Baseball Notes

Mets' Reyes plays game in minors

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes played in a minor-league game yesterday, his first action since being sidelined with a thyroid problem.

Reyes, who returned to camp last Wednesday, went 1 for 5 with a double against the Cardinals' Triple-A team and played three innings in the field. He took batting practice for the first time Monday.

He was not supposed to run past first, but he did in his first at-bat after hitting a ball over the center fielder's head. Reyes jogged easily into second.

Marlins, Tigers trade pitchers

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Florida Marlins acquired left-hander Nate Robertson from the Detroit Tigers for left-hander Jay Voss.

Robertson started six games and also spent time in the bullpen for the Tigers last season. He finished 2-3 with a 5.44 ERA in 28 appearances.

The trade enables Robertson to start with the Marlins and assures left-hander Dontrelle Willis a spot in the Detroit rotation.

Voss, 22, split last season between Class-A Jupiter and Double-A Jacksonville for the Marlins.

Phillies' Kendrick loses spot to Moyer

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Kyle Kendrick lost the competition with 47-year-old lefty Jamie Moyer for the fifth starter position in Philadelphia's rotation yesterday when his outing against Houston was cut short after two innings.

Kendrick allowed a run on two hits in two innings before Charlie Manuel decided to break the news to him. He struck out one and walked one.

Moyer, the oldest player in the majors, has been impressive, posting a 0.77 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 112/3 innings this spring.

Hernandez earns Orioles' fifth spot

SARASOTA, Fla. -- David Hernandez was named the fifth starter in the Baltimore Orioles' rotation, a move that means 21-year-old Chris Tillman will be headed to the minor leagues.

Hernandez and Tillman both made their major-league debuts last year with Baltimore.

The winner was Hernandez, mainly because he showed more control than his counterpart in a duel of young right-handers.

Hernandez is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA, three walks and 20 strikeouts. Tillman is 0-3 with a 3.86 ERA and has given up three homers and nine walks in 161/3 innings.

Reds' Chapman may start in farm system

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman is likely to start the season in the Cincinnati Reds' farm system.

GM Walt Jocketty said the left-hander who just turned 22 and is still learning the language has adapted well in spring training, but still has a lot of work to do. He hurt his back and missed a week of camp, essentially knocking him out of the competition for the rotation.

Jocketty said "it's going to be tough" for him to make the big-league club because of the injury. Chapman is scheduled to pitch two innings against minor-leaguers today.

Elsewhere

ASTROS: J.R. Towles has won the competition to be the every-day catcher and prospect Jason Castro was reassigned to minor-league camp. IF Edwin Maysonet and R Wilton Lopez also were optioned to minor-league camp.

PIRATES: RHs Jeff Karstens and Brian Bass were among seven players reassigned to minor-league camp, leaving 30 players with the major league club. Also sent down were RHs Vinnie Chulk, Steven Jackson, Jeremy Powell and Anthony Claggett and C Luke Carlin.

DODGERS: LH Eric Stults was scratched from his spring training start amid reports his contract was being sold to a team in Japan. Stults was a candidate for the Dodgers' fifth starter spot, but posted a 5.06 ERA in 51/3 innings in Arizona.

YANKEES: 1B Mark Teixeira underwent treatment for a bruised right elbow and expects to play again tomorrow. Teixeira said the elbow is still sore, but feeling better.

Also, ambidextrous P Pat Venditte threw with both arms for New York, giving up one run in 11/3 innings during a 9-6 split-squad loss to the Atlanta Braves. Venditte switched back and forth, depending on whether he was facing a righty or lefty. He gave up two hits and a walk.

CUBS: Kevin Millar was released by Chicago, giving its final roster spot to IF Chad Tracy. Tracy, 29, made the Opening-day roster because he hits left-handed and has been a regular at third base. The Cubs also sent OF Sam Fuld and IF Micah Hoffpauir to Triple-A Iowa and sent C Chris Robinson to their minor-league camp for reassignment.

BREWERS: RH Jeff Suppan was placed on the 15-day DL with neck pain retroactive to March 26. He was in the mix for the fifth starting spot in the rotation or would be considered for long relief.

DIAMONDBACKS: Manager A.J. Hinch has picked Rodrigo Lopez as the team's fourth starter. Lopez, a non-roster invitee to spring training, outpitched Billy Buckner and Kevin Mulvey for the job.

PADRES: RH Mat Latos had some trouble with his control but no problem at all with his pitching elbow yesterday, an encouraging sign for San Diego in its 7-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Latos missed a start last week because of tenderness in the elbow. In his return to the mound, his control was off but his results weren't bad. Latos is in the competition for the fifth starter's spot.

-- From Wire Reports