The Texas Rangers welcomed back shortstop Elvis Andrus to their lineup
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Manager Jeff Banister faces a juggling act with getting all his infielders sufficient playing time with Andrus off the disabled list as the Rangers
continue a three-game series with the Royals Tuesday night at Kauffman
Stadium.
Royals manager Ned Yost faces a problem of who will close games with Herrera dealt to the Washington Nationals for three minor league prospects third baseman
Kelvin Gutierrez, outfielder Blake Perkins and 17-year-old Dominican
right-hander Yohanse Morel.
Andrus was activated Monday after missing 59 games with a fractured right elbow after being hit by a pitch on April 11.
Banister said Andrus will start all three games against the Royals. He went 0-for-3, walked twice and scored a run in his first game back as Texas opened
the series with a 6-3 victory
Jurickson Profar, who started 56 games at shortstop while Andrus was on the disabled list, started at second in the series opener, will play third base
Tuesday and DH Wednesday.
Banister met with Andrus. Profar, Rougned Odor and Adrian Beltre Monday with a goal to play all four in about five games a week.
“It’s going to be really hard,” Banister said of rearranging the playing time to keep all four sharp and healthy. “Profar has made a case to be one of the
everyday players. And everything we’ve challenged (Odor) to do, he’s
progressively gotten better. He’s been a significant player on this team and
will continue to be one.”
Beltre, who belted a three-run homer Monday
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Andrus had never been on the disabled list before this season.
“A guy that has played 10 consecutive years you don’t replace,” Banister said. “You miss everything he does and what he was able to do. He was our
three-hole hitter and one of the better centerpieces of the offense. He did a
lot of things for us offensively. Obviously, he was one of the leaders with
Beltre on defense.”
Herrera was 14 for 16 in save situations this season. Herrera, Greg Holland and Wade Davis were part of Royals’ feared bullpens that helped them win the
2015 World Series and the 2014 American League championship. Herrera can be a
free agent after the season and the Nationals needed bullpen help.
“Without him, there is no way we can ever make it to the World Series, win a World Series,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “He’s simply family. He
knows he has relationships here that are special.”
The Rangers won their third straight and will seek a season high fourth straight win as Cole Hamels starts against Jason Hammel.
Hamels is 3-6 with a 3.69 ERA in 14 starts this season. The Rangers are 4-10 in his starts this season. He is 3-2 with a 3.51 ERA in six career starts
against Kansas City.
Hammel is 0-4 with a 4.26 ERA in six home starts this season and winless in his past eight home starts.
Hammel is 2-3 with a 4.07 ERA in nine career outings against the Rangers. He tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings on May 27 to win at Texas. The losing pitcher was
Hamels.
TORONTO — The Winnipeg Jets will have something to prove to themselves when they face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night at the Air Canada
Centre.
The Jets know they cannot afford to continue to play the way they did in losing 6-2 to the Blackhawks in Chicago on Thursday to end a season-best
six-game winning streak.
“We just weren’t prepared,” Winnipeg right winger Blake Wheeler said. “We came in and had a pretty bad morning skate. We just weren’t prepared to play the
game. We were just really slow.”
The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, will be coming into the game after a 5-4 victory over the New York Islanders in Brooklyn on Friday night. It was the 17th time
they have scored at least five goals in a game.
The Maple Leafs will have Leo Komarov
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him another day rather than have him play in back-to-back games.
The Jets (47-20-10) and the Maple Leafs (47-24-7) have both clinched playoff spots.
Winnipeg hopes to use the game against the Blackhawks as a warning.
“It’s definitely humbling,” said Jets right winger Bryan Little, who scored his 200th career goal Thursday. “You realize that when we don’t play our game,
and we’re not ready to play, a game like that can happen. It’s a little bit of a
wake-up call.”
“There wouldn’t be a piece of the game that was at the level that we’ve played at, or at the level you need to play at to win in the NHL,” Winnipeg
coach Paul Maurice said. “I don’t think it’s any one thing. The elemental part
of our game is to play at a certain rate, a certain pace. We were well off that
(Thursday).”
There could be another aspect to the game Saturday that will give the Jets incentive. The Maple Leafs defeated the Jets 7-2 in Winnipeg in October in the
first game of the season.
By defeating the Islanders
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“I think that’s real important,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. “I always say, I’ve had a lot of 100-point years over the years, and I think it’s a real
indication of a good hockey club. It’s hard to get 100 points, you’ve got to be
a good team to do it.
“I’m excited for our guys that have worked hard to get good enough that they can do that. Like I said, we’ve got four more opportunities to get better and
get ready.”
Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist Friday.
“A good two points for us,” Matthews said. “Obviously, they’re a high-offensive team. They’ve got a lot of skill and firepower as far as that
goes so you’ve got to find a way to contain them and obviously we’ve got some
guys who can put the puck in the net as well. Probably not a fun game for the
coaches, but probably a bit more fun for the players.”
Matthews has scored at least one point in each of the five games he has played since returning from a shoulder injury.
“He’s not as good as he’s been and he’s going to be better,” Babcock said. “I thought tonight was another step. I thought his first game and this game — it
takes you a while to get your game back. He’s going to get a real test
(Saturday)
Patrice Bergeron Jersey , which is real positive for him. Back-to-back games, a good grind, good for his conditioning. He’ll just keep getting
better.”
As important as Matthews is to the Maple Leafs, he said the depth of the team is important.
“I think that’s one of the key things for this team is that we’ve got a lot of depth,” Matthews said. “A lot of guys who are skilled, can make plays and put
the puck in the net so it definitely makes it tough in terms of matching up for
the opposing team. Like you said, we’ve got three different guys (with 30 goals)
on three different lines so it definitely helps.”
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