INDIANS
Kluber on IL with broken arm
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians placed star pitcher Corey Kluber on the injured list with a broken right arm that will sideline him indefinitely.
Kluber sustained a non-displaced fracture of his ulna bone on Wednesday night when he was hit by a line drive against Miami. He underwent further imaging test on Thursday at the Cleveland Clinic, and the results confirmed the diagnosis.
The Indians said Kluber does not need surgery for now. He will be re-examined in three to four weeks.
Kluber's loss is a major blow to the Indians, who trail Minnesota in the American League Central and haven't been hitting. Cleveland is missing two starters from one of baseball's best rotations as Mike Clevinger remains out with a strained back muscle.
The 33-year-old Kluber was not pitching up to his standards early this season, but the right-hander is still the club's ace and a leader.
Cleveland recalled reliever Jon Edwards.
GIANTS
Parra designated for assignment
CINCINNATI -- The San Francisco Giants designated outfielder Gerardo Parra for assignment and called up Mike Gerber to take his spot in a lineup that's struggled to hit.
Parra, 31, signed a minor league deal on Feb. 12 that included a $1.75 million salary when he made the Giants. Parra struggled in 30 games, batting .198 with 1 home run and 6 RBI. The Giants batted only .231 in their last 10 games.
San Francisco claimed Gerber off waivers from Detroit last December. He was batting .357 with 6 home runs and 15 RBI at Class AAA Sacramento.
The Giants also put catcher Erik Kratz on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring and recalled right-hander Tyler Beede to start against the Reds on Friday.
YANKEES
Andujar to return today
NEW YORK -- The banged-up New York Yankees are finally starting to get some of their bats back.
Third baseman Miguel Andujar is set to come off the injured list today, and the team hopes infielder DJ LeMahieu will return to the lineup today as well. Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier is scheduled to follow on Monday, when center fielder Aaron Hicks could begin a minor league rehab assignment.
With 13 players still on the injured list, Manager Aaron Boone gave a long rundown of medical status reports Friday before New York opened a homestand against the major league-leading Minnesota Twins.
The most encouraging news involved Andujar, sidelined since April 1 with a small labrum tear in his right shoulder. Initially, the fear was he might need surgery that would jeopardize the remainder of his season, but Andujar responded well to a rehab program and rejoined the Yankees on Friday.
NATIONALS
Pitching coach Lilliquist fired
WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals fired pitching coach Derek Lilliquist on Thursday night.
Minor league pitching coordinator Paul Menhart was promoted to replace Lilliquist. General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement moments after the Nationals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 in a game delayed 2½ hours by rain at the start.
"We felt that both the rotation and the bullpen, we thought that we had some flaws in there," Rizzo said. "We thought that there [were] preparation issues in there and we thought that we wanted to get a new message and a new voice."
Rizzo reiterated his support for Manager Dave Martinez and said the two made the decision together.
The victory Thursday prevented a four-game sweep and improved Washington's record to 13-17.
Despite an imposing rotation highlighted by three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, three-time All-Star Stephen Strasburg and $140 million free agent Patrick Corbin, the Nationals began the day with a 4.95 ERA that ranked 13th out of 15 NL teams.
Washington's relievers were last in the NL with a 6.02 ERA, though the bullpen has improved of late.
"I was surprised, to be honest," closer Sean Doolittle said after earning his fourth save.
"I know that the bullpen didn't get off to the start that we wanted to, but here kind of over the homestand over the last week or so things have really fallen into place nicely. The starters all year long have done really, really well."
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
Sports on 05/04/2019