AROUND THE HORN
Reds: The Reds activated Canadian slugger Joey Votto off the injured list before Friday’s game in Toronto against the Blue Jays. A six-time All-Star in 16 seasons, Votto hasn’t played a lot in front of the local fans — only nine games at Rogers Centre, during which he’s hit three home runs while going 8 for 33 (.242) with seven RBIs. Votto, who grew up in Toronto, was in the lineup in the cleanup spot Friday against Blue Jays lefthander Hyun Jin Ryu.
Tigers, Guardians: The Tigers and the Guardians were without their managers for the series opener between the teams Friday night. Detroit’s A.J. Hinch missed the game because he isn’t feeling well but tested negative for COVID19. Bench coach George Lombard managed the team. Cleveland’s Terry Francona missed the game to have a minor surgical procedure and is expected to be back Saturday. Francona returned to the team Wednesday after being out four games with COVID-19. Bench coach DeMarlo Hale ran the Guardians. Hale also missed several games because of COVID-19, when pitching Carl Willis served as acting manager.
Phillies: Phillies slugger Bryce Harper missed his fifth straight game when the Phillies opened up a threegame series against the Dodgers on Friday. Harper had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right elbow on Sunday. The Phillies originally hoped Harper could return on Tuesday.
Mets, Rockies: A winter storm warning postponed the opener of the Rockies’ three-game series against the Mets. The forecast calls for 3 to 5 inches of snow at Coors Field in Denver. The teams will attempt to make it up in a split doubleheader on Saturday, but more snow was in the forecast for Saturday morning before it was expected to clear, with a low of 34 degrees in the evening.
Diamondbacks: On a perfect day to play home run derby at Wrigley Field, the big winner was Josh Rojas. Rojas launched his first three longballs of the season and the Diamondbacks powered past the Cubs 10-6 Friday. With a strong wind blowing out on a warm afternoon, the teams combined to clear the brick walls 11 times — the Diamondbacks connected for seven homers. “I’ve had multi-homer games in the minor leagues and multihit games in the the minor leagues, but I’ve never done anything like this,” Rojas said. “This is a pretty good feeling, especially coming into the game with zero and leaving with three.” David Peralta went deep twice and Alek Thomas and Christian Walker added solo shots as the Diamondbacks won their second straight after a six-game slide.
Nationals: Nationals infielder Carter Kieboom will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery to address the elbow issue that landed him on the injured list in March. Manager Dave Martinez said before the Nationals’ Friday night game at Milwaukee that Kieboom will have the surgery on May 27. Martinez had more encouraging updates for other injured players. He said Stephen Strasburg and Joe Ross each threw 43 pitches and three innings in a simulated game Thursday in Florida. “They came out of it feeling good,” Martinez said. Both pitchers have side sessions Saturday and will next throw four innings and 60 pitches. Martinez said the Nationals could send both out for minor-league rehabilitation assignments as the right-handers prepare to make their 2022 debuts.