MLB NOTES: BRAVES' BARTOLO COLON DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT
Channel: Flash video
Date: 30/06/2017

SAN DIEGO -- Right-hander Bartolo Colon was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, one day after the 44-year-old right-hander's record dropped to 2-8.

Pitching for the first time since going on the disabled list with a strained left oblique on June 6, Colon allowed six runs, eight hits and three walks in four innings in during Wednesday night's 7-4 loss at San Diego.

Colon has an 8.14 ERA in 13 starts, unable to find the form that earned him an AL Cy Young Award winner and made him a 235-game winner.

"The reality is that I've been getting hit hard and that's the truth and you can't dance around it," Colon said through a translator after his latest loss.

Unless Colon is traded or claimed on waivers, the Braves would be responsible for the remainder of his $12.5 million salary. If he is released and signs with another team, the new club would be responsible for only a prorated share of the $535,000 minimum.

"We hated to do it," Braves manager Brian Snitker said of releasing Colon. "It wasn't easy because he is such a great guy and a wonderful teammate. But it just wasn't happening here" (see full story).

Nationals: Turner suffers broken right wrist
WASHINGTON -- Trea Turner has a broken right wrist after being hit by a pitch, and it's unclear when the Washington Nationals will get their speedy shortstop back in the lineup.

Turner was hit by Pedro Strop's 2-1 fastball in the seventh inning of Washington's 5-4 loss Thursday. Turner stayed in the game until Stephen Drew entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth.

Turner went for X-rays after the game. The Nationals did not provide a timetable for his return.

Turner stole two bases, bumping up his total to seven in the four-game series and 35 on the season. He entered the day tied for the NL lead with Cincinnati's Billy Hamilton. Washington's leadoff hitter is batting .279 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs.

Cubs: Bryant could be sidelined until next week
WASHINGTON -- Kris Bryant was out of the Chicago Cubs' starting lineup for a series finale at Washington, a day after spraining his right ankle, and could be sidelined until next week.

The reigning NL MVP turned his ankle on third base while catching a foul popup in the sixth inning Wednesday.

"It feels a ton better today," Bryant said Thursday. "I'm moving around pretty good. I don't think it will be too long."

X-rays Wednesday were negative. After leaving the field Bryant said he and the training staff "did a bunch of stuff that didn't feel good, but I guess it really made feel better today."

He was replaced at third base Thursday by Jeimer Candelario.

"Just got to give us a couple of days to figure it out at that point," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.

Maddon acknowledged he could hold Bryant out until Chicago hosts Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

"I would think that's what it's going to be. When you sprain your ankle, it just doesn't get better overnight," Maddon said (see full story).

Giants: Hwang can earn over $700K if he stays in majors
SAN FRANCISCO -- Jae-Gyun Hwang would earn $786,885 if he remains on the San Francisco Giants' major league roster for the remainder of the season and could gain more in performance bonuses.

The South Korean third baseman homered in his major league debut Wednesday for San Francisco, a tiebreaking drive in the sixth inning of the Giants' 5-3 win against the Rockies.

When Hwang joined the Giants in January, he received a minor league deal and agreed that if added to the 40-man roster he would have a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues and a $125,000 salary while in the minors.

His contract calls for big league performance bonuses of $125,000 each for 250, 300 and 350 plate appearances; $150,000 for 400; $300,000 apiece for 450 and 500; and $375,000 for 550.

He would earn a $100,000 roster bonus if he is on the major league active roster for 90 days, not including disabled list time.

SOURCE: PHILLIES PROMOTE NICK WILLIAMS TO MAJOR LEAGUES
The Phillies have promoted outfield prospect Nick Williams to the majors, a source says.

He'll join the team in time for its weekend series at Citi Field in New York and will take the roster spot of Howie Kendrick, who is headed back to the DL with a hamstring injury.

Williams, who turns 24 on Sept. 8, has hit .280 this season with a .328 on-base percentage, .511 slugging percentage, 15 home runs and 44 RBIs. 

The Phillies have sought better plate selection from Williams, who has walked eight times in his last 13 games after walking just eight times in his first 65 games.

Williams was one of five minor-leaguers the Phillies acquired from the Texas Rangers in the 2015 Cole Hamels trade. He is the last piece of that trade to be promoted to the major leagues, following Jerad Eickhoff, Alec Asher, Jake Thompson and Jorge Alfaro last September.