Cubs lose Soriano until ‘around Labor Day’

Star outfielder tears right quadriceps running bases in game vs. Mets

Nam Y. Huh / AP

Chicago Cubs third base coach Mike Quade, left, checks out Alfonso Soriano, right, during the third inning of Sunday's game. Soriano left the game with a quadriceps injury.

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updated 11:18 a.m. ET Aug. 7, 2007

HOUSTON - Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano went on the 15-day disabled list Monday, a day after tearing his right quadriceps while running the bases against the New York Mets.

Soriano is expected to miss several weeks. He had an MRI exam Sunday night and did not travel with the Cubs to Houston.

“The latest from the MRI was that there is a small tear in the quad,” manager Lou Piniella said before Monday night’s game against Houston. “It’s about one centimeter. We think he’ll be out four-to-six weeks. We think it will be around Labor Day. We were expecting this. It could have been worse.”

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Chicago purchased the contract of infielder Eric Patterson from Triple-A Iowa to fill Soriano’s roster spot.

Piniella said Soriano wasn’t to blame for the injury.

“He does as good a job of stretching as anybody,” Piniella said. “It just happened.”

Soriano, who signed a $136 million, eight-year contract, is hitting .297 with 18 homers and 42 RBIs.

“It’s a loss,” Piniella said. “We’re going to have to step up. We have a very young club. We’ll just see how they respond.”

Patterson was batting .299 with 23 doubles, six triples, 14 home runs and 62 RBIs at Iowa. The left-handed hitter, a Pacific Coast League All-Star last season, is the brother of Corey Patterson, who played for the Cubs from 2000-05.

Chicago also put right-hander Wade Miller on unconditional release waivers and designated infielder Brian Dopirak for assignment.

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