rhp

A.J. Burnett told the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday that he will opt out of the remaining two seasons of his $55 million, five-year contract.

The pitcher will forfeit $24 million and can file for free agency. His contract called for a $6 million signing bonus, a $1 million salary in 2006 and $12 million in the remaining seasons.

New York Mets pitcher Ambiorix Burgos will be jailed for three months while awaiting trial for a hit-and-run accident that killed two women.

The 24-year-old reliever told The Associated Press that a Dominican judge ordered him to remain behind bars Wednesday night out of concerns for his safety.

"I am going to come out of this fine because my conscience is clear, and I'm not worried this will...

The Boston Red Sox have acquired pitcher Paul Byrd in a trade with Cleveland. The Red Sox will send either a player to be named or cash to the Indians.

The 37-year-old Byrd is 7-10 with a 4.53 ERA this season. But the right-hander has won all four of his starts since the All-Star break.

Boston leads the AL wild-card race.

Phil Hughes has a stress fracture in one of his ribs, and the New York Yankees' pitcher is expected to be sidelined until at least July.

Hughes, placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, had an MRI exam that revealed the stress fracture in the ninth rib on his right side.

He will be shut down for four weeks and then re-evaluated.

Matt Morris, the veteran right-hander added by the Pittsburgh Pirates late last season to stabilize a young rotation, was released Sunday after failing to pitch past the second inning in his latest start.

The decision to cut Morris will cost the Pirates more than $10 million, in addition to what they already have paid him this season.

Indians starter Jake Westbrook is expected to miss at least one month with a muscle strain in his lower back, an injury the team initially figured would keep him out only for a few starts.

Westbrook hurt himself while throwing a pitch to Minnesota's Mike Lamb last Saturday. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday.

New York Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth was suspended for three games and fined Saturday for throwing a fastball behind the neck of Boston slugger Manny Ramirez earlier in the week.

Farnsworth appealed the penalty, which was to start Saturday night against Baltimore. He will be eligible to pitch until a hearing is held.

John Smoltz said he felt no discomfort while throwing Tuesday morning, the first time he tested his right shoulder since he was held out of his last scheduled spring start.

Smoltz was encouraged that the stiffness that caused him to miss a start Friday was gone. He only played catch in the outfield for about 10 minutes and he still appears almost certain to open the season on the disabled list.

The Boston Red Sox have placed Curt Schilling on the 60-day disabled list as he continues to rehabilitate his right shoulder.

The 41-year-old is expected to be sidelined at least until the All-Star break. Schilling has said he would have preferred surgery, but the team insisted that he first try rehab.

Phillies closer Brad Lidge is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Monday and could miss the regular-season opener.

Lidge, Philadelphia's biggest offseason acquisition, limped off the field Saturday after injuring his knee when he caught a spike in the mound on his first pitch of batting practice.