The Milwaukee Brewers yanked Eric Gagne from the closer's role on Sunday after the reliever called his latest performance embarrassing and said he didn't feel he deserved to pitch the ninth anymore.

Manager Ned Yost said he read Gagne's comments and will use a closer by committee approach while Gagne takes what Yost called a "mental break."

"He's really pushing himself really, really hard and taking it really, really hard," Yost said. "We'll probably just mix and match, I'm not going to do anything crazy."

Gagne, who signed a $10 million, one-year contract with the Brewers days before the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs included his name, said after Milwaukee's 5-3 loss on Saturday that he wanted to keep pushing through but that he didn't deserve to close.

Gagne (1-2, 6.89 ERA) has nine saves, but is tied with Cardinals reliever Jason Isringhausen for the major league lead with five blown opportunities.

Also, Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo will have surgery Tuesday to repair a torn ligament in his right knee and is likely out for the season.

Ramirez gets night off to rest hamstring

Manny Ramirez's pursuit of his 500th home run will have to wait for at least another day.

Ramirez, who has 497 career homers, was given Sunday night off against the Minnesota Twins because of a sore right hamstring.

Millwood goes on disabled list for Rangers

The Texas Rangers placed right-handed pitcher Kevin Millwood on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right groin on Sunday before Texas' game against the Oakland Athletics.

The Rangers called up right-hander Doug Mathis from Triple-A Oklahoma to take Millwood's roster spot.

SHORT HOPS: Right-hander Greg Reynolds, the second pick overall in the 2006 draft, made his big league debut Sunday with the Colorado Rockies, starting against the San Diego Padres.

To make room on the roster for Reynolds, left-hander Mark Redman was optioned to the Sky Sox.

* The Oakland Athletics reinstated right-hander Rich Harden from the 15-day disabled list to make Sunday's start against the Texas Rangers, his first since April 2.

* The Nationals optioned left-hander Mike O'Connor to Triple-A Columbus after Washington's 5-4 loss to the Florida Marlins on Sunday and recalled right-hander Chris Schroder from the Clippers.

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