San Diego Padres right-hander Chris Paddack, in the midst of a strong rookie season, was surprisingly optioned to Class-A Lake Elsinore (Calif.) on Wednesday.
Multiple media outlets reported that the move was made in an effort to limit Paddack's innings or give him a rest. Reportedly, Paddack will be back in the majors soon, and the demotion won't affect his major league service time as long as he returns within 20 days.
After a no-decision in a five-inning start against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, Paddack is 4-4 with a 3.15 ERA and a 0.929 WHIP through 12 starts in his first major league season.
His WHIP would rank second in the National League behind the 0.802 mark of the Los Angeles Dodgers' Hyun-Jin Ryu, but he is 1 1/3 innings short of qualifying for the league leaderboard.
--Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz remained in the intensive care unit at Massachusetts General Hospital as he continues to recover from surgery to repair gunshot wounds, the result of what authorities say was an orchestrated plot to kill him.
The retired slugger was in a club in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Sunday night when he was shot by a man at close range in what authorities say was a coordinated attack. Surgeons in the Dominican Republic operated for six hours to repair damage to his intestines and liver, also removing his gallbladder.
At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, authorities said that a group was offered 400,000 Dominican pesos (around $8,000) to kill Ortiz. Five people involved in the attack, including the alleged gunman, have been arrested, and the handgun used has been recovered. Authorities added that neither the director of the group nor the motive have been determined.
--Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager was scheduled to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of a hamstring injury.
Seager pulled up lame on the bases in the ninth inning Tuesday night during the Dodgers' 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the game that "early indications" were that Seager had a Grade "2-plus" strain of his left hamstring. If that's the diagnosis, Seager could be lost to the Dodgers for about six weeks.
--Colorado All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado left the Rockies' 10-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday after he was hit in the left arm by a pitch from left-hander Cole Hamels.
Arenado went to one knee after he was plunked in the third inning and appeared to say something to Hamels from the home-plate area after getting to his feet. He then turned his attention toward the Cubs dugout as plate umpire Roberto Ortiz intervened.
Arenado played one more inning after getting his arm wrapped near his elbow, but he was replaced by Ryan McMahon in the fifth inning. He was diagnosed with a left forearm contusion and is considered day-to-day.
--Field Level Media