Wood Is Sidelined Because of Tendinitis

Just when the Chicago Cubs are about to start a showdown series in Houston, Kerry Wood is going out of commission.

Wood was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, retroactive to Aug. 4, because of tendinitis in his right shoulder.

After missing his previous start, Wood had hoped to pitch Tuesday against the Astros, but was still experiencing discomfort.

“His strength is fine. This might be alarming to everybody, but that’s what it is--tendinitis. It’s not structural,” Manager Don Baylor said. “He’s a power guy who wants to be 100%.”

Wood, the 1998 NL rookie of the year who was sidelined the entire 1999 season after elbow ligament replacement surgery, is 10-6 this season with a 3.50 earned-run average.

In his last outing Aug. 3, he gave up three hits in eight innings, defeating the Dodgers, 2-1. He skipped his turn Thursday against the Colorado Rockies.

Jon Lieber, the Cubs’ 15-game winner, said the team made the move now so Wood would be around later.

“It’s precautionary,” Lieber said. “We need him down the stretch.”

Jose Rijo is returning to the big leagues.

The Cincinnati Reds will add Rijo as a long reliever Friday, completing his comeback from four major elbow operations and several failed attempts to resume his career.

Rijo, 36, was the Reds’ 1990 World Series most valuable player, but hasn’t pitched in the majors since July 18, 1995, when he took himself out of a game because of elbow pain.

He threw one shutout inning for triple-A Louisville Sunday, prompting the Reds to give him a chance to finish his career the way he wanted, pitching instead of recuperating.

Rijo wants to make his first appearance in Cincinnati, so the Reds will wait until they return from a trip to call him up from the minors. They play Milwaukee at Cinergy Field on Friday.

Rijo has been impatient to return to the big leagues, hinting recently that he would give up if he wasn’t promoted soon.

Manager Bob Boone wasn’t sure how he would use Rijo, who joins a struggling bullpen that could use a fresh arm. Boone was impressed with the way Rijo threw at Cinergy Field last week between minor league appearances.

“It depends on how he pitches,” Boone said. “I don’t know how long he can go. I always said with Rijo that we’re not going to bring him up just to bring him up. He’s got to be better than the 12 guys we have out there.”

The Reds aren’t looking at Rijo’s promotion as a promotional stunt.

“He’s not coming up here for one outing,” General Manager Jim Bowden said. “His incentive is to make a comeback, to perform this year and next. That’s his goal. We’ll see if it happens.”

The Philadelphia Phillies put left-hander Rheal Cormier on the 15-day disabled list because of a sore left shoulder. Dennis Cook is expected to be activated off the 15-day disabled list for Tuesday’s game at Milwaukee. . . . The Tampa Bay Devil Rays put pitcher Jeff Wallace on the 15-day disabled list because of left elbow tendinitis and recalled pitcher Bobby Seay from double-A Orlando.