ESPN MLB

New York Yankees: Rookie right-hander Chien-Ming Wang was activated from the 15-day disabled list by the Yankees on Tuesday and will start Thursday against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Wang became a valuable member of the Yankees' injury-plagued rotation during the first half of the season. He went 6-3 with a 3.89 ERA in 13 games, including 12 starts, then landed on the disabled list himself in July with a strain and inflammation in his shoulder.

He will jump right back into a rotation that has an open spot with Mike Mussina out with an elbow injury.

"He's got a great deal of confidence," manager Joe Torre said. "That helps us have confidence in him."

New York picked Aaron Small to start Friday in the opener of a series against AL East leader Boston. Al Leiter, who allowed six runs and got only two outs in a 12-0 loss to Oakland last Friday, had been considered to start either Thursday or Friday.

Shawn Chacon will likely start Saturday and Randy Johnson on Sunday. The Red Sox are expected to start former Yankee David Wells on Friday, followed by Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield.

Wang said he is throwing without pain and with his normal velocity. He added that he won't need surgery after the season.

"It feels better, feels good," Wang said.

Other Yankees moves: The Yankees recalled infielder Felix Escalona and right-hander Scott Proctor from Triple-A Columbus, and purchased the contract of outfielder Mike Vento from Columbus. To make room for Vento on the 40-man roster, right-hander Sam Marsonek was designated for assignment.

Carl Pavano, another injured starter, was in the clubhouse Tuesday and said he will be with the team throughout this week's homestand before returning to Tampa, Fla. to continue working out. Pavano remains on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis that has likely ended his first season in New York.

"They gave me the option and of course I want to be with the team," Pavano said. "It's tough not to be a part of it, but this is the hand I've been dealt."

Minnesota Twins: Carlos Silva needed to vent his frustrations about his struggling Twins, after the team suffered yet another blow to its playoff hopes in a sloppy shutout loss to the Texas Rangers.

"It is hard to get a loss like this," Silva told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "The only thing I know, man, is that every time I go out there, I give 100 percent because I like to win and I hate to lose. It looks like a lot of guys in here don't want to play the game the right way. ... I want to see the team that I saw last year. We played hard. Always dive for everything."

Minnesota made two errors that led to five unearned runs and dropped 5½ games behind the Yankees, the AL wild-card leader. Right fielder Jacque Jones allowed a run to score when he dropped a warning-track fly ball with two outs in the third. Second baseman Nick Punto mishandled a ball with two outs in the seventh while trying for a force play; four runs scored that inning, all unearned.

"For me, I hate to see losses like that, and it is not easy for us," Silva told the paper. "As a pitcher ... every time we go out there, we try to do the best we can do. ...

"I'm not going to mention any names," Silva added, "But I know this team, and I know we can play better than this."

More Twins moves: The Twins recalled infielders Luis Rivas and Luis Rodriguez and right-hander Travis Bowyer from Triple-A Rochester.

The Twins also selected the contract of catcher Chris Heintz from Rochester, making room for him on the roster by outrighting infielder Augie Ojeda to Rochester.

Rivas was once believed to be the Twins' second baseman of the future. But his inconsistency at the plate led to his demotion in July when the Twins brought in free agent Bret Boone to try and add some punch to the offense. Rivas batted .248 with 22 RBI in 43 games for the Red Wings.

Rodriguez has played in 50 games for the Twins this year and hit .304 in his latest 40-game stint in Rochester.

The hard-throwing Bowyer was 4-2 with a 2.78 ERA, 96 strikeouts and 23 saves in 59 games with Rochester.

Baltimore Orioles: Sammy Sosa is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list on Saturday, but the Orioles slugger told the Baltimore Sun on Monday he isn't sure if he'll be ready by then to play.

"I feel pain but not that much pain," Sosa told the paper of his ailing right big toe. "It was right under the nail and right in the middle. That's where the pain is. It's something I've got to deal with."

