LEADING OFF: Kershaw back, 2 banned Yankees catchers appeal

By AP
Published

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

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HE'S BACK

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw makes his much-anticipated return to the rotation when he starts at San Diego. The lefty has been out since July 23 because of a bad back. Kershaw is 15-2 with a 2.04 ERA for the runaway NL West leaders. Los Angeles has the best record in the majors despite a season-worst five-game losing streak.

HEAR THIS

Yankees catchers Gary Sanchez and Austin Romine are expected to have their appeals heard, hoping Major League Baseball will cut their suspensions. Sanchez was penalized four games and Romine got two games after a fight-filled afternoon at Detroit.

As insurance in case they lose both players, the Yankees acquired catcher Erik Kratz from Cleveland for cash Thursday as they opened a four-game series against AL East-leading Boston. The 37-year-old Kratz was hitting .270 with 13 home runs and 37 RBIs for Triple-A Columbus. He has played in the majors for Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Toronto, Kansas City and Houston.

HELPING HAND

The Mets plan to spend their day off in Houston assisting recovery efforts for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. The Astros will play at home for the first time since the storm when they host New York in a doubleheader Saturday - Major League Baseball altered the schedule, moving back the series opener by a day.

''One of the things we talked about yesterday as a team: It's not a publicity stunt,'' Mets manager Terry Collins said. ''We don't want any cameras. We just want to go and help out. The stuff that these guys are going to do and that I'm going to do is pretty much an individual thing. We'll just see what we can do when we get there.''

CALLING HIS NUMBER

Marlins lefty Dillon Peters will be activated from Double-A Jacksonville to make his major league debut vs. the visiting Phillies. Peters, who missed two months of the season with a broken thumb, will wear No. 76. ''That was my spring training number,'' he said. ''As long as I have a number, I'm OK with it.''

COUNTING UP

Philadelphia rookie Rhys Hoskins takes a 13-game hitting streak into the matchup at Miami. That's the longest string by a Phillies player in the first month of his career since Hall of Famer Chuck Klein had a 13-gamer in 1928.