A look at what’s happening all around the majors today:
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FAR FROM HOME
The Astros will host a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, because of flooding in Houston caused by Hurricane Harvey. Both the Astros and Rangers flew to Dallas after games in California on Sunday to await news of where the series would be held. After a day off Monday, they will head to the Rays’ indoor stadium, where the Astros will have ”home” games far away from home, just like they did in the wake of Hurricane Ike in 2008 when they played two scheduled home games in Milwaukee. Houston may also play a three-game series against the Mets in St. Petersburg beginning Friday.
RUNLESS ROYALS
The Royals can set a record for offensive futility if their bats don’t find some juice against Tampa Bay. Kansas City hasn’t scored in 43 innings, five shy of the major league record shared by the 1968 Chicago Cubs and 1906 Philadelphia Athletics. The Royals have been shut out in four straight games, tied for the most since at least 1913, and a first by an American League club since the introduction of the designated hitter in 1973. ”This can really wear you down,” manager Ned Yost said after a 12-0 loss to the Rays on Monday night.
JUDGE HITS THE BENCH
Aaron Judge is expected to sit out a second straight game as Yankees manager Joe Girardi tries to get his supersized slugger going amid a slow second half. Judge sat Monday against 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber and the Indians, and Girardi said he hopes to keep him out of action in the second game of the series, too. ”I just want him just to take a mental day and a physical day and just rest,” Girardi said. ”Just rest. He hasn’t had many of those days and I think in the long run this is going to help us.”
LIMPING TO THE FINISH
The struggling Mets will finish the season without outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, and captain David Wright’s chances at a comeback this year are fading fast, too. New York announced that Cespedes will miss the rest of the season because of a hamstring injury, while Wright’s rehab assignment was terminated because of shoulder pain. Wright will be re-examined in New York later this week.
SALE’S SLIP UP
Chris Sale (14-6, 2.88 ERA) tries to rebound from a lousy start when the Red Sox play at Toronto. Sale was tagged for seven runs in three innings by Cleveland in his previous start and has lost two of his past three outings. Tom Koehler (0-1, 1.80) makes his second start for the Blue Jays since being acquired from the Miami Marlins.
THAT’S RICH
Dodgers lefty Rich Hill (9-5, 3.32) takes on the Arizona Diamondbacks, making his first start since losing a no-hitter on a 10th-inning, game-ending homer by Pittsburgh’s Josh Harrison. Hill is 6-2 with a 2.38 ERA over his past 11 starts.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
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