Atlanta Braves: Third baseman Chipper Jones went
1-for-3 in his first game on a rehab assignment with the Class A
Rome Braves on Wednesday night.
Jones, who is recovering from a deep bone bruise and a partially
torn ligament in his left foot, hit a two-run single in the second
inning and walked and scored in the sixth as Rome beat the
Kannapolis Intimidators 8-3.
Jones hit into a double play in the first inning and a run
scored on the play.
"I felt pretty good," he told the Rome News Tribune. "It was
fine swinging the bat, fine defensively, [but there was] a little
discomfort running the bases. I didn't do all that bad."
Jones was replaced at third base in the eighth by Dean White.
"I was gassed," Jones said. "I didn't feel like I would do
myself any good by continuing to play, so I figured that was a good
time to shut it down."
The five-time All-Star has been on the disabled list since June
6. He is hitting .282 with seven homers and 26 RBI.
Washington Nationals: Left-hander Mike Stanton joined the Nationals in a move the NL East leader hopes will add depth to its bullpen for the second half.
Stanton, 38, was cut two weeks ago by the New York Yankees after going 1-2 with a 7.07 ERA in 28 games this season.
In other moves, the Nationals activated outfielder Ryan Church off the disabled list, put infielders Junior Spivey (broken right wrist) and Tony Blanco (vertigo associated with a sinus infection) on the 15-day DL, and moved infielder Henry Mateo (right shoulder) from the 15-day to the 60-day DL.
Stanton is 58-52 with 76 saves and a 3.81 ERA in 996 major league games and has appeared in 11 postseasons. He gives the Nationals a second left-handed reliever, along with Joey Eischen.
Boston Red Sox:
The Red Sox signed first-round pick outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.
Ellsbury, the 23rd overall selection in June's draft,
immediately will report to short-season Class A Lowell.
The Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year, Ellsbury led Oregon State to
its first berth in the College World Series since 1952. The
6-1, 175-pounder ranked second in the league with a .415 average
and a .504 on-base percentage. He also was among the top 10 in
hits (86), steals (21), slugging percentage (.604), doubles
(17) and total bases (125).
In 160 games over three seasons with the Beavers, Ellsbury hit
.365 with 16 home runs, 101 RBI, 168 runs scored and 60 stolen
bases.
The Red Sox also agreed to terms with infielder Jed Lowrie, the
45th overall selection out of Stanford. The 21-year-old started
at second base for Lowell on Monday, going 1-for-4 with an RBI.
A former Pac-10 Player of the Year as a sophomore, Lowrie was a
first-team All-American as a senior. He hit .317 with team
highs of 14 homers and 77 RBI while starting all 59 games for
the Cardinal this year.
New York Mets: First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz went 2-for-3 with a run scored Wednesday in his second
minor-league rehabilitation game for the team's Gulf Coast League squad.
Mientkiewicz, on the 15-day disabled list since May 26 due to a
torn right hamstring, had a pair of singles played five innings at
first base against the Nationals.
He is expected to play for the Gulf Coast Mets again on
Thursday.
Texas Rangers: The Rangers sent right-hander Juan Dominguez to Triple-A Oklahoma. The team said it
will announce a corresponding roster move Thursday.
Dominguez was 0-2 with a 5.11 ERA in 12 relief outings for the
Rangers. He allowed five earned runs without recording an out in
his last appearance.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays:
Right-hander Rob Bell cleared
waivers Wednesday and the Devil Rays outrighted him to
Triple-A Durham, where the pitcher hopes to overcome wildness that
prompted him to remove himself from a game two months ago.
Bell was designated for assignment after spending time on the 15-day disabled list for personal and psychological reasons. He was 1-1 with an 8.28 ERA when he suddenly lost control of his pitches during a relief appearance against the Chicago White Sox.
The Devil Rays also optioned left-hander Joe Beimel to Durham.