Cole sharp in 1st start; Astros lose Verlander
bols and monuments.
Dolan met with the players, manager Terry Francona and front office members to discuss the possibility of a new name.
“Our players care about the organization and feel strongly about social justice and racial equality,” Dolan said.
In their opening-night win over the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field, the players elected to wear their blue road jerseys with “Cleveland” on the front rather than their home white “Indians” jerseys.
❚ RHP Carlos Carrasco looked sharp and got the victory July 26 in his first start since May 30, 2019. Carrasco was diagnosed with leukemia last year and returned as a reliever in September.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers will be cautious with RHP Michael Fulmer, who missed last season while recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery.
Fulmer will be used as an opener in the early going as manager Ron Gardenhire tries to find creative ways to use the 27-year-old without running up his innings total.
Fulmer was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2016 and was selected for the All-Star Game a year later. However, he was 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA in 24 starts in 2018.
❚ RHP Carson Fulmer, claimed off waivers from the Chicago White Sox, is expected to pitch in middle relief. Fulmer was the eighth overall selection in the 2015 amateur draft but has struggled over parts of four major league seasons, going 6-9 with a 6.56 ERA in 44 games.
Kansas City Royals
RHP Brady Singer had a fine debut following his rapid ascent to the major leagues.
The 18th overall pick in the 2018 amateur draft allowed two runs and three hits in five innings while striking out seven, though he did not factor in the decision against the Indians on July 25 at Cleveland.
Spots opened in the rotation when RHPs Brad Keller and Jacob Junis began the season on the injured list after testing positive for COVID-19.
❚ RH reliever Greg Holland made a triumphant return to the Royals, pitching one hitless inning in each of the first two games of the season and getting the save July 25.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins opened the season with their rotation at less than full strength.
RHP Jake Odorizzi was placed on the injured list on the eve of the opener because of soreness in his upper back. LHP Rich Hill was scratched from his scheduled start in the second game and pushed to the fifth spot in the rotation.
Hill was limited to 13 starts with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, then had elbow surgery after the season.
❚ DH Nelson Cruz, 40, on July 26 became the fourth-oldest player to drive in seven runs in a game. The top three: Stan Musial, Jason Giambi and Reggie Jackson.
AL WEST
Houston Astros
The significance of RHP Lance McCullers Jr.’s return to the rotation looms large with RHP Justin Verlander out for at least two weeks because of a forearm strain.
Verlander pitched six innings of two-run ball in an openingday home win over the Seattle Mariners.
McCullers’ curveball showed its deceptive bite July 25 when he defeated the Mariners for his first win since Aug. 4, 2018. He had Tommy John elbow surgery in November 2018.
❚ OF Yordan Alvarez and RHP Jose Urquidy are about a week shy from returning after they both began the season on the injured list. Alvarez was the 2019 AL Rookie of the Year, and Urquidy opened eyes with five scoreless innings in Game 4 of the 2019 World Series.
Los Angeles Angels
RHP Shohei Ohtani is expected to pitch once a week in his return to pitching after having Tommy John elbow surgery in 2018. But his first start was alarming.
Not only did Ohtani fail to record an out and give up five runs, his fastball average was only 92.7 mph, down from 96.7 two years ago. He threw only 15 of 30 pitches for strikes and got just two swinging strikes.
“I felt like I was throwing the ball instead of pitching,” he said through an interpreter.
His wildness limited the use of Ohtani’s signature pitch, his splitter. He threw it only two times.
❚ RHP Dylan Bundy was impressive in his Angels debut July 25 (one run, three hits in 62⁄3 innings). “He looked like Greg Maddux out there,” SS Andrelton Simmons said.
Oakland Athletics
The Athletics have a question mark at catcher. Rookies Sean Murphy and Austin Allen survived a three-way competition in camp to earn roster spots.
Murphy, one of the team’s top prospects, is expected to receive the bulk of work, but Allen also will get at-bats, according to manager Bob Melvin.
Allen’s playing time could increase if Murphy’s sore knee, which limited him to 41 minor league games in 2019, proves bothersome.
❚ LHP Jesus Luzardo, a future fixture atop the rotation, began the season in the bullpen after a bout with COVID-19 delayed his reporting date. The plan was to deploy him for multiple innings.
Seattle Mariners
Rookie CF Kyle Lewis is among the youthful infusion of talent the Mariners believe will deliver a future run of success.
In his first at-bat this season, Lewis swatted a 438-foot home run against Houston Astros ace RHP Justin Verlander. Only four others have hit longer homers off Verlander since 2015.
Lewis, 25, homered again the next day and finished the weekend hitting .364. One cause for concern: He struck out six times in his first 11 at-bats.
❚ 1B Evan White is another young player to monitor. White has a knack for reaching base, which complements his plus ranking as a defender.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers came into the season expecting their starting pitching to be a strength, but the rotation took a major hit July 26 when RHP Corey Kluber had to leave his first Texas start after one inning because of shoulder tightness and was lost for at least four weeks.
Kluber seemed fine warming up but felt the discomfort soon after the game started. He threw only 18 pitches.
“We are obviously taking all the precautions in the world,” manager Chris Woodward said.
Kluber, who made only seven starts last season because of injuries, had experienced no physical issues during spring training and summer camp.
❚ SS Elvis Andrus started his 12th straight opening day, the longest streak in franchise history. He broke the mark he had shared with Ivan Rodriguez and Michael Young.