MLB notes: Toronto RF Jose Bautista strains right shoulder on throw to first
Blue Jays star Jose Bautista strained his right shoulder trying to throw out a Baltimore batter from right field during a testy game, and he was absent from the lineup Wednesday night.
Toronto manager John Gibbons said Bautista could end up on the disabled list if his shoulder doesn’t improve soon.
Bautista’s shoulder had already been sore for about a week before the ill-advised throw. He aggravated the injury trying to nab Delmon Young on a single in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s 13-6 romp over the Orioles.
“That’s when I first said, ‘That wasn’t the smartest thing to do,’ ” Bautista said.
Bautista and the Orioles have been at odds.
Along with a long-standing feud with reliever Darren O’Day, Bautista got into an argument with Orioles outfielder Adam Jones after hitting a home run in the seventh inning.
Jones felt Bautista showboated after homering, while the Toronto slugger was angry that Baltimore rookie reliever Jason Garcia had thrown behind him before he connected.
Mariners sign Quentin
The Seattle Mariners signed outfielder Carlos Quentin to a minor league contract.
Quentin will report to Triple-A Tacoma.
Quentin, 32, was released by the Atlanta Braves on April 14, shortly after being acquired from San Diego as part of a six-player trade that sent reliever Craig Kimbrel to the Padres.
Quentin is a nine-year veteran who has a .252 average with 154 home runs. A two-time All-Star, Quentin had two knee injuries in 2014 that allowed him to play in just 50 games, a career low.
Clearing the bases
The Diamondbacks batted their pitcher in the eighth spot for the second time in franchise history. Rookie Archie Bradley hit eighth against the Rangers on Wednesday, with shortstop Nick Ahmed in the No. 9 spot. … The Nationals placed pitcher Felipe Rivero on the 15-day disabled list and recalled pitcher Matt Grace. … The Rockies reinstated right-handed reliever John Axford from the family medical emergency list after he spent a few days tending to his young son following rattlesnake bites. … The Nationals traded left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno to the Dodgers for cash. The 28-year old Cedeno has pitched in 25 games with the Nationals over the past three years with no record and a 3.38 ERA in 16 innings. … Tigers reliever Joe Nathan left a rehab outing after pitching less than an inning, and Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said the 40-year-old right-hander felt a “pop” while throwing a fastball. … Rays left-hander Drew Smyly is set to rejoin the rotation. After being sidelined by left shoulder tendinitis during spring training, he is scheduled to face Toronto on Friday night. … The Yankees say Bernie Williams will sign a minor league contract Friday and then retire, nine years after playing his last game. Williams became a free agent after the 2006 season, declined the Yankees’ offer to attend spring training in 2007 on a minor league contract and didn’t play again. New York announced in February it will retire Williams’ No. 51.