MLB REPORT
CHICAGO CUBS
Closer Craig Kimbrel was placed on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation, and All-Star catcher Willson Contreras will miss the next four weeks with a right hamstring strain.
Kimbrel says his knee started bothering him while he was closing out Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the Brewers. The IL stint is retroactive to Sunday, and Kimbrel thinks he will be ready when he is eligible to return.
Contreras also was hurt Saturday. He had an MRI on Monday that showed a Grade 2 strain. He experienced a similar injury in 2017.
The Cubs recalled righthander Duane Underwood Jr. before their series opener against Oakland.
NEW YORK METS
Second baseman Robinson Cano is back on the injured list after he strained his left hamstring Sunday at Pittsburgh.
In his first season with the Mets after being acquired from Seattle, the 36-year-old was limited to one game between May 22 and June 16 because of a strained left quadriceps. He is hitting .252 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs
TAMPA BAY RAYS
Righthander Yonny Chirinos was placed on the 10-day injured list with right middle finger inflammation and is expected to miss at least a month, making him the team’s third starter to go on the IL.
AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell has been out since July 22 with bone chips in his left elbow that required surgery, and Tyler Glasnow has been sidelined since May 10 due to a right forearm strain.
The Rays have not ruled out all three returning in September.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Asdrúbal Cabrera was signed to a major league deal to bolster the team’s infield depth.
Cabrera, 33, appeared in 93 games with the Texas Rangers this season before he was designated for assignment Wednesday. He then cleared outright waivers and became a free agent, giving every major league team a chance to pick him up.
The Nationals jumped at the opportunity, and adding Cabrera provides insurance with Ryan Zimmerman and Howie Kendrick on the injured list.
Cabrera hit .235 for Texas with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs. He played 49 games for the Nationals in 2014 after arriving via a midseason trade with the Cleveland Indians.