ROGER CLEMENS

While Rolen's election Tuesday capped an impressive six-year rise in his vote total, Beltré has a good chance to go in on the first ballot. Joe Mauer, Chase Utley, David Wright, José Bautista and Matt Holliday are also expected to make their debuts on the ballot next year. Mauer is the only catcher to win three batting titles and was the American League MVP in 2009. The presence of Beltré, Mauer and Utley, however, could make it harder for other players to gain ground next year. LAST CHANCEGary Sheffield received 55.0% of the vote, and next year is his last on the ballot.

Scott Rolen is headed to the Hall of Fame.

One of our lucky News 6 Insiders will win tickets to the 2023 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions including concert passes and access to Suite 18 on the golf course.

PHILADELPHIA — (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies acquired All-Star reliever Gregory Soto and utility player Kody Clemens, son of seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday in exchange for infielder Nick Maton, outfielder Matt Vierling and catcher Donny Sands. Soto, an AL All-Star the last two years, had career highs with 30 saves and 64 games last season with 60 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old Clemens made his major league debut in Detroit last season, and hit .145 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 56 games. The 26-year-old Vierling hit .260 with eight homers and 38 RBIs in 151 games over two seasons with the Phillies. The 25-year-old Maton hit .250 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 86 games over two seasons in Philadelphia.

SAN DIEGO — (AP) — Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were rejected by baseball writers in their bids for the Baseball Hall of Fame ten times. HOW CAN PLAYERS BE ELECTED TO THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME? Players are first considered by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America no sooner than five calendar years after their big league career ends. The contemporary era committee considers candidates whose careers were primarily from 1980 on. The next time Bonds, Clemens and Schilling could be considered would be by a contemporary committee for the 2026 Hall of Fame class.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have now been rejected for the Hall of Fame by baseball's writers and several of their peers.

Bonds and Clemens have been accused of using PEDs. Bonds denies knowingly using them while Clemens maintains he never did at all.

Former Atlanta Braves star Fred McGriff was elected to the Hall of Fame by a committee Sunday. The committee chose not to elect steroid-era stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

The Crime Dog has made it to Cooperstown. >> Read more trending newsFred McGriff was unanimously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday by the Contemporary Era Committee. McGriff, 59, nicknamed “Crime Dog” in a nod toward the “McGruff the Crime Dog” character in 1980s ads with the National Crime Prevention Council, took a bite out of major league pitching during his 19-season career. Former New York Yankees star Don Mattingly had eight votes from the panel, Curt Schilling had seven and two-time National League MVP Dale Murphy had six. Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, who originally was on the panel, did not vote because he was ill.©2022 Cox Media Group

SAN DIEGO — (AP) — Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling were passed over by a Baseball Hall of Fame committee that elected former big league slugger Fred McGriff to Cooperstown on Sunday. It was the first time that Bonds, Clemens and Schilling had faced a Hall committee since their 10th and final appearances on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot. The 59-year-old McGriff received unanimous support from the 16 members of the contemporary baseball era committee — comprised of Hall members, executives and writers. McGriff got 169 votes (39.8%) in his final year on the BBWAA ballot in 2019. Bonds, Clemens and Schilling fell short in January in their final chances with the BBWAA.

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling were passed over by a Baseball Hall of Fame committee that elected former big league slugger Fred McGriff to Cooperstown on Sunday.

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling were passed over by a Baseball Hall of Fame committee that elected former big league slugger Fred McGriff to Cooperstown on Sunday. It was the first time that Bonds, Clemens and Schilling had faced a Hall committee since their 10th and final appearances on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot.

Carlos Beltrán, John Lackey and Jered Weaver are among 14 newcomers on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s Hall of Fame ballot in what could turn into an evaluation of the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are the marquee names who will appear on the Contemporary Era ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame announces eight-player Contemporary Baseball Era Committee ballothttps://t.co/k9jMTE8zZE pic.twitter.com/drFzbSaI8Z — National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) November 7, 2022The 16-member committee will vote on Dec. 4, and any candidate receiving 75% of the votes cast will earn election to Cooperstown. Bonds, Clemens and Schilling were unable to gain election to the Hall in their 10th and final year on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot this past year, according to The Athletic. Sammy Sosa also made his 10th and final appearance on the baseball writers’ ballot, ESPN reported. An election for candidates from the Contemporary Baseball Era ballot occurs every three years.

