TIGERS
Former Card gets deal
DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers announced they are signing former St. Louis Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal to a minor-league deal after he threw a bullpen session Saturday at Comerica Park.
The veteran right-hander pitched in 12 games this season with the Washington Nationals, posting a 22.74 ERA. He missed the entire 2018 season after having Tommy John surgery.
Rosenthal, 29, had 121 saves in six seasons with the Cardinals. He is expected to report to Class AAA Toledo.
CARDINALS
Ozuna on injured list
SAN DIEGO -- The St. Louis Cardinals have placed outfielder Marcell Ozuna on the injured list with a fractured finger on his right hand.
Ozuna was injured Friday night when he dove back into the bag as he was being picked off.
Manager Mike Shildt said Ozuna will travel back to St. Louis today. Shildt said the team believes surgery won't be required.
Ozuna was hitting .259 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI.
"We're going to miss him but we're going to have other opportunities for guys to step up," Shildt said Saturday before the Cardinals played the San Diego Padres.
The Cardinals also placed right-hander John Brebbia on the paternity list and recalled outfielders Tyler O'Neill and Lane Thomas from Class AAA Memphis.
CUBS
Hamels placed on IL
CINCINNATI -- The Chicago Cubs put left-hander Cole Hamels on the injured list Saturday, a day after he left a game with discomfort in his left side, and designated outfielder Carlos Gonzalez for assignment.
Hamels came out after one inning of a 6-3 loss to the Reds in the series opener Friday. He's scheduled for an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury, which cost the Cubs their best starter lately.
Chicago called up relievers Dillon Maples and Rowan Wick from Class AAA Iowa to stabilize the bullpen. Manager Joe Maddon had to use four relievers after Hamels left the game.
Gonzalez signed a minor-league deal June 1 and was called up two days later. He batted .175 in 15 games.
RED SOX
Johnson on 10-day IL
LONDON -- Boston Red Sox left-hander Brian Johnson was put on the 10-day injured list Saturday because of a medical matter not related to baseball.
The team did not say what was wrong but the problem was discovered during routine testing by the medical staff. The 28-year-old left-hander is expected to pitch again this season.
"He's OK," Manager Alex Cora said. "We do routine checks on guys and something popped up, so we have to take care of him. But he'll be fine. He's actually working out in Fenway."
Johnson is 1-1 with a 6.43 ERA in 2 starts and 5 relief appearances. The move to the injured list was retroactive to Thursday, a day after Johnson informed Cora of the issue after appearing as a pinch runner in the eighth inning of an 8-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
GIANTS
CEO Baer set to return
SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco Giants President and CEO Larry Baer is set to return to work Tuesday after a suspension and nearly four-month absence after a video showed him in a physical altercation with his wife.
The Giants said Saturday that Baer attended a "regular counseling program and has recommitted himself to the organization." Baer was not paid during his suspension in which Commissioner Rob Manfred stipulated he have no involvement with the team.
Board member Rob Dean handled Baer's duties during his time away. The team said Dean will become chairman, continuing as designated control person with Major League Baseball.
Baer took a leave of absence March 4 after TMZ released a video of a confrontation March 1 between Baer and his wife, Pam, in a San Francisco plaza. No charges were filed.
MLB
Asia opener scrapped
LONDON -- Major League Baseball has scrapped plans to open its 2020 season in Asia and hopes to play more games in Europe.
MLB started its season in Tokyo for the fifth time in 2019, and its labor contract with the players' union called for a 2020 opener in Asia.
Commissioner Rob Manfred said Saturday this "probably wasn't the right time to try to do it" because of all of the international planning this year. In addition to Tokyo and London, MLB had two series at Monterrey, Mexico.
Manfred said he would like to have "sustained" play in Europe but would not say which cities interest him.
The commissioner spoke before the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox began a two-game series at London's Olympic Stadium, MLB's first games in Europe.
-- Democrat-GazettePress Services
Sports on 06/30/2019