The Associated Press

BALTIMORE—The Texas Rangers placed pitcher Joaquin Benoit on the 15-day disabled list Saturday because of right shoulder inflammation.

The Rangers purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Dustin Nippert from Triple-A Oklahoma.

The right-handed Benoit is 3-2 with a 5.60 ERA and one save in 34 games. The move is retroactive to July 3.

The shoulder has bothered Benoit for several weeks, and Texas shut him down for 13 days in June.

“We’re going to try and get that shoulder taken care of,” Ranger manager Ron Washington said. “It’s put us in a bad way.”

Nippert is 6-2 with a 3.93 ERA in 12 games with Oklahoma. He appeared in six games earlier this season with Texas, and is 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA.

Nippert threw a seven-inning no-hitter on June 29, beating Omaha 2-0.

Meanwhile, injured starter Vicente Padilla, who hurt his collarbone in Friday’s game against Baltimore, is scheduled to throw in the bullpen today.

Washington hopes Padilla will be able to make his scheduled start on Wednesday against Los Angeles.

Padilla (10-5) has allowed 15 runs in his last two starts.



Oswalt has more pain in hip

ATLANTA—Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt returned to Houston on Saturday after experiencing more discomfort in his strained left hip.

Oswalt was to be examined by Dr. Mike McCann in Houston on Saturday. On Friday, he felt more pain in the hip when he tried to throw on flat ground.

“He just tried to put a little more into his throw and it just didn’t feel good,” manager Cecil Cooper said. “I don’t think you can take any chances with Roy, he means too much.”

Oswalt was forced to leave Monday night’s start against Los Angeles with the sore hip. His start was originally pushed back from Saturday night to Tuesday. But now Cooper said right-hander Brandon Backe will start in Oswalt’s place Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

Cooper said he couldn’t speculate on when Oswalt will next pitch.

The right-handed Oswalt is 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA. He has at least 14 wins in six of his seven seasons, including back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2004 and 2005.