A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:
CENTRAL RACE
The weekend's AL Central showdown series between Minnesota and Cleveland will start with a doubleheader.
The teams played two full innings Friday night before thunderstorms swept through Progressive Field, and the game was called after a wait of 1 hour, 57 minutes.
New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom winds up during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoKathy Willens)
Minnesota entered leading the Indians by 3½ games.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli had already planned to use his bullpen in Saturday's game, and the rainout will make things more challenging for the Twins. Mike Clevinger, who has won his past 10 decisions, will start Saturday's opener for Cleveland.
ZACK ATTACK
Zack Greinke is 5-1 with a 3.32 ERA in seven starts for Houston since the Astros acquired him from Arizona. Greinke is 15-5 with a 2.99 ERA overall going into Saturday's start against Kansas City and Mike Montgomery (3-8).
REVERSAL OF FORTUNE?
NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom of the Mets is 0-4 with a 3.23 ERA in nine starts against the Dodgers going into Saturday's outing against Los Angeles. The Dodgers' Hyun-Jin Ryu is 4-1 with a 1.38 ERA in seven starts against New York.
BACK IN TIME
Tyler Glasnow (6-1, 2.15 ERA) will continue his attempt to pitch his way back into form before the postseason when the Tampa Bay right-hander makes his second start since missing four months with a right forearm strain. The Los Angeles-area native faces the Angels in Anaheim. Glasnow went just two innings in his first start last weekend, but reported no ill effects from those 41 pitches. The Rays got more good news for their playoff chase when AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell was tentatively slated to start Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. Snell has been out since July with an elbow problem that required surgery. Having Snell in the rotation seems vital to the Rays' hopes.
RETURNING ARMS
New York Yankees right-hander Luis Severino, who hasn't pitched this season because of a lat injury, is expected to make his debut Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels. Severino made three minor league injury rehabilitation appearances. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery will return from Tommy John surgery to face Toronto on Sunday, possibly following an opener. Montgomery hasn't pitched in the major leagues since May 1, 2018.
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A look at what's happening around baseball Saturday:
CABRERA REIGNS
Miguel Cabrera should get to swing for his 3,000th career hit after his pursuit was delayed a day by a rainout.
The Tigers are set for a day-night doubleheader against Colorado at Comerica Park. The teams were washed out Friday.
Cabrera got to 2,999 hits on Wednesday night, then struck out in his final at-bat of the game. The 39-year-old went 0 for 3 with an intentional walk on Thursday.
Antonio Senzatela (0-1, 2.16 ERA) is ready to pitch the first game of the twinbill for Colorado. The Rockies right-hander and Cabrera are both from Venezuela.
“He’s going to go down as one of the best hitters of all time,” Hall of Famer and former Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell said Friday.
“He realizes that it’s getting toward the end, but he still has something left in the tank. When it’s all said and done this year, I think he’s going to have a heck of a year,” he said.
JAPANESE PERFECTION
The baseball world will be watching this weekend to see whether Roki Sasaki can do it again.
The 20-year-old Japanese pitcher with the 100 mph fastball and devastating splitter has thrown 17 straight perfect innings. He’ll start Sunday for the Chiba Lotte Marines against the Orix Buffaloes in Osaka.
Sasaki pitched a perfect game against Orix on April 10, the first in Japan in 28 years. He followed up with eight more perfect innings on April 17 before he was pulled by manager Tadahito Iguchi after 102 pitches. Sasaki struck out a combined 33 in those games.
Sasaki grew up in the northeastern Japanese prefecture of Iwate. His father was killed in the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent meltdown on three nuclear reactors that devastated that part of the country.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is appealing his second suspension this season after Major League Baseball banned him for one game Friday after he gave fans the middle finger two days earlier.
Anderson had three errors in the first two innings of Chicago’s 11-1 loss Wednesday in the opener of a doubleheader. The frustrated 28-year-old made the gesture toward a fan while out in the field. Anderson will remain with the White Sox until his appeal is heard.
Anderson also missed the firt two games of the season serving a two-game suspension for making contact with umpire Tim Timmons during the ninth inning of a game on Sept. 27. Anderson successfully appealed that suspension down from three games.
GIANT PAIN
San Francisco's injured list is getting crowded after right-hander Anthony DeSclafani and outfielder Steven Duggar hit the shelf Friday.
DeSclafani went on the 10-day IL with right ankle inflammation a day after allowing five runs in five innings during a loss to the Mets. Manager Gabe Kapler says DeSclafani will get an MRI on Monday.
Duggar was added to the 60-day IL with a left oblique strain. He was pulled from Thursday's loss in the second inning.
The pair joins starter Alex Cobb and hitters Evan Longoria, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Tommy La Stella on the IL.
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