Stress fracture idles Bauer 4-6 weeks
CLEVELAND — Trevor Bauer won’t let a stress fracture in his right leg get in the way of throwing a baseball.
The Indians right-hander, one of the leading candidates for the AL Cy Young Award, will be out four to six weeks, but he’s still keeping his arm in shape.
Wearing a walking boot, Bauer played catch from his knees with an athletic trainer Friday before the Indians beat the Orioles 2-1. Carlos Carrasco won his 15th game with seven scoreless innings, and Jose Ramirez hit his 37th home run.
Marlins: RHP Jose Urena is appealing his six-game suspension for intentionally hitting Braves OF Ronald Acuna Jr. with a pitch. Manager Don Mattingly didn’t rule out using Urena (3-12, 4.74) this weekend. If he did pitch and then dropped his appeal Monday, he would miss a series next week against the Braves.
Nationals: Max Scherzer pitched six scoreless innings for his MLB-leading 16th win, and Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Wieters homered in an 8-2 win over the Marlins. Bryce Harper and Adam Eaton had three hits apiece. Austin Dean homered for his first career hit for the Marlins. ... RHP Jeremy Hellickson will be go on the DL (sprained wrist).
“It’s something I can do every day, something I plan on doing every day, because the overall stress is way less relative to what I’ve been experiencing the whole season,” Bauer said.
Bauer acknowledged he didn’t take the news very well when he learned he would be out for an extended period of time. “I was furious,” he said. Bauer, hit by a liner from the White Sox’s Jose Abreu, is 12-6 with a 2.22 ERA in 25 starts. He’s third in the AL in ERA, second in innings pitched with 166 and fourth in strikeouts with 214.
Bauer could return in middle to late September. Manager
Phillies: Aaron Nola (14-3, 2.24) struck out 11 in seven three-hit innings of a 4-2 victory over the Mets. Nola improved to 9-0 with a 2.00 ERA in 12 starts at home. Asdrubal Cabrera had an RBI double, and Nick Williams and Jorge Alfaro drove in runs.
Red Sox: Xander Bogaerts belted a two-run triple and two doubles and the Red Sox scored seven straight runs after allowing three in the first to beat the Rays 7-3. Jackie Bradley Jr. had two hits, including an RBI double, as the Red Sox improved on the best record in the majors with their 87th victory. ... 2B Ian Kinsler (hamstring) was activated, and 3B Rafael Devers (hamstring) was placed on the DL. Terry Francona knows the pitcher’s arm will be ready.
“I think in about 10 days he can throw standing, and then in another 10 days it’s probably close to mound work,” Francona said. “My guess is his arm is going to feel pretty good.”
Bauer believes some critics haven’t fully recognized the kind of season he is having.
“I’m sure there are plenty of people that are happy about the fact that they get to ignore that I’m one of the best pitchers in the league for another year,” he said. “They don’t have to face that reality. But they’ll have to deal with it at some point.”
Dodgers: Closer Kenley Jansen hopes to be cleared to return to pitching next week. Jansen, on the DL with an irregular heartbeat, threw about 20 pitches in a bullpen session. ... OF Yasiel Puig is appealing his two-game suspension for inciting a fight in a game against the Giants. Puig can play during the appeal.
Reds: Phillip Ervin’s walk-off home run leading off the bottom of the 11th led the Reds past the Giants 2-1. David Hernandez (5-0) struck out two in a perfect 11th as the Reds ended a fourgame losing streak. Andrew McCutchen had three of the Giants’ eight hits. ... 1B Joey Votto went on the DL with a bruised lower right leg.