Baseball notebook: Matsuzaka to miss start
Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka will skip his next turn in the rotation with weakness in his right shoulder, and the Japanese phenom could be headed to the disabled list.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona said the team had nothing official to announce. But he said an MRI exam showed no structural damage, though there was a weakness and “we’re going to have to fix it.”
Matsuzaka’s day to pitch is Thursday, but that’s also the day John Smoltz is scheduled to make his return from rehab.
Matsuzaka is 1-5 with an 8.23 ERA this year.
Giants honor Johnson
Tom Seaver, Gaylord Perry and Nolan Ryan – all Hall of Fame members of the 300 wins club – showed up to celebrate Randy Johnson’s milestone.
The Giants honored the Big Unit before Saturday’s game against Texas for becoming the 24th pitcher to reach 300. Johnson, 45, won at Washington on June 4 for No. 300.
“I’d like to thank all the teams that I played for – Montreal, Seattle, Houston, New York, Arizona and of course San Francisco – and all the fans,” Johnson said. “And all my teammates on all those teams that I’ve learned a lot from and hopefully I taught a little bit to some of them as well. I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank all the team doctors and trainers.”
Clearing the bases
Suspended slugger Manny Ramirez of the Los Angeles Dodgers is set to start his minor league stint on Tuesday with Triple-A Albuquerque. He is eligible to be reinstated on July 3, when the Dodgers are in San Diego. … Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard extended his consecutive games streak by hitting a three-run homer as a pinch-hitter, hours after he was hospitalized with flu symptoms. Howard has played 343 straight games, the longest active streak. … Cincinnati shortstop Alex Gonzalez went back on the disabled list with bone chips in his throwing elbow. The Reds called up infielder Danny Richar from Triple-A Louisville to take his place. … The Kansas City Royals have sent struggling right-hander Kyle Davies to Triple-A Omaha and activated reliever Robinson Tejeda off the 15-day DL.