CHICAGO – After playing one game at far less than full speed, Milton Bradley is back on the Chicago Cubs’ bench, nursing a lingering groin injury.
“When he’s 100 percent, I’ll put him out there,” manager Lou Piniella said Thursday, one day after Bradley played right field for the first time in more than a week. “I don’t play people unless they’re totally healthy.”
Despite Bradley’s long history of serious injuries, the Cubs signed the switch-hitter to a three-year, $30 million contract during the offseason to bat cleanup and provide balance to what had been a predominantly right-handed lineup.
He had only one hit in the season’s first week before sustaining the groin injury April 12 at Milwaukee.
After going hitless in two pinch-hitting appearances, he returned to right field Wednesday and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. The one time he did hit a grounder, he didn’t run to first base and was out even though the ball was bobbled. He was booed repeatedly throughout the 3-0 loss to Cincinnati.
A career .280 hitter, Bradley is batting .043 this season. He’s 1-for-23 and has struck out seven times.
Ryan, Romero go on DL
The Blue Jays put closer B.J. Ryan and starter Ricky Romero on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, the latest setbacks for a team with an already thin pitching staff.
The two left-handers joined four Toronto righties on the DL. The Blue Jays, leading the AL with 11 victories, will add two new pitchers for Friday night’s game at Chicago.
Ryan was put on the DL with soreness between his shoulder and back, one day after he blew his second save chance of the season.
Romero was put on the DL with a strained muscle in his right side, retroactive to April 20.
Wang trying to rebound
TAMPA, Fla. – New York Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang threw 70 of 91 pitches for strikes over seven innings in an extended spring training game on Thursday.
Wang, who is 0-3 with a 34.50 ERA, was sent to the Yankees’ minor league complex to work on pitching consistency. He allowed five runs – four earned – nine hits and struck out 11 against Philadelphia Phillies minor leaguers.
The right-hander has not been told if he will make his next start in the majors or the minors.