Leading Off: Phillies end layoff, visit Judge, Cole, Yankees

A look at what's happening around the majors on Monday:

BACK TO WORK

The Philadelphia Phillies face a difficult assignment in their long-awaited return to action.

Bryce Harper and the Phils haven't played since opening the season with a three-game series against the Miami Marlins, a team that has had at least 18 players test positive for the coronavirus. Although the Phillies didn’t have any players test positive, their games last week were postponed as a cautionary measure.

The Phillies got to work out again Saturday, and now come back from a weeklong layoff to face Gerrit Cole and the AL East-leading New York Yankees on the road.

Jake Arrieta takes on a power-packed lineup at Yankee Stadium. New York star Aaron Judge has homered in five straight games.

This marks a homecoming of sorts for Phillies first-year manager Joe Girardi. He managed the Yankees from 2008-17 and helped them beat Philadelphia in the 2009 World Series.

HOME AT LAST

The Milwaukee Brewers are finally playing their home opener a few days later than expected.

Milwaukee planned to open its Miller Park schedule Friday against St. Louis, but the Brewers’ entire three-game weekend series got scrapped after multiple Cardinals tested positive for coronavirus. There could be more word Monday on how many St. Louis players are affected

The Brewers will try again when the Chicago White Sox come to town. Milwaukee won't have two-time All-Star outfielder Lorenzo Cain or former MVP Ryan Braun in the lineup.

Braun was put on the 10-day injured list Sunday, retroactive to July 30, with an infected right finger. Cain announced Saturday he was opting out of the rest of the season over virus concerns,

That likely creates more playing time for Ben Gamel, who has a homer and a triple in 12 at-bats this season.

ALL...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Leading-Off-Phillies-end-layoff-visit-Judge-15453357.php