Chamberlain suspended
New York Yankees rookie sensation Joba Chamberlain was suspended for two games Friday and fined $1,000, a day after he threw consecutive 98-99 mph pitches over the head of Boston’s Kevin Youkilis.
Chamberlain will not appeal the penalty and was set to sit out Friday night and today against Tampa Bay. Under the Yankees’ rules for him, the 21-year-old reliever wouldn’t have been available to pitch Friday, anyway.
Chamberlain has thrown 11 1/3 scoreless innings in the majors, striking out 17, walking four and allowing just five hits.
Chamberlain, ejected Thursday by plate umpire Angel Hernandez, claimed the ninth-inning pitches slipped and “there was no maliciousness or bad intention.”
The umpires disagreed.
Trachsel will join Cubs
The Chicago Cubs turned to their past to bolster their current push for the playoffs, acquiring right-hander Steve Trachsel from the Baltimore Orioles.
The 36-year-old was drafted by the Cubs in 1991 and pitched for them from 1993-99.
The Cubs sent pitcher Rocky Cherry and infielder Scott Moore to Baltimore for Trachsel.
Martinez nearly ready
Pedro Martinez threw so well in a bullpen session that he may return to the New York Mets next week without making another minor league rehab start.
General manager Omar Minaya said the three-time Cy Young Award winner may start for the Mets on Monday in Cincinnati. Martinez had surgery Oct. 5 to repair a torn rotator cuff and hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since Sept. 27 last year.
•The Oakland Athletics lost three injured players for the remainder of the season – six-time Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez, center fielder Mark Kotsay and rookie outfielder Travis Buck.
•St. Louis outfielder Juan Encarnacion was taken to a hospital after being struck on the left eye by a foul ball while waiting in the on-deck circle.
Encarnacion, who was about to pinch hit in the sixth inning, had no time to react when Aaron Miles was late on a 0-1 pitch from Cincinnati Reds left-hander Jon Coutlangus. He was down for several minutes, blood dripping from his nose, before two trainers helped him off the field.