Royals get apology
Major League Baseball has apologized to the Kansas City Royals for a breakdown in its replay process during a crucial moment in a 2-1 loss to the Cleveland Indians. The issue occurred in the eighth inning of a tied game Tuesday night, when first base umpire Bob Davidson ruled the Indians’ Jose Ramirez had beaten out a relay throw to prevent a double play. Replays showed Ramirez was out, but the call stood after a nearly three-minute review. The Indians wound up scoring the go-ahead run later in the inning. MLB said Wednesday that the “super slow motion view” was delayed in getting to the replay crew in New York, so umpires there had to render a decision without that information.
Josh Hamilton will be out four weeks with a strained left hamstring, an injury that is sidelining him just seven games into his return to the Texas Rangers. He missed the past two games while getting treatment for an injury that he says was likely aggravated when he had a game-winning double as a pinch-hitter Sunday against Boston. The team said after Wednesday night’s 9-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox that an MRI revealed the strain. Hamilton returned to Texas in a trade after two disappointing seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. He was an All-Star all five seasons with the Rangers before signing a five-year, $125 million contract with the Angels in 2013. Hamilton, 34, said he felt nagging groin and hamstring issues while on minor league rehab assignments before returning to the majors.
The Boston Red Sox have acquired outfielder Alejandro De Aza and cash considerations from the Baltimore Orioles for minor league right-hander Joe Gunkel. De Aza is expected to join the Red Sox today for the finale of their four-game series against the Minnesota Twins. He hit .214 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI for the Orioles in 30 games this season before being designated for assignment May 27. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, Boston transferred righthander Brandon Workman from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Gunkel is 3-2 with a 2.90 ERA in Class A and Class AA this year. Colorado Rockies pitcher Jordan Lyles will have season-ending surgery to fix a torn ligament in his left big toe. The right-hander is scheduled to have the procedure next Wednesday in Denver for what he described as “Tommy John [surgery] for my big toe.” Lyles initially hurt his toe May 23 and tried to pitch through the discomfort. He re-aggravated the injury when he tried to avoid a line-drive single up the middle Sunday in Philadelphia. Lyles is 2-5 with a 5.14 ERA this season. The 24-year-old missed two months last season with a fractured left hand.
The Chicago Cubs placed right fielder Jorge Soler on the 15-day disabled list because of a left ankle sprain. Soler, who was batting .265, could miss up to three weeks. He injured the ankle while lunging to first base Monday. Soler returned to Chicago on Wednesday after undergoing an MRI on Tuesday.
The slumping Seattle Mariners have acquired Mark Trumbo from the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of a six-player trade in the hopes of boosting their struggling offense. The teams announced the trade Wednesday after each had finished off a day game. Seattle landed Trumbo and left-handed pitcher Vidal Nuno in exchange for catcher Welington Castillo, right-hander Dominic Leone and minor league prospects Gabby Guerrero and Jack Reinheimer. Trumbo is hitting .259 with 9 home runs and 23 RBI for the Diamondbacks.