ANAHEIM, Calif. — Angels right-hander Joel Pineiro will miss six to eight weeks after straining a muscle in his left side while warming up for a start against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, dealing another blow to Los Angeles' chase of another playoff berth.
Pineiro hurt an oblique muscle while throwing in the bullpen. After an MRI exam, the Angels immediately announced he'll be out for well over a month while putting him on the 15-day disabled list.
"I just threw a curveball, and a lot of pain came through the oblique," Pineiro said. "It's weird. I have no idea how to explain it. It was just one of those weird things that happens. I'm really frustrated and angry that this happened right now, at this moment."
The injury further hampers the Angels' attempts to get back in contention for their sixth AL West title in the past seven seasons.
A 7-3 loss to Boston on Wednesday dropped the Angels into third place in the division, nine games behind leader Texas. The Angels have lost seven of eight, and the Red Sox ended Los Angeles' streak of 79 straight home series without being swept dating back to June 2007.
Pineiro has been a dependable starter in his first season with Los Angeles, going 10-7 with a 4.18 ERA. He had won seven straight decisions before losing his most recent start in New York last week.
TIGERS ACQUIRE PERALTA FROM TRIBE: The banged-up Detroit Tigers acquired third baseman Jhonny Peralta from the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday for minor league left-hander Giovanni Soto. Detroit also received cash considerations in the trade. Peralta will fill-in for Brandon Inge, the Tigers' injured third baseman.
"I was trying to do something to help our ballclub and do something to stay in this," Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said before the game against Tampa Bay. "We think this helps our ballclub with a solid big league player. We've got a lot of young players. Right now it gives us another veteran in our lineup." Dombrowski said Inge (broken left hand) and second baseman Carlos Guillen (strained right calf) could return in the next two weeks. Outfielder Magglio Ordonez (broken right ankle) is expected to be out six to eight weeks.
The Tigers started Wednesday third in the AL Central, four games behind the Chicago White Sox.
Peralta, who might join the Tigers for today's day game at Tampa Bay, was in the lineup for Cleveland's game against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, but was pulled around 6 p.m. He's batting .246 with seven homers and 43 RBIs in 91 games.
The 28-year-old Peralta is in the final season of a five-year, $13 million contract. He's making $4.6 million this season.
The 19-year-old Soto has spent the entire season at Class-A West Michigan and will be assigned to Class-A Lake County. He is 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts.
"We're trying to make some moves that maybe help us a little bit. I don't have anything else right now," Dombrowski said.
Infielder Luis Valbuena has been called up from Triple-A Columbus to take Peralta's roster spot.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Peralta, Detroit designated outfielder Wilkin Ramirez for assignment.
A'S LOSE SHEETS FOR REST OF SEASON: The Oakland Athletics confirmed what they had feared and announced pitcher Ben Sheets is out for the season due to a torn flexor in his right elbow. Sheets was examined by Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister on Wednesday, who said Sheets has a tear and would not pitch again this season.
A's manager Bob Geren said no surgery is currently planned, although Sheets needed an operation to repair the same injury when he missed the 2009 season for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Sheets was placed on the 15-day disabled list last Saturday.
The A's signed the 32-year-old former All-Star to a one-year, $10 million free-agent deal in January. He finished the season 4-9 with a 4.53 ERA in 20 starts.
GIANTS CLOSER FINED FOR CLEATS: San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson has been fined by major league baseball for wearing orange cleats during Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Florida Marlins.
The shoes, a gift from Nike and presented to Wilson at the All-Star game, apparently violated the league's dress code. It was the first time Wilson has worn them in a regular-season game. "They all have to have the majority of your team's color on the shoe you wear," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday. "I was aware of it. It's going to be up to me to make sure these guys stay in uniform. I agree with it. We'll make sure his shoes are acceptable."
Baseball rules require all players on a team to wear uniforms that conform to his teammates.
Wilson was already on top of it. He sat in front of his locker before Wednesday's game against the Marlins and used a black marking pen to color in a portion of his cleats.
"The magic doesn't come from the shoes," Wilson said.
Wilson, who leads the majors with 30 saves, wore the same shoes during the All-Star game then broke them out Monday while warming up in the bullpen. He didn't pitch in that game but came in to work the ninth inning Tuesday.
"In the All-Star game anything goes, it's a little different there," Bochy said. "I'm not surprised he got fined with that."
Florida manager Edwin Rodriguez questioned the umpires about the shoes before Wilson pitched Tuesday and was told they could do nothing about it — the rule book does not expressly reference a player's cleats.
"I went to the umpire and I was wondering about the shoes," Rodriguez said. "He thought the rule was meant more for the sleeves than to the shoes, and he said 'There's nothing I can do regarding the shoes.' I was surprised that they fined him without warning him. When I heard that he got fined, I said 'Well at least give him a warning to be fair.'"