MLB: Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer out four to six weeks with leg fracture

Trevor Bauer isn’t going to let a stress fracture in his right leg get in the way of throwing a baseball.

Cleveland’s right-hander, one of the leading candidates for the AL Cy Young Award, will be out four to six weeks with the injury, but that’s not stopping him from keeping his arm in shape.

Bauer played catch from his knees while wearing a walking boot with an athletic trainer Friday afternoon at Progressive Field, more than four hours before the Indians game against Baltimore.

“It’s something I can do every day, something I plan on doing every day, because the overall stress is way less relative to what I’ve been experiencing the whole season,” Bauer said.

The right-hander admitted he didn’t take the news very well when he learned he’ll be out for an extended period of time.

“I was furious,” he said. “I’ve pretty much felt the same way since.”

Indians manager Terry Francona gave the timetable for Bauer’s return Friday. Bauer believes he’ll return sooner.

“We’ll find out,” he said. “You’re going to get a very different answer if you ask me that question and if you ask the medical staff that question, so probably should defer to doctors on that.”

Bauer was hit by Jose Abreu’s liner Saturday against the Chicago White Sox. He experienced soreness and swelling, and an MRI revealed the injury Tuesday when he was placed on the 10-day disabled list.

Cleveland holds a 12-game lead over Minnesota in the AL Central entering Friday. The right-hander is 12-6 with a 2.22 ERA in 25 starts. He’s third in ERA, second in innings pitched (166) and fourth in strikeouts (214) in the AL.

Bauer could return during the regular season in mid-to-late September. Francona knows the pitcher’s arm will be ready.

“I think in about 10 days he can throw standing, and then in another 10 days, it’s probably close to the mound work,” Francona said. “My guess is his arm is going to feel pretty good.”

Bauer believes some critics haven’t fully recognized the kind of season he’s had to date.

“I’m sure there’s plenty of people out there that are happy about the fact that they get to ignore that I’m one of the best pitchers in the league for another year,” he said. “They don’t have to face that reality. . But, they’ll have to deal with it at some point.”

Lower leg injury sends Reds’ Votto to DL; Barnhart at first base

The Cincinnati Reds placed first baseman Joey Votto on the 10-day disabled list Friday with a right lower leg injury.

The All-Star was hit by a pitch from Ryan Madson in Washington on Aug. 4. In Cincinnati’s 10 games since then, he missed four starts and two full games.

Gold Glove catcher Tucker Barnhart was in the Reds’ lineup for his first career start at first base for their game against San Francisco. Barnhart has made three career appearances at first base, all this season. Outfielder Aristides Aquino was recalled from Double-A Pensacola to fill Votto’s roster spot. Aquino will make his major league debut.

Marlins’ Urena appeals penalty for hitting Acuna, can play

Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Urena is appealing his six-game suspension for intentionally hitting Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves with a pitch.

Urena was in uniform Friday and Marlins manager Don Mattingly didn’t rule out using him this weekend against the Washington Nationals.

Major League Baseball announced the suspension and undisclosed fine Thursday, a day after Urena hit Acuna on the left arm with his first pitch in the Marlins’ 5-2 loss in Atlanta. Urena is eligible to play until the appeal process is complete.

“When I saw I hit a guy, I feel bad,” Urena said Friday. “I said something: `Hey, you’ll be OK.’ I said it in Spanish.”

The 20-year-old Acuna went into the game having homered in five straight games, including four homers in the three games against Miami — three of them leading off.

“I talked to him right after the game,” Mattingly said of Urena. “He said he was trying to run the ball close to him and that’s exactly what he told me. I just relay what he told me because we talked about it.”

The 25-year-old Urena, from the Dominican Republic, is 3-12 with a 4.74 ERA in 24 starts.

Acuna was back in the lineup for the Braves on Thursday night against Colorado. He went 1 for 4 with a stolen base.

“One thing I was happy about is that the kid’s all right,” Mattingly said.

If Urena pitched this weekend and then dropped his appeal on Monday, he would miss Miami’s series at home against the Braves on Aug. 23-26.

Red Sox activate second baseman Ian Kinsler from DL, starts vs Tampa Bay

The Boston Red Sox have activated second baseman Ian Kinsler from the disabled list and put him in the starting lineup.

The AL East leaders made the move Friday. He was batting sixth and playing second at Fenway Park against Tampa Bay. The Red Sox also put third baseman Rafael Devers on the 10-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, retroactive to Thursday.

Kinsler missed 11 games with a strained left hamstring. He was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels on July 30 and played in just three games before straining his hamstring Aug. 3 while scoring a run in the first inning of win over the New York Yankees.

The 36-year-old Kinsler went 4 for 10, drove in two runs and stole two bases with Boston before getting hurt.

Rangers outfielder DeShields to DL with fracture in middle finger

Texas Rangers center fielder Delino DeShields has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a fracture on the tip of his right middle finger.

The move was made before Friday’s game against the Angels.

DeShields got hurt in the series opener Thursday night when he got hit by a pitch on an attempted bunt.

Infielder/outfielder Drew Robinson was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock for his third stint with Texas this year.

It is the second time this season that DeShields has gone on the DL. He missed 20 games after a hamate bone fracture in his left hand the first week of the season. He is hitting .204 with 22 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 85 games.

Cubs place Montgomery on DL, move Chatwood back to rotation

Left-hander Mike Montgomery has been placed on the 10-day disabled list by the Chicago Cubs, and Tyler Chatwood will return to the rotation and start Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Montgomery has left shoulder inflammation and the DL move was made Friday night, retroactive to Aug. 12.

Chatwood has a major league-worst 90 walks in 99 2/3 innings after being signed to a $38-million, three-year contract in the offseason. He was 4-5 with a 4.98 ERA in 19 starts before moving to the bullpen at the beginning of August and has a 6.34 ERA in three relief appearances.

Montgomery has made 13 starts and 19 relief appearances, going 4-4 with a 3.62 ERA.

“We want to take our time and make sure it’s right,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said about Montgomery’s shoulder before Friday night’s game against the Pirates.

Left-handed reliever Randy Rosario was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to take Montgomery’s roster spot. Rosario is 4-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 28 games with the Cubs this season.