A few of MLB's biggest and most controversial stars from the steroid era could be voted into the Hall of Fame soon.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — (AP) — Steroids-tainted stars Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro are on the eight-man ballot for the Hall of Fame’s contemporary baseball era committee, which meets Dec. 4 in San Diego. Bonds, Clemens and Schilling fell short in January in their 10th and final appearances on the BBWAA ballot. Palmeiro was dropped from the BBWAA ballot after receiving 25 votes (4.4%) in his fourth appearance in 2014, falling below the 5% minimum needed to stay on. They were inducted in July along with David Ortiz, elected on the BBWAA ballot. There will be a contemporary era committee vote for managers, executives and umpires in December 2023 and a classic baseball era vote in December 2024.

Steroids-tainted stars Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro are on the eight-man ballot for the Hall of Fame’s contemporary baseball era committee, which meets Dec. 4 in San Diego.

Even with a 5-0 lead, Justin Verlander couldn’t get his first World Series win.

HOUSTON — (AP) — Justin Verlander struck out 11 in six strong innings and Yuli Gurriel, Chas McCormick and Jeremy Peña all homered to power the Houston Astros to a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees in their AL Championship Series opener Wednesday night. Anthony Rizzo homered off Rafael Montero with two outs in the eighth to get the Yankees within two. Giancarlo Stanton singled before Josh Donaldson walked to spur Astros manager Dusty Baker to bring in closer Ryan Pressly. New York whiffed 17 times in all to only two for the Astros — the largest difference ever in a postseason game. Verlander didn’t allow a baserunner after the third inning, retiring his last 11 in a row with nine strikeouts.

Justin Verlander struck out 11 in six strong innings and Yuli Gurriel, Chas McCormick and Jeremy Peña all homered to power the Houston Astros to a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees in their AL Championship Series opener.

Jake Cronenworth hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with two outs in the seventh inning and the San Diego Padres rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 to advance to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 1998.

NEW YORK — (AP) — Their fans still bugged by what happened in 2007, the New York Yankees could face pesky midges again when the American League Division Series moves to Cleveland this weekend. The flying insects memorably swarmed Joba Chamberlain during Game 2 of the 2007 Division Series at what was then called Jacobs Field. The bugs returned last weekend at nearby FirstEnergy Stadium for an NFL game between the Browns and Los Angeles Chargers. Cleveland will host the Yankees on Saturday night for Game 3 of the ALDS at what's now called Progressive Field. So I can only imagine when we get back,” Cleveland Game 3 starter Triston McKenzie said Friday.

Cleveland may have a certain type of home field advantage this weekend against the New York Yankees.

Minnesota’s Luis Arraez finished with the lowest average for an American League batting champion since 1968, and the Mets’ Jeff McNeil won the National League title.

The Detroit Tigers' rookie utility player — and son of seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens — caught Shohei Ohtani looking late in Monday night's 10-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. “It was a wonderful pitch,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. Ohtani fouled off a 54 mph delivery from Clemens, took a 57 mph pitch for a ball and then fouled off a 56 mph offering. Maybe you can throw it slow and slow and slow and then maybe surprise him with a fastball,” Detroit manager A.J. Roger Clemens had 4,672 strikeouts during his 24-year career, third on the all-time list behind Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson.

Pitching in mop-up duty for the Detroit Tigers, Kody Clemens fanned reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani for his first major league strikeout.

Kody Clemens will never catch his father in career strikeouts. The Detroit Tigers' rookie utility player — and son of seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens — caught Shohei Ohtani looking late in Monday night's 10-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Mopping up in the eighth inning, Clemens froze last year's AL MVP with a 68 mph pitch on the outside corner for his first major league strikeout and gave an exuberant strike three call on the mound.

Shohei Ohtani had his sixth multi-homer game of the season, Mike Trout also went deep and José Suarez threw three-hit ball over seven innings as the Los Angeles Angels routed the skidding Detroit Tigers 10-0.

Shohei Ohtani makes his final start before heading to the All-Star Game and hopes to lead Los Angeles to a better result against Houston’s Cristian Javier, who struck out 14 Angels on July 1.

Angels star Mike Trout finished 0 for 11 with nine strikeouts in a three-game series and Los Angeles hitters fanned 20 times overall in a 4-2 loss to the Houston Astros.

