Daily Dose: Boston's busy day - MLB

Boston was busy Wednesday afternoon, getting Adam LaRoche from the
Pirates for a pair of marginal prospects before swapping Julio Lugo to
the Cardinals for Chris Duncan. Eating most of the $13.5 million
remaining on Lugo’s deal allowed the Red Sox to get a potentially
useful player in return, although Duncan’s stock is down dramatically
over the past two years and he’ll head to Triple-A for now.

Lugo is expected to assume a fairly big role for the Cardinals,
pushing Brendan Ryan for playing time at shortstop while also being an
option at second base and third base. His bat remains useful and his
lack of range following knee surgery is less of an issue at another
spot, but Tony La Russa and company will soon learn that Lugo simply
isn’t capable of playing a decent shortstop right now.

While dumping Lugo for whatever they could get became a no-brainer
for Boston the move to add LaRoche is more interesting. He figures to
be a part-time player if everyone else is healthy, essentially
providing insurance for Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis, and David Ortiz.
LaRoche’s struggles against left-handers won’t be an issue if Lowell is
healthy and he’s a career .275/.347/.500 hitter versus righties.

If nothing else he’s a sizable upgrade over Mark Kotsay and the Red
Sox may be one of the few teams that can afford to pay $3 million for
50 games of a part-time player. Rather than wait to see if he’d fetch
draft picks as a Type B free agent the Pirates chose to cash LaRoche in
for Argenis Diaz, a 22-year-old shortstop with lots of glove and little
bat, and 21-year-old right-hander Hunter Strickland.

While the Red Sox get a jump on the trading deadline and the Pirates
continue their never-ending rebuild, here are some other notes from
around baseball …

* Jordan Zimmermann has been one of the few bright spots for the
Nationals this season, posting a 4.63 ERA and impressive 92/29 K/BB
ratio in 91.1 innings as a 23-year-old rookie who basically skipped
Triple-A. Unfortunately he was placed on the disabled list Wednesday
with right elbow soreness. There’s no timetable yet for his return, but
fellow 23-year-old Collin Balester will take his rotation spot.

* Bobby Jenks has allowed runs in four of his last five outings, but
Ozzie Guillen made it clear Wednesday that he’s in no danger of losing
closer duties. “He’s my closer and if people don’t want him to be my
closer, don’t come to the God damn game,” Guillen said. Despite those
comments it was Matt Thornton closing out a one-run lead Wednesday
night with Jenks having worked on back-to-back days.

AL Quick Hits: Vicente Padilla was scratched from his Wednesday
start with the flu, so Dustin Nippert held the Red Sox to one run in
5.2 innings for his first win since last September … Glen Perkins could
be headed for the disabled list after complaining of shoulder soreness
after Wednesday’s brutal effort … Juan Rivera (hamstring) missed his
fourth straight game Wednesday … Kevin Slowey (wrist) will begin a
rehab assignment Saturday at Triple-A … Clay Buchholz struggled
Wednesday while subbing for Tim Wakefield, leaving after throwing 90
pitches in four innings … Felix Hernandez allowed just one run
Wednesday while throwing at least seven innings for the ninth straight
start … Armando Galarraga gave up just one hit in 7.2 innings
Wednesday, but got stuck with a no-decision … Nelson Cruz (finger)
returned to the lineup Wednesday by going 2-for-2 with two walks and
two steals.

NL Quick Hits: Manny Corpas may miss the rest of the season
following surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow … Manny Ramirez
was out of Wednesday’s lineup after being plunked on the hand, but
delivered a pinch-hit grand slam into the “Mannywood” section at Dodger
Stadium… Garrett Jones went deep again Wednesday, giving him nine
homers in 17 games … Jason Marquis’ next start has been pushed back to
Tuesday thanks to a finger blister … Chris Carpenter tossed eight
innings of two-run ball Wednesday before Ryan Franklin blew the lead …
Edinson Volquez (elbow) reported zero problems after a bullpen session
Wednesday … Ricky Nolasco struck out 10 and combined with three
relievers on a three-hit shutout Wednesday … Josh Willingham snapped a
0-for-14 slump by going 4-for-4 with a homer Wednesday … Jair Jurrjens
beat Tim Lincecum while retiring 17 straight batters Wednesday … Tony
La Russa said Wednesday that Todd Wellemeyer’s rotation spot is safe
for at least one more start.

PITTSBURGH — The New York Mets will have to dig out of an early-season hole without star first baseman Pete Alonso.

The leading home run hitter in the majors will miss three-to-four weeks with a bone bruise and a sprain in his left wrist.

The Mets placed Alonso on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to June 8. Alonso was hit in the wrist by a 96 mph fastball from Charlie Morton in the first inning of a 7-5 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Alonso traveled to New York for testing on Thursday. X-rays revealed no broken bones, but the Mets will be missing one of the premier power hitters in the game as they try to work their way back into contention in the NL East.

“We got better news than it could have been,” New York manager Buck Showalter said. “So we take that as a positive. It could have been worse.”

New York had lost six straight heading into a three-game series at Pittsburgh that began Friday. Mark Canha started at first for the Mets in the opener. Mark Vientos could also be an option, though Showalter said the coaching staff may have to use its “imagination” in thinking of ways to get by without Alonso.

“I’m not going to say someone has to step up and all that stuff,” Showalter said. “You’ve just got to be who you are.”

Even with Alonso in the lineup, the Mets have struggled to score consistently. New York is 16th in the majors in runs scored.

The team also said Friday that reliever Edwin Uceta had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Uceta initially went on the IL in April with what the team called a sprained left ankle. He is expected to be out for at least an additional eight weeks.

New York recalled infielder Luis Guillorme and left-handed reliever Zach Muckenhirn from Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets sent catcher Tomás Nido to Triple-A and designated reliever Stephen Nogosek for assignment.

Nogosek is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in 13 games this season.