Off the wire

BASEBALL Peralta rejoins Tigers

The Detroit Tigers will reinstate Jhonny Peralta from his drug suspension this weekend. General Manager Dave Dombrowski said Wednesday in Minnesota that Peralta will join the American League Central leaders Friday in Miami for a season-ending three-game series. Dombrowski said the organization has not discussed whether Peralta will be on the postseason roster. Peralta’s 50-game penalty, part of Major League Baseball’s investigation into the Biogenesis clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs, was completed Wednesday. The All-Star shortstop has been working out in left field because the Tigers acquired shortstop Jose Iglesias from Boston shortly before the ban took effect.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier returned to Southern California on Wednesday to have his troublesome left ankle re-examined, and the team isn’t sure whether he will be available for the National League division series starting next week. Manager Don Mattingly said he has to prepare for the fact Ethier might not be healthy in time for the playoffs. “I think you’re always making plans with different scenarios,” he said. Mattingly was waiting to hear how Ethier’s appointment went with team orthopedist Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Forced to leave a Sept. 13 game against the Giants, Ethier successfully shagged fly balls Tuesday in San Francisco but tried to test the ankle running bases and quickly encountered problems and ended the session. Ethier was expected back in the Bay Area late Wednesday.

BASKETBALL Westbrook uncertain

Oklahoma City General Manager Sam Presti said the timetable for All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook’s return from a knee injury remains uncertain as the Thunder open training camp. During his “state of the franchise” news conference Wednesday, Presti fielded many questions about Westbrook’s status. Westbrook tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee during Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against Houston. Westbrook had surgery April 27 and hasn’t been fully cleared medically yet. Presti said it would be “irresponsible” to say when that might occur but didn’t dispute the notion that Westbrook could miss the Thunder’s season opener Oct. 30 at Utah. Presti said Westbrook has been cleared to participate in portions of training camp, which starts Saturday, but the decision to release him for unrestricted activity “will be a medical decision.”

Former Detroit star Rasheed Wallace rejoined the Pistons on Wednesday as a player development coach. The team also added Henry Bibby and Maz Trakh as assistant coaches. Wallace spent five seasons with Detroit. He helped the Pistons to the 2004 championship and averaged more than 14 points in his career. He joins Bernard Smith on the player development staff. He finished his career last season with New York. Bibby spent the past five seasons on the Memphis Grizzlies’ coaching staff and was an assistant for the Philadelphia 76ers under current Pistons head coach Maurice Cheeks.

HOCKEY Sabres sign Zadorov

The Buffalo Sabres have signed defenseman Nikita Zadorov to a three-year, entry level deal. The 6-5 defenseman was one of two first round picks for Buffalo in the 2013 draft, selected 16th overall. In three preseason games, Zadorov has a goal and four penalty minutes. He had 25 points and 54 penalty minutes last year in 63 games for the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights. Zadorov will have an opportunity to make the team. If not, he will be returned to the Knights.

HORSE RACING Baffle Me wins

Baffle Me rolled to a 2½-length victory over Moment in Dixie on Wednesday in the $100,000 Jazzy Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf at Belmont Park. The 8-5 favorite, Baffle Me raced to her fifth victory in 18 starts, with Javier Castellano riding the 4-year-old for trainer Mark Hennig. The time was 1:20.81 for seven furlongs on the firm turf. Baffle Me paid $5.50, $3.50 and $2.60. Moment in Dixie returned $9.90 and $5.90, and Free as a Bird paid $3.20.

MOTOR SPORTS Blaney would like additional races

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Penske Racing’s most recent winner heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for a regularly scheduled Truck Series race.

That’s as far into the future Ryan Blaney is willing to look right now.

Under contract to Penske Racing, he’s gotten two Nationwide Series starts this season and picked up his first career victory Saturday night at Kentucky in the No. 22 Ford. He drives full-time for Brad Keselowski Racing in the Truck Series, has one win and is ranked fifth in the standings headed into Las Vegas.

But after that win at Kentucky, everybody wants to know what the 19-year-old driver is doing next year. Blaney said Wednesday he doesn’t know.

“There has been very, very little talks with other teams. Right now my loyalty is to Penske Racing and finishing out this 2013 season very strong, either in that Nationwide car, if I get another race, or finishing out the Truck season very strong for Brad Keselowski Racing,” he said. “Just really focused on that right now, and then in the offseason, we’ll see what doors open up or if we progress here with Penske like planned.”

Blaney’s name had been heating up even before Saturday night’s victory.

With Furniture Row Racing needing a replacement for Kurt Busch in the No. 78 Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series, the team had recently seemed keen on finding a young driver and Blaney’s name had been mentioned as a possible candidate.

But the Penske organization seems determined to keep him, particularly now that Nationwide Series points leader Sam Hornish Jr. has revealed he’s looking for something for 2014. Penske fields cars in the Cup Series for defending champion Keselowski and for Joey Logano, and the two share a seat in the Nationwide Series alongside Hornish.

Blaney admitted he wants more races.

“I think to really progress, I’d obviously like to do more Nationwide races than I got this year. I only got about two this year,” Blaney said. “I’d like to do a lot more of that, especially with how relaxed the Truck schedule is, only running 22 times a year. You have a lot of down time.”

Although he’s had a decent amount of testing in the Cup car with Penske, he said he’s eager for more seat time in the Nationwide car.

“Wish I had more Nationwide races to get me more experience in those cars. So that’s really what I’d like, but it’s not my decision to make,” Blaney continued.