LEADING OFF
A look at what’s happening around the majors on Friday:
CHASE RESUMES: Farmington native Chase Silseth gets his second major league start at home for the Los Angeles Angels against Oakland. The 22-year-old Piedra Vista graduate — and the first player from the 2021 draft to reach the majors — pitched six shutout innings last Friday, also against Oakland. He allowed two hits and striking out four.
CANADIAN CLUBBING:
Reds star Joey Votto expects to come off the COVID-19 list this weekend, just in time to play the Blue Jays in his hometown of Toronto.
A six-time All-Star in 16 seasons, Votto hasn’t played a lot in front of the local fans — only nine games at Rogers Centre, during which he’s hit three home runs while going 8 for 33 (.242) with seven RBIs.
Votto is off to a tough start this season. He’s hitting a .122 with no home runs and three RBIs in 22 games, and struck out 29 times in 74 at-bats.
He last played for Cincinnati on May 1. Votto did a rehab assignment with Class A Dayton leading up to this weekend.
YOU AGAIN? Bryce Harper battered away at Dodger Stadium last weekend, leading the Phillies to three straight wins over Los Angeles. He homered in each game, and went 8 for 12 with four doubles and eight RBIs.
The only thing that stopped Harper was a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right elbow that prevented him from playing Sunday. The reigning NL MVP hasn’t been in the lineup since then because of the lingering effects. He could return this weekend to face a familiar foe when the Dodgers visit Citizens Bank Park.
AILING GUARDIANS:
Cleveland star third baseman José Ramírez is having X-rays and other tests on his right shin after fouling a ball off himself. He could miss a game or two.
Ramírez was hurt in the eighth inning of Thursday’s 4-2 loss to Cincinnati. Down in the dirt for several minutes, he got up and singled for his 34th RBI, then was pulled for a pinch-runner.
AVAILABLE: In a mutual decision, three-time All-Star infielder Matt Carpenter, 36, has been released by the Texas Rangers from their Triple-A team and become a free agent.
Carpenter went to spring training on a minor league contract and accepted the assignment to Round Rock when he didn’t make Rangers’ opening day roster. He hit .275 with six homers and 19 RBIs in 21 Triple-A games, but Texas didn’t have room for him in the majors.