AMID FLOODS, ASTROS TO RETURN HOME SATURDAY
The Astros are coming home and will open a threegame series against the New York Mets on Saturday.
The Astros had to relocate their series against the Texas Rangers this week to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., because of catastrophic flooding in the nation’s fourth-largest city in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. The Astros will return to Houston on Thursday night after their game against the Rangers.
“With the cooperation of the mayor’s office, we are going to play baseball at Minute Maid Park this weekend,” Astros president Reid Ryan said Wednesday. “Along with Mayor Sylvester Turner, we hope that these games can serve as a welcome distraction for our city that is going through a very difficult time. We hope that we can put smiles on some faces.”
The Mets series was scheduled to begin Friday, but instead a Saturday doubleheader is planned and the finale is Sunday. The Astros have a 10-game road trip after that.
• Former major-league pitcher Curt Schilling’s plan to collect supplies and cash to bring to the victims of Hurricane Harvey is drawing criticism on social media from people who say donations should only go to legitimate charities.
Mariners bolster staff in trade.
The Mariners acquired right-hander Mike Leake from the St. Louis Cardinals for minor-league infielder Rayder Ascanio as Seattle tries to bolster its beleaguered starting rotation during the AL wild-card race.
Seattle is without James Paxton, Felix Hernandez and Hisahi Iwakuma due to injuries and has struggled to get five innings out of its starters for most of the past month. Seattle has had just 16 starts of at least six innings in 43 games since the All-Star break.
St. Louis will send Seattle $17.5 million to cover a portion of the $55.6 million Leake is guaranteed during the remainder of an $80 million, five-year contract through 2020. The Mariners also acquired $750,000 in international signing bonus allotment as part of the deal.
Cubs’ Russell has setback.
Cubs shortstop Addison Russell was called back to Chicago to be examined after experiencing a setback in his recovery from a right foot injury.
Russell was scratched from a rehab game with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday after experiencing soreness. The 2016 all-star has been sidelined since early August after straining the foot.
The news on ace Jon Lester was more encouraging. His 50pitch bullpen session Wednesday went well, and the Cubs expected to have the next step in his recovery from left lat tightness and shoulder fatigue mapped out by Thursday.
Yankees sitting Judge.
“The Judge’s Chambers” remains closed as slumping slugger Aaron Judge was absent from the lineup again Wednesday as the New York Yankees opened a doubleheader with the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians.
Judge was held out of Monday’s series opener against Corey Kluber and was out of the lineup Tuesday. Manager Joe Girardi indicated that the Judge would receive a few days off “to try to refresh him and get him going.” — The Associated Press