Major League Baseball

Indians place Wood on DL

Published Jul. 17, 2010 3:53 p.m. ET

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Kerry Wood is back on the disabled list — for the 14th time in his career and second with the Cleveland Indians this year.

Cleveland's closer didn't pitch this season until May 8 because of a strained muscle in his upper back that landed him on the DL during spring training. Now, he has a blistered right index finger.

''Kerry was dealing with this for a while and it just didn't get better during the All-Star break,'' manager Manny Acta said Saturday. ''He wasn't available Friday, though we didn't want to say anything and let the guys in the other dugout know.

''With a doubleheader today, we just couldn't risk being caught short in the bullpen.''

Cleveland recalled reliever Jensen Lewis from Triple-A Columbus to replace Wood, who last pitched Sunday in Tampa Bay.

Wood has had an uneven second season with Cleveland, which signed him to a two-year, $20 million contract in December 2008. With the Indians rebuilding and in last place in the AL Central, the team may try to trade him to a contender before the July 31 deadline.

In 23 outings, the 33-year-old right-hander is 1-4 with a 6.30 ERA and eight saves. He went 3-3 with 20 saves in his first year in Cleveland a year ago after becoming the Chicago Cubs' closer for the first time in 2008 and earning 34 saves.

Wood burst upon the big-league scene as a 20-year-old starter for the Cubs in 1998, fanning 20 Houston Astros in a 2-0 complete game in his fifth career start. He missed the entire 1999 season after elbow surgery in March, marking the first of 12 trips to the DL with the Cubs - the last coming in July 2008 because of a blistered right index finger.