Daal Seeks to Avoid 20 Losses

Omar Daal, acquired by Philadelphia in the trade that sent Curt Schilling to Arizona, will try to avoid the distinction of becoming a 20-game loser tonight when he starts against the New York Mets. With a loss, Daal (3-19) would become the first 20-game loser since Brian Kingman went 8-20 for Oakland in 1980. Kingman will be in attendance at Veteran’s Stadium tonight.

Cy Young lost 20 games three times. Walter Johnson did it twice. Steve Carlton did it once. Each is in the Hall of Fame. Pud Galvin lost 20 games in 10 straight seasons. He’s also a Hall of Famer.

When told after his 19th loss that Kingman planned to attend his next start, Daal shrugged and said, “Who’s that?”

“I don’t care about the record,” said Daal, a 16-game winner last year. “I want to go out and pitch every time.”

Daal easily could’ve skipped tonight’s start. He injured his right quadriceps sliding into third base during a game against Cincinnati on Aug. 24, and has been bothered by soreness in his thigh ever since.

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Sammy Sosa didn’t rejoin the Chicago Cubs in Milwaukee after being examined in Chicago by Dr. Michael Schafer, the team orthopedist. Schafer determined Sosa has a left lower back muscular strain and is listed as day-to-day. Sosa played the first three innings Monday in Milwaukee before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the fourth. He returned to Chicago on Tuesday, ending his streak of consecutive games-played at 388 games.

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The Boston Red Sox obtained left-handed reliever Jesus Pena from the Chicago White Sox for a player to be named. Pena, 25, started this season with triple-A Charlotte and was 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 20 appearances with the White Sox, all in relief. The Red Sox also placed left-handed starter Pete Schourek on the 60-day disabled list because of shoulder and elbow problems. . . . The Cleveland Indians called up left-hander Chris Haney from triple-A Buffalo.