A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
STILL ON
The Giants and Padres are scheduled to play the finale of a three-game series even after the first two games were postponed when a member of San Francisco’s organization tested positive for the coronavirus. Games set for Friday and Saturday night were called off to allow time for more testing and contact tracing. Major League Baseball has made no announcement about Sunday’s game, although so far this season, no team has resumed its season so swiftly following a positive test.
BYE BYE BIRDIES?
The Yankees can stretch their lead over the Orioles to 5 1/2 games for the AL’s eighth and final postseason spot by completing a four-game sweep of Baltimore in the Bronx. New York swept a doubleheader Friday and beat the Orioles in extra innings Saturday, ending a slump when the Yankees lost 15 of 21 games to fall behind Tampa Bay and Toronto in the AL East. Yankees left-hander J.A. Happ (1-2, 4.31) faces 2019 All-Star John Means (1-3, 6.58).
NOT SO HOT CORNER
All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman is expected to miss the rest of the season for the AL West-leading Athletics because of a strained right hip. He’s scheduled for surgery Monday in Vail, Colorado.
The two-time Gold Glover was hitting .232 with 10 home runs with 25 RBIs in 37 games this year. He batted only .120 (3 for 25) with 17 strikeouts and one walk his last eight games.
Recently acquired Tommy La Stella and rookie Vimael Machin could see time at third base. Chad Pinder was in line for action there, too, but he strained his hamstring Saturday in a game at Texas.
CHECK HIM
The Phillies will see how catcher J.T. Realmuto is feeling, a day after he was taken out of a game in the ninth inning at Miami as a precaution. Manager Joe Girardi said Realmuto felt hip discomfort
”We’ll evaluate him and see where’s he at,” Girardi said. “We just have to see how he is and keep our fingers crossed.”
First baseman Rhys Hoskins avoided serious injury when he attempted to catch Realmuto’s errant throw on Corey Dickerson’s dribbler in the seventh. The throw led toward the baseline, where Hoskins and Dickerson collided. Hoskins favored his left arm and was treated by Phillies training staff but remained in the game.
A CUTTER ABOVE
On Instagram, Angels reliever Mike Mayers saw a picture of the ball that Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera traced his fingers on to demonstrate to the late Roy Halladay how he threw his patented cutter. Mayers experimented with the pitch in the offseason and successfully added it to his repertoire. He hasn’t given up an earned run in 19 of his 21 appearances this season. “It’s been a huge difference maker,” Mayers said.
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