AROUND THE HORN

„ Blue Jays: Blue Jays rookie Alek Manoah didn’t show any signs of rust in his return from a bruised back. Manoah pitched seven dominant innings, George Springer hit two home runs and the Jays beat the Royals

4-0 Saturday for its third straight win. Activated off the 10-day injured list before the game, Manoah (3-1) allowed just two singles. Manoah hadn’t pitched since July 9 after slipping on the dugout steps and hurting his back during the Blue Jays’ first series following the All-Star break. “It kind of got me pretty good,” Manoah said of his fall, which happened at Buffalo’s Sahlen Field. “It was a long couple of weeks and I’m just so happy and so grateful to be back on that mound. Body felt really good, everything felt good. I was able to throw a lot of strikes and get the boys a win,” he said. Manoah has struck out

56 batters in his first nine career starts, the most by any pitcher in Blue Jays history. Manoah retired 16 straight batters in between the pair of hits. He walked one and struck out four. The Royals were shut out for the 6th time this season.

„ Rays: Rays ace Tyler Glasnow is expecting to get a recommendation from doctors next week to have Tommy John surgery that would keep him out the rest of this season and possibly next year. Glasnow has been taking part in a rehab program that included playing catch since going on the injured list June 15 in an attempt to avoid surgery. The Rays originally didn’t completely rule out Glasnow returning in time to help down the stretch run as the AL champions look to reach the World Series again.

„ Marlins: Marlins manager Don Mattingly tested positive for COVID19 on Saturday and will be away from the team while it continues its series against the Yankees. The 60-yearold Mattingly experienced mild symptoms when he arrived at the park for the game. The former Yankees star was vaccinated in mid-April Mattingly’s case is isolated, the team said. The remainder of the coaching staff and players underwent rapid antigen testing and all tested negative. Bench coach James Rowson will manage the club during Mattingly’s absence. The Marlins were one of the teams deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic last season. An outbreak during the first week of the 60-game schedule caused 19 positive cases with players and coaches quarantined for six days. The outbreak resulted in nine days without games.

„ Angels: Shohei Ohtani ended a long run drought with an RBI double, Jaime Barria outdueled Cole Irvin and the Angels defeated the Athletics 1-0 on Saturday. The Japanese two-way sensation lined a double to right-center in the third that drove in Matt Thaiss and ended the Angels’ string of

29 straight scoreless innings against the Athletics. It was Ohtani’s 82nd RBI of the season, which is one behind Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the major league lead. Barria (2-0) was outstanding in his second start of the season as he pitched 6 ⅔ innings and retired 10 straight at one point. The right-hander gave up six hits and struck out three with one walk and a hit batter. Steve Cishek and José Quijada came on in relief, and Raisel Iglesias retired the side in the ninth for his

22nd save in 27 opportunities. Irvin (7-10) also pitched well in his 6 ⅓ innings with one run allowed on five hits with six strikeouts. The lefty let only two Angels to reach base after the third inning.