Pitcher Tavarez Gets Suspension

Boston Red Sox reliever Julian Tavarez was suspended for 10 days and fined Thursday for his role in a brawl this week.

Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline, cited Tavarez for “violent and unsportsmanlike actions” during Monday’s exhibition against Tampa Bay. Tavarez punched the Devil Rays’ Joey Gathright lightly on the jaw after a play at home plate.

The penalty would start Monday, when Boston plays its season opener.

“I’m a little surprised,” Red Sox Manager Terry Francona said. “I know they didn’t have video so I’m not sure what they’re going on.... It seems like a lot.”

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Adam Eaton could be out of the Texas Ranger rotation for one to three months because of a strained tendon in the middle finger on his pitching hand, the same injury that sidelined him last season.

After meeting with hand specialist Dr. Don Sheridan, Eaton said he might be out up to three months. If he ends up having surgery, the 28-year-old right-hander said he could sit out most of the season.

“I still haven’t been able to find a baseball player who has had this,” Eaton said. “You think about elbows, shoulders, ankles, knees, but this is definitely a different thing.”

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Former Dodger reliever Giovanni Carrara was reassigned to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league camp in a surprise move, leaving an opening for a middle to long reliever on the team’s 25-man opening day roster.

Carrara, who pitched for Pirate Manager Jim Tracy in Los Angeles the last two seasons, had a 9.00 earned-run average in six spring training games.

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Javy Lopez spent so much time learning to play first base this spring, he neglected the best part of his game: hitting.

Lopez was batting .139 through Wednesday. He wasn’t fielding very well at his new position, either.

So Baltimore Oriole Manager Sam Perlozzo decided to put a temporary halt to the plan of converting Lopez from a catcher to a first baseman. Lopez will now begin the season as the team’s designated hitter.

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Once heralded as a future Arizona Diamondback star, outfielder Luis Terrero was put on unconditional release waivers.

Terrero, who hit .239 in 155 games over the last three seasons, lost his job as the primary backup outfielder to former Angel Jeff DaVanon, who hit .442 in spring training.

Arizona also optioned right-handed pitcher Jeff Bajenaru to triple-A Tucson.

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As expected, Milwaukee Brewer ace Ben Sheets will begin the season on the disabled list.

Sheets, who strained a muscle in his upper back in a spring training game March 9, was put on the 15-day disabled list. The move was retroactive to March 24 and he will be eligible to come off the disabled list on April 8.

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Outfielder Michael Tucker was granted his unconditional release by the Washington Nationals, who made three other moves to get down to the 25-man active roster limit.

Washington also sent right-hander Travis Hughes to triple-A New Orleans, and reassigned catcher Alberto Castillo and right-hander Kevin Gryboski to minor league camp.

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Gavin Floyd’s outstanding spring earned him a spot in the Philadelphia Phillies’ rotation.

The Phillies sorted out their pitching logjam by sending Ryan Franklin to the bullpen. Floyd joins Jon Lieber, Brett Myers, Cory Lidle and Ryan Madson in the rotation.