LEADING OFF: Greinke exam, Turner tagged, CC faces Rays
A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
CHECK HIM
Arizona ace Zack Greinke is set for an MRI after making an early exit in his last start.
Greinke pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning against the Pirates until leaving in the eighth inning because of abdominal tightness.
“It’s not too bad,” Greinke said. “Just didn’t seem like a good idea to try to push it.”
Greinke (6-1) has a 1.09 ERA in his last six starts, allowing five earned runs in 41 1/3 innings.
STOP THAT!
Justin Turner is on a hitting streak that no one would envy.
The Dodgers star has been hit by a pitch in four straight games, tied for the longest string in franchise history. He is the first player in team records since Hughie Jennings in 1900 to be plunked in four consecutive games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Carlos Quentin of the Chicago White Sox set the majors’ longest streak when he was hit in six straight in 2008.
“I think at this point it’s almost what is going on?” Dodgers teammate Alex Verdugo said. “He has been hit in the weirdest spots. He got hit in his right arm and bicep, his left arm. I told him that if I got hit like him, I would have to use a 30-ounce bat. I wouldn’t be able to feel my arms.”
Turner has been hit seven times overall this year. He’s hoping to avoid being nailed again when the Dodgers face Anthony DeSclafani at Cincinnati. The Reds right-hander has hit two batters in eight starts this year — he has not hit Turner in 16 plate appearances.
EASY DOES IT
Will it be a quiet night when CC Sabathia starts against Tampa Bay at Yankee Stadium?
The big lefty has gotten into testy exchanges with the Rays the last two times he’s faced them — once last year, once this season — when he came angry over plunked New York hitters.
The AL East-leading Rays hold a half-game lead over the Yankees going into this three-game series.
ASCENDING ASTROS
Houston has won eight in a row and owns the best record in the majors (29-15) going into a weekend series at Fenway Park. Gerrit Cole (4-4, 3.88 ERA, MLB-high 86 strikeouts) starts for the Astros in the first matchup between the teams since the Red Sox won the AL Championship Series last fall. Boston righty Rick Porcello (3-3, 5.15) tries for his fourth straight victory.
MOTORING A’S
Oakland has won 13 straight games against the Tigers, including eight in a row at Comerica Park. The A’s kept the streak going with a 17-3 romp Thursday, with Mark Canha capping the rout with a home run in the ninth inning against infielder/outfielder-turned-pitcher Brandon Dixon.
The teams play the second of four games in Detroit when Frankie Montas (4-2, 2.78 ERA) starts for the Athletics vs. Daniel Norris (2-1, 3.63).
WILL SEE
The Mets will see how Michael Conforto is feeling, a day after he sustained a concussion when he collided with second baseman Robinson Cano chasing a popup in Washington. Rather than fly with the Mets to Miami for the next series, Conforto planned to take a train back to New York. … Washington shortstop Trea Turner, out since April 3 with a broken right index finger, worked out at Nationals Park on Thursday after playing all nine innings of rehab games Tuesday and Wednesday at Class A Potomac. He could be activated when the Nats start their weekend series against the Cubs.
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For more AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://apnews.com/AP_Sports
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