Associated Press
NEW YORK ó Chien-Ming Wang got what he wanted Wednesday when the surging New York Yankees decided to put him back in the starting rotation and move Phil Hughes to the bullpen.
Wang got off to an awful start this season before going on the disabled list with weakness in the adductor muscles in his hips. He has pitched well since he was activated May 22, allowing two runs and nine hits in eight innings over three relief appearances to lower his ERA from 34.50 to 16.07. He is set to start today against Texas.
Wang will be limited to about 80 pitches in his first start since April 18. CC Sabathia was pushed back to Friday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays in what was originally scheduled to be Hughes’ start.
The move splits up Andy Pettitte and Sabathia, the left-handers in New York’s rotation.
INDIANS
MINNEAPOLIS ó Middle infielder Asdrubal Cabrera was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a sprained left shoulder suffered in a collision while sliding into second base. Cabrera will miss two to four weeks, trainer Lonnie Soloff said.
Cabrera became the ninth player on Cleveland’s DL, tied for most in the majors with Tampa Bay, and he’s the third to be shelved in the last four days.
PHILLIES
SAN DIEGO ó Reliever J.C. Romero returned to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night following his 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
“I feel free,” Romero said before the series finale against the San Diego Padres.
The Phillies are eager to get the left-hander back in their bullpen, and Romero, who has been on a rehab assignment in the minors, is looking forward to his season debut.
Romero was suspended after testing positive for androstenedione, a substance that Mark McGwire used in the 1990s that was later banned by baseball. Romero has sued the manufacturer of an over-the-counter supplement that he said led to his positive test.
“It has been a very tough road, but I’m still standing with my head up high and trying to just do my job,” Romero said.
CUBS
ATLANTA ó The Chicago Cubs won’t say if suspended pitcher Carlos Zambrano was disciplined for missing the team’s charter flight to Atlanta.
Zambrano made his own arrangements to get to Atlanta for a series that began Tuesday. He had to miss his scheduled start because he’s serving a six-game suspension for his tirade over a disputed call last week.
Manager Lou Piniella wouldn’t talk about the missed flight before Wednesday’s game, saying “it’s been handled internally.” Zambrano also declined comment.
BRAVES
ATLANTA ó Braves pitcher Jorge Campillo is back on the disabled list for the second time this season.
Campillo was placed on the 15-day DL before Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs. Outfielder Brian Barton was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to fill the roster spot.
The right-handed Campillo started the season on the DL because of rotator cuff tendinitis. He returned to pitch five games in relief, going 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA.
METS-PIRATES
PITTSBURGH ó The New York Mets’ scheduled game against the Pittsburgh Pirates was postponed by rain Wednesday.
A makeup game is scheduled for 12:35 p.m. on July 2.