HOUSTON — Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez has a torn thumb ligament in his pitching hand suffered during a fight with his girlfriend’s father at Citi Field and will need surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the season.
The Mets announced the injury before Monday night’s game with the Astros. They said the reliever didn’t travel to Texas with the team.
Rodriguez was examined Monday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, and the Mets said an MRI revealed the injury in his right hand.
The 28-year-old reliever was arrested and charged with third-degree assault and second-degree harassment after hitting Carlos Peña, 53, on Wednesday outside a family area at the Mets’ home ballpark. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court Sept. 14.
Shawn Chacon loses appeal.
HOUSTON — Shawn Chacon’s grievance against the Astros for terminating his contract two years ago has been denied.
Arbitrator Shyam Das found that the Astros were within their rights to terminate Chacon’s contract without further compensation after he assaulted general manager Ed Wade on June 25, 2008.
Chacon, a prep standout from Greeley who pitched for the Rockies from 2001-05, lost $983,607 because of the termination of the contract.
Footnotes.
Rangers right fielder Nelson Cruz was placed on the disabled list because of hamstring issues.
• The Tigers recalled left-handed reliever Daniel Schlereth, a former Highlands Ranch High School standout, from Triple-A Toledo.
• Joe L. Brown, the general manager whose rebuilding of the Pirates’ farm system resulted in World Series titles in 1960 and 1971, died Sunday in Albuquerque at age 91 after an extended illness.
The Associated Press
