Major league roundup: Canha homers as Athletics blank Angels
Mark Canha homered for the first time this season, Chris Bassitt escaped a big jam and the Oakland Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-0 on Monday as the teams concluded their season-opening wraparound series.
Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons appeared to roll his left ankle when he ran out an infield single in the ninth and landed hard on the bag. He rolled onto the grass clearly in discomfort before exiting for a pinch runner. Manager Joe Maddon didn’t have an immediate update afterward.
“I’ve just got to wait, we’ve got to see the doc, then I’ll get a report back from the medical staff,” Maddon said. “I don’t know enough yet.”
As word spread around baseball about a coronavirus outbreak among the Miami Marlins that kept the club in Philadelphia, A’s first baseman Matt Olson began wearing a mask at his position. Olson could be seen chatting with Mike Trout – also masked up – in the top of the eighth after the Angels star drew a walk from Jake Diekman.
Indians-White Sox ppd: Monday’s series opener between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians was postponed by rain.
The teams will make up the game as part of a traditional doubleheader today, starting at 3:40 p.m.
A severe storm pushed through Northeast Ohio and forced both teams indoors for batting practice at Progressive Field before the game was called about 75 minutes before the scheduled first pitch.
Cleveland’s Aaron Civale will start Tuesday’s first game against Chicago’s Dylan Cease. Adam Plutko will start the second game for the Indians against Carlos Rodón.
Before Monday’s game was postponed, the White Sox announced manager Rick Renteria will be kept away from the team pending the results of medical tests. Renteria woke up Monday with “a slight cough and nasal congestion” and the team had him taken to a hospital.
Rangers’ Kluber could be done for year: Two-time AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber could be done for the season after only one inning for the Texas Rangers.
He has a tear in a small muscle in his right shoulder that won’t require surgery, but even in the best-case scenario in this shortened season he won’t throw again for at least four weeks, which is when he will be evaluated again.
National League
San Diego 6, Arizona 2: Fernando Tatis Jr. raced around the bases on a three-run triple that highlighted a five-run rally and Trent Grisham hit his first home run for the San Diego Padres, who beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 to take three of four games in their opening series.
The Padres, who feel they’re built for success in this pandemic-shortened 60-game season, outscored the Diamondbacks 21-9 in the four games.
San Diego hasn’t been to the playoffs since winning consecutive NL West titles in 2005-06. It hasn’t had a winning season since 2010.
Interleague
Toronto 4, Washington 1:Teoscar Hernández hit two of Toronto’s four solo homers off Aníbal Sánchez to account for all the Blue Jays’ scoring in a 4-1 victory over the Washington Nationals.
Rowdy Tellez and Danny Jansen also went deep for the Blue Jays, who were without two key players. Closer Ken Giles went on the injured list Monday, and shortstop Bo Bichette was scratched from the lineup about 15 minutes before the first pitch with a tight left hamstring.
Manager Charlie Montoyo’s team already had to deal with the inconvenience of not being allowed to host any 2020 games in Toronto. Indeed, the Blue Jays’ first two “home” games of this pandemic-altered season will be played in Washington on Wednesday and Thursday while they wait for Buffalo’s minor league park to be prepped for them.