MLB notebook: Rockies SS Story avoids serious injury

Colorado Rockies All-Star shortstop Trevor Story left the team's Monday night game due to a right elbow ailment, but he apparently did not sustain a serious injury and should return to action in a few days, according to Rockies manager Bud Black. "We got pretty good (test) results this afternoon," Black said Tuesday. "There's some inflammation and a little bit of soreness around the joint, but the ligament seems to be fine." Earlier Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Story could have damage to the ulnar collateral ligament. UCL injuries often lead to Tommy John surgery. Story hurt his elbow while making a throw Monday in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a key three-game series that could help decide the National League West. He briefly stayed in the Monday game before aggravating the injury while batting, exiting at that point. --Aaron Judge was back in the New York Yankees' lineup, batting second and playing in right field. Judge made his first appearance at the plate since he was hit by a pitch on July 26 and sustained a chip fracture in his right wrist. He was activated off the 10-day disabled list last week to play defense but initially wasn't cleared to bat. --The Yankees added left-handed pitcher Justus Sheffield to their major league roster. MLB.com ranks him No. 27 on the top prospect list and the No. 1 prospect in the Yankees' system. Sheffield, 22, was 6-4 with a 2.56 ERA in 20 appearances (15 starts) for Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre. He also was 1-2 with a 2.25 ERA in five starts for Double-A Trenton. He moved to the bullpen late last month to gain more experience as a reliever. To make room for Sheffield of the 40-man roster, the Yankees sent outfielder Clint Frazier (concussion) to the 60-day disabled list. --Chicago Cubs right-hander Brandon Morrow won't pitch again this year due to a bone bruise in his pitching elbow, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein told reporters. Morrow, who hasn't pitched for the Cubs since July 15, threw a simulated game on Saturday as he hoped to be reinstated to the roster. It was one of several times he has attempted to throw in recent weeks. Morrow had 22 saves and 1.47 ERA in 35 games before being sidelined. The development is the second recent blow for the Cubs' bullpen. Pedro Strop, who replaced Morrow as the closer, is also done for the regular season due to a hamstring injury, and his status for the postseason has yet to be determined. --The Arizona Diamondbacks shut down left-hander T.J. McFarland for the rest of the season due to a bone spur in his pitching elbow. "He has some inflammation around that bone spur and we just felt the risk did not match the reward," manager Torey Lovullo said. "I told T.J. that I didn't want to put him in a situation where he was going to go backwards and potentially need some type of procedure to get ready for next year." McFarland went 2-2 with a 2.00 ERA in 47 appearances this season. --Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer is slated to undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters. Fulmer will receive a second opinion from orthopedic surgeon James Andrews. If the meniscus tear is confirmed by Andrews, surgery will take place Thursday. Gardenhire said Fulmer is expected to be ready for spring training in mid-February. Fulmer left Saturday's game against Cleveland after five pitches because of knee pain. He gave up two homers in his brief outing, and Gardenhire surmised Fulmer aggravated the knee while fielding a bunt that went foul on the first pitch of the game. Fulmer underwent surgery on the same knee in 2013 when he was a member of the New York Mets' organization. --Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu was hospitalized in Cleveland with an infection in his right thigh, the team announced. The White Sox said the ailment is unrelated to his recent stay on the disabled list. The team is in Cleveland and will open a three-game series on Tuesday night. He is expected to miss this series, and beyond that, his status will be day-to0day, the team said. Abreu recently missed playing time while he recovered from surgery to relieve pain caused by testicular torsion.