Seven-time All-Star Yoshio Itoi and exciting rookie second baseman Masahiro Nishino were deactivated with injuries by the Pacific League's Orix Buffaloes on Saturday, along with reliever Shohei Tsukahara.
Itoi, one of the PL's top stars over the past six seasons, had his right elbow and ankle examined on Friday. He was diagnosed as having damage to the medial collateral ligament in his elbow and to the peroneal tendon in his foot. Last season's PL batting champ, Itoi is expected to be out for three to four weeks, meaning he will likely miss the All-Star games on July 17 and 18.
A career .300 hitter, Itoi is batting .229 this season with seven home runs and 31 runs batted in for the last-place Buffaloes. He was voted onto this year's PL All-Star team by the fans.
Nishino, who has been electric this season for the Buffaloes, fractured the hamate bone in his right wrist in Friday's game against the Nippon Ham Fighters in Sapporo and is expected to be out for two months.
Tsukahara injured his right oblique muscles and will probably be sidelined for a month.