CHICAGO, July 17 UPI) -- For the second time this season, Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever Matt Karchner has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right groin. Karchner, 31, is 1-0 with a 2.50 ERA in 16 games this season.
He was acquired last year from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline and went 3-1 with a 5.14 ERA in 29 games as one of Rod Beck's setup men. He also was sidelined by the injury early in the season. He originally suffered it on April 25 against the New York Mets and did not return until June 24. Karchner had 26 saves in 31 chances over two seasons with the White Sox and entered 1998 as a closer for the first time in his career. He came up with the White Sox in 1995 and has made 200 relief appearances. He recorded 15 saves in 16 tries in 1997 after the White Sox traded closer Roberto Hernandez to the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs also optioned catcher Sandy Martinez to Triple-A Iowa and recalled pitcher Kyle Farnsworth from Iowa and pitcher Steve Rain from Double-A West Tenn. Martinez, 26, was serving as a fourth-string backup to Tyler Houston, Benito Santiago and Jeff Reed. He went 5-for-30 with a homer in 17 games. The right-handed Farnsworth, 23, went 2-3 with a 7.58 ERA in 13 games, 11 starts, for the Cubs earlier this season before being optioned on July 4. Rain, a 24-year-old righthander, has never appeared in a major league game. He was tied for the Southern League lead with 24 saves and was 3-1 with a 1.59 ERA in 40 games, including eight starts.
