BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Team Stunned as Mitchell Leaves Japan

Slugger Kevin Mitchell left the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks and Japan, and he didn’t even say sayonara .

“We are just stunned by his abrupt leave,” Hawk President Ryuzo Setoyama said Friday.

Mitchell, who is under suspension and hasn’t played since May 7 because of a knee the Hawks aren’t so sure is so sore, reportedly was en route to Los Angeles.

The San Francisco Giants, for whom he won National League MVP honors in 1989, have said in recent weeks that they might be interested in Mitchell. The outfielder’s agent, Joe Sroba, refused to say anything about the situation.

Mitchell, 33, left the Cincinnati Reds as a free agent to play for the Hawks for $4.5 million guaranteed, the highest salary ever paid in Japanese baseball.

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The New York Post says Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, two former Mets now on drug-related suspensions, could be reunited in New York with the Yankees.

Yankee owner George Steinbrenner has had preliminary discussions with Strawberry’s agent about signing Strawberry when his drug-related suspension ends June 23, the newspaper said Friday.

An official in the Yankee front office, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Friday that General Manager Gene Michael and Assistant GM Tim McCleary had no knowledge of any talks with Strawberry.

Gooden is suspended for the season. Strawberry is suspended through June 23.

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The Baltimore Orioles recalled outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds and activated outfielder Andy Van Slyke from the 15-day disabled list. To make room on the roster, the Orioles optioned pitcher Arthur Rhodes and outfielder Sherman Obando to triple-A Rochester. . . . The Detroit Tigers recalled right-hander Brian Maxcy from triple-A Toledo and assigned outfielder Rudy Pemberton outright to the same club. . . . The Seattle Mariners recalled right-hander Tim Harikkala from triple-A Tacoma, making him the 18th pitcher on the Mariners’ pitching staff since the regular season started April 27.