MLB: Marlins’ Jose Urena suspended six games for hitting Ronald Acuna

Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Urena has been suspended six games and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally hitting Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves with a pitch.

Major League Baseball announced the penalties Thursday, a day after Urena hit Acuna on the left arm with his first pitch in the Marlins’ 5-2 loss in Atlanta. The 20-year-old Acuna went into the game having homered in five straight games, including four homers in the three games against Miami — three of them leading off.

The 25-year-old Urena, from the Dominican Republic, is 3-12 with a 4.74 ERA in 24 starts. Unless appealed, the suspension is scheduled to begin Friday at Washington.

Also, Braves first base coach Eric Young was suspended one game and fined.

Acuna was back in the lineup for the Braves on Thursday night against Colorado. The training staff signed off on Acuna returning after a CT scan on his elbow was normal. X-rays also were negative.

Cubs’ pitcher Yu Darvish scheduled for rehab start Sunday

Chicago Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with a minor league team to be determined.

Signed to a $126-million, six-year contract as a free agent in February, Darvish last pitched for the Cubs on May 20 and is 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA in eight starts. He has been sidelined with right triceps tendinitis and an impingement in his right shoulder.

Darvish made a rehab start June 25 with Class A South Bend but then felt pain in his arm afterward.

“I talked to Yu today and he was very optimistic,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Thursday night before the Cubs played the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Maddon would not speculate how many starts Darvish will need to be ready to come off the disabled list.

“I would say three would the maximum,” Maddon said. “I would think by three starts that he would be dialed in.”

Beltre still out of Texas lineup because of left hamstring

Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre is still out of the lineup because of his troublesome left hamstring, but still on the active roster.

Beltre said before the Rangers’ game Thursday against the Los Angeles Angels that he is feeling better than he did when he strained the hamstring earlier this season. The 39-year-old third baseman was on the DL twice earlier this season, and aggravated the injury Monday night.

The Rangers activated right fielder Nomar Mazara from the 10-day disabled list. He hadn’t played since the All-Star break because of a sprained right thumb.

Outfielder Willie Calhoun was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock. Calhoun hit .275 with nine RBIs in 22 games with the Rangers after being called up July 20 when Mazara was formally put on the DL.