RANGERS
Gallo, Bush on protocol
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The hard collision between slugger Joey Gallo and reliever Matt Bush on Sunday afternoon has knocked Bush (knee sprain) to the disabled list. Both were placed into MLB's concussion protocol after the collision. Gallo also suffered a nasal fracture.
The Rangers recalled outfielder Ryan Rua from Class AAA Round Rock and purchased the contract of right-handed reliever Nick Gardewine from Class AA Frisco to replace them.
Gallo began Monday tied for second in the AL in home runs with Kansas City's Mike Moustakas at 35. They were two behind New York's Aaron Judge. Gallo and Seattle's Nelson Cruz each have 14 home runs since the All-Star break to lead the AL.
With Gallo and Carlos Gomez (cyst) currently out of the lineup, it is likely that Drew Robinson and Rua will form something of a left-right platoon in left field. Delino DeShields has been playing center field regularly.
Rua spent the first 10 weeks of the season in the majors, but hit only .202 in 99 at-bats. He was called back up on July 31, but did not appear in a game during 11 days with the team and was sent back to Round Rock. He lost playing time earlier this year due to a lack of success against lefties in a limited role, batting only .217 with a .598 OPS.
Gardewine, who turned 24 on Aug. 15, is the second August bullpen call-up to go straight from Class AA to the majors. He joins Ricardo Rodriguez, who was called up two weeks ago. The common denominator: Both have been extreme strike throwers.
Gardewine has walked 12 batters in 33 innings this year and just 3 in 17.1 innings since July 1. A seventh-round pick in 2013, Gardewine has a fastball in the 93-95 mph range and compliments it with a hard slider.
METS
LHP Matz facing surgery
Steven Matz has been pitching through pain most of the season, sources told Newsday on Monday.
Now, a source said, the Mets left-hander may need surgery to correct a recently discovered nerve issue in his elbow.
The nerve problem is similar to the one that forced Jacob deGrom to undergo a season-ending procedure last year.
Manager Terry Collins said Matz likely will be scratched from his scheduled start today, and may wind up on the disabled list. But Collins declined to elaborate.
An elbow problem in spring training forced Matz onto the DL at the start of the year. He returned in June but his performance only grew worse.
Sources said Matz was skipping bullpen sessions to keep pitching through the pain, which the Mets permitted because tests showed that the lefty's elbow was not damaged structurally. Publicly, Matz has insisted that he is healthy, and he kept pitching despite a checkered injury history that dates back to his earliest days in professional baseball.
Collins has made references to Matz dealing with adversity, and the pain has persisted, leading to an examination in which the nerve condition was diagnosed.
GM: No more moves
Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson said Monday there aren't any other moves "in the works" with the Aug. 31 waiver deadline a little more than a week away.
The Mets had a busy weekend, trading Curtis Granderson to the Dodgers for minor-league pitcher Jacob Rhame on Friday and allowing catcher Rene Rivera to jump to the world champion Cubs on a straight waiver claim Saturday.
Sources told Newsday on Sunday that trade interest in infielder Asdrubal Cabrera has picked up, but Alderson said that nothing was imminent on that front.
"There's another week or so between now and the Aug. 31 deadline for players to be on a playoff roster. So, anything can happen," Alderson said while speaking with reporters at the Mets' Military Softball Classic at Citi Field on Monday morning. "As of right now, there's nothing in the works."
TWINS
Sano on 10-day DL
CHICAGO -- The Minnesota Twins have placed All-Star third baseman Miguel Sano on the 10-day disabled list with a stress reaction in his left shin bone.
First baseman Kennys Vargas was recalled Monday from Class AAA Rochester for the fifth time this season to fill Sano's spot. The Twins also designated left-hander Nik Turley as their 26th player for Monday's doubleheader against Chicago and summoned right-hander Tim Melville from Rochester so he could start the first game against the White Sox.
Sano was pulled from the game Saturday and sat out Sunday. He's batting .267 with 15 doubles, 28 home runs and 77 RBI in 111 games this season.
Vargas has hit .243 with 9 doubles, 8 homers and 30 RBI in 51 games for the Twins.
Sports on 08/22/2017