Yankees’ Rivera Will Undergo MRI Test

New York Yankee closer Mariano Rivera was sidelined Sunday, one day after leaving a game against the Boston Red Sox because of tightness in his right shoulder.

Rivera was examined by team physician Stuart Hershon and was scheduled to have a precautionary MRI test today. The Yankees will then determine whether to put the four-time All-Star on the disabled list.

“I don’t think anything’s going to show up. It’s just soreness, that’s what it feels like,” Rivera said. “It’s not pain, that’s what I keep saying. It just doesn’t loosen up right away.”

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Yankee starter Orlando Hernandez dropped his appeal and began serving a five-game suspension Sunday for hitting Toronto’s Carlos Delgado with a pitch last week.

Hernandez was suspended by the commissioner’s office Friday, but the Players Assn. appealed--allowing the right-hander to start Saturday against the Boston Red Sox. He didn’t have a decision in New York’s 9-8 victory in 11 innings.

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Texas pitcher Kenny Rogers was still considering whether to waive his no-trade clause and accept a trade to the Cincinnati Reds, who want to send a package of prospects to the Rangers for the left-hander.

Rogers said he plans to speak to his family and the Reds before making his decision.

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Major league baseball umpires demanded that the company manufacturing equipment used to evaluate them remove a reference saying umpires support the system.

In a telephone conference call, 45 major league umpires told the officers of their union, the World Umpires Assn., to make the demand to Questec Inc.

A screen on the company’s Web site says of umpires and the system: “In general they support it!”

The WUA filed a grievance against owners Friday over the system, and union lawyer Larry Gibson said umpires believe it cannot properly evaluate pitches, especially breaking balls.

“The technology has never been adequately explained to umpires or our legal and technical consultants,” umpires John Hirschbeck, Joe Brinkman and Tim Welke said in a letter to the company they released Sunday.