Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander underwent successful core muscle repair surgery, the team announced Thursday.
Verlander, who posted a 13-12 record with a 3.46 ERA in 2013, sustained an injury at the end of December while performing his offseason conditioning program. He will undergo physical rehabilitation for the next six weeks and will be re-evaluated at the end of that time. The nature and extent of the injury are unclear.
“We fully anticipate Justin to participate in spring training and be in a position to compete at the beginning of the 2014 season,” general manager David Dombrowski said.
–Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig has decided, for now, to give up driving after two incidents of reckless driving and speeding in eight months.
Dodgers president Stan Kasten said Puig told him Thursday that he has hired a cousin to drive him around for the time being.
Puig was clocked at 110 mph on Florida’s Alligator Alley on Dec. 28 while driving his 2013 Mercedes with his mother in the car. The posted speed limit is 70 mph. He was released by police several hours after his arrest.
–The Washington Nationals have signed veteran infielder Jamey Carroll to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to multiple media reports Thursday.
Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com said Carroll will compete for a bench job in camp. Carroll can play second base, third base or shortstop.
Carroll, 39, hit .211 in 249 plate appearances with the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals last season. He hit .268 in 537 plate appearances with Minnesota in 2012.
–The Cleveland Indians on Thursday denied reports the team is looking to phase out the Chief Wahoo logo but acknowledged the logo being used by Major League Baseball might change.
Curtis Danburg, the Indians’ director of communications, said the club is not looking to phase out the Chief Wahoo logo anytime soon, Cleveland.com reported.
Native Americans and supporters have protested for many years the use of the Cleveland Indians team name and the Chief Wahoo logo, which shows an Indian with bright red skin, an exaggerated smile and a feather in his hair.
Baseball Hall of Fame-electee Tony La Russa is among the candidates to replace departing Seattle Mariners president Chuck Armstrong, USA Today reported Thursday.
Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln told the newspaper that interviews started this week with two internal candidates. He would not comment on La Russa. La Russa, 69, refused to discuss the Mariners’ job but indicated to USA Today that he would like to land a front-office job with a team.
He currently serves as a special assistant with Major League Baseball.