Thome Is Put on the Disabled List Again

The Philadelphia Phillies put first baseman Jim Thome, who has tendinitis in his right elbow, on the 15-day disabled list Friday.

It’s Thome’s second stint on the disabled list. He was sidelined in May because of a lower back strain and sat out 19 games.

Thome has struggled this season, batting .207 with seven home runs and 30 runs batted in. He has only 14 extra-base hits in 193 at-bats.

Thome said his elbow has been bothering him for about a month, but really started to cause pain after a throw during Thursday’s game against the New York Mets.

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Chicago Cub shortstop Nomar Garciaparra said he was recovering faster than he expected from surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his groin and hoped to return for the last two months of the regular season. Garciaparra, who is on the 60-day disabled list, is taking ground balls and batting practice.

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The Washington Nationals activated left-handed pitcher Joey Eischen from the 60-day disabled list. He was 1-0 with a 4.15 earned-run average in 15 relief appearances before breaking a bone in his right wrist.

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Baseball is going international for its All-Star Home Run Derby. Instead of having four players from each league, the commissioner’s office said it would have eight players represent their native countries.

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Two players in the Nationals’ organization were suspended by the commissioner’s office for violating baseball’s minor league drug policy, including a 105-game penalty to double-A infielder Ramon Castro. Triple-A shortstop Josh Labandeira was suspended 15 games.