Justin Morneau's season is over because of a stress fracture in his lower back.

The Minnesota Twins are 5 1/2 games behind Detroit, with seven head-to-head meetings left, but they haven't been hitting well lately and now they're missing more offense.

Morneau's injury was diagnosed yesterday. Despite a severe second-half slump, the 2006 AL MVP still has 30 homers and 100 RBIs for the Twins.

"If you go out there and you don't feel like you're helping anyone, that's when you kind of take a step back and say, 'All right. Maybe I'm doing more harm than good,' " Morneau said.

Morneau, a first baseman, hurt himself on a headfirst slide into first base Friday, but he's been playing with pain much longer than that. He said he often felt a sharp discomfort during the follow-through on his swing. After a recent MRI revealed inflammation in his back, Morneau had a CT scan yesterday and got the doctor's bad news.

Morneau is not supposed to do anything but rest for the next three months.

The Twins also believe third baseman Joe Crede (back) is through for the year.

OVERSEAS PRAISE

SEATTLE'S ICHIRO PRAISED BY OH

The high praise for Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki came from none other than Japanese home run king Sadaharu Oh.

"Sometimes we forget how difficult it is to accomplish these things amid a baseball schedule which is much tougher in the U.S. than in Japan," Oh said. "It's hard to find the words to describe what he has accomplished."

The Mariners outfielder became the first player in major league history with at least 200 hits in nine straight season after an infield single in the second inning of Sunday's second game against Texas.

Former Yomiuri Giants great Shigeo Nagashima said Suzuki's accomplishments will resonate with youngsters.

"I hope he keeps aiming to break more records to inspire young players in Japan," he said.

Suzuki left Japan in 2001 after winning seven straight batting titles for the Orix BlueWave between 1994 and 2000.

ELSEWHERE

Giants: Randy Johnson has pitched a simulated game, taking the mound at San Francisco's AT&T Park for the first time since July 5.

Johnson threw 53 pitches, including warmups, before the Giants played Colorado last night. He was facing batters for the first time since going on the disabled list with a torn rotator cuff more than two months ago. Johnson has been working out in Arizona.

Tigers: Detroit manager Jim Leyland said Magglio Ordonez will reach the plate appearance incentive in his contract that will give the outfielder an $18 million option for next season.

Ordonez entered last night's game against Toronto eight plate appearances shy of the 1,080 over two years that would activate the option.

Ordonez has seven home runs, 40 RBIs and a .294 average.