Cubs’ Lee will go on DL after sustaining broken wrist

Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee broke two bones in his right wrist in a collision with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Rafael Furcal and is expected to be in a cast up to six weeks.

The reigning National League batting champion and two-time Gold Glove winner fractured the distal radial and distal ulna bones in a freak play during the seventh inning Wednesday night in Los Angeles. Furcal led off with a bunt single to the right of the mound. Reliever Scott Eyre dove for the ball and flipped it toward first base with his glove.

The ball sailed over Lee’s glove as Furcal collided with him.

“Obviously, Derrek’s a great player, great person, great teammate,” general manager Jim Hendry said. “We feel badly, but we’ve got to move on.”

Lee was examined by Cubs physicians Thursday in Chicago and is expected to go on the disabled list today.

The injury occurred less than two weeks after the 30-year-old Lee earned a $65 million, five-year contract. He is batting .318 with three home runs and 10 RBIs, after hitting .335 with 46 homers and 107 RBIs runs last season.

A’s closer has muscle strain

Huston Street has a slight muscle strain on the right side of his chest that will keep the Oakland closer out of action at least through today.

The reigning American League Rookie of the Year felt tightness beneath the armpit area of his throwing arm on the third-to-last pitch he threw during his save for the Athletics on Tuesday night against the Detroit Tigers, the fourth outing in five days for the right-hander.

The A’s are taking no chances that this could become serious, though Street said he is nearly pain-free now. If it were later in the season he would probably pitch through it.

Cleveland pitchers ail

Reliever Matt Miller was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right elbow by the Cleveland Indians, who are hoping Rafael Betancourt doesn’t have to join him.

Miller, who made one appearance in the second half of last season because of an elbow injury, left Wednesday’s 18-9 loss at Baltimore in the sixth inning complaining of soreness in his right arm.

Betancourt left with an upper-back injury two batters after Miller departed. The Indians are awaiting further medical tests on him. He has recently been one of the club’s steadiest relievers.