LEADING OFF: Canó joins Padres, Kershaw out, Kirby back home

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

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2B OR NOT 2B

Robinson Canó has found another job in the majors, signing with San Diego less than a week after being released by the Mets.

The Padres plan to use the 39-year-old Canó as a left-handed bat off the bench. Acting manager Ryan Christenson said he could get some occasional starts at second base and designated hitter.

“I’ve got a lot left in the tank,” Canó said. “I know I can still play this game and just go out on top.”

The Mets owe Canó nearly $45 million remaining on his original contract signed with Seattle. He will earn a prorated share of the $700,000 minimum.

Canó hit .195 with one home run and three RBIs in 43 plate appearances for the NL East-leading Mets. He sat out last season serving a second suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.

The eight-time All-Star second baseman had a career batting average of .302 with 335 home runs in 17 seasons when the Mets cut him.

Christenson has taken over the Padres while manager Bob Melvin recovers from prostate surgery.

The Padres said Friday that no cancer was found during the operation two days earlier. The 60-year-old Melvin had said he hoped to miss only the first six games of the team’s nine-game trip, which started in Atlanta this weekend and continues through Philadelphia and San Francisco.

AILING ACE

Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw is out with inflammation in a pelvic joint, the seventh straight season he's gone on the injured list. Los Angeles made the roster move several hours before he was set to face the Phillies at Dodger Stadium.

The 34-year-old Kershaw was bothered by pain in his pitching arm for the entire second half of last season and missed the Dodgers' playoff run.

Kershaw (4-0,...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/LEADING-OFF-Can-joins-Padres-Kershaw-out-17172274.php