LOOKING AHEAD

A look at what’s happening around the majors Friday:

SLOW STARTS: Two-time defending NL batting champion Christian Yelich has a long way to go if he wants a three-peat. The Milwaukee star is 1 for 27 to start the season, an .037 average that’s worst among qualified hitters.

Yelich also has struck out 12 times going into the series opener at home against Jack Flaherty and the Cardinals.

A trio of top Houston hitters also has been slow out of the batter’s box this season. Former World Series MVP George Springer (.048), twotime batting champ Jose Altuve (.174) and former All-Star Game MVP Alex Bregman (.174) will look to break loose when the Astros visit the Angels.

CLOSING DOWN: The Texas Rangers will be minus closer Jose Leclerc for most of the virus-shortened season because of a shoulder injury similar to the one that’s sidelined starter Corey Kluber.

Leclerc’s muscle tear in his right shoulder is not as severe as Kluber’s, but he will have the same injection and be out the same four weeks before any plan for throwing is considered.

The 26-year-old Leclerc stopped warming up for a save situation in a 7-4 win over Arizona on Wednesday because of shoulder tightness. Nick Goody filled in and worked a perfect ninth for his first save.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK: After finishing up four straight games against the Mets with the final two at Citi Field in Queens, J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox stay in New York City but head up to the Bronx for the opener of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

It’s the first meeting between the longtime rivals during this tenuous season shortened by the coronavirus. The teams are scheduled to play seven times in New York and only three at Fenway Park (Sept. 18-20).