Top pick to sign
Astros owner Jim Crane said top overall draft pick Carlos Correa is expected to sign on Thursday.
Crane revealed that the team had a verbal agreement with the 17-year-old Puerto Rican shortstop when the Astros drafted him on Monday.
Around the bigs
Just nine months after throwing his first pitch as a professional and two months after beginning the season in single-A, former first baseman Sean Doolittle made his major-league debut as a reliever for Oakland against Texas on Tuesday night. The lefthander struck out the first three batters he faced.
Lefthander Andy Pettitte is 3-1 at Yankee Stadium since his return from retirement. In four home starts he's allowed just six runs, a 1.88 ERA.
The Reds sent infielder Mike Costanzo to triple-A Louisville. The Archbishop Carroll grad appeared in 17 games and was hitless in his last 11 at-bats, going 1 for 18 overall.
The Mets activated outfielder Jason Bay from the 15-day disabled list (rib fracture) and placed righthander Chris Young on the paternity list.
The Tigers put catcher Alex Avila on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.
Righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka is expected to start for the Red Sox on Saturday against Washington, one day short of a year after he had reconstructive surgery on his elbow.
White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko was sidelined for a second straight game Wednesday against the Blue Jays after having a procedure to flush a bone chip out of a joint in his left wrist.
The Orioles used a 20th-round pick to draft Ryan Ripken, son of Hall of Fame infielder Cal Ripken Jr. The 18-year-old is a 6-foot-6 first baseman from the Gilman School in Baltimore. He has a full ride to defending College World Series champion South Carolina.
Contact Don McKee at dmckee@phillynews.com.
This article contains information from the Associated Press.
