A look at what’s happening around the majors Saturday:
BACK AT IT
Cubs journeyman Alec Mills (5-3, 3.93) is set to pitch for the first time since his unexpected no-hitter a week ago against Milwaukee. The 28-year-old will face the Twins in just the 16th start of his big league career. Johnny Vander Meer in 1938 is the only pitcher to throw consecutive no-hitters.
Mills will face Minnesota right-hander Michael Pineda (1-0, 3.57).
MINUS MEADOWS
The playoff-bound Rays will be missing outfielder Austin Meadows into the postseason because of a strained oblique.
Meadows was hurt while taking a swing this week for the AL East leaders during a game in Baltimore
Meadows is batting just .205 with four homers and 13 RBIs. Last year, he hit .291 with 33 home runs and 89 RBIs.
“I don’t need to talk about how important Austin is,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.
ACE CARD
Cardinals left-hander Kwang Hyun Kim starts at Milwaukee, trying to keep up his remarkable run.
The 32-year-old Kim, who starred in South Korea before coming to the major leagues this season, is 2-0 with an 0.63 ERA in six games. He hasn’t permitted an earned run in his last four starts, spanning 24 innings.
Kim pitched a season-high seven innings against the Brewers in his previous start, allowing three hits.
HAPPY RETURNS
Brewers bench coach Pat Murphy has rejoined the team just over six weeks after having a heart attack at Miller Park. He’s not working on the bench quite yet, but he plans to before the end of the season. The Brewers were practicing infield defense at Miller Park on Aug. 1 when Murphy sat down and said he wasn’t feeling well. Trainer Rafael Freitas was nearby and escorted Murphy to the clubhouse, where he met with team physician, Dr. Mark Niedfeldt.
“The part you take for granted sometimes until you don’t have it anymore is the connection, being together,” Murphy said. “That’s what it’s all about. That’s why I do it.”
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.