Notes

LITTLE ROCK — BRAVES

Maholm, Johnson acquired

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves have boosted their rotation and added a right-handed bat to their bench by acquiring left-hander Paul Maholm and outfielder Reed Johnson from the Chicago Cubs.

Braves General Manager Frank Wren confirmed late Monday night the team is sending right-handed pitchers Arodys Vizcaino, a top prospect who had season-ending elbow ligament replacement surgery in April, and Jaye Chapman to the Cubs.

Maholm, 29, is 9-6 with a 3.74 ERA, including a 4-0 record and 1.23 ERA in July. He is 62-79 in eight seasons, including seven with Pittsburgh.

Johnson is hitting .333 against left-handers this season. He is 13 for 29 (.448) as a pinch hitter.

The Braves have won six consecutive and trail first-place Washington by 3 1/2 games in the NL East.

MARLINS Zambrano to bullpen

ATLANTA - The Miami Marlins moved Carlos Zambrano to the bullpen Monday.

Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen said left hander Wade LeBlanc, who has worked only in relief this season, will take Zambrano’s spot in the rotation on Wednesday night against the Atlanta Braves.

LeBlanc is 1-1 with a 1.15 ERA. He was 17-21 with a 4.47 ERA in 52 career starts the past four years with San Diego.

Zambrano is 5-9 with a 4.54 ERA. He gave up 5 runs, 4 earned, in 5-plus innings of a loss to the Padres on Friday night.

Zambrano was strong through five innings before collapsing in the sixth. He has a 6.91 ERA in his last three starts.

Guillen is hoping for better results from Zambrano in relief.

“I want to put him there to see how it works,” Guillen said.

Zambrano, 30, is 1-2 with a 5.05 ERA in 37 career appearances as a reliever.

He has a career 3.63 ERA as a starter, but posted a career-worst 4.82 ERA with the Chicago Cubs last season and has lacked consistency with the Marlins.

“I want to see why he pitches one, two innings and then he lost it,” Guillen said.

Guillen said Zambrano was “disappointed” and “embarrassed” but “is taking it the right way.” BREWERS Bullpen coach fired

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers fired bullpen coach Stan Kyles following another meltdown by their relievers.

Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin said Monday that the change was necessary to improve a bullpen that has recorded the most losses and blown saves in the major leagues.

Kyles had been the bullpen coach since 2009.

He will be replaced in the interim by Lee Tunnel, who is in his fourth season with the Brewers as minor league pitching coordinator.

Brewers’ relievers have gone 15-26 with a 4.80 ERA this season. The Washington Nationals took advantage of the Brewers’ beleaguered bullpen Sunday in an 11-10 victory in 11 innings.

RANGERS Moreland activated

ARLINGTON, Texas - The Texas Rangers have activated first baseman Mitch Moreland from the disabled list and optioned outfielder Leonys Martin to Class AAA Round Rock.

Moreland was in the lineup for Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. He has been out since June 19 when he strained his left hamstring running out a ground ball in San Diego.

Moreland is hitting .272 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI in 55 games. He played in five games on rehabilitation stints with Round Rock and Class AA Frisco.

Martin hit .189 in 15 games with the Rangers.

ORIOLES Thome to have tests

NEW YORK - Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Jim Thome is headed back to Baltimore to have tests on his sore neck.

Thome said Monday, before the Orioles played the New York Yankees, that he will have a magnetic resonance imaging today because the spasms in his neck aren’t subsiding.

He said he is having the scan to make sure there is nothing structurally wrong.

Baltimore Manager Buck Showalter said the slugger was given a pain injection and trigger-point treatment Sunday.

Thome, 41, who has hit 611 career home runs, hasn’t played since Friday night. He left the Orioles clubhouse around 4:30 p.m. to make a train back to Baltimore.

Since joining the Orioles in a July 1 trade with Philadelphia, Thome is hitting .261 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI in 69 at-bats.