Cespedes’ homer lifts Mets past Braves
Yoenis Cespedes came back with a bang, taking immediate advantage of the new designated hitter rule in the National League by launching a home run that sent Jacob deGrom and the host Mets past the Braves 1-0 in their season opener Friday.
After five dominant innings from deGrom, who was popping the catcher’s mitt with 99 mph fastballs from the start, Cespedes connected in the seventh off reliever Chris Martin for his first long ball since his previous major league game on July 20, 2018.
The slugger missed most of the past two seasons with a string of leg injuries, requiring surgery on both heels and then a broken ankle after a bad fall at his Florida ranch in a reported run-in with a wild boar.
Rules changes for this shortened season delayed by the coronavirus provided a DH in NL games for the first time — giving the Mets a perfect slot for Cespedes as he gets back in the swing of things.
The Braves were playing a little shorthanded as their top two catchers, Tyler Flowers and Travis d’Arnaud, showed symptoms of the coronavirus. Alex Jackson and William Contreras are next in line at catcher with Jackson getting the start behind the plate.
Manager Brian Snitker said Flowers and d’Arnaud have tested negative for the coronavirus but did not travel with the team because they had symptoms. Snitker said he did not know what the symptoms were, and he hoped the two just had “a bad cold.”
Fashion statement: For their delayed home opener, the Indians elected to wear their blue road jerseys with “Cleveland” on the front as a unified statement of solidarity for minorities as the team contemplates a name change.
Owner Paul Dolan recently announced the franchise is considering changing its name from Indians, which has been the club’s moniker since 1915. Typically, the team wears white jerseys with “Indians” across the chest at home.
All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor said the players decided on the switch after meeting earlier this week with Dolan to discuss the potential name change as well as race relations and social justice.
“We know change is due and it is time,” Lindor said before the Indians hosted the Royals at Progressive Field. “But I believe positive change can happen. Shining the light on those minorities and people who are in need, it’s extremely important.
Comeback big hit on TV: The pandemic-delayed MLB opener was the sport’s most-watched regular-season game on any network in nine years.
The Yankees’ rain-shortened 4-1 win at the Nationals on Thursday night averaged 4 million viewers on ESPN, according to Nielsen fast national ratings. The game peaked at 8:30 p.m. EDT with 4.48 million viewers.
No regular-season game had been viewed by that many since 4.7 million watched the Red Sox beat the Yankees 3-2 in 10 innings on Aug. 7, 2011, also on ESPN.
ESPN’s previous high for an opener was 3.7 million for a 2017 matchup between the Cardinals and Cubs.
The Dodgers’ 8-1 win over the Giants in the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader averaged 2,764,000 viewers on ESPN.
Extra innings: The Cubs finalized minor-league deals with INF Derek Dietrich and OF Ryan LaMarre. Dietrich and LaMarre will report to the team’s camp in South Bend, Ind . ... Marlins C Jorge Alfaro went on the injured list before the season opener against the Phillies. The Marlins didn’t give a reason but said they expected Alfaro to return this season. Newcomer Francisco Cervilli was in the lineup in place of Alfaro. The Marlins selected the contract of INF Sean Rodriguez from their alternate training site . ... Kike Hernandez homered and drove in five runs while tying his career high with four hits in the Dodgers’ victory late Thursday while Mookie Betts went 1-for-5 in his debut with the team.