Major League Baseball Update: Estrada returns to action

The following are updates on local Major League Baseball players.

Marco Estrada (Glendale Community College, 2003) Toronto Blue Jays pitcher: Estrada, who was selected to the All-Star Game but couldn’t play because of a back injury, returned from the disabled list to start against the visiting Seattle Mariners on July 22.

Having recovered from a back injury that’s landed him on the disabled list twice this season, Estrada provided Toronto with a quality start.

Estrada, who came into the start surrendering a league-best .173 opponents’ batting average, gave up two earned runs and seven hits in a 2-1 defeat. The right-hander gave up a run in the first inning and in the fifth.

“I felt good out there, just rust,” Estrada, 33, told mlb.com. “I threw a lot of first-pitch balls and was behind in the count a lot today. It was tough, it was a grind today. I guess it’s to be expected when you miss that much time, but I still battled, kept the team in the game and you’ve got to tip your hat to the [James Paxton] for pitching a heck of a game. You’re going to run into guys who pitch that well sometimes and that’s what happened today.”

Estrada made 99 pitches, 61 for strikes. He threw first-pitch strikes to just 10 of the 28 batters faced.

“I guess I made pitches when I needed to,” Estrada said. “We elevated a lot today and I kind of had to. I was having a hard time throwing it in where I wanted to, but I was trying to go up and in anyways. It seemed to work. I had a few pop flies and that helped me a lot in those situations.”

Estrada, a former All-Western State Conference selection before transferring to Long Beach State, will next start Friday at home against the Baltimore Orioles.

Estrada is 5-4 with a 2.94 earned-run average in 17 appearances, all starts. He’s struck out 102 and walked 40 in 110 1/3 innings. Estrada has allowed 71 hits and 38 runs (36 earned).

Toronto is 57-45 and in second place in the American League’s East Division. Toronto won the division championship last season for the first time since 1993 and reached the league championship series.

Cesar Ramos (La Crescenta resident) former Texas Rangers pitcher: Ramos’ stay with Texas turned out to be brief. The left-hander, who showed versatility as a starter and reliever for nearly three months, was designated for assignment by the Rangers on July 22.

Ramos, who signed a minor league contract in the offseason after spending last season with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, was let go after Texas activated left-handed reliever Jake Diekman from the disabled list. Texas has 10 days to either trade, release or have Ramos clear outright waivers.

Texas called up Ramos, 32, in late April and inserted him into the starting rotation. He made four starts, going 1-2 with a 4.95 earned-run average. In 12 relief appearances, Ramos went 2-1 with a 6.83 ERA.

Ramos’ last outing with the Rangers came in relief July 10 against the visiting Minnesota Twins. He went 2/3 of an inning, surrendering five runs (all earned) and five hits in a 15-5 defeat. Ramos gave up two home runs.

Overall, Ramos went 3-3 with one save and a 6.04 ERA in 16 performances. He struck out 27 and walked 20 in 47 2/3 innings. Ramos allowed 60 hits and 34 runs (32 earned).

In three starts with the triple-A Round Rock Express, Ramos went 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 1/3 innings. He struck out 10 and walked two.