Bases Covered is a daily roundup of the most interesting stories in baseball.
Ace out
Bad news for the Marlins: their ace, Jose Fernandez, underwent an MRI on Saturday after complaining of stiffness in his right shoulder, and the team revealed that the 23-year-old right-hander has suffered a biceps strain. In six starts this season, Fernandez is 4-0 with a 2.30 ERA. He will likely be placed on the DL, and there’s no timetable for his return.
Pitcher homer
Pirates lefty Francisco Liriano hit the first home run of his career on Saturday, a three-run shot to put his team ahead 4–2. Liriano, 31, left the game soon after, complaining of pain near his right armpit, but his team would beat the Dodgers, 6–5.
Valencia the hero
Danny Valencia hit a two-run double on Friday to lift Oakland to a 2–1 victory over the Astros. On Sunday, the 30-year-old, who was claimed by the Athletics after Toronto placed him on waivers, hit a home run in the fourth, and then contributed a walk-off single for his team’s 5–4 win over Houston. “We got a gift-wrapped present from Toronto, I promise you that,” said Oakland starter Chris Bassitt of his new teammate. “I don’t know how we got him. I really don’t. He is unreal.”
Phillies on a roll
The Phillies are finally out of the NL East basement, having swapped spots with the now-last-place Marlins. Philadelphia swept the Padres over the weekend; the team is 16-5 since the All-Star break.
The Padres, meanwhile, have now lost six in a row and now sit eight games below .500. “It’s frustrating to be where we are at,” said right-fielder Matt Kemp after the team’s most recent loss.
Boyd-Cueto rematch
Right-hander Johnny Cueto will be looking for his first win in a Royals uniform Monday as he faces off against Detroit’s Matt Boyd in a rematch of their duel last week. Cueto will be pitching on home soil for the first time since being traded to Kansas City, while Boyd will make his road debut with the Tigers. In their last matchup, Boyd——who was sent to Detroit from Toronto as part of the deal for David Price——allowed just one run in seven innings.
