LEADING OFF: Cardinals come home, Grichuk seeks to stay hot

A look at what’s happening around the majors on Thursday:

WELCOME BACK TO BUSCH

The St. Louis Cardinals are finally coming home.

After finishing an eight-game, five-day trip to Chicago with series against the White Sox and Cubs, the Cardinals are set to play at Busch Stadium for the first time since July 26 as they host the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cardinals didn’t play any games at all for a stretch of over two weeks due to a coronavirus outbreak within the organization that included star catcher Yadier Molina.

“Everyone’s still pretty excited about the fact we’re back out,” Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong said. “The quarantine kind of made everybody go crazy a little bit. To finally be back out here doing what we love to do, it’s still fun right now. We’re just going out, playing the game and having fun.”

They returned to action by going 4-4 in this eight-game trip that included three doubleheaders. They have 10 scheduled doubleheaders this year as they try to make up some of those games they missed

AILING ALVAREZ

The season is already over for Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, the unanimous choice as 2019 AL rookie of the year.

Astros manager Dusty Baker says Alvarez has a partially torn right patellar tendon that will require season-ending surgery.

After hitting 27 homers last year, Alvarez played just two games this season.

Alvarez missed the first three weeks of the season due to the coronavirus. He homered against the Seattle Mariners in his season debut Friday but went on the injured list just three days later.

A BIEBER FAN

Cleveland’s Shane Bieber owns a 4-0 record and 1.30 ERA, but it’s his strikeout numbers that have put him in select company. Bieber will attempt to continue his hot streak as he faces the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/LEADING-OFF-Cardinals-come-home-Grichuk-seeks-15496971.php