01-02-2020, 12:57 AM
TORONTO - Josh Johnson is headed to the disabled list with tightness in his right forearm, putting into doubt the remainder of what has been a miserable season for the big right-hander. Moises Alou Jersey . The move, announced less than 90 minutes before the start of Tuesdays game against the Red Sox, came as a surprise considering manager John Gibbons mentioned only hours earlier his pitcher would be ready to make Wednesdays start. "I felt good coming into today," said Johnson. "Everything was getting better and better each day and then all of a sudden today I kind of felt the same thing. I dont know where it came from. Before the last start it was the best Id felt in three years, probably." The problem began during that start in Seattle. Johnson experienced tightness but ground through five innings, enough to secure just his second win of the year. The pain lingered for a couple of days before subsiding. The tightness returned while Johnson was playing catch during batting practice on Tuesday afternoon. He insists its a muscle problem and doesnt believe the matter is related to the Tommy John ligament replacement surgery he had in 2007. When asked to point to where the pain was emanating, Johnson directed eyes toward the base of the forearm. By way of contrast, Brandon Morrows tightness was on top of his forearm. Hes since been diagnosed with an entrapped nerve and prescribed rest. General manager Alex Anthopoulos hastily called together reporters and announced right-hander Thad Weber would be recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. Either Weber or Esmil Rogers will make Wednesdays start. "Not right now," said Anthopoulos, when asked if one of Ricky Romero or prospects Marcus Stroman or Sean Nolin would be considered to take Johnsons place. "Weve talked about all of them, I guess, at various times. Not for now but that could change at any time. "Right now, especially with the way its lined up and we need a starter for (Wednesday,) its as much about whos on turn at this point." What this setback means for Johnsons season isnt clear. His stint on the disabled list can be backdated to August 7 but its difficult to envision a scenario which would have Johnson back by the 22nd. With less than seven weeks left in the season and with a rehab stint likely required before a return to the big league mound, assuming Johnson gets healthy, the calendar is not his friend. "Its been tough," Johnson said of his season, which includes only 16 starts, two wins and a 6.20 ERA. "Still got to find a way to get back out on the mound. Thats the only good part about it, is being out there. Even though I was struggling I was out there, I felt great when I was out there so its very frustrating." RASMUS INJURED Colby Rasmus "tweaked" his left oblique on a check swing during Sundays game against Oakland and missed a second-straight game. "I sneezed this morning and I felt it, which is not a good thing," said Rasmus. "But coughing it dont bother me and just doing regular rotations its fine but when this side goes down its in my hip is when I feel it." The Blue Jays are holding out hope Rasmus can return to the lineup, possibly as early as Wednesday, but a stint on the disabled list seems just as likely a reality. Oblique injuries, as Brett Lawrie, Brandon Morrow and Rajai Davis can attest, have a tendency to linger. During periods of rest theres no pain but when baseball activities resume, problems can recur. Manager John Gibbons says the club wont wait long to make a decision if Rasmus continues to have problems through the week. "We cant let it linger," he said. Addison Russell Jersey . -- Theres nothing like winning to bring hope for a struggling team. Cole Hamels Jersey . Crawford hit his slam off Pirates starter Edinson Volquez to give San Francisco a four run lead in the fourth and they never looked back. Brandon Belt had three runs batted in as well. Bumgarner pitched all nine innings and allowed just four hits. http://www.customcubsjersey.com/ . The photograph shows Parker and a French comedian making a gesture known in France as a "quenelle," which critics describe as inverted Nazi salute. Parker said in a statement released through the Spurs that the photograph was taken three years ago. Parker, who was born in Belgium but raised in France, said he didnt know at the time that "it could be in any way offensive or harmful.TORONTO - Dalton Pompey grew up a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays and dreamed of one day playing for them.Now that he is, the club has become a fan of his, too.The 21-year-old Mississauga, Ont. native tripled twice, doubled and drove in two runs on Friday as the Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 in the opener of a three-game series against the American League East champions. He also scored two runs and made a spectacular catch of a foul ball in left field.Pompey also hit his first major-league home run Tuesday against Cy Young Award contender Felix Hernandez.I tell you what, hes a special kid, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. Im just