ATLANTA — In a stunning move, the Atlanta Braves released 305-game winner Tom Glavine yesterday, just when it seemed he was ready to return to the big leagues.

The 43-year-old Glavine, who was coming back from shoulder and elbow surgery, threw six scoreless innings for Class-A Rome on Tuesday night and proclaimed himself ready to pitch in the majors again.

Instead, the Braves cut him, another move that figures to draw the ire of Atlanta fans after the team failed to re-sign John Smoltz during the offseason.

Glavine described himself as "very surprised" in a text message to The Associated Press.

General manager Frank Wren said the decision had nothing to do with a $1 million bonus that Glavine would have received for being placed on the major league roster. Instead, the team felt it had a better chance to win with a younger pitcher in the rotation.

"This was not a business decision," Wren said. "This was a performance decision."

Top prospect Tommy Hanson will be called up Saturday to start against Milwaukee. Glavine, meanwhile, hasn't decided whether he wants to try to hook on with another team.

"Not sure about pitching," he said in his text.

The Braves made another major move yesterday, acquiring All-Star center fielder Nate McLouth from Pittsburgh for three prospects: outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and pitchers Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke.

PHILLIES

ROMERO RETURNS

Reliever J.C. Romero is back with the Philadelphia Phillies following his 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.

The right-handed Romero was suspended after testing positive for androstenedione, a substance that Mark McGwire used in the 1990s that was later banned by baseball.

RAYS

LONGORIA AVOIDS DL

Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria is not expected to go on the disabled list because of a sore left hamstring.

Longoria, who leads the AL in voting for the All-Star game, was hurt running out a grounder in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's 6-2 win over Kansas City. He underwent tests that included an MRI exam yesterday.

"He's a little sore," said Andrew Friedman, the team's executive vice president of baseball operations. "I'm confident that we will get him back soon."

Longoria is hitting .322 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 52 games this season.

SUSPENSION

MINOR LEAGUER AGAIN

Free-agent minor league pitcher Justin Mallett was suspended 100 games yesterday for testing positive for a drug of abuse, his second violation of baseball's minor league drug program.

The 27-year-old right-hander, who was 0-2 with a 3.68 ERA in five starts this season for Cincinnati's Double-A Carolina farm team in the Southern League, was released last week.