LEADING OFF: Subway Series rolls, Ortiz honor, missing Cards
Jul 25, 2022, 1:09 PM | Updated: Jul 26, 2022, 1:10 am
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, July 22, 2022, in Baltimore. The Yankees won 7-6. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
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ALL ABOARD
Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso swing away as the Subway Series starts up at Citi Field with both New York teams in first place.
Jordan Montgomery (3-2, 3.24 ERA) pitches for the Yankees, who own the best record in the majors at 66-31 and a whopping 12 1/2-game lead over Toronto in the AL East.
Taijuan Walker (7-2, 2.55) starts for the Mets, whose once-formidable NL East edge over Atlanta is down to two games. Walker is 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last seven outings.
Judge tops the majors with 37 homers and has 81 RBIs for the Yankees. Alonso leads the big leagues with 82 RBIs and has hit 25 home runs.
The teams play twice this week at the Mets’ home, then meet for two more games in late August at Yankee Stadium.
PAPI POWER
The Boston Red Sox will honor David Ortiz in a pregame tribute at Fenway Park, two days after he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Ortiz pins will be given to fans as they enter the ballpark for the game against Cleveland.
Big Papi helped the Red Sox win three World Series championships. In 14 years with the Red Sox, Ortiz hit 500 homers, 17 of them in the postseason.
Ortiz was cheered by fans chanting his name and wearing his No. 34 jersey during Sunday’s ceremonies in Cooperstown, New York, about a four-hour drive from Fenway.
NO-FLY ZONE
The Cardinals will be missing two of their best players — first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and third baseman Nolan Arenado — when they open a two-game series at Toronto. They haven’t received the COVID-19 vaccination and aren’t allowed to enter Canada.
Catcher Austin Romine also won’t make the trip. The trio will be put on the restricted list and forfeit pay and major league service time in accordance with the terms of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement.
Goldschmidt is hitting .335 with 24 home runs and 77 RBIs. Arenado is batting .296 with 18 homers and 59 RBIs.
Right-hander José Berríos (7-4, 5.22 ERA) starts for Toronto against rookie righty Andre Pallante (3-4, 3.34).
ON THE BLOCK
A’s right-hander Frankie Montas makes what could be his final start in an Oakland uniform ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline.
Montas is expected to work with a normal pitch count against Houston after being limited to three innings last time out. Prior to that, he missed two straight outings with inflammation in his pitching shoulder. A quality performance against the Astros could help the rebuilding A’s get a bigger return in a trade.
The A’s have scored one or fewer runs in 10 of Montas’ 18 starts and have been shut out three times.
RAYS CONCERN
The Rays will be without veteran hitters Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Zunino for the rest of the season because of injuries, a significant blow for the defending AL East champions.
Manager Kevin Cash said before Monday night’s game at Baltimore that Kiermaier is having an operation in the coming weeks. The 32-year-old outfielder hasn’t played since July 9 because of a left hip injury.
Zunino, a 31-year-old catcher, hasn’t played since June 9 because of left shoulder problems. He’s out for the season because of thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, according to a team spokesman.
Tampa Bay entered Monday’s game holding the second of the American League’s three wild cards.
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