PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star right-hander A.J. Burnett is scheduled to have an MRI on his ailing right elbow Monday.

Burnett, who plans to retire after the season, said there was “no chance” he would have season-ending surgery.

Burnett said he never got loose in his start Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds, when he allowed eight runs, seven earned, and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings. He has allowed 10 or more hits in three consecutive starts.

His fastball velocity, usually 90-91 mph, was in the mid- to high-80s in the early innings before drastically increasing later.

“I’m not going to be coming out of the game unless I can’t pick up a baseball, so I was going to see where I was at,” he said.

“I’ve stayed around 90, 92 all year pretty much. That’s where I pitch at, that’s where I’m comfortable at. I couldn’t even get to that the other day. So I was just, enough’s enough, and seeing where I was at. I guess it didn’t go. It might have went, I don’t know. We’ll see.”

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RANGERS: Texas placed right-handed setup man Tanner Scheppers on the 15-day disabled list because of left knee inflammation and recalled right-hander Phil Klein from Triple-A Round Rock.

Rangers Manager Jeff Banister said before Sunday’s game against the San Francisco Giants that Scheppers mentioned the injury early last week but tried to pitch through it.

In Texas’ 9-7 loss in 11 innings on Saturday night, Scheppers failed to protect a three-run lead for Cole Hamels, who was making his first start with the Rangers after being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. Scheppers came on with two outs in the eighth inning and allowed three straight RBI hits and failed to retire a batter.

Scheppers has a 5.66 ERA in 38 appearances and has allowed 10 earned runs and 13 hits over his last 71/3 innings. Banister said he noticed Scheppers has recently lost velocity.

YANKEES: New York placed reliever Diego Moreno on the 15-day disabled list and recalled right-hander Branden Pinder from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Manager Joe Girardi said the back of Moreno’s right elbow is bothering him, and he will be examined by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad on Monday. Moreno allowed four runs and four hits in three innings in the Yankees’ 8-2 loss to the White Sox on Saturday.

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“He didn’t say anything to us during the game,” Girardi said. “He said in the middle of the night it kind of started aching and it was sore today, so we just decided to DL him right away.”

Pinder has no record and a 2.92 ERA in 11 appearances with New York this year.

The AL East-leading Yankees got right fielder Carlos Beltran back for the series finale against the White Sox. Beltran missed Saturday’s game because a sore left foot.

Girardi also said CC Sabathia remains on track to start Thursday against Boston.

RAYS: Tampa Bay demoted left-hander Matt Moore to the minors as he continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery.

Moore will go to Triple-A Durham and pitch on a regular schedule. Manager Kevin Cash said the Rays are shifting to a four-man rotation and they didn’t want Moore to move to the bullpen.

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Moore (1-3) made his sixth start Saturday since returning from the April 2014 surgery and gave up six runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out two in an 11-7 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

TWINS: Minnesota will put pitcher Tommy Milone on the 15-day disabled list because of a mild left elbow strain, retroactive to Aug. 1.

Milone complained of pain following his Friday start in which he gave up four runs to the Seattle Mariners in six innings. The left-hander is 5-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 14 starts this season.

METS: Michael Conforto’s minor league assignment lasted all of one day.

The Mets recalled their top hitting prospect from Triple-A Las Vegas when fellow outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday because of discomfort in his neck and left shoulder.

Conforto was optioned to Las Vegas on Saturday to make room for slugger Yoenis Cespedes, acquired Friday in a trade-deadline deal with Detroit. But the rookie never even left New York, and he was back on the roster before Sunday night’s Washington game.

PHILLIES: Chase Utley went 2 for 3 with a walk at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in his first rehab game since being placed on the disabled list June 23 because of right ankle inflammation.


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