A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday:
C YOU LATER
Cleveland is minus two of its top starting pitchers after putting Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac on the restricted list. The Indians made the moves after the right-handers broke team rules and Major League Baseball protocols by leaving their hotel in Chicago last weekend and risking exposure to the COVID-19 virus.
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Zach Plesac throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP PhotoNam Y. Huh)
The Indians had implemented a code of conduct for players to follow on road trips, forbidding them from socializing outside of the team’s players and staff.
MLB permits teams to use the restricted list for players who are unavailable to play for non-baseball reasons. The players will be paid during their leave and be given service times. They can come off the list at any time.
SIDELINED SLUGGER
New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton breaks his bat on a pop out against Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola during the fourth inning of the second baseball game in a doubleheader, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)
Yankees designated hitter/outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is expected to miss three to four weeks after being diagnosed with a grade 1 left hamstring strain.
Manager Aaron Boone says the team is still evaluating the 2017 NL MVP and the timeline could be adjusted.
CHECK HIM
The Braves will see how outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is doing, a day after he was scratched from the lineup at Yankee Stadium because of a sore left wrist.
Acuña was pulled about 90 minutes before he was set to bat leadoff and play center field. He was taken out after five innings during a blowout loss in Philadelphia on Monday, but did not appear to have suffered an injury.
The 2018 NL Rookie of the Year hit three homers over a doubleheader Sunday and seemed to just be heating up for the reigning NL East champs.
AILING ARMS
Opening day starter Joe Musgrove has become the sixth Pittsburgh pitcher put on the injured list this season.
Musgrove (0-3, 6.75 ERA) is out with trouble in his right tricpes. The Pirates’ parade of sidelined pitchers includes starter Mitch Keller and relievers Nick Burdi, Clay Holmes, Michael Feliz and Kyle Crick. Not on the list is closer Keone Kela, who has yet to pitch this season after testing positive for COVID-19.
The Pirates began the shortened season with starters Jameson Taillon and Chris Archer already out due to injury.
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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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