Sheffield could be headed to the disabled list early this week.

''I won't go until it's ready, and right now it's sore and stiff,'' Sheffield said prior to Sunday's game. ''I'm going to take the extra time and make sure it's right. When it's right, then I'm playing.''

The 37-year-old Sheffield ruled out a cortisone injection to ease the pain and swelling.

''Been there, done that. I did that earlier in my career, and I'm not doing that again,'' Sheffield said. ''It's too late in my career to be getting cortisones and the side effects for later on.''

Zambrano out for season

New York Mets right-hander Victor Zambrano will miss the rest of the season after tearing a tendon in his pitching elbow, the latest in a string of injuries to the team's starting staff.

The Mets placed Zambrano on the 60-day disabled list Sunday, and said he could be ready to pitch by spring training. Right-hander Jose Lima was brought up from Triple-A Norfolk to take Zambrano's roster spot and started Sunday against Atlanta.

Around the horn

Red Sox: Left-hander David Wells threw 60 pitches off a mound as he rehabilitates a right knee injury.

Mariners: Veteran outfielder Matt Lawton he asked Seattle to release him. Lawton approached Seattle's front office late last month after having started just one game all season, and after Lawton noticed a glut of outfielders on the team.

Lawton characterized his meeting as his way of ''trying to make everything easier,'' and voluntarily offered to be released.