BOSTON — Boston Red Sox pitcher David Wells was suspended for six games for making contact with two umpires. Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Wells would appeal, allowing him to start Friday night's game against the New York Yankees.
"I just want to make sure it gets done properly because he's pitching tonight," Francona told reporters who filed back into his office when the suspension was announced about 2 1/2 hours before game time. "I kind of had an idea that it was coming."
A few minutes earlier, Wells sat at his locker in the Red Sox clubhouse reading a magazine. Asked if he had been suspended, he said, "Get away from me, man. I'm pitching tonight."
After taking a phone call, Francona went out to talk to Wells, who did not react to the news. Francona said he left the pitcher a message earlier in the afternoon, but Wells did not check his voice mail.
"Obviously, he'll appeal it," Francona said. "He's going to pitch tonight. It doesn't affect that."
Wells was ejected in the seventh inning by second base umpire Chris Guccione in a 6-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on July 2. The left-hander turned his back to home plate and waved his glove in apparent disgust after allowing a single to Shea Hillenbrand.
After being thrown out, Wells walked toward Guccione and the pair screamed at each other brim-to-brim before they were separated. First baseman Kevin Millar and umpire Angel Hernandez came over to try to help settle things down, and Wells apparently made contact with Hernandez as well.
BETANCOURT WILL TRY TO CLEAR NAME: Cleveland Indians reliever Rafael Betancourt said Friday that while he accepts punishment for violating major league baseball's drug policy, he will continue his appeal to get the word "steroids" dropped from the official record.
The right-hander was suspended July 8 for 10 days after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance.
"I don't care about the suspension or the money they took," Betancourt said. "Just clear my name from that word."
Betancourt, on the disabled list since June 30 with a shoulder injury, does not dispute testing positive, though he says he has not been told exactly what substance was detected during a mid-May test.
Betancourt has no idea when his grievance request will be heard.
BROWN THROWS OFF MOUND: New York Yankees pitcher Kevin Brown reported no problems after throwing 69 pitches off a mound Friday as part of his rehabilitation program for a back injury.
Brown, who has chronic back trouble, went on the disabled list for the 13th time in his career June 18. It was the third mound session this week for the right-hander who the Yankees hope could rejoin the rotation as soon as Monday.
Brown said the next test is to see how his back feels Saturday.
"It's a lot better than last week," he said.
Brown started the season on the DL because of a back strain, was activated April 17 and went 5-6 with a 5.48 ERA.
The Yankees have four starting pitchers on the disabled list. Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright, both out with shoulder injuries, have been working out with Brown at the Yankees' spring training complex in Florida.
REDS' WAGNER ON DL: Reliever Ryan Wagner went on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a sore shoulder, part of a series of moves by the Cincinnati Reds that shuffled their bench and their bullpen.
Left-hander Randy Keisler was activated off the disabled list and returned from a minor league rehabilitation assignment, where he recovered from a sore left elbow. He went 2-0 with a 5.49 earned run average in eight appearances before he went on the disabled list June 26.
The Reds also reinstated outfielder Kenny Kelly from the 15-day disabled list and returned him from a rehabilitation assignment. Kelly had surgery on June 23 to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.
Kelly takes the spot of outfielder Jason Romano, who was assigned outright to the minors on Thursday.
BREWERS CALL UP EVELAND: The Milwaukee Brewers purchased the contract of left-hander Dana Eveland from Double-A Huntsville on Friday in hopes of giving their bullpen a boost.
To make room, the Brewers sent Tommy Phelps to Triple-A Nashville.
Phelps, who was 0-2 with a 4.63 ERA in 29 games for Milwaukee, and fellow left-hander Jorge De La Rosa have been disappointments so far.
Eveland, 21, was 10-4 with a 2.72 ERA as a starter at Huntsville. He was the starting pitcher for the North team in the Southern League All-Star game on Wednesday and threw a scoreless inning.
CARRASCO LATE SCRATCH: Kansas City Royals right-hander D.J. Carrasco was a late scratch from his start Friday against the Detroit Tigers because of shoulder tightness.
Jose Lima, who had been scheduled to start on Saturday, replaced Carrasco.
Carrasco will be reevaluated on Saturday to see if he is able to start. If not, Runelvys Hernandez will likely be moved up from Sunday's scheduled outing.