BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJORS : Cardinals Put Cormier on Disabled List

St. Louis Cardinal left-hander Rheal Cormier, who has a back injury, was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this month.

Cormier warmed up but did not throw a pitch in his last scheduled start at Florida on Friday night after suffering torn muscles in his back. He was placed on the disabled list retroactive to May 21.

Manager Joe Torre said team doctors have prescribed several days of rest followed by a rehabilitation stint for Cormier.

Cormier, who is 2-1 with a 5.74 ERA in five starts, also was on the disabled list from April 28 to May 12 because of a shoulder injury.

The Cardinals activated right-hander Rick Sutcliffe, who had been sidelined because of a hamstring injury, from the 15-day disabled list. Sutcliffe, 1-1 with an 8.31 ERA, will start Wednesday night against Philadelphia.

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Houston Astro officials denied a Houston Post report that they were trying to trade reliever Mitch Williams. They said their main goal was helping the struggling left-hander regain his effectiveness. He is 1-4 with five saves and an 8.00 ERA.

“It’s always a possibility,” the paper quoted Astro General Manager Bob Watson as saying of a trade.

“We talk to clubs every day. That’s one of our basic operating procedures, to check with other clubs and see what interest there might be for someone in our organization.”

Williams gave up a two-run homer to San Diego’s Phil Plantier in the eighth inning Sunday, giving the Padres a 7-6 victory. Watson and Manager Terry Collins met after the game, but Watson said it did not concern Williams.

“I will say we are disappointed that he didn’t do his job,” Watson said. “Those things happen. I didn’t even talk to Terry about that.”

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Scott Erickson, who pitched the American League’s only no-hitter this season, has been placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Minnesota Twins because of a strained muscle on his right side.