Oakland’s A.J. Griffin to have Tommy John surgery

Oakland right-hander A.J. Griffin is scheduled to have elbow surgery Wednesday, and will miss the entire season with fellow third-year starter Jarrod Parker.

Griffin, who went 14-10 last season, will join a growing list of pitchers who have had Tommy John surgery this year. The group includes, among others, Parker, who was 12-8 last season and had been expected to be Oakland’s 2014 opening day starter; Atlanta’s Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy; the Yankees’ Ivan Nova; Arizona’s Patrick Corbin; San Diego’s Josh Johnson and Cory Luebke; Tampa Bay’s Matt Moore; Kansas City’s Luke Hochevar; the Mets’ Bobby Parnell and Detroit’s Bruce Rondon.

Chapman progressing

Cincinnati closer Aroldis Chapman threw 25 pitches in batting practice and is expected to begin a rehabilitation at Class-A Dayton on Thursday, his first time in a game since he was hit in the head by a line drive during spring training. He’s hoping to be activated after four or five appearances in the minors.

Etc.

Suspended Yankees starter Michael Pineda, who missed the 2012 and 2013 seasons after having shoulder surgery, pulled himself from a simulated game with tightness in an upper back muscle and will have an MRI test. . . . Texas third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff will get a second opinion before having a herniated disk in his lower back surgically repaired. . . . Atlanta left-hander Mike Minor, sidelined all of April by shoulder soreness, will make his season debut Friday at home against San Francisco, Manager Fredi Gonzalez said. . . . Washington outfielder Bryce Harper had surgery on his injured left thumb. The club gave no timetable for his return; reports Monday indicated he would be out until at least July. . . . Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun was out of the lineup for the third straight game because of an oblique-muscle strain.