Pirates Bring Wagner Back to Majors

The Pittsburgh Pirates unexpectedly recalled right-hander Paul Wagner from double-A Carolina on Thursday.

Wagner, the Pirates’ opening day starter in 1996, was seemingly making little progress in the minors while recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery last August. Such injuries often take as long as 18 months to heal.

There had been speculation Wagner, 29, might spend the entire season at Carolina, where he was 0-1 with a 10.13 earned-run average in 12 appearances.

Said Manager Gene Lamont: “The reports are his velocity is back to where it was before he got hurt and that his command has been getting better. . . . We’ll use him out of the bullpen, probably in the sixth and seventh innings, and see what he’s got.”

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Steve Phillips made his first roster move as the New York Mets’ new general manager, putting right-hander Armando Reynoso, who has a strained right shoulder, on the 15-day disabled list and recalling infielder Shawn Gilbert from triple-A Norfolk of the International League.

Phillips hopes to obtain another reliever before the July 31 trade deadline, but Reynoso being on the disabled list may hamper those efforts because it weakens the Mets’ starting rotation, which will need another pitcher by next week.

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The San Francisco Giants took third baseman Bill Mueller off the 15-day disabled list before the start of Thursday’s game against the Houston. Mueller had been on the disabled list since June 30 because of a broken right index finger. To make room on the roster for Mueller, infielder Rich Aurilia was optioned to triple-A Phoenix of the Pacific Coast League.