Rangers’ Mateo Out for the Season

The Texas Rangers put center fielder Ruben Mateo on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, a day after the rookie broke his right leg.

Mateo had surgery Friday night to have a rod placed in his leg and will sit out the rest of the season.

Mateo also missed the final two months of last season after surgery to repair a broken bone in his left wrist.

“He was real quiet, but he seemed to be doing well,” said Ranger Manager Johnny Oates, who visited Mateo at the hospital.

The Rangers filled Mateo’s spot by purchasing the contract of outfielder Scott Podsednik from double-A Tulsa, but his stay will be short-lived.

Oates said Podsednik will be sent back down Monday when Texas brings up a pitcher to fill Darren Oliver’s spot in the rotation.

Oliver was scheduled to start Monday against the Dodgers, but will rest after complaining of soreness in his left shoulder. He is slated to return June 11 at Colorado.

Texas also transferred left-hander Justin Thompson from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list. He is out for the season after shoulder surgery last month.

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Cuban defector Adrian Hernandez retired his first 12 hitters--eight on strikeouts--en route to a three-hit, 13-strikeout performance over 6 2/3 innings in his U.S. pro debut for the Class-A Tampa Yankees at Tampa, Fla.

In a Florida State League game against the Fort Myers Miracle, Hernandez, 25, didn’t allow a runner until Dustan Mohr’s leadoff single in the fifth.

The Miracle ended Hernandez’s shutout bid in the seventh on a wild pitch. He waved toward the Legends Field crowd of 1,869 as he departed to a standing ovation.

Hernandez, who walked one, threw 60 of 93 pitches for strikes.

Hernandez defected from Cuba on Jan. 2 by sneaking aboard a plane to Costa Rica.

Before Saturday, he had been pitching for the Yankees’ extended spring training team in Florida.

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St. Louis left-hander Scott Radinsky, who lasted only three pitches in his first outing of the season, returned to the 15-day disabled list because of a strained elbow.

Radinsky was activated from the DL on May 26. He re-injured the elbow in his first appearance since July 1999 after going to a 3-and-0 count against pinch-hitter Hanley Frias in the seventh inning Thursday night at Arizona.

The Cardinals don’t know when Radinsky, 32, will be back. Radinsky has had difficulty recovering from arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow last August.

The Cardinals recalled left-hander Jose Rodriguez, who was sent down to triple-A Memphis last Sunday when Matt Morris and Alan Benes were called up.