Helling Goes on DL; Sheets Gets Activated

The Milwaukee Brewers put right-hander Rick Helling on the 15-day disabled list Sunday because of a sprained right elbow, making room for right-hander Ben Sheets.

Sheets pitched for the first time since August, throwing five innings and allowing four runs and six hits on 96 pitches in Sunday’s loss to the New York Mets.

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Chicago Cub rookie outfielder Angel Pagan was put on the 15-day DL because of a strained left hamstring and was replaced on the 25-man roster by right-hander David Aardsma.

Aardsma was recalled from triple-A Iowa to give the Cubs a 12-man pitching staff this week against the Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals. Pagan was injured on Saturday.

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Left-hander Mark Hendrickson will not be ready to pitch in an extended spring training game today as originally planned and will long toss instead, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays said. Hendrickson is on the 15-day DL because of shoulder tightness and the team had hoped he would rejoin the rotation next weekend.... The Minnesota Twins purchased the contract of outfielder-designated hitter Ruben Sierra after optioning outfielder Jason Kubel to triple-A Rochester.