Crisp to Be Out Longer Than Expected

Boston Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp was put on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday after breaking his left index finger sliding into third base during a game Sunday.

To fill the roster spot, the Red Sox purchased the contract of outfielder Dustan Mohr from triple-A Pawtucket. Manager Terry Francona expects Crisp to miss several weeks.

“I wouldn’t want to lose him for the whole year,” Francona said. “But for the short term we should be able to handle this. The idea is, give him 10 days in a splint and see where he’s at. My guess would be he’ll be a quick healer.”

Francona was confident the team could do well despite losing Crisp.

“If we can’t handle it, we weren’t going to be good enough anyway,” Francona said.

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Because of a hip injury, public-address announcer Bob Sheppard’s voice was missing from the New York Yankees’ home opener for the first time since he was hired in 1951.

Sheppard injured his left hip Monday night at his Long Island home, the Yankees said before Tuesday’s game against Kansas City. He will miss the three-game series against the Royals and hopes to be back April 21.

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Roy Halladay will miss his next scheduled start for the Toronto Blue Jays because of a tender forearm.

The 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner has made two starts this season, beating Minnesota and then losing to Tampa Bay on Sunday. The right-hander had been expected to make his third start Saturday in Chicago against the White Sox, but now is slated to work during a three-game series against Boston in Toronto beginning April 21.

“I don’t think it is anything serious,” Manager John Gibbons said. “He went back to Toronto with tenderness in his forearm. It should just be one start.”

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Milwaukee Brewer ace Ben Sheets struck out nine, walked none and gave up three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a rehabilitation start for triple-A Nashville.

Sheets showed no ill effects from the strained back muscle that landed him on the disabled list March 24. He appears on track to rejoin the Brewers for this weekend’s series against the New York Mets.

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Four minor league pitchers were suspended 50 games each by the commissioner’s office for violating baseball’s minor league drug program, the first penalties since the sport toughened its rules during the off-season.

Two of the pitchers were in the Cincinnati Reds’ organization: Ramon Ramirez and Justin Mallet. Also suspended were Waner Mateo of the New York Mets and Ryan Rafferty of the Kansas City Royals.

The four have never pitched in the majors.

Mallet was penalized for testing positive for a drug of abuse. The others tested positive for performance-enhancing substances.