SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Left-handed reliever Damaso Marte has an injured shoulder and will not pitch again for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
"I've got some inflammation in the shoulder," Marte told ESPNdeportes.com. "We really don't know what it is, but I'm going to Pittsburgh to have it checked out. I'm going immediately to the United States to be checked out by one of the Pirates' doctors."
Marte, 31, was traded from the White Sox to the Pirates this winter.
He said he began to feel pain in the shoulder in the D.R.'s loss to Puerto Rico on Sunday, when he gave up three runs (two earned) and retired only one batter.
In three WBC appearances, Marte had a 20.25 ERA.
The WBC rules allow for a player to be replaced by any other of the 60 on the "protected" list for each country. Marte is the third player to leave the Classic due to injury (Dong Joo Kim of Korea and Hirotoshi Ishii of Japan are the others).
The Dominicans are considering their options.
"We're talking to Jose Valverde to see if he's interested," said Dominican team manager Manny Acta. "Another possibility is Jose Acevedo."