LEADING OFF: Arenado's Coors return, Ohtani back in box

A look at what's happening around the majors today:

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ROCKY RETURN

Nolan Arenado will return to Coors Field for the first time since the Colorado Rockies traded the disgruntled third baseman to St. Louis over the offseason. The eight-time Gold Glove winner hit .293 with 235 homers and an .887 OPS over nine seasons in Denver, but the fan favorite was traded two years into a $260 million, eight-year contract amid an at-times public rift with Colorado's front office.

Arenado is hitting .267 with 16 homers and an .833 OPS in his first season away from the Mile High City. The Rockies have floundered without him, falling well below .500 and hitting just .196 as a team when away from their hitter-friendly ballpark.

BACK IN THE SWING

Shohei Ohtani is expected back in the batter's box after flopping on the mound Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. The Angels' two-way phenom got only two outs during his highly anticipated first pitching appearance in the Bronx, chased after four walks and charged with a career-worst seven runs.

Ohtani hit leadoff but got just a single at-bat, flying out to center. He leads the majors with 28 homers, including three over the first two games of a four-game set in New York.

The Angels staged a stunning comeback after Ohtani's departure, with Jared Walsh hitting a tying grand slam off Aroldis Chapman during a seven-run ninth inning in Los Angeles' 11-8 win. The rain-soaked game ended around 1 a.m. Thursday, about 12 hours before the scheduled first pitch of the series finale.

“SHAKY” JAKE

Mets ace Jacob deGrom is slated to pitch against Atlanta after his 31-inning scoreless streak was ended by the Phillies in his last outing. The two-time Cy Young Award winner gave up a season-high two earned runs in a 4-3 victory, saying he battled mechanical flaws in...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/LEADING-OFF-Arenado-s-Coors-return-Ohtani-back-16286314.php