AROUND THE HORN

■ Mariners, Padres: The Mariners opened a threegame series as the home team in San Diego after the set was relocated due to air quality concerns in the Seattle area. The Mariners already had two games against the Giants moved from Seattle to San Francisco this week because of unhealthy air quality from numerous West Coast wildfires. The Padres could be in position to clinch their first playoff berth since 2006 while playing as visitors in their home ballpark.

■ Phillies: Zach Eflin struck out nine in a fourhitter, Bryce Harper hit another homer and the Phillies beat the Blue Jays 7-0 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday. The Phillies were the road team in their home ballpark for the opener, a makeup game from earlier in the season. Eflin (3-2) threw 92 pitches for his third career shutout and fifth complete game, though this one was seven innings. Harper has hit three home runs in two games.

■ Rays: OF Austin Meadows was placed on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain that will keep him sidelined into the postseason. The injury occurred while Meadows took a swing in the opener of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Orioles. The Rays won both games to earn a berth in the AL playoffs, and they’ll need a deep run to get Meadows back in the lineup. “We’re going to have to play really, really well to see him at any point the rest of the season,” manager Kevin Cash said. Meadows is batting .205 with four homers and 13 RBIs. Last year he hit .291 with 33 home runs and 89 RBIs, so his bat is always welcome. “I don’t need to talk about how important Austin is,” Cash said. To fill the roster spot, LHP Sean Gilmartin was selected from the Rays’ alternate site.

■ Braves: RHP Max Fried was set to return from the injured list and resume his bid for an unlikely NL Cy Young Award. Fried has been out since Sept. 6 with a left-side muscle spasm in his lumbar spine. Prior to the injury, the 26-year-old looked like a prime candidate with a 6-0 record and 1.98 ERA. Fried is the only qualified starter in the majors who hasn’t allowed a home run this season, and he could be the first starter to finish a season with zero homers allowed since Slim Harriss in 1926.

■ Twins: After losing three of four this week to the White Sox on Chicago’s South Side, the Twins hit the road — or at least Lake Shore Drive — to open a three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The good news for the Twins is that inconsistent CF Byron Buxton has rounded into form. He homered twice Thursday and has seven of his 12 home runs this season over his last nine games.

■ Marlins: Emerging ace Sixto Sanchez (3-1, 1.69) made his sixth career start and seeks a second straight seven-inning complete game in a doubleheader opener against the Nationals. Sanchez went the distance in the Marlins’ 2-1, seven-inning win over the Phillies on Sunday. The 22-year-old has 29 strikeouts and five walks over 32 innings.