LEADING OFF: Ailing players heal up, Yanks back in Cleveland

A look at what's happening around the majors Monday:

HOW DOES IT FEEL?

American League playoff teams get only one day off to assess injuries and make roster decisions before the first round begins Tuesday.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna flashes three fingers after the Braves clinched their third consecutive NL East title with an 11-1 win over the Florida Marlins in a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020, in Atlanta. (Curtis ComptonAtlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Minnesota has a couple of ailing hitters in third baseman Josh Donaldson (right calf) and center fielder Byron Buxton (mild concussion symptoms). Both have missed two straight games. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Buxton is improving and the team hopes he’ll be ready for the postseason opener.

White Sox outfielder Eloy Jiménez sprained his right foot on a slide Thursday but was “improving exponentially,” manager Rick Renteria said Sunday. Jiménez sat out the weekend series against the Cubs.

Tampa Bay left-hander José Alvarado (left shoulder inflammation), first baseman Ji-Man Choi (left hamstring strain) and infielder Yandy Díaz (right hamstring strain) are set to participate in a simulated game. Brett Phillips exited Sunday’s game with right hamstring tightness, and fellow outfielder Manuel Margot (sore foot) was scratched from the lineup.

Chicago White Sox's Eloy Jiménez makes a sliding catch to get out Cleveland Indians' Tyler Naquin during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP PhotoRon Schwane)

BANGED-UP BRAVES

Atlanta’s medical staff will be busy treating star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and reliever Chris Martin with hopes both are ready to go for Wednesday's postseason opener against Cincinnati.

Acuña was scratched Sunday with renewed irritation in his left wrist. He was on the 10-day injured list due to soreness in the same wrist from Aug. 12-25, but manager Brian Snitker is confident Acuña will be in the Game 1 lineup.

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton rounds third base on a solo home run off Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoJim Mone)

“That wrist thing was biting a little bit,” Snitker said. “Not bad. He wanted to play. He said it was a little sore so there was no reason for him to play. He can get treatment today, tomorrow and the next day and be ready to go.”

Martin left Sunday’s season finale with right groin tightness and is day to day. The right-hander had a 1.00 ERA in 19 appearances.

The Braves also have a decision to make on Pablo Sandoval, who had two walks Sunday after his contract was selected from Atlanta’s alternate site. The Braves signed Sandoval, 34, to a minor league deal on Sept. 14, days after he was released by San Francisco. Sandoval is in contention for a bench spot for October.

Chicago White Sox's Eloy Jimenez rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Cleveland Indians pitcher Aaron Civale during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP PhotoRon Schwane)

BEEN A WHILE

The Yankees will get a look at Progressive Field, a day ahead of starting their best-of-three playoff against Shane Bieber and the Indians.

Because of the reworked schedule caused by the virus outbreak, the Yankees didn’t play in Cleveland this year. Their last game at the park was on June 9, 2019, when Brett Gardner homered as New York chased Bieber in the second inning. That was a month before Bieber was the MVP of the All-Star Game on the same field and began attracting more and more attention.

Bieber led the majors in ERA (1.63) and strikeouts (122 in 77 1/3 innings) this season and tied for the most wins in going 8-1. He’ll start against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (7-3, 2.84) on Tuesday night.

NOW HIRING

Boston is looking for its next manager after letting Ron Roenicke go following his one season on the job. Roenicke replaced Alex Cora after the 2018 World Series-winning manager was fired for his role in Houston’s sign-stealing scandal in 2017. Cora could get consideration for the opening once he finishes his one-year ban from baseball levied by Commissioner Rob Manfred for his actions with the Astros.

The Angels, meanwhile, need a new general manager after firing Billy Eppler on Sunday. Los Angeles finished its fifth consecutive losing season under his watch, despite having stars Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and Shohei Ohtani.

The Tigers also need a new skipper after Ron Gardenhire stepped away late in the season, and more openings could follow as clubs evaluate their status for 2021.

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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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