Martinez Will Return Sunday Against Texas

Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez will make his scheduled start Sunday in Texas against the Rangers, two months to the day of his last outing.

Martinez, recovering from a sore shoulder, was checked out by Angel team doctor Lewis Yocum after throwing for 15 minutes before Thursday night’s game in Anaheim.

“He’ll tee it up Sunday,” Red Sox pitching coach John Cumberland said. “He used all his pitches and his mechanics were fine. He had no problems at all. His location was there, with all his pitches. He was very, very good.”

Martinez said Yocum told him to be cautious, but as long as he feels comfortable, he risks no further injury by throwing.

“He said I have to listen to my body, but no more than 60 pitches,” the three-time Cy Young winner said. “I have to really be careful not to overcompensate because of my shoulder, and not get sore in other parts of my body.”

Martinez went on the disabled list June 26 with an inflamed right shoulder. He has a 7-2 record and 2.26 earned-run average with 150 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings.

The Cleveland Indians put pitcher Charles Nagy on the disabled list and said he would miss the remainder of the season.

Nagy had surgery on his pitching elbow in May 2000, and did not have his first start for the Indians until June of this year. Since then he has posted a 5-6 record and a 6.40 ERA.

The team said Nagy has re-aggravated his elbow, and he is not expected to return until next spring.

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Roberto Hernandez will be back closing games for the Kansas City Royals next season as the team picked up his $6-million option.

Hernandez, acquired in a three-team January trade that sent outfielder Johnny Damon to the Oakland Athletics, is 12 saves short of 300 in his career.

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Hall of Fame officials in Cooperstown, N.Y., contacted the Colorado Rockies requesting Jason Jennings’s hat and bat after his shutout over the New York Mets at Shea Stadium on Thursday night.

Hall of Fame spokesman Jeff Arnett said it is the first time in modern baseball history that a pitcher has thrown a shutout and hit a home run in his major-league debut.

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Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin had hernia surgery and should be ready for spring training next season. The 11-time all-star went back on the disabled list June 29 after hitting .256 in 45 games, his shortest season in the majors. . . . Houston right-hander Pedro Astacio will miss his start Sunday at Pittsburgh with stiffness in his pitching shoulder, the team said. Left-hander Ron Villone will start in his place. . . . Baltimore put outfielder Mike Kinkade on the 15-day disabled list with an injured shoulder and called up center fielder Luis Matos from double-A Bowie. . . . Milwaukee put left-handed pitcher Lance Painter on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 22, with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. . . . Florida utilityman Andy Fox, who has played second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield spots this season, agreed to a contract extension through next season.