KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Luke Hochevar has made his final start of the season, the third Kansas City Royals starter to be shut down in September.

Manager Ned Yost said Thursday that Hochevar — who has thrown a career-high 198 innings, 90 more than last season when he missed 2½ months with an elbow injury — would not pitch again this year for “his protection and his health.”

Hochevar finished 11-11 with a 4.88 ERA.

Yost said left-hander Jeff Francis’ start Thursday night against the Chicago White Sox would be his last this season. Rookie left-hander Danny Duffy was shut down after a Sept. 6 start because of his workload.

Right-handers Luis Mendoza and Vin Mazzaro, who are pitching for Triple-A Omaha in the PCL championship series, will likely move into the Kansas City rotation.

CARDINALS: Cleanup hitter Matt Holliday will miss four or five days with an injured right hand, hurt while taking practice swings in the on-deck circle.

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General Manager John Mozeliak said Holliday has an inflamed tendon in the middle finger.

Mozeliak said Holliday, batting .295 with 22 home runs and 74 RBI, would be re-evaluated early next week.

Allen Craig started in left field, Holliday’s position.

INDIANS: Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo was back in the lineup after being activated from the disabled list, but was taken out of the game in the second inning.

Choo batted third and played right field for the series finale against Texas.

After grounding out in the first and then playing the field in the bottom of the inning, Choo was replaced in right field by Ezequiel Cabrera in the bottom of the second. There was no immediate word from the Indians on why Choo was out of the game.

REDS: Right-hander Johnny Cueto will miss his next start because of a strained muscle in his back, but has not been shut down for the season.

Cueto is a close second in the NL ERA race. He would need to pitch again to have enough innings to qualify for the title.

 


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