AROUND THE HORN
Yankees: Josh Donaldson was activated from the 10-day injured list and in the lineup for the Yankees on Friday night for the first time since being suspended by Major League Baseball for a remark to White Sox star Tim Anderson. Donaldson was suspended one game for making multiple references about Jackie Robinson while talking to Anderson on May 21. Donaldson has appealed the discipline. Donaldson played the next day against the Sox, but has been out of the lineup since due to COVID-19 and right shoulder inflammation. Donaldson was isolated from the team for several days after the Anderson incident because he had COVID19 symptoms. Upon his return, he said he was hurt that teammates didn’t back him. Meanwhile, Yankees reliever Chad Green has had Tommy John surgery and likely will be sidelined until at least the summer of 2023. The Yankees said the right-hander’s ulnar collateral ligament was reconstructed Wednesday by Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister at Trinity Park Surgery Center in Arlington, Texas. Green, 31, is eligible for free agency after this year’s World Series.
Twins: The struggling Twins have arrived in Toronto without regular right fielder Max Kepler and relief pitchers Emilio Pagán, Caleb Thielbar and Trevor Megill on the restricted list to comply with the Canadian government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The four players will miss the three-game series against the Blue Jays. The Twins were waiting to announce replacements until closer to game time on Friday night. Canada requires anyone traveling to the country to have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, the second one at least 14 days before entry. Pagán discussed his decision not to get a shot with reporters before the Twins departed for Toronto. “I know that there are going to be people that are very angry for this opinion and the stance, but that’s fine,” Pagán said. “I feel like I had a choice to make, and they have also a choice if they’re going to be mad at me or not.” Pagán is one of the late-inning relievers for the AL Central-leading Twins, who have lost seven of their last 10 games. “I’ve gone to every guy in this locker room and explained where I was, and how I came up with my decision, and apologized because I do know it’s hurting the team,” the 31-year-old Pagán said. Kepler, a native of Germany in his seventh full season in the majors, currently has career bests in batting average (.253) and on-base percentage (.357) and is tied for second on the team with six homers. Thielbar, the most-used left-hander in the bullpen, has a 5.59 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 19 ⅓ innings. Megill, a righty in his first season with the Twins, has a 1.04 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 8 ⅔ innings.
Cardinals: Paul Goldschmidt homered to extend his hitting streak to 25 games, Corey Dickerson went deep twice, and the Cardinals pounded the Cubs 14-5. Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar also went deep as the Cardinals rolled to their fourth win in five games. Goldschmidt smacked a three-run drive in the third for his 12th home run. The six-time All-star closed in on his career-high 26-game hitting streak with the Diamondbacks in 2013 and extended a personal best by reaching base in his 39th straight game. Dickerson sparked a five-run fourth when he lined a tiebreaking solo shot to right.