Not many of them had him as fired up as the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins. With the seven-time Cy Young Award winner watching from a suite at Comerica Park, 26-year-old Kody Clemens made his major league debut for the Tigers. Drafted as a second baseman, he has played first, second, third and in left field this season. He’s a good pitcher and I put a good swing on the ball, so I was super happy with that, and then the walk. The versatile Clemens was told he'd be starting in left field Wednesday night against the Twins.

Twins Tigers Baseball Roger Clemens, seven-time Cy Young Award winning pitcher, talks about his son Kody Clemens, who is to make his debut with the Detroit Tigers in the major leagues against the Minnesota Twins in Detroit, Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya)DETROIT — (AP) — Roger Clemens has had some big baseball moments in the city of Detroit. Not many of them had him as fired up as the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins. Clemens flew into town from Texas to see his son, Kody, make his major league debut for the Tigers. Kody Clemens doesn’t have worry about any comparisons to his father’s hitting.

Roger Clemens has had some big baseball moments in the city of Detroit.

Roger Clemens enjoyed some big baseball moments in the city of Detroit, including a 20-strikeout performance at Tiger Stadium. Not many of them had him as fired up as the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins. With the seven-time Cy Young Award winner watching from a suite at Comerica Park, 26-year-old Kody Clemens made his major league debut for the Tigers.

Noah Syndergaard pitches in New York for the first time since leaving the Mets during the offseason, starting the Los Angeles Angels’ series opener at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night.

Nolan Ryan pitched for a record 27 seasons in the big leagues, struck out 5,714 batters and threw seven no-hitters.

Shohei Ohtani struck out 11 over seven shutout innings, had two hits and drove in a run in the Los Angeles Angels’ 8-0 win over the Boston Red Sox.

Miguel Cabrera reached the 3,000-hit mark on a weekend afternoon in front of an adoring crowd at his home ballpark in Detroit.

A grand jury has declined to indict Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson following a police investigation sparked by lawsuits from 22 women who have accused him of harassment and sexual assault.

Two people familiar with the sport’s Joint Drug Program tell The Associated Press that Major League Baseball has stopped testing players for steroids for the first time in nearly 20 years due to the expiration of the sport’s drug agreement.

With Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling off the ballot, next year's Hall of Fame vote figures to be a bit less contentious. It's unclear whether voters will treat Beltrán as harshly as they have Bonds, Clemens and various other stars whose accomplishments have been called into question by allegations of performance-enhancing drug use. ROLEN INCHING CLOSERScott Rolen is the top returning player on next year's ballot after receiving 63.2% of the vote this time around. “Nothing got cleared off the ballot at all, so there was just not a lot of openings for the sort of ‘big Hall' voters," Thibodaux said. The ballot is kind of going to be wide open with just Beltrán coming on as kind of the main newcomer."

With Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling off the ballot, next year’s Baseball Hall of Fame vote figures to be a bit less contentious.

The beloved Red Sox player who helped put an end to the "Curse of the Bambino" was voted into the elite group in his first year on the ballot. Bonds and Clemens fell short in their final year.

David Ortiz was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first turn on the ballot, while steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were denied entry to Cooperstown in their final year under consideration by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Baseball Hall of Fame voters get one last chance to elect, or ignore, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

Ortiz is a first-time candidate on the Hall of Fame ballot of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, to be announced on Jan. 25, 2022. Bonds, Clemens and Ortiz appear to be the only players with a chance at Hall of Fame enshrinement when results are unveiled Tuesday, with Ortiz most likely to get in on his first try. Bonds and Clemens are in their 10th and final year on the ballot for the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Bonds, Clemens and Rodriguez look like no-doubt Hall of Famers on the backs of their baseball cards, but PED suspicions have tarnished their reputations with many voters. Martinez made 71.7% of his plate appearances as a DH, most among Hall members.

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and David Ortiz appear to be the only players with a chance at Hall of Fame enshrinement when results are unveiled Tuesday, with Ortiz most likely to get in on his first try.

Buck O’Neil, a champion of Black ballplayers during a monumental, eight-decade career on and off the field, has joined Minnie Miñoso, Gil Hodges and three others in being elected to the baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.

David Ortiz, Ryan Howard, Tim Lincecum and Alex Rodriguez are among 13 first-time candidates on the Hall of Fame ballot of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, joining 17 holdovers.

Toronto left-hander Robbie Ray bounced back from a dismal season to win the AL Cy Young Award and Milwaukee righty Corbin Burnes returned from a bout of COVID-19 to win the NL’s top pitching prize.

