Here is a look at what’s happening around the majors Monday:
HOW BOUT A HIT?
Limited to one hit in an entire doubleheader, Freddie Freeman and the Braves try to do better with the bats when they begin a set against the Cubs. Freeman got Atlanta’s only hit in Sunday’s seven-inning shutouts by Arizona. He singled in the sixth off Zac Gallen in the opener; then Madison Bumgarner pitched a no-hitter in the second game. Bumgarner’s gem won’t go into the official list of Major League Baseball no-hitters – MLB’s eight-man committee on statistical accuracy decided in 1991 that a no-hitter was a game of nine or more innings that ended with no hits.
Zach Davies (1-2, 8.80) starts for Chicago in the series opener at Atlanta.
The Diamondbacks are off Monday. Merrill Kelly (1-2, 7.71) pitches on Tuesday when Arizona hosts San Diego.
BURNING UP
Milwaukee right-hander Corbin Burnes looks to build on his impressive start and excellent K/W ratio when he gets the ball for the opener of a three-game home series against Miami. season without a single walk. “The biggest thing I’ve done this offseason is the mindset,” Burnes said. “It can be 3-0; I don’t care. For me, it’s 0-0; it’s 0-1, it’s 0-2; I’m attacking. In pitcher’s counts, I’m going at hitters.”
Trevor Rogers pitches for Miami. Rogers is the first left-handed starter Milwaukee has faced this season. The last team to open a season with 21 or more consecutive games without facing a lefty starter was the Rockies at 23 games in 2006.
SHOHEI’S SKILLS
A day after hitting his MLB high-tying seventh home run to beat Houston, Angels star Shohei Ohtani takes the mound at Texas to face the Rangers.
Ohtani is 0-0 with a 1.04 ERA in two starts. He’s walked 11 in 8 2/3 innings but has allowed just three hits and has struck out 14, helped by his 100 mph heat.
Ohtani has homered in two straight games. His weekend at Minute Maid Park also included his first appearance as an outfielder.
Los Angeles expects outfielder Mike Trout back in the lineup after missing three games because of a bruised left elbow.
“Despite being banged up a little bit … we’ll get it right,” manager Joe Maddon said. “We’ve got to get the right guys back out on the field.”
SEEING RED
Cincinnati has lost seven in a row going into its series at Dodger Stadium. The Reds’ skid is their worst since an eight-game slide from March 31-April 7, 2019.
Manager David Bell was ejected in their latest loss, 5-2, at St. Louis on Sunday.
Right-hander Tyler Mahle (1-1, 1.74) starts for the Reds against Los Angeles lefty Julio Urías (3-0, 2.81). Left-handed hitters are just 3 for 43 this season against Mahle, with 20 strikeouts.
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
