LEADING OFF: Trout's strikeout slump, deGrom's rehab start

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Houston Astros' Alex Bregman (2) talks with Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout before a baseball game Saturday, July 2, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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

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TROUT DROUGHT

Angels star Mike Trout has struck out in seven straight at-bats during a tough series in Houston.

Trout was 0 for 4 on Saturday after going 0 for 3 on Friday night against the Astros, fanning every time.

ā€œJust losing my posture up there,ā€ he said. ā€œIt makes my swing long. Just grinding through some stuff with the lower half. Itā€™ll be all right.ā€

The three-time AL MVP is having another stellar season, with a .378 on-base average and .632 slugging percentage.

The AL West-leading Astros will try for a sweep when lefty Framber Valdez (8-3, 2.65 ERA) faces Angels left-hander JosƩ SuƔrez (1-2, 4.36).

JAKE'S TURN

Mets ace Jacob deGrom is set, at last, to pitch in a competitive game.

Sidelined by injuries since last July, the two-time Cy Young Award winner is scheduled to make a minor league rehab start for Class A St. Lucie against the Jupiter Hammerheads. Heā€™s expected to throw about 25 pitches and two innings.

It will be the first game action since spring training for deGrom, slowed all year because of a stress reaction in his right scapula that caused inflammation.

The announcement Saturday by NL East-leading New York came nearly a year since deGromā€™s last major league outing on July 7, 2021. He missed the second half of last season with right forearm tightness and a sprained elbow, then returned in spring training this year and made two Grapefruit League starts.

As he builds up arm strength and stamina, the 34-year-old deGrom will need several minor league rehab outings before heā€™s ready to rejoin New Yorkā€™s rotation. So the likelihood is deGrom still wonā€™t be back in the big leagues until at least late July, after the All-Star break.

Fellow ace Max Scherzer (5-1, 2.54 ERA) is scheduled to return from a strained left oblique muscle Tuesday night at Cincinnati. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, got hurt May 18 against St. Louis and recently made two rehab starts for Double-A Binghamton.

NOT RED HOT

The Reds have lost 10 straight home games after falling to Atlanta 4-1 at Great American Ball Park. They dropped a season-high 25 games under .500 at 26-51.

This is Cincinnati's worst home skid since it lost the first 11 games at Riverfront Stadium in 1986. The Reds ended that drought by beating Atlanta 2-0 as player-manager Pete Rose got two hits.

The Reds have lost four in a row overall.

ā€œThereā€™s plenty of frustration, staff, players, myself,ā€ manager David Bell said. ā€œI know our players are doing everything in their power to try to turn this around. Iā€™m looking long and hard at what I need to do to turn this around.ā€

Luis Castillo (3-4, 3.32 ERA) starts for the Reds against Charlie Morton (4-3, 4.73 ERA) in the series wrapup.

MIGGY'S MILESTONES

Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera is one hit away from matching Hall of Famer Craig Biggio for 25th place on the all-time list with 3,060.

Cabrera also is two RBIs behind Manny Ramirezā€™s 1,831 for 18th place.

Cabrera can keep moving up the lists when Detroit plays the Royals at Comerica Park.

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