All 30 teams play on same day for first time since July 26
NEW YORK » All 30 major league teams played on the same day Saturday for the first time since July 26.
The league’s plan to play a pandemic- shortened 60game regular season has been interrupted by positive coronavirus tests, protests over racial injustice, a hurricane and rain — and that’s just in the past week.
COVID- 19 testing has postponed 37 games. The first was a Marlins- Orioles game July 27 after Miami experienced a team- wide outbreak during the season’s opening weekend. The most recent was a Mets- Yankees game Aug. 23 following positive tests for a Mets player and coach received Aug. 20.
The entire league was supposed to play Tuesday when the Mets returned to action, but a YankeesBraves game in Atlanta was postponed by rain.
On Wednesday, three games were postponed as players opted not to play in response to the shooting by police of a Black man in Wisconsin — a movement that led to seven more postponements Thursday and one Friday.
Additionally, a game between the Angels and Astros in Houston was postponed Wednesday due to Hurricane Laura. The Astros then skipped their game Friday night against
Oakland in a player protest.
Major League Baseball is trying to catch up on all the missed games with a bevy of doubleheaders, which have been shortened to a pair of seven- inning games this season. Saturday’s slate featured three twinbills.
Padres acquire Rosenthal from Royals.
The San Diego Padres acquired Trevor Rosenthal in a trade with the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, bolstering their bullpen for their pursuit of their first playoff appearance in 14 years.
San Diego thought its bullpen would be one of its biggest strengths this year after it traded for Emilio Pagán and signed Drew Pomeranz
in free agency. But it has been hit hard by injuries, losing closer Kirby Yates for the rest of the season because of an inflamed right elbow. Pomeranz was on the IL with a strained left shoulder before he was activated on Saturday.
Enter Rosenthal, who is in the middle of a rebound season after struggling with injuries and poor performance in recent years. The 30- year- old right- hander has a 3.29 ERA and seven saves in 14 games.
“We’re excited to have him in,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “Lot of history, of experience at the back end of bullpens and closing games. He’s been having a great year in Kansas City.
We’re excited to get his addition to our group.”
Tingler said the team hopes Rosenthal can join the club in time for Sunday’s game at Colorado.
The last- place Royals obtained outfielder Edward Olivares and a player to be named in the deal. General manager Dayton Moore said Olivares will report to the team’s alternate training site.
The trade deadline for the pandemic- delayed season is on Monday.
Nationals sign longtime Red Sox utility player Brock Holt.
BOSTON » The Washington Nationals are hoping Brock Holt can give them a boost down the stretch. The defending World Series champs signed the longtime Boston utilityman before their game at Fenway Park.
Holt got a $ 3.25 million, one- year deal with Milwaukee in the offseason.
He was cut by the Brewers a few days ago after hitting just 3 for 30 (. 100).
Holt was a popular player with the Red Sox and helped them win the 2018 World Series. That year, he became the only player to hit for the cycle in a postseason game.
The Nationals had the second- worst record in the NL when they made the move to get Holt, but were only a couple games out of the expanded playoff field.