Pitching woes grip East; Cardinals wait to return
free agent in November.
❚ 2B Mike Moustakas (bruised left quad) was put on the injured list Aug. 9. IF Christian Colon and C/IF Kyle Farmer will replace Moustakas.
Milwaukee Brewers
RF Christian Yelich got off to a terrible start in 2020 after winning the National League batting title each of the previous two seasons.
Through 12 games, Yelich was hitting .149 (7-for-47). He did have a team-high four home runs but also had struck out 20 times.
“When you’re going through it, it feels like the game is impossible,” Yelich said. “Then one day it turns back to normal. You just don’t know when that’s going to be.”
Perhaps it was a sign that things were beginning to turn for Yelich on Aug. 9 when he went 2-for-3 with a triple, home run and bases-loaded walk in a win over the Cincinnati Reds.
❚ RHP Shelby Miller opted out of the remainder of the season. The veteran had been at the alternate training site in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Pittsburgh Pirates
IF/OF Phillip Evans had been one of the few bright spots for the Pirates in 2020, but his season ended abruptly Aug. 8.
The 27-year-old rookie sustained a broken left jaw and concussion when he collided with RF Gregory Polanco while chasing a foul flyball in a loss to the Detroit Tigers. Polanco’s right elbow struck Evans’ jaw.
Signed as a minor league free agent in the offseason, Evans hit .359 with one home run and nine RBI in 11 games. He made eight starts at third base and one each as a first baseman, left fielder and right fielder.
❚ The pitching-depleted Pirates signed RHP Henderson Alvarez as a free agent and assigned him to the alternative training site at Altoona, Pennsylvania. Alvarez last pitched in the majors in 2017 for the Philadelphia Phillies.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals’ season continues to be on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Cardinals had to postpone five more games when Major League Baseball decided they should not play the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 10-12 at St. Louis or the Tigers in an Aug. 13 makeup doubleheader at Detroit. The Cardinals (2-3) haven’t played a game since July 29.
Ten players, including C Yadier Molina and SS Paul DeJong, have tested positive for COVID-19 along with seven staff members.
The Cardinals are next scheduled to play the White Sox on Aug. 14-16 at Chicago. To complete a 60-game schedule, they would need to resume play on time this weekend and complete 55 games in 45 days.
❚ The Cardinals’ five games played are easily the fewest of any major league team. Through Aug. 9, the Miami Marlins had the second fewest with 10.
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Arizona Diamondbacks
LHP Madison Bumgarner, whose offseason acquisition was expected to boost the rotation, had another tough outing Aug. 9 against the San Diego Padres and went on the injured list because of a back strain.
Bumgarner, whose fastball never reached 88 mph, was tagged with a career-high four homers and six earned runs and departed after two innings.
Bumgarner talked to a trainer in the dugout after giving up two homers in the first inning. He left the game an inning later.
The 31-year-old has allowed seven homers in 171⁄3 innings and has a 9.35 ERA.
Rookie RHP Jeremy Beasley, acquired in a January trade for RHP Matt Andriese, replaced Bumgarner on the roster. Beasley reached Class AAA for the first time this season.
❚ RHP Merrill Kelly has pitched at least six innings in each of his three starts and is 2-1 with a 2.29 ERA.
Colorado Rockies
Despite missing much of summer camp because of the coronavirus, RF Charlie Blackmon has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball and among the reasons the Rockies are off to a solid start.
Blackmon extended his hitting streak to 13 games Aug. 9 in a loss to the Seattle Mariners. The defeat snapped the Rockies’ six-game road winning streak.
Blackmon led the majors through Aug. 9 with a .458 batting average and 10 multi-hit games.
❚ RHP Jairo Diaz emerged as the closer after RHP Wade Davis (shoulder) went on the injured list. Diaz had three saves in three opportunities through Aug. 9.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers’ depth is one of their major assets. IF Edwin Rios is another player forcing manager Dave Roberts to find him playing time.
The power of Rios, who started at third base Aug. 7 to give Justin Turner a breather, has opened eyes. His three home runs in his first 16 at-bats gave him seven in 63 major league atbats dating to last season. He also could get at-bats as the DH.
❚ A fractured ring finger sustained in summer camp could explain IF Max Muncy’s offensive struggles. He revealed it in a SportsNet LA interview.
San Diego Padres
SS Fernando Tatis Jr. hit six home runs in six games and was tied for the major league lead with eight through Aug. 9.
He drilled two in the Padres’ 3-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 8 and took LHP Madison Bumgarner deep on Aug. 9.
The 21-year-old led off with home runs on back-to-back nights Aug. 7-8 against Arizona, leaving him only two shy of Will Venable’s franchise record of 10 career leadoff homers.
❚ Rookie IF Jake Cronenworth impressed with his hitting and fielding during the absence of 1B Eric Hosmer. Cronenworth was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays during the offseason in the five-player deal that also included OF Tommy Pham. Hosmer returned from the injured list Aug. 8 after a bout with gastritis.
San Francisco Giants
RHP Jeff Samardzija, placed on the injured list because of a sore shoulder, is not expected to return soon.
Samardzija felt soreness in his arm and had trouble getting it loose before his Aug. 7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, manager Gabe Kapler said, adding that Samardzija wouldn’t resume throwing for at least a week.
Samardzija, who was awaiting the results of an MRI, was roughed up in each of his three starts, allowing five earned runs apiece to the Dodgers, Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres. He gave up six home runs in the three outings.
LHP Andrew Suarez was recalled from the club’s alternate training site in Sacramento, California, to replace Samardzija.
❚ RHP Reyes Moronta, a key member of the bullpen last season, reported to Sacramento after recovering from surgery on a torn labrum in his shoulder.