Royals notebook: Hochevar placed on disabled list

The Kansas City Royals placed pitcher Luke Hochevar on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday because of a rib injury.
The 24-year-old had an MRI, which showed a right rib contusion.
Left-hander Josh Newman was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to replace Hochevar. Newman had been optioned out Tuesday when the Royals signed free agent right-hander Kip Wells.
“In the best-case scenario, it’s a 15-day DL and he gets some more work in,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said. “It’s not going to be one of those things where we force it.
“The pain area is right under the armpit. He doesn’t feel too good today. He’s having trouble. We know there’s a bruise. We don’t know any more than that.”
Hillman said Hochevar told him he wasn’t sure when he got hurt and that neither of them had ever heard of the injury before.
“I’ve never heard of it,” Hillman said. “I’ve never seen it. This one is a new one for me. Every now and then, you come up with one of those mysterious injuries. That’s exactly what this is.”
The right-hander left his start after five innings Tuesday when he felt a sharp pain in his right side on his first warmup pitch before the sixth.
The first overall selection of the 2006 draft out of Tennessee, Hochevar made 85 pitches, giving up four runs and seven hits. The Royals fell 9-4 to the Indians, and Hochevar picked up his fifth consecutive loss to fall to 6-12 with a 5.51 ERA.
“It took my breath away,” Hochevar said after the game. “I never felt anything like this before. It caught me by surprise.”
Hillman said he isn’t sure what his rotation plans will be after right-hander Brian Bannister opens a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers in Kansas City on Friday.
MAIER INJURED: Outfielder Mitch Maier of the Kansas City Royals was hit in the face by a pitch from Cleveland Indians left-hander Zach Jackson and left the game in the fifth inning Wednesday night.
The outfielder was taken to a hospital for X-rays and further evaluation, the team said.
With runners on first and second and none out, Jackson threw a pitch up and in to Maier, who had squared around to bunt and could not get out of the way in time. The ball glanced off his ear flap before hitting his right cheek and nose, and Maier crumpled to the ground immediately.
Royals manager Trey Hillman and team trainers quickly came out to check on Maier. After a few minutes, he walked off the field holding a towel to his bloody nose.
Maier, who came in hitting .345 (19-for-55) in 18 games since being recalled from Triple-A Omaha, was replaced by pinch-runner Mark Teahen.