A look at whatās happening around the majors today:
WHOāS PLAYING?
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The Cardinals will see if they can begin their series at Milwaukee after St. Louis became the latest team to get shut down by the coronavirus.
The Brewersā home opener was postponed Friday because two Cardinals players tested positive for COVID-19.
āTV Show suggestions please,ā tweeted Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty, who had been scheduled to start.
Six clubs were off Friday because of the virus and its effects ā Miami and Philadelphia had positive tests in their organizations, leaving Washington and Toronto with no games this weekend.
Commissioner Rob Manfred talked to union leader Tony Clark about the importance of players following the sportās virus protocols in hopes of finishing the shortened, 60-game season.
āEvery player in this league better take a hard look at what youāre doing off the field, because what you do affects, more than just you and your team,ā Chicago Cubs outfielder Steven Souza Jr. tweeted. āYour decisions off the field will put all of our seasons in jeopardy this year."
IDLING NATS
With the Nationals just hanging around with no games this weekend, new reliever Will Harris will get a chance to heal without missing too much action.
Harris was put on the 10-day injured list Friday with a strained right groin. The move was retroactive to Wednesday, when he gave up two unearned runs in the eighth inning of Washingtonās 5-1 loss to Toronto.
Because of a coronavirus outbreak among the Marlins, Washingtonās weekend series at Miami was postponed. Max Scherzer and the World Series champs wonāt play again until hosting the New York Mets on Tuesday. If Harris is ready to go when heās eligible to be activated next Saturday, he will have missed only three games. Washington has days off Monday and Thursday.
HOT PADS
Eric Hosmer, Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres are off to a nice start at the plate after bringing up the rear in many offensive categories in recent seasons.
San Diegoās plus-19 run differential (52 runs scored/33 allowed) is its second best through eight games in team history. The Padres with Tony Gwynn were plus-33 in 1996.
Additionally, the Padres scored at least three runs in every game. Plus, theyāve looked sharp doing so in their new brown and gold color scheme, including home and road pinstripes.
SHAKY DIAZ
Stuggling Mets closer Edwin Diaz says heād like to pitch more often. New manager Luis Rojas isnāt saying whether those opportunities will be in save situations.
Diazās role again is being watched closely for the second straight season after the right-hander walked two and hit a batter while recording only one out in Thursday nightās 4-2 loss to Boston.
āIt was a little bit surprising, just kind of how the outing went,ā Diaz said through a translator. āIt had been five days since I last threw, so I felt like I didnāt have my mechanics in order.ā
Diaz has one save in two chances this season after losing the closerās role in 2019, when he was homer-prone and had a 5.59 ERA. He had 57 saves and a 1.93 ERA with Seattle in 2018.
The Metsā ninth-inning options also include Seth Lugo, Jeruys Familia and Dellin Betances.
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