KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Red Sox placed third baseman Kevin Youkilis on the disabled list because of a back injury Thursday and called up catching prospect Ryan La- varnway from Triple-A Pawtucket.
Youkilis, who is hitting .266 with 17 homers and 78 RBIs, has missed several games recently because of what manager Terry Francona called “a back strain or sprain.”
Youkilis remained in Boston after Wednesday night’s game against the Rays to be examined by doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital. He also received an injection to alleviate some of the pain in his lower back.
“His body was so beat up anyway, I think this was the last straw, kind of put him over the edge,” Francona said. “But hopefully we can get him back to where he can be Youkilis.”
Jed Lowrie and Mike Aviles will split time at third base with Youkilis on the DL.
Torre: Umpires made wrong call on Butler homer
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Joe Torre, Major League Baseball’s executive vice president for baseball operations, said Dana DeMuth’s crew working the Yankees at Royals game Wednesday night made a mistake on a call on a home run by Billy Butler.
“There really was a misunderstanding, and I’m not trying to pick my words here, as to what the ground rule represented,” Torre said. “Obviously, from what went on, he was very sure that that ball was a home run ’cause it hit that back fence, which is out of the park.”
Butler’s ball appeared to strike the upper railing of a second wall behind the left-field wall before bouncing back onto the field. Umpires ruled it a home run but went in to look at a review after talking to New York manager Joe Girardi. DeMuth ruled the hit a home run even after the video review. It should have been a double.
• The earliest that Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (knee) will come off the disabled list and play will be Saturday night, Girardi said.
Footnotes.
White Sox right-hander Phil Humber was hit above the right eye by a line drive, forcing him from his start against the Indians.
• Outfielder Jeff Francoeur and the Royals agreed to a contract extension through the 2013 season.
• Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino’s suspension for his part in a benches-clearing brawl at San Francisco on Aug. 5 has been reduced and he will miss the next two games.
The Associated Press
