Lenny Dykstra sued former New York Mets teammate Ron Darling on Tuesday for defamation and libel, following through on his threat to file a lawsuit for claims Darling made about Dykstra in his new book.

In his book "108 Stitches: Loose Threads, Ripping Yarns, and the Darndest Characters from My Time in the Game," Darling wrote that Dykstra shouted racial taunts at Boston Red Sox pitcher Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd from the on-deck circle before Game 3 of the 1986 World Series.

The suit was filed in New York Supreme Court (a trial-level court) and lists St. Martin's Press LLC, Macmillan Publishing Group LLC and Darling as defendants.

"Plaintiff has no choice but to bring this action to defend his name and reputation. Upon information and belief, merely to sell books and indulge in public self-promotion, Darling has sought to capitalize on Plaintiff's complicated past, and intentionally, falsely and maliciously portrayed Plaintiff as a racist, an irremovable stain and permanent cloud which will forever diminish Mr. Dykstra, stalk him, and preclude him from unknowable professional and personal relationships and benefits," the lawsuit states.

Dykstra is seeking monetary damages, compensatory damages -- "including emotional distress damages for loss of opportunities, for the severe mental anguish, loss of reputation and humiliation, caused by Defendants' unlawful and malicious conduct" -- and punitive damages, plus court costs.

Earlier this month, Darling said he stood by what he wrote about Dykstra, telling ESPN Radio's Golic and Wingo that "I heard what I heard, and I put it in the book for a reason."

Other members of the 1986 Mets have defended Dykstra, including Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Kevin Mitchell.

Darling, a 58-year-old SNY broadcaster, declined comment before the Mets' game against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night. Tracey Guest of St. Martin's Press also declined comment.

Dykstra, 56, was sentenced to three years in a California state prison in March 2012 by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Ulfig after pleading no contest to grand theft auto and providing a false financial statement.

He was sentenced to 6½ months in prison that December by U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson after Dykstra pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles to bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets and money laundering. The sentences were to be served concurrently.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Los Angeles Angels star outfielder Mike Trout is day-to-day after straining his right groin during Tuesday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Following his team's 11-8 victory, Trout said he first felt discomfort after completing a workout earlier in the day and it flared up as he was running to second base in the second inning. He was removed for Peter Bourjos in the fourth.

"I went in the outfield (during the third inning) and it felt worse," Trout said. "I didn't want to push it. It is better to take time out than blow it out."

Angels manager Brad Ausmus said it was more than likely he would keep Trout out of the lineup for Wednesday's series finale. The Angels have Thursday off before beginning a three-game series Friday in Chicago against the Cubs. Considering the chilly forecast for the weekend, Trout could remain out if he's not 100 percent.

Trout said he was feeling better, but considering how early it is in the season, he's also aware of taking things slow.

"After talking to doctors, it was a pretty good thing I came out. I just have to get it right, and when it is 100 percent, I will play," he said.

Trout, who signed a record $426.5 million, 12-year contract near the end of spring training, is second in the American League with a .406 batting average. The two-time MVP is tied for third in home runs (five) and tied for fourth in RBIs (12). He has reached base safely in all 12 games.

HOUSTON -- New York Yankees right-hander Luis Severino will be shut down for the next six weeks after an MRI revealed a Grade 2 lat strain on his right side.

The injury, revealed in an MRI performed in New York on Tuesday, is separate from the right rotator cuff inflammation he originally was diagnosed with during spring training.

Since the lat strain didn't present itself on the MRI that Severino had after he was diagnosed with the rotator cuff inflammation, it is believed he might have developed the lat strain at some point during the rehab throwing program he has been under the past two weeks.

While out for the next six weeks, Severino won't throw at all, the team said.

"I don't know if 'relief' is the right word, but a little bit like, 'OK, now we know what it is,'" manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday after the Yankees' 6-3 loss to the Houston Astros. "A little relief that it's not going to be a surgery thing.

"Obviously, it's going to take a little more time now, but a little comfort in knowing this is what it is, it appears to be treatable; just got to take some time, and hopefully we'll get a healthy, strong and fresh Sevy back for a good portion of the season."

Boone said Monday that the Yankees were sending Severino from their facility in Tampa, Florida, to New York in order to undergo a reevaluation by head team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad.

In recent days, Severino hadn't been feeling pain, Boone said. But the team's ace also hadn't been feeling comfortable enough in his rehab to graduate to getting back on the mound. Since his throwing program resumed at the end of March after a three-week stint of inactivity, Severino had done only some long-toss and had advanced to throwing from about 130 feet off flat ground.

According to Boone, Severino was having some of his best rehab work over the weekend.

Boone also reported that Severino "didn't feel as great" on Monday after playing catch in Tampa, which led to the decision to send him for more testing.

Severino has not pitched off a mound since experiencing shoulder discomfort following a warm-up pitch before his first spring training start March 5. The Yankees initially shut him down for three weeks and scratched him from his Opening Day start. They had hoped he would be able to rejoin the rotation by mid-April, but general manager Brian Cashman later pushed that to around May 1.

Clearly, he won't return until after that point now.

About two hours before the findings of the MRI were announced, Boone said he believed in the Yankees' current pitchers in the event Severino's news wouldn't be too favorable.

"We've already seen a lot of quality pitchers step up for us," Boone said. "We've seen some young pitchers take more steps for us. So yeah, we feel like we're equipped to handle a lot of things."

Severino went 19-8 with a 3.39 ERA last season. Earlier this spring, he signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension.

Following Tuesday's game, the Yankees optioned one of Severino's early-season replacements, Jonathan Loaisiga. The 23-year-old struggled in his start in Houston on Tuesday, allowing two runs and four hits on 71 pitches in just three innings of work.

Loaisiga's issues came after he struck out George Springer, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman on 16 pitches in the first inning.

"You're seeing a young, talented pitcher that flashes it so much, and it's just sometimes a learning curve at the big league level," Boone said. "Sometimes, it's tough to make that final step. But everyone watching him can see how close he is and can see how dominant the stuff can be."

Prior to this start, Loaisiga was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in career starts in which he had pitched five or more innings. In the three career starts he had in which he had not made it past the fifth, Loaisiga had gone 0-0 with a 5.63 ERA.

The Yankees haven't yet named a corresponding move for Loaisiga's demotion. It's possible they will add a reliever to help their struggling bullpen for a couple of days before making another move that brings 19-year veteran CC Sabathia off the injured list and back onto the active roster.

Sabathia is expected to make his first start of the season back in New York this weekend.

One potential call-up with Severino still shelved is veteran Gio Gonzalez. The lefty had a strong outing at Triple-A on Tuesday, recording 10 strikeouts and allowing just three hits in six innings. After signing with the Yankees late in spring training, Gonzalez was sent to Triple-A to begin the season.