MLB Rumors

With Eric O'Flaherty hitting the disabled list, the Braves recalled reliever Cory Rasmus from Triple-A Gwinnett Saturday. He will be in uniform for the team's game that night against the Dodgers.

Rasmus has never pitched in the majors, but has an 0.93 ERA and seven saves in 19 1/3 innings in Triple-A this season.  

Yankees designated hitter Travis Hafner (shoulder) returned to action on Saturday during a win over Toronto.

Hafner went 1 for 4 with his seventh home run of the season. He went deep in the eighth inning off Darren Oliver for a two-run blast.

Hafner is batting .260.

Braves reliever Eric O'Flaherty was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday due to a left elbow strain.

O'Flaherty pitched in Friday's game against the Dodgers, allowing a solo home run, but it is not clear if the injury already was bothering him. He has a 2.50 ERA in 19 appearances.

The team called up pitcher Cory Rasmus from Triple-A Gwinnett to take his place in the rotation. 

The Mets have appealed to the league office to have one of the earned runs charged to Matt Harvey Friday changed to an unearned run.

Harvey allowed one run on an infield single and then shortstop Ruben Tejada had a throwing error charged to him, after which another run came around to score. The Mets contend that the second run should be unearned, as a result of the error.

"I didn't think it was an earned run," Mets manager Terry Collins told MLB.com Saturday .

If the ruling is reversed, Harvey would be charged with just one run in 7 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to the season from 1.55 to 1.41. 

Yankees starter David Phelps had a fine performance on Saturday at home against the Blue Jays.

Phelps earned the win, his first as a starter, to improve to 2-2 on the year. He allowed just one earned run in the fourth inning on a Colby Rasmus single. Phelps gave up six hits and walked three over seven solid innings and 113 pitches.

The starter, who struck out eight batters and lowered his ERA to 3.83, is scheduled to make his next outing Friday at Tampa Bay.

Phelps lost his last time out, but has now allowed just two earned runs over his last two outings spanning 13 2/3 innings with 15 Ks.

Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow took the mound for the first time since May 5 after back issues pushed him back several times. Morrow may have needed longer.

He didn't report any injury issues with his back, but Morrow took the loss as he allowed two homers and five runs over five innings against the Yankees in New York Saturday.

The starter gave up seven hits and didn't walk a batter with one strikeout. Robinson Cano smacked two homers off him. He threw 75 pitches before leaving and has a 5.16 ERA.

Morrow went eight strong innings his last time out against the Mariners on May 5. The back issue and his poor performance Saturday aren't necessarily linked, but he was figuring things out with 15 Ks over 13 innings in his previous two starts. Morrow will next take the mound Thursday against the Orioles.

Red Sox shortstop Stephen Drew is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Twins.

Drew was dealing with a back issue in Friday's game that was not supposed to be a problem for Saturday.

Now, Drew should be considered day to day.

Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino remained out of the lineup Saturday against the Twins.

Victorino, who continues to be bothered by a bad back, crashed into the wall Thursday in Tampa Bay. He is day to day.

Mets manager Terry Collins considered bringing closer Bobby Parnell to finish out the eighth inning Friday against the Cubs, but opted to save Parnell for just the ninth inning. Collins told MLB.com Saturday that he has wanted to save Parnell for the long season, given how well he has pitched.

"I know that he's starting to get a little fatigued," Collins said. "He's fine to pitch, but that's why I'm going to try to keep him away from multi-inning save situations -- because it's still May and this guy's pitched so many games that aren't closing [situations]."

Parnell has appeared in 18 games this season, but only six for save opportunities. He has an 0.98 ERA in 18 1/3 innings, with 16 strikeouts and a 4-0 record. Collins praised Parnell, saying if it was up to the pitcher and not the manager, there would be no restriction on his workload.

"He wants to be out there," Collins said. "Right now, he wants to be out there when the game's on the line. And he doesn't care if it's the seventh inning, the eighth inning or the ninth inning."

The Angels scratched outfielder Josh Hamilton from Saturday's lineup against the White Sox, FOXSports.com reports.

The Angels say Hamilton is just getting a day off to recharge.