LEADING OFF: Pads-Nats resume after shooting outside DC park
Jul 17, 2021, 10:04 AM | Updated: 10:25 pm
A look at what’s happening around the majors Sunday:
SUSPENSION AFTER SHOOTING
The San Diego Padres and Washington will resume their game after it was suspended because of a shooting outside Nationals Park.
The game Saturday night was halted in the sixth inning with the Padres ahead 8-4. The shooting caused echoes of gunfire inside the stadium and prompted many fans to clear the seats and sent some scrambling for safety in the San Diego dugout.
The shooting, an exchange of gunfire between people in two cars, left three people injured, according to Ashan Benedict, the Metropolitan Police Department’s executive assistant police chief. One of the people who was shot was a woman who was attending the game and who was struck while she was outside the stadium, he said. Her injuries weren’t considered life-threatening.
Two people who were in one of the cars later walked into a local hospital with gunshot wounds and were being questioned by investigators, Benedict said, and the extent of their injuries wasn’t immediately clear.
A-OK
Athletics All-Star Chris Bassitt (10-2, 3.28 ERA) takes a 10-game winning streak into a matchup with Cleveland at the Coliseum. The 32-year-old righty dropped his first two starts of the year and hasn’t lost in 17 outings since.
Bassitt’s streak is the longest by an Oakland pitcher since Mike Fiers won 12 straight in 2019. Indians right-hander Zach Plesac (4-3, 4.11) has won three in a row.
THAT HURTS
It’s been a painful start to the second half for the first-place New York Mets, who are suddenly minus their two biggest stars. Francisco Lindor is out indefinitely with a strained oblique and ace Jacob deGrom is sidelined with forearm tightness in the latest round of health setbacks for the NL East leaders.
The Mets didn’t put a timetable on Lindor’s return, but such injuries can often take a month or more to heal.
“I’d love to say I’m day-to-day, but I’m not,” the shortstop said Saturday.
DeGrom felt discomfort Friday while throwing a bullpen in Pittsburgh. An MRI revealed forearm tightness but no structural damage. There’s no projection for when the two-time Cy Young Award winner might pitch again.
Luis Guillorme started at shortstop Saturday night in Pittsburgh. Jonathan Villar and Jose Peraza could also see action at the position.
“I refer to our depth,” manager Luis Rojas said. “The front office has done a good job preparing for situations like this. We’re going to miss Francisco, but we’re covered.”
FLYING HOME
The Blue Jays will host Texas in a doubleheader at their temporary home in Buffalo as a result of a rainout — which soon won’t be a problem for them.
Starting on July 30, the Blue Jays will be allowed to play under the retractable roof at Rogers Centre in Toronto. They’ve received approval from the Canadian government for an exemption on border restrictions to return north of the border.
The Blue Jays didn’t play in Toronto last season because of COVID-19 restrictions. They started this year holding home games at their spring training site in Dunedin, Florida, and later moved to the field of their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.
“I think about Marcus Semien, Hyun Jin Ryu, George Springer — players who made a decision to come to the Toronto Blue Jays because Toronto was a big part of that decision,” Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said.
Kolby Allard will start for Texas in the first game of the doubleheader, followed by Mike Foltynewicz. The Blue Jays will have left-handers work both games, with Ryu in the opener and then Steven Matz.
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