Chicago Cubs: Shortstop Nomar Garciaparra will
miss at least five more days after tests showed he has a moderate
strain of his right groin.
Garciaparra left Saturday's game in the fifth inning after
reinjuring the groin, which had been bothering him for several
days. An MRI on Monday showed there was no tear away from the
bone, but a moderate strain.
Garciaparra is hitting .298 with four homers and 16 RBI since
the Cubs acquired him from Boston on July 31.
Also: Reliever Kent Mercker's suspension
for yelling at an umpire was reduced from three games to two by the
commissioner's office Monday.
Mercker began serving the suspension Monday night, when the Cubs
hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates. The left-hander also was fined an
undisclosed amount.
Mercker was disciplined for his actions Aug. 27 at Wrigley
Field, where he reportedly yelled at umpire C.B. Bucknor in a
dugout runway after the Cubs' 15-7 loss to the Astros. The
left-hander also hit Houston starter Roy Oswalt with a pitch in
that game and got a warning, but was not ejected.
Toronto Blue Jays: Outfielder Frank Catalanotto and the Blue Jays agreed Monday to a $5.4 million, two-year contract extension through 2006.
Catalanotto will make $2.7 million in each of the next two
seasons. He hit .293 with one home run and 26 RBI in 75 games
before a groin injury sidelined him Aug. 23. He had surgery three
days later, ending his season.
Catalanotto, 30, is a career .296 hitter with 55 homers and 297 RBI in 714 games.
Halladay to rejoin rotation: Barring any setbacks later this week, right-hander Roy Halladay will make his first start in two months next Tuesday in New York.
Halladay threw 25 pitches of batting practice Sunday, the next-to-last step in his quest to return to the starting rotation. He will pitch a three-inning simulated game Thursday at SkyDome.
Last season's AL Cy Young Award winner, Halladay went on the 15-day disabled list July 19 because of a tired right shoulder that would improve only with rest. He is 7-7 with
a 4.35 ERA this season.
St. Louis Cardinals: Third baseman Scott Rolen, who sat out Saturday and Sunday because of a strained left knee, said he's experienced improvement since suffering the injury Friday.
"I'll try to do some running [Monday] and see how it goes," Rolen told reporters Sunday. "I'd hope to be back in there Tuesday. They have different ideas, but that's what I'm hoping."
Rolen fouled a ball off his shin Friday against the Dodgers, then strained his calf on a double in the third, which caused swelling in his leg, manager Tony La Russa said.
Baltimore Orioles: First baseman David Segui was placed on the 15-day disabled list with recurring inflammation
of his left knee.
Segui underwent knee surgery on May 11, and spent the majority
of the season working to get back in the lineup. He was activated
on Sept. 1, and played that day against Tampa Bay, his first action
since April 24.
But his knee is still tender and he has been limited to
part-duty since returning from the disabled list.
Segui, 38, is in the final year of a 4-year contract. Because of
a variety of injuries, he has not played in more than 82 games in
any season since signing the deal in December 2000.
He has hinted that this will be his final season in the majors.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.