Juan Gonzalez to Rest Sore Right Hamstring

Detroit’s Juan Gonzalez, bothered by a sore right hamstring, will miss at least the next two games in hopes the rest will give the lingering injury a chance to heal.

Gonzalez, a two-time American League most valuable player who was acquired from the Texas Rangers in a nine-player trade last November, was hitless in four at bats Monday in his Tiger debut, a season-opening 7-4 win at Oakland.

Speaking before Tuesday night’s game at Oakland, Gonzalez said the injury has been bothering him for the last two weeks and flared up Monday night to the point where it was hampering his swing.

“The weather here was cold and last night after the game, the inflammation in the hamstring was big,” said Gonzalez, who started as the designated hitter Monday night rather than in the outfield. “I could feel it when I was swinging. They’re giving me a couple of days off and hopefully I can play Friday in Baltimore.”

General Manager Randy Smith said the Tigers were giving Gonzalez a break from playing as a precaution.

“It starts getting a little better and he gets out there in a game situation and he doesn’t know how to go half speed,” Smith said. “He’s hurting. He wasn’t saying much but he finally admitted it was bothering him.”

Smith said he was concerned that if Gonzalez kept playing, the hamstring injury would worsen and he would miss even more time.

“If we put him out there and play him a couple more days, it maybe turns into a DL situation,” Smith said. “That’s why we’d rather be cautious now. We’d rather have him for the long haul.”

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The uniform jersey Joe DiMaggio wore in his last game is expected to draw the most attention and the highest bid at a sports memorabilia auction today in New York.

Rather than hang up the jersey following the Yankees’ 1951 World Series victory over the New York Giants, DiMaggio gave it to a friend, a New York City detective. When the retired police officer died, his family returned it to DiMaggio, according to Morris Engelberg, the Yankee Clipper’s longtime friend and attorney who is executor of his estate.

John Martino, sports specialist for the Christie’s auction house, estimated that the jersey should bring between $130,000 and $150,000.

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Boston Red Sox closer Derek Lowe agreed to a four-year contract that is reported to be worth $10 million. Lowe had 15 saves and pitched in 74 games with 109 1/3 innings and 80 strikeouts last season.

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New York Yankee left-hander Ed Yarnall, who failed in his bid to open the regular season as the Yankees’ fifth starter, is scheduled to pitch in an extended spring training camp game today before joining triple-A Columbus, which opens its season Thursday. Yarnall, optioned to Columbus last week, allowed 29 runs in 9 1/3 innings during four major league spring training appearances.