– The Associated Press

BALTIMORE – Left fielder Luke Scott of the Baltimore Orioles will miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury that severely limited his effectiveness at the plate.

Scott has a torn labrum in his right arm. He was removed from the 15-day disabled list Friday, but didn’t get through an entire game against the Los Angeles Angels before realizing he couldn’t hit as he did before the injury.

Scott hit .284 with 27 homers and 72 RBI last year. This season he’s batting .220 with nine homers and 22 RBI.

“I battled through it the best I could, but I’m not helping the team,” he said Saturday.

Baltimore placed Scott on the 15-day disabled list and recalled third baseman Josh Bell from Triple-A Norfolk.

REDS: Rookie shortstop Zach Cozart hurt his left elbow while trying to make a tag in the fourth inning, forcing him from the game against Atlanta.

Atlanta pitcher Derek Lowe bunted with Nate McLouth on first base and no outs. First baseman Joey Votto fielded and threw to second, where Cozart tried to catch the ball and tag the sliding McLouth simultaneously. Cozart’s left elbow appeared to over-extend from the impact.

He fell to the ground and immediately grabbed the elbow. He covered his face with his right hand while a trainer examined it, then walked off the field protecting the arm. Edgar Renteria took his place.

Cozart was promoted to the majors for the first time July 7. He hit safely in his first seven games.

METS: Pitcher Johan Santana said he might begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment next week, which would be a big step in his comeback from shoulder surgery last September.

Santana threw batting practice to hitters for the third time Friday at the team complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla. He’s scheduled to throw a bullpen session today at the Florida Marlins’ stadium before the Mets’ game there, and if that workout goes well, he’ll likely be headed to the minors.

Santana hopes to pitch for the Mets this season but said there’s no timetable for his return to the majors. He said he’s still building up strength in his shoulder.

Last season, Santana went 11-9 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts for New York before being sidelined.

MARLINS: Right-hander Chris Volstad was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans in the wake of his latest rocky outing.

Volstad lasted only five innings Friday night and gave up four runs, three earned, against the New York Mets. That lifted his ERA to 5.58, third-highest in the major leagues.

Volstad 5-8 in 20 starts. Manager Jack McKeon said he anticipated Volstad would rejoin the rotation later this season.

Volstad, 24, also was demoted to New Orleans in July last year. He returned to the Marlins and went 8-1 in his final 13 starts.

BLUE JAYS: Toronto designated left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes for assignment and called up Wilfredo Ledezma from Triple-A Las Vegas.

The moves came a day after Reyes was lit up for eight runs in four innings Friday night by the Rangers in Toronto’s 12-2 loss at Texas.

Reyes has given up 15 runs and 18 hits in his last two starts. He made 20 starts for the Jays this season, going 5-8 record with 5.40 ERA. He joined Toronto last season in a trade with Atlanta.

Ledezma, a 30-year-old left-hander, has made 34 relief appearances this season with Las Vegas with a 1-1 record and 4.63 ERA.

He’s appeared in 187 games in the major leagues, including 40 starts, over eight seasons with Detroit, Atlanta, San Diego, Arizona, Washington and Pittsburgh.