Blue Jays
RHP Bobby Korecky was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo and OF Kevin Pillar was optioned to Triple-A. Korecky had appeared in one game for the Blue Jays this season, working 1 1-3 scoreless innings against Kansas City on May 30. He’s 3-1 with six saves and a 0.26 ERA in 25 games at Buffalo. Pillar, who bats right, had been in center field along with Anthony Gose while Colby Rasmus recovers from a sore right hamstring. Manager John Gibbons said he didn’t expect to use Pillar while the Blue Jays continued a stretch of six straight games against right-handed starters.
Orioles
When Manny Machado debuted in the major leagues in August 2012 at age 20, people raved about how quickly the game came to him, as well as the maturity he displayed. In his first full major league season in 2013, he became an AL All-Star, led the AL in doubles and won the AL Platinum Glove for the league’s best overall defensive player as he emerged as one of the game’s top young stars. That changed over the course of three days over last weekend, when Machado became involved in two disputes with the Athletics, culminating in the bat-tossing incident. … C Matt Wieters (right elbow strain) will be examined by specialist Dr. James Andrews on Monday in Florida.
Rays
RHP Alex Cobb has partnered with isoBLOX, a company that makes protective sports gear, the Tampa Bay Times reported. He missed two months last year after being hit in the head with a line drive. … OF Brandon Guyer had his cast removed, and X-rays revealed that the fracture in his left thumb had healed. “It’s definitely a lot better than I thought it would be,” Guyer to the newspaper. He played catch and took a few swings and could progress to hitting coaches’ pitches with the hopes of returning in mid-June. … Struggling Grant Balfour is out as the closer. The team instead will close games by committee.
Red Sox
GM Ben Cherington said an overhaul of the roster is not yet necessary for the struggling team. He told ESPN.com: “Obviously we’re not happy with where we are. That’s not up to our standard. We still believe it’s going to get better. We believe we have a very good team ahead of us this year.” He said they are not close to making a trade, seven weeks in advance of the July 31 trading deadline.
Yankees
Mariano Rivera III, the son of the former record-breaking closer, was selected in the 29th round of the last week draft. The 20-year-old Rivera, a starting pitcher as a sophomore at Iona College, went 2-6 with a 5.40 ERA and five complete games and a team-leading 50 strikeouts in 70 innings for the Gaels. The 5-foot-11 right-hander bears a strong resemblance physically to his famous father, who saved a major league-record 652 games and helped lead the Yankees to five World Series titles.
Compiled by Rick Crotts from wire reports.
