Sabathia Likely to Be Put on the Disabled List

Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia underwent an MRI exam Monday and probably will be put on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained abdominal muscle.

The club said a formal announcement on the left-hander would be made today.

Sabathia was forced out of the rain-soaked season opener in Chicago on Sunday night after 37 pitches. In the third inning, he felt his muscle “grab a little bit” while delivering a pitch to Tadahito Iguchi.

“It was just the one pitch,” Sabathia said. “I don’t know what caused it.”

Sabathia began last season on the disabled list for the first time in his career because of a similar injury suffered during spring training.

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San Diego claimed catcher Rob Bowen off waivers from the Detroit Tigers.

Bowen is expected to join the Padres today and the team will have to make a corresponding move to put him on the 25-man roster.

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Roger Clemens made it to opening day -- as a spectator -- and the seven-time Cy Young Award winner said he still was leaning toward retirement.

“That’s where I am right now,” Clemens said Monday before watching the Texas Rangers play the Boston Red Sox at Arlington, Texas. “Obviously, it’s opening day and I’m about to put a golf visor on and I’m going to enjoy a ballgame.”

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Pittsburgh General Manager Dave Littlefield agreed to a one-year contract extension through 2008, the second time in three seasons he got a new deal on opening day.

The Pirates have gone through 13 consecutive losing seasons. Littlefield was hired July 13, 2001, and the Pirates are 314-407 since then.

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Florida extended the contract of General Manager Larry Beinfest and three other executives through the 2010 season.

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Baseball ticket prices are up an average of 5.4%, and the Red Sox have the highest average for the ninth consecutive season.

Tickets in Major League Baseball average $22.21, the Team Marketing Report said, up from a revised average of $21.08 last year. The NFL averaged $58.95 last year, the NBA $45.92 this season and the NHL $41.19.

The Red Sox hiked their average 4.3% to $46.46.