Philadelphia ? Phillies pitcher Brett Myers will take a leave of absence through the All-Star break, saying he has embarrassed his family and the team with his arrest on charges that he hit his wife in the face.

Myers, Philadelphia’s best pitcher, said Tuesday he asked the team for time off so he can “concentrate on this matter and make plans for whatever assistance is appropriate.”

He was arrested Friday in Boston and accused of striking his wife on a street not far from Fenway Park. He was freed after his wife posted $200 bail, and he faces an Aug. 4 court date on assault charges.

The Phillies let Myers pitch the next day against the Red Sox and he threw five innings. The decision to let their ace pitch was heavily criticized in Philadelphia and a women’s group that fights domestic violence called for a suspension.

Bonds: Still no word from Mitchell in probe

San Francisco – Barry Bonds said Tuesday he hasn’t heard yet from former Sen. George Mitchell in his independent investigation of steroids in baseball.

Mitchell, the former Senate majority leader, was appointed in March by commissioner Bud Selig to head the league’s investigation into steroids. He has already contacted some members of the San Francisco Giants’ coaching staff.

Bonds, who turns 42 on July 24, is batting .252 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs this season and has drawn 62 walks – 26 intentional. With 719 career homers, he is second on the career list behind Hank Aaron (755).

Devil Rays ship big lefty to Dodgers

Los Angeles – The Tampa Bay Devil Rays traded pitcher Mark Hendrickson and catcher Toby Hall to the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday for pitcher Jae Seo, catcher Dioner Navarro and a player to be named.

Hendrickson, 32, led the Devil Rays in wins the last two years. He was 4-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 13 starts this season.

The 30-year-old Hall hit .231 with eight home runs and 23 RBIs for the last-place Devil Rays. He has thrown out 35 percent of would-be basestealers in his career.

Navarro was the Dodgers’ opening day catcher and batted .280 with two homers and eight RBIs in 25 games before going on the 15-day list with a bruised right wrist on May 5. He was activated from the disabled list on June 16 and optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas, where he hit .175 in 11 games.

Seo was 2-4 with a 5.78 ERA in 19 appearances, including 10 starts, for the Dodgers this season.

Manuel suspended for arguing with ump

New York – Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Tuesday for aggressively arguing with an umpire in a game last week.

Manuel was to serve the suspension Tuesday, when the Phillies open an interleague series against the Baltimore Orioles. Tuesday’s game was postponed by rain and rescheduled as a day-night doubleheader today. Manuel will miss the first game.

Pirates demote Perez to bullpen

Pittsburgh – Oliver Perez, the power-throwing but puzzling left-hander who was Pittsburgh’s opening-day starter, was demoted to the Pirates’ bullpen Tuesday during the team’s longest losing streak in more than 50 years.

The Pirates also designated long reliever Ryan Vogelsong for assignment and recalled right-hander Jonah Bayliss from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Former Kansas University left-hander Tom Gorzelanny (6-5, 2.35 ERA) is expected to be called up from Indianapolis to start Saturday against Detroit.

Yankees’ Cano goes on 15-day DL

New York – Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday because of a strained left hamstring.

Cano, the leading vote-getter at his position for the AL All-Star team, was put on the DL retroactive to Monday. New York called up infielder Nick Green from Triple-A Columbus to take his roster spot.

Cano was hitting .325 with four homers and 27 RBIs.

Dodger Dog creator Arthur dies at 84

Los Angeles – Thomas Gregory Arthur, the baseball stadium concessionaire whose foot-long Nathan’s knockoff came up short and became the beloved Dodger Dog, has died. He was 84.

Arthur died of a heart attack on June 8 in St. Louis, his son Steve said Tuesday.

The former New Yorker came up with a foot-long hot dog – borrowed from his favorite Nathan’s dogs – to put excitement into the ballpark menu when the team moved from the Coliseum to Dodger Stadium in 1962.