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Out since mid-April with a shoulder injury, Edwin Encarnacion is finally expected to come off the disabled list today. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays he’ll be taking the roster spot of Travis Snider, who was placed on the DL with a sprained wrist Monday just when the 22-year-old was starting to put up some big…

Asdrubal Cabrera suffered a broken forearm last night in a collision with Jhonny Peralta and will meet with doctors later this week to determine whether surgery is neeeded. Luis Valbuena started three straight games at shortstop when Cabrera was sidelined by a quadriceps injury two weeks ago, but looked beyond stretched there defensively and the…

Teams are inquiring about A.J. Pierzynski’s availability and general manager Ken Williams replied “yes” yesterday when asked if he’s losing patience with the White Sox. So what does manager Ozzie Guillen say to all of that? Hey, I don’t blame him. … The expectations we have with this club is very high. We had a…

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that Nick Johnson will undergo wrist surgery tomorrow and is expected to be sidelined until at least July. Johnson has been in and out of the lineup for a couple weeks now and apparently a recent cortisone shot wasn’t effective. Signed to a one-year, $5.5 million contract this offseason to…

After predictably not playing him for two weeks, the Royals sent Kila Ka’aihue back to Triple-A yesterday. His final tally? One start and four at-bats in 11 games. Here’s what new manager Ned Yost said about the demotion: It just kills me to see Kila sitting on the bench and not playing. I think he’s…

According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News the Mets “have the payroll flexibility to add a top starter if they remain in contention” and “recognize that the rotation is the area most in need of help from outside the organization.” However, “a person with direct knowledge of the Mets’ thinking” told Martino…

Mark Gonzalez of the Chicago Tribune and Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com are both reporting that the Rangers have called the White Sox to “inquire” about A.J. Pierzynski. Based on their 15-22 record alone the White Sox may soon be looking to dump veterans, but the timetable with Pierzynski is sped up a bit because he’s…

Bronson Arroyo allowed two runs in a complete-game win over the Cardinals yesterday, holding Albert Pujols to 0-for-3 with a walk, and afterward said the reigning MVP looks “uncomfortable” at the plate. Right now, Albert looks a little bit more uncomfortable at the plate than you’re used to seeing. Even that being said, you still…

Jeff Francis rejoined Colorado’s rotation Sunday nearly 15 months after shoulder surgery and started for the first time since September of 2008, holding Washington to one run over seven innings in a no-decision. Francis allowed six singles and one double, striking out six and walking one while tossing 67 of 106 pitches for strikes in…

This morning I recorded a Yankees-Twins series preview with Ted Berg for SNY and it’s a slow news day here at Hardball Talk, so why not watch it … New York and Minnesota are tied for the second-best record in baseball at 22-12, so it should be a good series. I’m actually feeling oddly optimistic…

Jeff Francis last started a regular season game in September of 2008, but the Rockies left-hander is scheduled to rejoin the rotation Sunday nearly 15 months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. Francis’ first minor league rehab start didn’t go very well last week, but he tossed seven shutout innings…

Mike Cameron has played three games at Triple-A while rehabbing his strained abdominal muscle, going 2-for-8 with a double and three walks. Terry Francona initially indicated the Red Sox planned to have Cameron spend 4-5 games in the minors before coming off the disabled list, so barring a setback over the weekend he’s very close…

Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are signed on to play Billy Beane and Paul DePodesta in the Moneyball movie, and now Variety reports that Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright “are in early talks” to join them. Hoffman and Moneyball director Bennett Miller worked together on Capote, which won Hoffman an Oscar. No word yet…

Lance Berkman made headlines last week for saying he’d be open to a trade and suggesting the Astros would be smart to deal him, and yesterday Roy Oswalt joined him in publicly saying he’d be open to a move. Oswalt said during an interview with MLB Network Radio that he’d consider waiving his no-trade clause…

Just minutes after the Royals beat the Indians this afternoon for Zack Greinke’s first win of the season, the team fired manager Trey Hillman. General manager Dayton Moore struggled to get the words out and appeared to have some tears upon making the announcement during a press conference that’s going on as I type this.…

Jarrod Saltalamacchia has had all kinds of problems stemming from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which is a condition that causes arm and hand numbness. He underwent surgery to correct the problem, which involved the removal of a rib, and the Rangers demoted him to the minors after he struggled to come back. Saltalamacchia has hit exceptionally…

Minnesota returned to a 12-man pitching staff following yesterday’s win over Chicago, activating Jose Mijares from the disabled list and sending Wilson Ramos back to Triple-A. Ramos going 4-for-5 with a double in his debut and 3-for-4 with two doubles in his second game initially had many Twins fans clamoring for him to stick around…

In an interview with ESPN for an upcoming “Outside the Lines” segment, longtime major leaguer Bernie Carbo revealed that he tried to pay someone to break Keith Hernandez’s arms in 1985 after Hernandez testified that Carbo introduced him to cocaine when they were teammates on the Cardinals. I knew some people, and I had $2,000,…

Orioles reliever Jim Johnson was examined today by Dr. James Andrews and has been diagnosed with “a small tear in his right elbow.” Andrews advised Johnson to rest for at least 8-10 weeks, but Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that “if things don’t improve in four weeks he could be facing season-ending Tommy…

One of the hottest hitters in baseball before landing on the disabled list with a hamstring injury late last month, Nelson Cruz avoided a setback during a brief rehab assignment at Triple-A and is expected to rejoin the Rangers’ lineup tomorrow. Cruz told Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com that his time on the DL was “tough”…

Freddy Sanchez finally looks close to rejoining the Giants following knee and shoulder surgeries, going 3-for-5 with three doubles in the first two games of his rehab assignment at Single-A. Bruce Bochy said Sanchez could be cleared to come off the disabled list as soon as next Wednesday if he avoids a setback while moving…

Derek Holland went 8-13 with a 6.12 ERA in 138.1 innings as a rookie last season, but the 23-year-old southpaw resumed dominating at Triple-A to begin this season and shut out the Mariners for six innings Wednesday night after replacing the injured Matt Harrison in the rotation. For the long term Texas’ hitter-friendly ballpark is…

Nolan Reimold has struggled to come back from the Achilles’ tendon injury that cut his impressive rookie campaign short and required surgery in September, and now Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles are sending him back to Triple-A. As if a return to the minors wasn’t bad enough for a 26-year-old…

Released by the Royals last week, Juan Cruz won’t be finding a new home this season because he’s undergoing surgery today to remove a cyst from his shoulder. Kansas City gave up a second-round pick and $6 million to sign Cruz to a two-year deal last winter, which looked like a sound move considering his…

With closer Bobby Jenks struggling Ozzie Guillen said before last night’s game that he’d go with matchups in the ninth inning, but Jenks ended up getting the save anyway after Guillen used southpaw Matt Thornton in the eighth inning versus left-handed hitters Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Thornton may have gotten the save chance had…