Avery Removed From Boston Rotation

Steve Avery has been removed from the Boston Red Sox rotation, one start short of automatically earning a $3.9 million contract for 1998.

Avery, signed in the off-season to help offset the free-agent departure of Roger Clemens, is 6-6 with a 6.57 earned-run average. Injured for much of the season, he is making $4.85 million this year.

Avery was guaranteed a $3.9-million contract for 1998 if he made 18 starts.

“We’re going to put him in the bullpen, see if he can work some things out,” Boston Manager Jimy Williams said after a 4-2 loss in 10 innings Monday against the Montreal Expos. “It’s best for him and for our club right now.”

Avery disagreed.

“I think it’s more a business move than a baseball move right now,” Avery said. “It seems to me like they’re saying, ‘You’re better off elsewhere next year.’ That’s fine.”

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Randy Johnson will sit out his third start for the Seattle Mariners because of tendinitis in the middle finger of his left hand.

Johnson, who hasn’t pitched since Aug. 20 against Cleveland, threw about 10 pitches on the side before the Mariners’ game against San Diego on Monday.

Johnson, 33, has a 17-4 record with a 2.32 ERA in 26 starts.

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The Cleveland Indians activated three pitchers off the disabled list in right-handers Chad Ogea and Albie Lopez and left-hander Alvin Morman.