CINCINNATI – Houston Astros closer Jose Valverde reached down and pressed his right thumb against the side of his right shin. The tip of the thumb made an indentation that stayed long after he pulled his hand away.
His lower leg was so swollen on Monday that the Astros had to consider another plan to close games.
Valverde expects to be out for a few more days and could be headed for the disabled list because of the calf injury, which he suffered last week.
He had a pronounced limp as he walked slowly around the clubhouse before the opening game of a series against the Cincinnati Reds.
“I’ll take a couple more days,” he said. “I can’t do anything right now.”
Valverde was hit near his right ankle by Orlando Hudson’s grounder during an 8-5 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday.
He strained his right calf while chasing the ball after it bounced off his leg.
Valverde stayed in the game and got the last two outs for his first save, but had to take a few days off.
He returned Sunday and pitched the ninth inning of a 3-2 win over Milwaukee, but said afterward that he felt tenderness in the calf. It was worse a day later.
“We’ll give him a couple of days,” manager Cecil Cooper said. “That’s what he needs. “He’s a guy that we need. We can’t have him limping around and going through the next two or three weeks like this.”
Ramirez leaves game
NEW YORK – Florida’s Hanley Ramirez left Monday night’s game against the New York Mets after getting hit by a pitch from John Maine in the first inning. Ramirez appeared to be hit near the right wrist, and a trainer and manager Fredi Gonzalez came out. Ramirez was immediately replaced by Ross Gload.
The Marlins said X-rays were negative, that the hand was sore and that Ramirez was day to day.
Glavine doing better
ATLANTA – Braves pitcher Tom Glavine felt better about his ailing left shoulder after throwing in the outfield Monday, but the 305-game winner still isn’t sure if he’ll be able to extend his career.
Glavine stopped throwing for two weeks after his shoulder began hurting during a minor league rehab start. He threw in the outfield before Sunday’s game at Cincinnati, then withstood a more strenuous test – two sets of 15 throws from 70 feet – prior to the opener of a three-game series against St. Louis at Turner Field.
“I feel OK,” Glavine said. “I’m definitely making some progress. I’m not going to sit here and say I’m 100 percent pain-free, but I’ve made progress.”