AROUND THE HORN
■ Rangers: Susanna Frare said her family decided to take a “calculated risk” attending the home opener of the Rangers, the first major U.S. pro sports event to approach capacity in a stadium since the coronavirus shutdown more than a year ago. All tickets at 40,518-seat Globe Life Field in Arlington were for sale, and the retractable-roof stadium was about three-fourths full at first pitch against the Blue Jays on Monday. The roof was open on a 75 degree day with 15 mph winds. “Since it’s at full capacity, that was something that we gave a lot of thought about,” said Frare, holding one young child with another sitting next to her at a table behind seats in the upper deck in left field about two hours before the game. “But since masks are required and we’re doing our part and we know that the ballpark is doing their part to keep everything clean and sanitized as much as possible, we just thought it was worth it to come on out here,” she said. The Rangers gained national attention with their announcement last month to make all tickets available for the home opener, drawing criticism from President Joe Biden that it was a “mistake” and “not responsible.” The club’s decision came not long after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the state’s mask mandate and cleared businesses to operate normally. The Rangers said masks were required. Compliance was strong on the concourses, but not nearly as good in the seats. Infectious disease experts are mixed in their view of the Rangers allowing full capacity at this time.
■ Reds: OF Nick Castellanos was suspended for two games and fined for his role in an on-field brawl during the season’s opening weekend, the first discipline given by Michael Hill in his new role as MLB’s senior VP for on-field operations. Castellanos appealed the penalty to special assistant John McHale Jr. and will not serve the suspension while the appeal is pending. He was disciplined for his actions in Saturday’s game against the Cardinals and was cited for “his aggressive actions and for instigating a benches-clearing incident.”
■ Twins: Nelson Cruz hit a grand slam after a near miss and added a solo HR and a double, Matt Shoemaker held the host Tigers hitless into the fifth and the Twins rolled to a 15-6 victory. Akil Baddoo hit a grand slam for the Tigers. He made his big league debut Sunday and homered on the first pitch thrown to him. Shoemaker (1-0), a Michigan native, held the Tigers without a hit until Wilson Ramos homered with two outs in the fifth. He allowed three hits in six innings with five strikeouts and earned his first victory since April 9, 2019, before he was beset by injuries.
■ Royals: Danny Duffy pitched six innings of two-hit ball and Whit Merrifield drove in all of the Royals’ runs with a HR and sac fly, leading the visitors to a 3-0 win over the Indians. Scott Barlow pitched two perfect innings and Jesse Hahn pitched the ninth.
■ Angels: Two-way player Shohei Ohtani exited Sunday night’s 7-4 win over the White Sox after taking a cleat to his left ankle in the fifth, but the former AL rookie of the year said his leg felt “fine.” He was scheduled to be re-evaluated Monday. Ohtani — hitting on the same day of his start for the first time in his MLB career — went 1-for-3 with a solo HR while allowing two runs on three hits, striking out seven and walking five in 4 ⅔ innings.