LEADING OFF: Virus, Gulf Coast storm force sked shuffling

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

SCHEDULE SHIFTS

Pete Alonso and the Mets will be back in action for the first time since two members of the organization tested positive for COVID-19. The infections caused postponements of a game Thursday in Miami and the entire three-game weekend series against the Yankees at Citi Field.

Michael Conforto and the Mets will start making up the misses this week. They’ll host the Marlins in a doubleheader on Tuesday, then play twinbills at Yankee Stadium on Friday and Sunday.

The Astros, meanwhile, have reshuffled their series against Mike Trout and the Angels because of Tropical Storm Laura. The game that was supposed to be played Thursday will now be part of a doubleheader Tuesday. And Wednesday’s game was changed from night to a daytime start.

Major League Baseball said more schedule changes are possible depending on the storm’s path.

BIG NUMBERS

Yankees ace Gerrit Coles tries to set an AL record with his 21st straight win in the regular season. He'll go for the mark when he starts at Atlanta. Cole’s 20-game string matches Roger Clemens for the longest in AL history. Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell holds the major league mark of 24. ... Cleveland ace Shane Bieber is off to a blazing start going into this start at home against Minnesota. He's 5-0 with a 1.11 ERA and has struck out 65 in only 40 2/3 innings.

SMALL NUMBERS

The addition of the designated hitter in the National League has skewed a lot of stats across the majors this season. With no pitchers batting, sacrifice bunts and intentional walks are down -- several clubs have a zero in one of those columns this year.

But only one team hasn’t issued a single intentional walk or put down even one sac bunt so far in 2020.

So what’s it going to be,...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/LEADING-OFF-Virus-Gulf-Coast-storm-force-sked-15511783.php