LEADING OFF: Morton’s streak, Biggio’s bid, Wacha’s move
A look at what’s happening around the majors Saturday:
WHAT A STRING
Rays right-hander Charlie Morton hasn’t lost in his last 17 starts, going 7-0 with a 3.21 ERA in a span that started last August with Houston. Morton (4-0, 2.65) faces Carlos Carrasco and the Indians in Cleveland.
Morton’s streak is the second-longest active run behind Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, who is 10-0 over his last 19 starts.
ROOKIE BLUES
Cavan Biggio tries again for his first major league hit when the Blue Jays host San Diego. The son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio struck out twice in going 0 for 3 in his debut for Toronto on Friday.
The 24-year-old infielder was hitting .307 with six home runs and 26 RBIs when he was called up from Triple-A this week.
‘PEN MAN
The Cardinals say struggling right-hander Michael Wacha is going to work out of the bullpen. He is 2-2 with a 6.39 ERA in his last five starts.
The 27-year-old Wacha last pitched in relief on Sept. 26, 2016. He was the NL Championship Series MVP as a rookie in 2013 and an All-Star in 2015.
St. Louis is hosting Atlanta this weekend.
SOON?
The Mets are hoping to have outfielder Michael Conforto back in the lineup this weekend. He was eligible to come off the seven-day concussion list on Friday, but wasn’t activated. The team is waiting for Conforto to be cleared by Major League Baseball and that could come while the Tigers are still in town.
WELCOME BACK
David Freese heard a familiar sound when he came to the plate at PNC Park as the Dodgers opened a series in Pittsburgh — the ballpark speakers briefly blasted Freese’s walk-up song, a tribute of sorts to the veteran third baseman who played two-plus seasons in Pittsburgh before being traded to Los Angeles last summer.
Given that greeting in the first inning, Freese responded by hitting the third grand slam of his career.