Yankees Offer Irabu $10 Million

The New York Yankees opened negotiations with Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu by offering the hard throwing right-hander a three-year contract worth $10 million, Newsday reported.

Yankee vice president Mark Newman reportedly presented the offer to Irabu’s agent, Don Nomura. There was no evidence that Nomura responded to the offer, but one source said Irabu has returned to Japan to start working on acquiring a visa.

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The Texas Rangers put starting pitcher Ken Hill on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 1.

Hill has a strain in the back of his right shoulder suffered in his start last Wednesday in Chicago.

The Rangers are expected to recall right-hander Jose Alberro from their triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City to replace Hill for a start on Tuesday night in Cleveland.

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The Kansas City Royals activated outfielder Jermaine Dye and pitcher Jeff Montgomery and put catcher Mike Macfarlane on the disabled list because of a strained right shoulder.

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Juan Guzman’s return to the Toronto Blue Jay starting rotation may have been short-lived.

Guzman, who sat out two previous starts because of a sore right shoulder, complained of tenderness in the same shoulder Saturday and pulled himself from the 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins after four innings.