not just talking about what he does on the field. Hes a first-class individual, very respectful, very intelligent, carries himself like a pro.You combine with what hes doing on the field. To do that at a young age, when you start in A ball, most guys dont get that opportunity, and hes taking advantage of it. Maybe we should have started playing with him earlier I dont know.Pompey started the season at Class-A Dunedin, moved to Double-A New Hampshire and went to Triple-A Buffalo before earning a September call-up to Toronto.The Rogers Centre crowd, that included his friends and family, were into the game.Every time I got up they got louder and louder and even when I went to the outfield they were cheering for me. Pompey said. Its stuff that I dreamed about when I went to sleep at night a€” getting called up here and having that moment where they appreciate the effort that Im giving.Pompey never thought his season would finish like this even if someone told him in advance.I would have thought they were lying, to be honest, he said. Its been a dream come true for me.Right-hander Drew Hutchison (11-13) allowed five hits and two runs while striking out eight in five innings to end his season with a win.There were just some times when I got ahead of hitters and I was able to put them away, Hutchison said. I located my fastball a little bit better, at times, at times it wasnt as good, more consistency with my slider definitely had a lot to do with it.Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman (13-6) allowed 11 hits and four runs to lose for the first time this season on the road after going 8-0 in 15 away starts. He also had a six-game winning streak snapped.I actually felt pretty good, Tillman said. Felt like I was making some good pitches but they put some really good swings on the ball. You have to tip your cap sometimesa€|. Im happy with how I felt. I felt like my delivery was pretty good and my fastball command was probably the best it has been all year. My changeup was there for me, my curveball was there.Baltimore (95-65) scored first. David Lough, who was playing centre field in place of a resting Adam Jones, singled with one out in the first and stole second. Hutchison walked Nick Markakkis and a Delmon Young single gave Baltimore a 1-0 lead. Robel Garcia Jersey. Ryan Flaherty doubled with one out in the second for the Orioles. Hutchison struck out Jonathan Schoop and Pompey ended the inning with a diving catch on a slicing foul in left field hit by Alejandro De Aza.Pompey led off the bottom of the second with a triple to right centre and scored on a bunt single by Munenori Kawasaki. Anthony Gose singled and Ryan Goins bunted for a single to load the bases. The rally fizzled when Jose Reyes flied out to shallow centre and Jose Bautista lined into a double play to first baseman Steve Clevenger.Pompey doubled in a run and scored a run in the third as the Blue Jays (82-78) took a 3-1 lead. First baseman Adam Lind singled with one out and scored on Pompeys two-out double. Pompey scored on an infield hit to second by Kawasaki, who took second on Clevengers error on the throw home.I like the way this kid looks, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. Hes a good-looking athlete.The Orioles scored a run in the fifth on a single by Schoop, a ground-rule double by De Aza and a groundout by Lough.In the fifth inning Pompey became the first Blue Jay to hit two triples in a game since Alex Rios on Apr. 27, 2005, against Tampa Bay. His hit scored Edwin Encarnacion, who had singled, to make the score 4-2.Its always huge when you get off to a good start, especially when you consider where hes come from, Gibbons said. Hes been in A-ball, a totally different game down there. Double-A is a different game and briefly in triple-A. Now hes facing some of the best in the game. Its not like hes running into the average Joe whos making a spot start.Tillman tonight and Hernandez and those guys the other night. Hes facing some of the tops in baseball and hes handled it so well. You never know for sure when theyre that young how theyre going to handle ita€|.Hes a very mature kid.Marcus Stroman, just off a five-game suspension, took over from Hutchison in the sixth and completed the game for his first career save.(Stroman) has been one of our top guys the last three months, Gibbons said. He has pitched as well as anybody on the ball club. Strong, he didnt have a lot of pitches. Four innings is nothing to him. Hes thrown a complete game. It was his game win or lose.NOTES - RF Jose Bautista and SS Jose Reyes, who were given Thursday off, were back in the Blue Jays lineup on Friday. a€|CF Adam Jones, SS J.J. Hardy and OF Nelson Cruz were out of the Orioles lineup on Friday but are expected to play Saturday as Baltimore prepares for the post-season. a€|The Blue Jays will start LHP J.A. Happ (10-11, 4.27 earned-run average) on Saturday against LHP Wei-Yin Chen (16-5, 3.56 ERA). a€|Orioles manager Buck Showalter said that RHP Miguel Gonzalez will start Sundays regular-season finale. a€|Announced attendance at Rogers Centre was 27,037. ' ' '