AROUND THE HORN

Yankees:

Yankees righthander Frankie Montas will undergo an MRI on his shoulder a day after lasting just 3 innings in a 7-6 loss to the Brewers. Montas has gone 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts for the Yankees, who acquired him for four prospects in an Aug. 1 trade with the Athletics. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Montas mentioned the shoulder issue after Friday’s game. Montas struck out two, walked four and allowed four hits as the Yankees squandered an early 5-0 lead. “I thought his fastball velocity was a little bit down in that second or third inning on a consistent standpoint,” Boone said Saturday. “Now, in hindsight, that could have been a sign.” Montas averaged 95.1 mph for 30 fastballs, down 1 mph from his season average. His 14 sinkers averaged 94.6 mph, also down 1 mph. Boone said he didn’t believe the shoulder issue was necessarily bothering Montas before Friday’s game.

Guardians: Shane Bieber allowed one run over eight innings, Amed Rosario had four hits and the AL Centralleading Guardians won their seventh in a row against the Twins, 5-1 in a doubleheader opener on Saturday. José Ramírez hit a solo homer on his 30th birthday and Owen Miller had a two-run double for the Guardians (78-66), which has won 10 of its last 12 games. The Guardians opened a 4 ½-game lead over the second-place White Sox (74-71) and a six-game margin ahead of the thirdplace Twins (72-72). “When Shane pitches, it’s just a different feel because the innings roll by and it’s really fun to watch,” Miller said. “With him on the mound, he’s about as good as anyone. I’m glad we could get some runs for him.” Bieber (11-8) won his third straight start, allowing four hits and walking none for the ninth time in 28 outings. The 2020 AL Cy Young winner matched his careerlong streak of 10 consecutive quality starts. “I’ve got to commend the entire offense because when they get us an early lead, it makes it a lot easier for the pitching staff and the defense,” Bieber said. “I found myself in cruise control in the middle innings. All in all, it was a good start to the doubleheader.”

Blue Jays: Raimel Tapia hit a three-run double, José Berríos pitched six innings to remain unbeaten against the Orioles, and the Blue Jays strengthened their position atop the AL wild card standings by beating the Orioles 6-3 Saturday. George Springer had two hits and two RBIs, and Matt Chapman drove in a run and scored a run as the Blue Jays (83-63) improved to 13-4 in September. The Blue Jays have won six of their last seven against the Orioles (75-69).

Cardinals: Yadier Molina hit a two-run drive while Albert Pujols went hitless in his quest for 700 homers, and the Cardinals beat the Reds 5-1 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader. Pujols started at first base and hit second for the first time this season. He went 0 for 3 with two walks in his first two plate appearances. The sold-out crowd of 46,678 loudly booed both walks. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said playing Pujols so frequently is a no-brainer despite his age of 42. “When you put a winning lineup out there, he’s in it,” Marmol said. “It’s not a matter of whether we’re facing a lefty or a righty. He’s in there because he’s doing a nice job against everybody. It’s just a matter now of resting him to make sure he’s fresh.”