AROUND THE HORN
Red Sox: Red Sox ace Chris Sale has tested positive for COVID-19 again, sidelining the left-hander while the Red Sox fight for positioning in the crowded AL playoff picture. Sale had been scheduled to start Sunday in Chicago against the AL Central-leading White Sox. The seventime All-Star also had a a mild bout with COVID-19 in January that required him to quarantine for two weeks. “At this point, nothing shocks me, to be honest with you,” manager Alex Cora said Friday. “On a daily basis we just go through a process and we just hope for good news. This is where we’re at.” The Red Sox have placed 17 players on the COVID-19-related injury list since Aug. 3, including infielders Xander Bogaerts and Christian Arroyo and pitchers Nick Pivetta, Matt Barnes and Martín Pérez. Bogaerts was reinstated Friday and returned to the starting lineup against the White Sox. But designated hitter J.D. Martinez was scratched because of back spasms. It was Bogaerts’ first game since he was pulled from an 8-5 loss on Aug. 31.
Nationals: Major League Baseball suspended Nationals starting pitcher Sean Nolin five games on Friday for intentionally hitting Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman. Nolin, who was also fined an undisclosed amount, is appealing the suspension and can continue to play until there is a final resolution. The league also suspended Nationals manager Dave Martinez one game and fined him an undisclosed amount. Martinez served the suspension in Friday night’s game in Pittsburgh. Nolin was ejected in the first inning on Wednesday after throwing behind Freeman and then hitting him in what became a 4-2
Nationals victory. Nolin plunked Freeman a day after Braves closer Will Smith hit Nationals star Juan Soto.
Rays: Rays rookie Wander Franco extended his on-base streak to 39 games, then exited in the first inning with an apparent leg injury against the Tigers on Friday night. With one out in the first, Franco lined a single. Nelson Cruz followed with a double, but Franco limped into third. After being examined by team trainers, Franco left the game and was replaced at shortstop by Joey Wendle. The 20-year-old Franco came into the game hitting .282 with seven homers in 61 games for the AL East leaders. Franco’s on-base streak is the longest in major league history by a player under 21. Frank Robinson set the record with a 43-game string in 1956.
Angels: Shohei Ohtani added to his Major Leagueleading total with his 44th homer of the year on Friday night against the Astros. the first-inning blast off lefty Framber Valdez came before Ohtani took the mound as the starting pitcher for the Angels at Minute Maid Park. Ohtani has been locked in a chase for the Major League home run crown, as he now leads Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (42 homers) and Salvador Perez (42) by two homers.
Dodgers: Gavin Lux is back with the Dodgers for the third time this season. In his return, Lux will start in left field for the first time in his Major League career. He’s played two games in the outfield this season in the Minors. To make room for Lux on the active roster, Andre Jackson was sent back to the Minors. Jackson’s role could be diminished moving forward, as the Dodgers got Tony Gonsolin back from injury on Sept. 9 and Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to return on Sept. 13.