life in the major leagues. He endured racist taunts from fans and opposing players, had a difficult time being accepted by some teammates and was forced to stay in separate accommodations in spring training and on the road.
Doby overcame the challenges and made the All-Star team seven times. A left-handed hitting outfielder, he was a key member of the Indians team that won the 1948 World Series -- the franchise's last championship -- and the 1954 club that won 111 games, a record for victories in a season at the time. Doby batted .272 and led the league with 32 homers and 126 RBIs that season.
Grant joined the Indians in 1958 and still remembers the experiences he learned from being Doby's friend.
"He never wavered from how well he was going to play and how well he was going to do," Grant said. "He became an All-Star and a Hall of Famer."
Doby played for the White Sox in 1956-57 before returning to the Indians in 1958. He ended his career in 1959, playing for Detroit and the White Sox. Doby finished with a career .283 average, 253 home runs and 970 RBI. He batted over .300 and topped the 30-home run mark twice and drove in 100 runs five times.
Sports on 07/26/2015