Baseball notebook: Tigers’ Zimmermann hit in jaw by liner

In a frightening moment, Detroit Tigers right-hander Jordan Zimmermann sustained a bruised right jaw when struck in the face by a line drive Wednesday night.

Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis, the second batter in the bottom of the first inning, drilled a 2-2 pitch back up the middle, and Zimmermann had no time to react.

Zimmermann stayed down for a short time as teammates, the club trainer and manager Ron Gardenhire rushed to the mound. Zimmermann eventually walked away with a towel on his face, and the team later announced that his injury was merely a contusion.

On the play, the ball ricocheted off Zimmermann to Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who stepped on the bag for the out.

–Boston left-hander David Price left the Wednesday night game against the New York Yankees after one inning with an “unusual sensation” in his pitching hand, the Red Sox announced.

According to the team, Price was removed for precautionary reasons.

Price gave up four runs on three hits with two walks in his only inning. New York’s Giancarlo Stanton had a two-run triple and Gary Sanchez had a two-run home run. Sanchez improved to 6-for-12 with five homers and 11 RBIs in his career against Price.

–Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel is expected to be activated from the 10-day disabled list and make his season debut on Friday, manager A.J. Hinch announced.

Gurriel, 33, has been out since April 2 as he continued to recover from a February surgery to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his left hand. He has spent five games on a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi, batting .429 with four doubles and three RBIs in that span.

Gurriel was suspended for the first five games of the season after making an inappropriate gesture toward then-Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish during Game 3 of the 2017 World Series.

–Washington Nationals left fielder Adam Eaton was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a bone bruise in his ankle.

Catcher Matt Wieters was activated from the DL after missing eight games with an oblique strain. Washington also designated catcher Miguel Montero for assignment and recalled outfielder Moises Sierra.

Eaton missed most of the 2017 season with a torn ACL.

–New York Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud could be facing season-ending Tommy John surgery after being placed on the disabled list due to a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament.

The tear in his right elbow was detected during an MRI exam on Wednesday. The 29-year-old d’Arnaud is weighing whether or not to undergo surgery and he and the club are expected to make a decision later this week.

It wasn’t immediately known when d’Arnaud sustained the injury, but the Nationals stole five bases off of him during Saturday’s game. Kevin Plawecki will handle most of the catching duties with d’Arnaud sidelined. Tomas Nido also was recalled from Double-A Birmingham.

–Chicago Cubs All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo blames his bad back and disabled-list stint on the world’s worst bed in a Cincinnati hotel room.

“I think the next time I go, I’ll sleep on the floor,” Rizzo said of future trips to Cincinnati and Great American Ball Park. “I just have to take care of myself better.”

Manager Joe Maddon said the key for the Cubs will be keeping Rizzo out of the batting cage until Monday, when he is eligible to return from the DL and play against the St. Louis Cardinals.

–Colorado All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado charged the mound and was one of five players ejected in a third-inning brawl as the host Rockies defeated the San Diego Padres 6-4.

San Diego right-hander Luis Perdomo threw a pitch behind Arenado’s back to ignite an already simmering situation. As Arenado sped toward the mound, Perdomo fired his glove just over Arenado’s head and then backpedaled his way toward third base as both dugouts and bullpens emptied.

Arenado unleashed a right punch that partially grazed the back of Perdomo’s head. During the fracas, Rockies outfielder Gerardo Parra delivered a punch that landed on Padres catcher A.J. Ellis. Arenado, Parra, Ellis, Perdomo and Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez were all ejected.

–St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina dropped his appeal of a one-game suspension, sitting out the Wednesday afternoon game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had tentatively planned to rest Molina after the team played a night game on Tuesday.

Molina was suspended for his actions in Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He charged at Arizona manager Torey Lovullo after Lovullo referred to him by a profane term during an argument with plate umpire Tim Timmons. Lovullo also received a one-game suspension for the incident, and he served his penalty on Tuesday.

–Padres center fielder Manuel Margot was placed on the 10-day disabled list with bruised ribs.

Franchy Cordero was activated from the DL in a corresponding move and started Wednesday in the leadoff spot, playing center field. Cordero went 1-for-4 with a home run.

–Field Level Media