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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

MLB Notebook: Tigers’ Victor Martinez suffering from heart problem

Detroit Tigers’ Victor Martinez reacts after being called out on strikes against the Chicago White Sox on May 28, 2017, in Chicago. The Tigers placed Martinez on the D.L. with an irregular heartbeat. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)
Associated Press

The Detroit Tigers have put designated hitter Victor Martinez on the 10-day disabled list because of an irregular heartbeat.

Martinez came out of Thursday’s win over Tampa Bay in the seventh inning with a racing heartbeat, dizziness and cold sweats. He was originally treated in the clubhouse for dehydration, but was taken to the hospital when the symptoms continued.

The 38-year-old Martinez was still in the hospital on Friday afternoon as the doctors tried to find the cause.

“It’s a little scary,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “It’s not something that, at his age, you generally consider an issue or worry about.”

“I think there’s a little bit of an unknown factor, which is causing more anxiety than anything else,” he said

The Tigers called up catcher/first baseman John Hicks from Triple-A Toledo.

Miguel Cabrera, who hit a game-winning homer in the ninth inning on Thursday, was the designated hitter Friday against the Rays. Cabrera is dealing with back and groin problems and hadn’t homered since May 20.

Cubs’ Zobrist hits disabled list

The Chicago Cubs have put switch-hitter Ben Zobrist on the 10-day disabled list because of an inflamed right wrist.

The move was made prior to Friday night’s game against Pittsburgh and was retroactive to June 13. Zobrist, who plays outfield and infield, sat out a three-game series against the Mets at New York earlier this week.

Infielder Tommy La Stella was recalled from Triple-A Iowa and was in the lineup at third base as 2016 N.L. MVP Kris Bryant got a day off.

Zobrist is hoping he will be ready to be activated as soon as his 10 days are up. He has a .223 batting average and seven home runs in 54 games.

“I can’t swing right-handed right now,” Zobrist said. “I’ve already missed three games and I felt it was better that we get somebody extra for the bench for a few days.”

La Stella is in his third stint with the Cubs this season and hit .304 with one home run in his previous 16 games.

O’s closer Britton champing at bit

Standout closer Zach Britton returned to Camden Yards on Friday, eager to start the next stage of his plan to get back to the Baltimore bullpen.

Britton went on the 10-day disabled list a second time in early May with a left forearm strain. The Orioles left-hander was working his way back from the injury in Florida, and now he’s ready to ramp up the action.

“Physically, I’m past anything with the injury,” Britton said. “Now it’s just about building innings, getting back into pitching form and the mindset where you stop worrying about being injured.”

Britton will start for Class A Aberdeen on Monday. He will continue to work in the minors before tentatively returning around the middle of July.

“The end date is kind of up in the air,” he said. “We’ve been taking it step by step. I threw a (simulated) game yesterday and feel good. We’re not trying to jump the gun or anything, but we’re over the injury so maybe now we can put together a more accurate plan of when I get back.”

The Orioles have no intention of rushing the process, even though they’ve been struggling of late. Britton was initially placed on the DL on April 16, activated on May 2 and was back on the disabled list after pitching on May 4.

Treating him tenderly this time appears to have paid off.

“You can tell by talking to him he feels good about where he is,” manager Buck Showalter said.

Britton went 2-1 with an 0.54 ERA last year and had 47 saves in 47 tries. This season, he’s got a 1.00 ERA and five saves.

The Orioles could use him. Their bullpen is depleted from too many abbreviated outings by the starting staff, and Darren O’Day – another key figure in the back end of the bullpen – is also on the DL.

Baltimore lost 16 of 23 before Friday.

“It’s been tough to watch as a teammate, not being here to help,” Britton said.

Mets put Harvey, Lagares on shelf

The New York Mets have put pitcher Matt Harvey and outfielder Juan Lagares on the 10-day disabled list and promoted infielder Matt Reynolds and outfielder Brandon Nimmo from Triple-A Las Vegas.

The banged-up Mets made the moves before Friday night’s game against Washington.

Harvey left Wednesday night’s start against the Cubs because of a stress injury to the scapula bone in his right shoulder. Lagares broke his left thumb trying to make a diving catch on Thursday night against the Nationals.

Reynolds was with the Mets earlier this season and hit .174 with one home run in 20 games. Nimmo was batting .223 with three homers and 16 RBIs in 38 games at Triple-A.