LEADING OFF: Pedroia set to return, Bundy emerging for O's
A look at what's happening around the majors today:
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WELCOME BACK
The Red Sox had to wait another day to get Dustin Pedroia back in the lineup. Manager John Farrell said after Tuesday night's game was rained out that his injured second baseman would have been able to play after missing the previous two games. Instead, Pedroia will return a day later when the Red Sox host the Yankees. Pedroia has been out since he was spiked in the left leg during a late slide by Manny Machado on Friday. The Orioles third baseman apologized, and Pedroia said he didn't think Machado was trying to hurt him. Boston ace Chris Sale (1-1, 0.91 ERA) will face Masahiro Tanaka (2-1, 6.00).
BIG TIME BUNDY
Dylan Bundy and the AL East-leading Orioles try to keep up their hot start against the Tampa Bay Rays. Bundy (3-1, 1.37) is finally looking like the ace many projected when he made his big league debut at 19 years old in 2012. He's thrown 13 scoreless innings over his last two starts and has yet to allow a home run this season. Alex Cobb (1-2, 4.88) is up for the Rays.
GONE FISHING?
Multiple groups have submitted bids to buy the Miami Marlins, and none has yet been accepted, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday. Manfred's comments came after Bloomberg reported a group led by former Yankees captain Derek Jeter and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush won an auction for the team with a $1.3 billion bid. Quogue Capital investment fund founder Wayne Rothbaum has also pursued the Marlins, as did Joshua Kushner, whose older brother is an adviser to President Donald Trump. Completion of any sale by Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria could take months and would require approval by at least 75 percent of the major league teams.
GOOD TIMING
The struggling, ailing Mets got a timely break Tuesday when their game against Atlanta was postponed by rain. New York has lost four straight and eight of nine while dealing with a string of injuries, but it gets to skip No. 5 starter Robert Gsellman and pitch Noah Syndergaard against the Braves. The Mets won't dodge Atlanta ace and Tuesday's scheduled starter Julio Teheran, though. The righty was pushed back a day and will try to extend his dominance against the NL East rival, having given up just three earned runs in his last 43 innings (0.63 ERA) against New York dating to 2015.
SLOW START
Jose Quintana (0-4, 6.17) seeks his first win of the season when the White Sox host the Royals. Quintana became the ace of Chicago's staff after Chris Sale was traded to Boston in the offseason, but he's struggled early in the role, allowing at least three earned runs in three of his four starts. He hasn't gotten much help, with the Sox scoring four runs total over his four starts. Chicago has been shut out in Quintana's last two appearances.
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