A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
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PITCHING IN
Cleveland pitching coach Carl Willis will serve as the team’s acting manager when the coronavirus-hampered Guardians start a three-game series against the Twins at Target Field.
The Guardians reported no new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a day off for them. Their game Wednesday in Chicago against the White Sox was called off because of an outbreak — the first postponement in Major League Baseball this season caused by virus concerns.
Manager Terry Francona has been placed in health and safety protocols along with bench coach DeMarlo Hale, first-base coach Sandy Alomar, third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh, hitting coach Chris Valaika, assistant pitching coach Joe Torres and hitting analyst Justin Toole.
To this point, no players have tested positive with the virus.
Willis pitched for the Twins from 1991-95. The Guardians are expected to bring up some minor league coaches and instructors to fill out the major league staff in the interim.
NO THROW
Phillies slugger Bryce Harper has a small tear in his right elbow and won’t throw for four weeks. The reigning NL MVP, however, will stay in the lineup as Philadelphia’s designated hitter for the next month.
Manager Joe Girardi says Harper will receive a platelet-rich plasma injection Sunday and won’t play that day at Dodger Stadium. Harper was hitting .269 with six home runs and 19 RBIs going into the series opener at Los Angeles, then homered in the first inning Thursday night.
The 29-year-old star has spent most of his time at DH this year because of his elbow trouble. The small tear in Harper’s ulnar collateral ligament was revealed during a visit with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles earlier in the day.
WINDY…
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