AROUND THE HORN
Brewers: On the same date that he reached 10 years of major league service, the Brewers on Saturday designated for assignment two-time All-Star outfielder Lorenzo Cain. Cain, 36, hit .179 with one home run and nine RBIs over 43 games this season. “It just got to a point where it’s probably time,” Cain told a small group of Brewers’ beat writers. “I haven’t been performing like I would’ve liked, but the situation is what it is. I’ve had a great career. I can’t really be upset about anything, but, yeah, it’s time. I wish all my teammates the best, coaches, trainers, everybody that I’ve played with or met throughout my entire career, I wish them nothing but the best. It’s been a really fun ride for me for sure.” Cain is in the last year of a five-year, $80 million contract he signed in January 2018 as a free agent. The Brewers are responsible for the $10,897,121 remaining of this season’s $18 million salary. He is unlikely to be claimed off waivers because of his salary. If he is released, any team can sign him for a prorated share of the $700,000 minimum. Waiting until Saturday allowed Cain to be fully vested in the players’ pension fund.
Guardians: Guardians third baseman José Ramírez is out of the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Dodgers due to right thumb soreness. It is the first game he has missed this season. Manager Terry Francona said Ramírez jammed the thumb during a swing about 10 days ago and then aggravated it during the Guardians’ recent series in Colorado. Ramírez will have it checked out again Sunday before the Guardians travel to Minnesota to begin a three-game series on Tuesday. Ramírez — who has an eight-game hitting streak — leads the American League with 62 RBIs and is tied with the Red Sox’s Rafael Devers with 40 extrabase hits. Ramírez’s .305 batting average is eighth in the AL.
Dodgers: When Sandy Koufax joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955, he was in awe of being on the same team with Jackie Robinson. Now 67 years later, the two are immortalized in bronze at the entrance to Dodger Stadium. Koufax’s statue was unveiled on Saturday in the Centerfield Plaza before the Dodgers faced the Guardians. It is the second sculpture the Dodgers have commissioned after Robinson’s in 2017.
Giants: Brandon Crawford tied the game with an RBI single in the sixth and provided some breathing room with an RBI double in the ninth as the Giants rallied past the Pirates 7-5 on Saturday. Wilmer Flores and Austin Slater homered for the Giants, who have won seven of eight and 13 of 19 to move to 10 games over .500 for the first time this season.
Angels: Mike Trout hit a two-run homer in the top of the 10th inning and the Angels beat the Mariners 4-2 on Saturday in the opening game of a doubleheader. Trout hit his 50th career homer against Seattle and 31st at T-Mobile Park on a 1-1 pitch from Diego Castillo (3-1). Trout had struck out three times earlier in the game, but hit his 19th long ball of the season. The Mariners’ bullpen had retired 13 straight batters before Trout’s homer.
Royals: Brad Keller allowed one hit in seven crisp innings to lift the Royals to a 2-0 win over the Athletics. Scott Barlow set down the final four batters for his eighth save to complete the two-hitter and give the Royals a third consecutive win.