Major League Baseball

LEADING OFF: Tribe gain star, lose star; Sale goes for 5-0

Published Apr. 26, 2016 3:37 a.m. ET

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A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

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ROTATING DOOR

All right, Cleveland, there's good news and bad news. The good: after a lengthy recovery, star outfielder Michael Brantley returned Monday following shoulder surgery. The bad: on the same day, starter Carlos Carrasco was placed on the disabled list, and it was revealed he could be out up to six weeks recovering from a strained left hamstring.

SALE ON

White Sox left-hander Chris Sale (4-0, 1.80) can become the first five-game winner in the majors when Chicago faces R.A. Dickey and the Blue Jays. The 27-year-old has thrown 16 consecutive scoreless innings and won each of his first four starts this season.

ACES SHOWING

One established ace faces a possible up-and-coming staff leader when Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer (2-1, 4.32 ERA) faces Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez (2-1, 0.93). Scherzer has struggled with the long ball so far this season, allowing four in four starts. Velasquez, meanwhile, has a 16-strikeout game among his three outings this season and entered Monday with the second best strikeout-to-walk ratio (9.67) in the majors, trailing only Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.

MORE ARMS

Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw faces Miami. Slugger Giancarlo Stanton is 4 for 15 in his career against Kershaw with three extra-base hits, including one homer. ... Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel (2-2, 3.71) looks for a bounce back vs. Seattle after allowing six runs in six innings at Texas in his last game. ... Red Sox left-hander David Price (2-0, 7.06) faces the Braves in Atlanta. He allowed eight runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Rays in his last start. ... Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole (1-2, 2.70) threw six scoreless innings against the Padres last time out. He faces Jorge De La Rosa (1-2, 9.87) and the Rockies in Colorado.

SEE YOU SOON

The Twins demoted hyped outfield prospect Byron Buxton to Triple-A after the 22-year-old got off to a rocky start this season. Buxton hit .156 with 24 strikeouts in 45 at-bats this month after batting .209 in 46 games last season. Prized prospect Max Kepler was also sent back to Triple-A, with right-hander Alex Meyer promoted from Triple-A and utility man Danny Santana activated from the DL.

BACK AT HOME

Diamondbacks left-hander Shelby Miller gets back to pitching after making an impromptu appearance in Arizona's outfield over the weekend. Miller was put into left field Sunday when the Diamondbacks ran out of position players in extra innings against the Pirates, becoming the first Arizona pitcher to ever play a position. The winning hit even soared over his head - not that even a star defensive outfielder could've done anything on the play.

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