Yanks’ pitching falters; Astros at full strength
Detroit Tigers
A former clubhouse attendance has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Tigers and former pitching coach Chris Bosio in Wayne County (Michigan) Circuit Court.
Derrell Coleman II, who is black, accuses team management of tolerating “a culture of racism.”
He also said Bosio called him a “monkey” in June 2018. That was right around the time Bosio was fired.
Bosio told USA TODAY that he used the word while talking about LHP Daniel Stumpf, who is white. Bosio said he nicknamed Stumpf “Spider Monkey” because of the faces he made while lifting weights.
❚ RHP Edwin Jackson was signed to a minor league contract and assigned to Class AAA Toledo (Ohio). Jackson, who has been on a record 14 major league teams, was an All-Star for the Tigers in 2009.
Kansas City Royals
1B Ryan O’Hearn was getting another chance to be an everyday player after he was recalled from Class AAA Omaha (Papillion, Nebraska) on July 27.
O’Hearn began the season as the starting first baseman but was optioned June 14 to Omaha after hitting .188 with six home runs in 56 games. With the Storm Chasers, he had a .295 batting average and nine homers in 35 games.
Last season as a O’Hearn batted .262 homers in 44 games.
❚ The addition of O’Hearn caused a chain reaction in the Royals’ lineup. IF Cheslor Cuthbert, who had been playing primarily at first base, was the new third baseman, 3B Hunter Dozier shifted to right field and RF Whit Merrifield returned to second base, where rookie IF Nicky Lopez had been getting most of the playing time but was hitting .222. rookie, with 12
Minnesota Twins
The Twins got some help for their beleaguered bullpen when they acquired RHP Sergio Romo from the Miami Marlins in a trade July 28.
Romo, 36, was 2-0 with 17 saves in 18 opportunities and a 3.58 ERA in 38 games for the Marlins this season. He had a 0.61 ERA in his last 15 games.
While with the San Francisco Giants, Romo pitched for World Series-winning teams in 2010, 2012 and 2014. He will work in a setup role but also could close games when LHP Taylor Rogers is unavailable or falters.
❚ RHP Blake Parker, who began the season as the closer, was designated for assignment. He had 10 saves and a 4.21 ERA in 37 games. The move came a day after he allowed four runs in one-third of an inning against the New York Yankees.
AL WEST
Houston Astros
Despite all of their injury challenges this season, the Astros began the week in first place in the AL West for the 85th straight day and maintained a comfortable lead over the second-place Oakland Athletics.
But now that SS Carlos Correa, 2B Jose Altuve, RF George Springer and DH Aledmys Diaz all have returned, Houston is looking to build an even healthier advantage in the second half.
Correa returned July 26 after missing exactly two months because of a broken rib and the next day hit the first grand slam of his career.
“Our lineup he said.
❚ OF Jake Marisnick’s appeal of his two-game suspension was denied. He was disciplined for plowing into Los Angeles Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy on a play at the plate July 7, leaving Lucroy with a broken nose and a concussion. is pretty scary,”
Los Angeles Angels
CF Mike Trout, a two-time American League MVP, has accomplished nearly everything in his brilliant career. But he has yet to lead the league in home runs.
That achievement could be crossed off his to-do list if he continues his power surge. Trout, whose single-season career high is 41 homers, led the league with 34 through July 27.
Trout has been hitting for distance as well as quantity. Five of his homers to that point had traveled at least 450 feet, a length he reached only four times between 2015 and 2018.
❚ When 1B Albert Pujols hit his 650th career homer July 28, he became the first major league player to have at least 650 homers and 650 doubles. He is sixth on the all-time home run list and trailed Willie Mays by 10. His 653 doubles ranked eighth.
Oakland Athletics
The Athletics have built an impressive bullpen as they strive for consecutive playoff appearances. It grew stronger when they acquired LHP Jake Diekman from the Kansas City Royals for two minor leaguers.
Diekman, who’s eligible to become a free agent after the season, restricted left-handed hitters to a .213 batting average in 48 games with the Royals. But what impressed the A’s even more was that right-handed hitters had only a .211 average against him.
Manager Bob Melvin said his hitters told him that Diekman is “certainly not a comfortable at-bat.” He adds a strong left-handed component to a bullpen that skews right-handed with Blake Treinen, Lou Trivino and Liam Hendriks.
❚ RF Stephen Piscotty (right knee sprain) began a rehab assignment July 27 at Class AAA Las Vegas. Piscotty hit 12 of his 27 homers last year in the season’s final two months.
Seattle Mariners
2B Tim Lopes was promoted from Class AAA Tacoma (Washington), where he was hitting .302 with 10 home runs and 24 stolen bases. But the move appears to be temporary.
Lopes was called up after 2B Dee Gordon went on the injured list because of a strained left quadriceps. And Gordon was playing second only because Shed Long, whom the Mariners want to pair with rookie SS J.P. Crawford for the long haul, has a broken finger.
Gordon told The News Tribune (Tacoma) it was the first time he ever has had a muscular injury.
❚ RHP Felix Hernandez (shoulder) has been facing live hitters after being out since mid-May. But it’s clear Hernandez, 33, who is in the final year of his contract, isn’t close to returning.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers’ chances of staying in the AL wild-card race were hurt when CF Joey Gallo was lost until September because of surgery to repair the hamate bone in his right wrist.
Gallo, who has a team-high 22 homers, had been trying to play through the pain. OF Willie Calhoun was summoned from Class AAA Nashville (Tennessee) to replace him.
Calhoun, the key piece the Rangers got when they traded RHP Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, has struggled to stay in the majors.
❚ RHP Edinson Volquez, out since April 4 because of a sprained elbow, announced that he will retire at the end of the season. He still hopes to return this year, but as a reliever.