Royals notebook: Nuñez set to begin rehab stint
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. | Injured reliever Leo Nuñez is now unlikely to rejoin the club before the All-Star break but will begin his minor-league rehab assignment Monday at Class AAA Omaha.
Nuñez reported no problems Saturday morning following a throwing session Friday at the club’s year-round complex in Surprise, Ariz.
“There’s a week(-long) program set for him in Omaha,” manager Trey Hillman said. “That will all be determined on how he does in that first outing.”
Nuñez was the bullpen’s primary setup reliever before suffering a strained muscle in his upper back in a May 27 appearance against Minnesota. He was 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA and seven holds in 21 appearances.
Buck on bench
Miguel Olivo replaced John Buck as the starting catcher in part as an effort to slow the Rays’ running game, which leads the majors with 96 stolen bases.
It was also an acknowledgement that Buck might not be fully recovered from a bruised groin after being hit Wednesday in the cup by a foul tip. Buck made two throwing errors in Friday’s 11-2 loss.
“He’d be the last one to say that it (affected him),” Hillman said. “That particular area, there’s a lot of soreness. Enough said. He wasn’t the same catcher back there (Friday).”
Fatigue factor
Outfielder Mark Teahen wasn’t in the starting lineup for the first time since June 14, and third baseman Alex Gordon could also be in line for a one-day rest.
“There’s not anything glaring with Mark Teahen right now,” Hillman said.
“I just felt like he needed a day mentally as well as physically right now.”
Teahen has just one hit in his last 11 at-bats and is batting .196 in his last 14 games.
Gordon went hitless Saturday in four at-bats and is mired in a five-for-33 skid that dropped his average to .255.
Looking back
•It was 17 years ago today — July 6, 1991 — that Danny Tartabull became the last Royals player to hit three home runs in one game. He did it in a 9-7 loss to Oakland at Royals Stadium.
Others to accomplish the feat: John Mayberry (twice), George Brett (twice), Tony Solaita and Bo Jackson.
•It was 29 years ago today — July 6, 1979 — that the Royals purchased the contract of reliever Dan Quisenberry from Class AAA Omaha.
Etc.
•Mark Grudzielanek went two for four and now needs just five hits to become the 251st player in big-league history to reach 2,000 for a career. White Sox DH Jim Thome needs 15 to reach the same milestone. There are 17 active players with 2,000 or more hits, topped by Cincinnati outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., with 2,629.
•Joey Gathright went one for two with a walk and a steal in returning to the lineup after missing the two previous games because of a sore left shoulder.
•The Rays’ effort to boost attendance Saturday included a postgame concert by pop group Loverboy.
Join the discussion
Share your observations and experiences about news. Lively, open debate is the goal, but please refrain from personal attacks or comments that are racist, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate. If you see an inappropriate comment, please click the "Report as violation" link to notify a KansasCity.com editor. Thanks for your feedback.