Sosa was in the Orioles' clubhouse on Monday to have a team doctor examine his foot. It apparently was the first contact he'd had with the club since going on the DL Aug. 28.

"If I'm available, of course I'm going to play," Sosa said. "I know how to play. I know it has not been one of the more beautiful years I've had in my career. You have to keep fighting."

• Cabrera activated: The Orioles activated righthander Daniel Cabrera from the 15-day disabled list.

Cabrera will start in Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Cabrera, 24, had been sidelined since August 17 with a lower back strain. He is 8-11 with a 5.00 ERA in 21 starts this season.

In his last outing on August 12, Cabrera surrendered five runs -- one earned -- and five hits in four innings to absorb the loss in a 12-0 setback against the Blue Jays.

Since winning three straight starts in early July, Cabrera has struggled, going 0-4 with a 7.62 ERA in six outings.

Boston Red Sox: Johnny Damon sat out again on Monday, sidelined for Boston's 5-3 loss by a rotator cuff injury. But the centerfielder, who is being evaluated on on a day-to-day basis, told The Boston Herald he is sure he'll recover from his latest ailment.

"I'll be OK one of these days," Damon told the paper. "It's just one of those stupid things that have happened to me all year."

Damon has also missed time this season for injuries to his right elbow, right shoulder, a wasp sting on his hand and he developed an infection from a spider bite in spring training.

"I tried throwing [Sunday] and for two innings, I couldn't throw," he said. "I don't know how I'll be able to throw. I can lift my arm up but it's sore. It feels like it's jammed up."

Reinforcements keep coming: The Red Sox recalled right-hander Manny Delcarmen and catcher Kelly Shoppach from Triple-A Pawtucket.

It is Delcarmen's third stint with the Red Sox this season. He is 0-0 with a 4.76 ERA in six major league relief appearances.

Shoppach made his major league debut for Boston earlier this season, playing six games and going hitless in 11 at-bats.

San Diego Padres: The Padres recalled catcher David Ross and purchased the contracts of infielder Manny Alexander and right-handed pitcher Scott Cassidy from Triple-A Portland.

Ross was optioned to Portland on Aug. 26 to make room for right-hander Adam Eaton.

Alexander was acquired from the Texas Rangers organization in exchange for minor league right-hander Juan Jimenez on Aug. 31. He has played exclusively in the minor leagues in 2005, batting .306 with 12 homers, 68 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 112 games, including batting .250 in four games at Portland.

He played parts of nine major league seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Rangers.

Cassidy was acquired in a trade with the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Adam Hyzdu on July 19. He played parts of two big league seasons with Toronto and Boston.

Florida Marlins: Shortstop Alex Gonzalez is expected to miss at least a week with an elbow injury, the Miami Herald reported.

"'I don't feel good," Gonzalez said. "I don't feel like the same Alex."

Gonzalez is to undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine if the injury to his elbow is more severe than just inflammation, the paper said.

"It just looks like when he goes into the hole, the long throw might be a strain for him," Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest told the paper. "It has been obvious it has been uncomfortable for him."

Manager Jack McKeon told the paper the elbow will likely bother Gonzalez the remainder of the season.

Los Angeles Angels: Right-hander Kelvim Escobar was activated from the 60-day disabled list before the Angels opened up a critical nine-game road trip at Boston.

Escobar had been on the disabled list three times this season, including his most recent stint which involved elbow surgery on June 29.

Escobar, who is 2-2 with a 3.54 ERA in seven starts this season, returns to Anaheim's staff at a crucial time.

Despite posting a 5-3 win over Seattle on Sunday to move a game ahead of Oakland in the American League West Division, ace Bartolo Colon was forced to leave the game in the sixth inning due to tightness in his lower back. Colon's status for his next start against the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox on Saturday is uncertain.

In other moves, the Angels recalled lefthander Joe Saunders and catcher Jeff Mathis from Triple-A Salt Lake of the Pacific Coast League.

