Scott Baker scratched from start due to elbow strain - MLB

Gleeman penned a piece at the end of June explaining how right-hander Scott Baker had quietly become the ace of the Twins’ current starting rotation. Now we get to call Gleeman a jinx.

According to beat writer Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, an MRI taken Thursday on Baker’s throwing elbow showed a mild flexor muscle strain.

The Twins have already scratched him from his next scheduled start and will ask Anthony Swarzak to take the mound in his place Sunday afternoon against the White Sox. A 25-year-old former second-round pick, Swarzak has posted a decent 3.71 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 34 major league innings this season. He threw six innings of two-run ball in his last start.

Baker has not been put on the disabled list and might be able to avoid it altogether with the All-Star break now just days away. The 29-year-old has a 3.01 ERA and 1.17 WHIP through his first 17 outings this season.

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.