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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 12:36 p.m., Saturday, July 5, 2008

Baseball: Rangers place Benoit on DL, call up Nippert

BALTIMORE — The Texas Rangers placed pitcher Joaquin Benoit on the 15-day disabled list today because of right shoulder inflammation.

The Rangers purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Dustin Nippert from Triple-A Oklahoma.

The right-handed Benoit is 3-2 with a 5.60 ERA and one save in 34 games. The move is retroactive to July 3.

The shoulder has bothered Benoit for several weeks, and Texas shut him down for 13 days in June.

"We're going to try and get that shoulder taken care of," Ranger manager Ron Washington said. "It's put us in a bad way."

Nippert is 6-2 with a 3.93 ERA in 12 games with Oklahoma. He appeared in six games earlier this season with Texas, and is 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA.

Nippert threw a seven-inning no-hitter on June 29, beating Omaha 2-0.

Meanwhile, injured starter Vicente Padilla, who injured his collarbone in Friday's game against Baltimore, is scheduled to throw in the bullpen on Sunday.

Washington hopes Padilla will be able to make his scheduled start on Wednesday against Los Angeles.

"That's four days away. We've got to wait until we get a little closer," Washington said. "If he throws his bullpen tomorrow and his neck is OK, you never know."

Padilla (10-5) has allowed 15 runs in his last two starts.