By The Associated Press

Published: Monday, March 18, 2013, 7:57 p.m.
Updated: Monday, March 18, 2013

San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley will miss at least the first two weeks of the season after breaking the tip of his left thumb.

Headley was injured Sunday while sliding into second base trying to break up a double play. He went to San Diego, and an exam Monday revealed the fracture.

The injury is not likely to require surgery and will need about a month to heal.

“Injuries occur. You hate to see it happen, but it's the nature of a physical sport like baseball,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “It's unfortunate for Chase and the entire Padres organization.”

Headley hit .286 with 31 homers and 115 RBI last year, when he won a Gold Glove and finished fifth in NL MVP voting.

Carpenter weighs future

Chris Carpenter realizes his baseball career may be over.

The 37-year-old right-hander made a surprise appearance at the Cardinals' spring-training camp Monday and said he's still dealing with numbing and tingling sensations in his pitching hand, arm and shoulder.

“I'm not going to have surgery anymore,” Carpenter said. “We'll see what happens. I don't see it. With the things that are going on in times of every day life, I just don't see it getting better, to be honest with you.”

Asked if he wanted to continue pitching, Carpenter said: “I do. I just don't think I can.”

The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner is 144-94 with a 3.76 ERA in 15 big league seasons.

Indians cut Dice-K, Capps

Daisuke Matsuzaka will not make the Indians' Opening Day roster but plans to remain with Cleveland.

Indians general manager Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona met with Dice-K and former Pirates closer Matt Capps on Monday and told both they will not break camp with the club.

Trying to make a comeback after pitching in just 11 games last season with Boston following elbow reconstruction surgery, Matsuzaka might accept an offer to stay in the club's minor league camp. The 32-year-old Japanese right-hander was trying to win a spot in Cleveland's rotation.

Capps hasn't decided whether he'll stay in camp, Antonetti said. Capps began last season as Minnesota's closer but shoulder problems limited him to 30 games.

Greinke update

It appears Zack Greinke's first regular-season start for the Dodgers will be pushed back by at least a few days and possibly longer.

The Dodgers said the former Cy Young Award winner felt strong Monday, a day after his first bullpen session since receiving an injection in his pitching elbow.

Rangers scratch Darvish

Yu Darvish was scratched from his scheduled spring training start Monday night for the Rangers because of stiffness in his neck.

Darvish said in a statement that the move is “just precautionary” and that he would have made the start in the regular season.

The Japanese ace said he felt what he called a very mild strain in his neck during a workout Sunday that caused the stiffness.

D'backs demote Skaggs

The Diamondbacks optioned left-hander Tyler Skaggs to Triple-A Reno, narrowing the list of candidates for the team's fifth starting pitching spot.

Astros' OF in car accident

The Astros said minor league infielder Brandon Wikoff was hospitalized in stable condition after a one-car accident while in Florida for spring training. Wikoff has been in the Astros' minor league system since being a fifth-round pick in the 2009 amateur draft.

1. Rossi: Late-game moves pay off
2. Steelers might be forced to rely on rookies in 2013
3. Pirates’ bullpen falters in extra-inning loss to Astros
4. Gulf Tower ‘turns’ red over Pens goals
5. Trib poll: Peduto pulling ahead in Pittsburgh mayor’s race
6. Penguins notebook: Spezza will return for Senators in Game 3
7. Brown’s ‘Inferno’ puts Langdon through his paces
8. Militaries’ growing use of ground robots raises ethics concerns
9. Starkey: Robots over umps? Yes, please
10. Penguins’ Dupuis earns teammates’ respect with consistent play
11. Paulk: Weather still an intangible at Indy

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.