Tigers pitcher Jeremy Bonderman won’t need surgery on his sore right elbow, but his season likely is over. An MRI revealed no structural damage but showed pinched cartilage.
Though the injury is not as serious as feared, manager Jim Leyland said he doubted the 24-year-old would pitch again this season. He did not say who would start for Bonderman on Friday at Minnesota.
Bonderman was 10-1 after beating Seattle on July 13, but he is 1-8 since and has given up at least six earned runs in five of his last nine starts. A similar injury ended his season in 2005, but he bounced back last season to win 14 games.
*Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez left Monday’s game because of dizziness after catching Kenny Rogers’ first two pitches in the third.
Extra innings
Diamondbacks second baseman Orlando Hudson underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb. … The Red Sox and A’s are the leading candidates to meet in a Tokyo Dome opener next season. … Florida has decided to take rookie Rick VandenHurk out of the rotation to guard against injury. The righty has thrown a career-high 147 2/3 innings — 81 2/3 for the Marlins (4-6, 6.83 ERA) and 66 in the minors. … Carlos Delgado is expected to miss the rest of the Mets’ six-game homestand. He’s been out since Wednesday with a strained right hip flexor.