Saunders was 12-7 with a 3.87 ERA in 27 starts split between Salt Lake and Double-A Arkansas of the Texas League. Mathis, a supplemental first-round pick of Anaheim in 2001, hit .276 with 21 homers and 73 RBI in 112 games with the Stingers.

Kansas City Royals: The Royals recalled infielder Andres Blanco and right-handed pitcher Kyle Snyder from Triple-A Omaha, and right-hander Chris Demaria from Double-A Wichita.

The 21-year-old Blanco hit .266 in 34 games at Omaha this season and missed some time due to a knee injury. He batted .317 in 19 games with the Royals last season. He started at second base against the White Sox.

"He'll play a couple of games at short, but mainly he'll play second," Royals manager Buddy Bell said. "He'll get a lot of playing time there. We want to see what he can do offensively, we already know he's a good defensive player."

Snyder, 27, is 0-3 with a 9.24 ERA in nine appearances, including three starts, for the Royals this season. He was 1-1 with a 4.64 ERA in six starts since being demoted to Omaha on Aug. 6.

The 24-year-old Demaria was a minor league Rule 5 draft pick from Pittsburgh in 2004. He was 0-1 with a 1.76 ERA in 10 games with Wichita, striking out 19 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings.

To make room for Demaria on the roster, the Royals designated Triple-A infielder Calvin Pickering for assignment.

Kansas City also activated right-handed pitcher Runelvys Hernandez from the 15-day disabled list. He went on the DL on Aug. 26 with a lower back strain.

Chicago White Sox: The White Sox recalled outfielders Brian Anderson and Joe Borchard and right-hander Jeff Bajenaru from Triple-A Charlotte.

Anderson, 23, hit .208 with two home runs in seven games with the White Sox this season. His homers came against Seattle on Aug. 26. He hit .295 with 16 homers and 57 RBIs in 118 games with Charlotte.

Borchard, 26, tied for second in the International League with 29 homers this season. He hit .263 with 67 RBI in 134 games. Over 95 career games with the White Sox, Borchard, the team's first-round draft pick in 2000, is hitting .182 with 12 homers and 30 RBI.

Bajenaru, 27, pitched one scoreless inning for the White Sox this season. He was 4-6 with a 1.41 ERA and 19 saves with Charlotte.

Colorado Rockies: Rockies outfielder Larry Bigbie was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list.

He was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 22, retroactive to Aug. 21, with a strained right Achilles' tendon. Bigbie is hitting .237 with two RBI in 15 games.

The Rockies also recalled infielder Ryan Shealy and right-hander Ryan Speier from Triple-A Colorado Springs. It is the third stint with the Rockies for both.

Washington Nationals: The Nationals activated right-hander Jon Rauch from the 60-day disabled list, and moved infielder Junior Spivey from the 15- to the 60-day DL.

Rauch was 1-3 with a 4.00 ERA in eight relief appearances this season before being sidelined in May with a torn right labrum. He had shoulder surgery May 31.

"Hopefully, I can fill in, eat up some innings and just help out," Rauch said. "To bounce back this quick, especially after surgery, is exciting."

He allowed one run and three hits in three innings in a rehab appearance with Triple-A New Orleans on Monday.

Spivey, acquired in a June trade with Milwaukee, broke his right wrist while hitting off a practice tee in July.

Cincinnati Reds: The Reds purchased outfielder Chris Denorfia's contract from Triple-A Louisville and designated right-hander Ben Weber for assignment.

The 25-year-old Denorfia hit .310 with 13 home runs and 61 RBI in 91 games for the Bats this season. He also hit .330 with seven homers and 26 RBI in 46 games for Double-A Chattanooga.

Weber, who also has played for San Francisco and Anaheim, was signed by the Reds as a free agent in December. The 35-year-old right-hander was 0-0 with an 8.03 ERA in 10 relief appearances before going on the disabled list on May 9 with a bulging disc in his neck. He never was activated.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.