The Buccos are back.
One more time
Houston sent first baseman Carlos Lee to the Miami Marlins for third baseman Matt Dominguez and pitcher Rob Rasmussen, ESPN the Magazine reported.
Lee has a no-trade clause and declined a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. It was unclear Wednesday night whether he had agreed to move to Miami.
Stat of the day
Boston's David Ortiz slugged his 400th home run Wednesday, putting the Red Sox designated hitter eighth among active sluggers and 49th all-time. Next up: Hall of Famer Duke Snider with 407.
New economics
The Red Sox used an irregular strategy to nail down a prospect in the recent draft.
On the morning of the draft's second day, Kyle Kraus was sitting in his room in Portland, Ore., with no expectations of hearing from a big-league team.
The 5-foot-11 righthander had been 7-6 with a 2.03 ERA as a senior with the University of Portland.
But his phone rang, and a Red Sox scout was on the line.
"He said, 'Hey, we want a senior in the seventh round that will sign for $1,000. Would you do it?' " Kraus recalled. "I said, Yeah.' "
Asked about the paucity of his bonus in a slot worth about $140,000, Kraus replied simply:
"Money is not the reason why I'm playing this game."
Around the bigs
Dustin Pedroia's troublesome right thumb will get further tests Thursday after the Red Sox second baseman was held out of Wednesday's game in Oakland. DP tore a muscle in the thumb in late May and may have reinjured it Tuesday night trying to make a diving catch.
Andre Ethier went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left side muscle, leaving the struggling Dodgers without either of their all-star outfielders. Matt Kemp has been out since May 30.
Elsewhere: The White Sox placed reliever Jesse Crain on the 15-day disabled list (right-shoulder strain). . . . The Orioles sent second baseman Brian Roberts for further tests on his groin strain. . . . The Yankees claimed outfielder Darnell McDonald off waivers from the Red Sox. . . . Indians outfielder Shelley Duncan, whose wife is expecting twins, was placed on the paternity list Wednesday.
Contact Don McKee at dmckee@phillynews.com.
This article contains information from the Associated Press.
