AROUND THE HORN
Blue Jays: Blue Jays righthander Kevin Gausman left Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Rays after he was hit in the right foot by a line drive from Rays shortstop Wander Franco. Franco’s liner, which had an exit velocity of 100 miles per hour, struck Gausman and ricocheted to catcher Gabriel Moreno, who retired Franco at first to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded. The team announced that Gausman had a right ankle contusion and X-rays came back negative. His status for his next start is uncertain. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and go from there,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said.
Guardians: Guardians rookie outfielder Oscar Gonzalez was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with an abdominal issue. The move was one of several made by the Guardians before playing a split doubleheader against the Yankees. Friday’s series opener was postponed by rain. The 24-year-old Gonzalez has given the team a major lift since coming up from the minors. He’s batting .285 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 32 games. Gonzalez was scratched Thursday after arriving at Progressive Field and reporting his discomfort.
Mets: Mets ace Jacob deGrom is finally ready to begin a minor league rehab assignment. Sidelined by injuries since last July, the two-time Cy Young Award winner is scheduled to start Sunday night for Class A St. Lucie against the Jupiter Hammerheads. He’s expected to throw about 25 pitches and two innings. It will be the first competitive outing since spring training for deGrom, sidelined all season because of a stress reaction in his right scapula that caused inflammation.
The announcement Saturday by the NL Eastleading Mets came nearly a year since deGrom’s last major league outing on July 7, 2021. He missed the second half of last season with right forearm tightness and a sprained elbow, then returned in spring training this year and made Grapefruit League starts on March 22 and 27. But then he was sidelined by the stress reaction and didn’t throw another bullpen until June 4. The 34-year-old has been facing hitters at the team’s complex in Florida and the Mets said he felt good after throwing 27 pitches to batters on Wednesday.
Nats: Dave Martinez and Mike Rizzo are signed through the 2023 season after the Nationals exercised their contract options for the World Serieswinning manager and GM. Managing principal owner Mark Lerner announced the moves Saturday before the team’s 80th game of a season that has already included 50 losses. Martinez and Rizzo are now overseeing a rebuilding effort after helping the Nationals win their first championship in 2019.
Twins: Jorge Polanco hit a tying homer and Jose Miranda delivered a game-ending single as the Twins again rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and beat the Orioles 4-3 Saturday. A day after Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Jorge López for a 3-2 victory, the Twins came back once more.
Rays: Shane McClanahan allowed one run in seven innings, lowering his AL-leading ERA to 1.74, Wander Franco and Isaac Paredes hit solo home runs, and the Rays snapped a season-long four-game losing streak by beating the Blue Jays 6-2 in Game 1 of their doubleheader.