- After just 3.1 innings of ball this year, Phillies closer Brad Lidge will be making his first trip to the DL according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.  He has had inflammation in his right elbow since he pitched Sunday against Atlanta at Citizens Bank Park. An MRI on Thursday in Philadelphia revealed no loose bodies or damaged ligaments, which the Phillies and Lidge considered good news. But the MRI still showed inflammation in the elbow joint.

“It is disappointing, but also the doctors said it’s definitely a possibility because we didn’t treat it at all,” Lidge said. “We just gave it a couple days’ rest. There are treatments we can give for it, hopefully, exactly what we need. It’s frustrating it didn’t go away on its own.”  Two options for Lidge are a second cortisone injection — he received his first in March — and a joint lubricant injection.  He said they will make that decision Monday in Philadelphia.

- According to Wallace Matthews of ESPNNEWYORK.com Yankees designated hitter Nick Johnson is unlikely to return to action before the first week of June and could be out until August.  Johnson’s sore right wrist may require surgery to remove inflamed tissue, GM Brian Cashman said. The surgery would keep him out four to six weeks on top of the month he already is expected to miss.

Cashman said Johnson got a cortisone shot in the wrist last weekend in Boston, but it will not be known for a couple of weeks if that treatment was effective.

- The Washington Nationals have designated speedy outfielder Willy Taveras to make room Mike Morse who is returning from the DL according to Mark Zuckerman of Nats insider via tweeter.

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