Braves: What to know The Atlanta Braves were jubilant after eliminating the favored Dodgers in the NLCS and will play in their first World Series game in 22 years on Tuesday night. (John Bazemore/Associated Press )HOUSTON — The Atlanta Braves are playing in their 10th World Series when Game 1 begins Tuesday night. Since coming to Atlanta, the Braves have reached the World Series six times: 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2021. Only David Ortiz’s .688 mark in the 2013 World Series and Edgar Martinez’s .571 mark in the 1995 ALDS Series is better. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 14 Photos: Braves, Astros stars work out ahead of World Series Game 1 Atlanta Braves pitcher Charlie Morton (left) and Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez (right) participate in a workout prior to the start of the World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 25, 2021, in Houston.

Lance McCullers won't pitch in the World Series for the Houston Astros because of his forearm strain.

Dodgers ace Max Scherzer got the last three outs in the thrilling Game 5 of the NL Divsion Series and is now lined up to throw the first pitch for Los Angeles in the NL Championship Series.

Lawyers fighting sexual assault allegations against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson face a predicament: Defending their client means working to discredit the claims of 22 women who are more likely to be believed four years into the #MeToo movement.

Rich Hill finished May with the lowest monthly ERA in 75 years of a pitcher in his 40s, and the Tampa Bay Rays won for the 16th time in 17 games by keeping up their domination of the reeling Yankees with a 3-1 victory.

He was 2-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three spring starts, including allowing six earned runs against Cincinnati on Friday. Alec Bohm had two hits, including his fourth double. AdFreddie Freeman had two hits, including a double and his first homer — a two-run shot in the sixth. Victor Robles had three hits, including his sixth double, with an RBI, and Kyle Schwarber doubled and walked three times. Adalberto Mondesi singled and homered and Jorge Soler had two hits, including a double.

The Baseball Hall of Fame won't have any new players in the class of 2021 after voters decided no one had the merits — on the field or off — for enshrinement in Cooperstown on this year's ballot. He later wrote on Facebook that he has asked the Hall of Fame to remove his name from next year's ballot. Hall of Fame Board Chairman Janes Forbes Clark said in a statement that the board "will consider the request at our next meeting." Schilling, Clemens and Bonds will be joined on next year's ballot by sluggers Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz. BBWAA members are instructed to elect Hall members "based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."

The baseball Hall of Fame wont have any new players in the class of 2021 after voters decided no one had the merits on-the-field or off for enshrinement in Cooperstown on this year's ballot. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)It could be a while before the Baseball Writers' Association of America votes anyone new into the Hall of Fame. AdSchilling wrote on Facebook that he has asked the Hall of Fame to remove his name from next year’s ballot. LAST CHANCEBonds and Clemens have one more year on the writers' ballot, and Schilling does, too, unless the Hall abides by his request for removal. OTHER AVENUESEven if the BBWAA doesn't vote anyone in next year, there's still a chance someone will be elected by one of the Eras Committees, which consider players no longer eligible for the BBWAA vote.

The Baseball Hall of Fame won't have any new players in the class of 2021 after voters decided no one had the merits — on the field or off — for enshrinement in Cooperstown on this year's ballot. He later wrote on Facebook that he has asked the Hall of Fame to remove his name from next year's ballot. Hall of Fame Board Chairman Janes Forbes Clark said in a statement that the board "will consider the request at our next meeting." Schilling, Clemens and Bonds will be joined on next year's ballot by sluggers Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz. BBWAA members are instructed to elect Hall members "based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."

Like many baseball writers, C. Trent Rosecrans viewed the Hall of Fame vote as a labor of love. Schilling, a right-handed ace who won three World Series titles, finished 16 votes short of the 75% threshold necessary for enshrinement. Schilling, Clemens and Bonds will be joined on next year's ballot by sluggers Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz. Schilling wrote on Facebook that he would like the veterans committee to review his Hall case. “I’ll defer to the veterans committee and men whose opinions actually matter and who are in a position to actually judge a player,” Schilling wrote.

Football fan Brian Pope browses for Tom Brady jerseys in the pro shop at Gillette Stadium, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, in Foxborough, Mass. Tom Brady is going to the Super Bowl for the 10th time, and New England Patriots football fans are cheering for him -- just like before. “I’ll be watching, and I’ll be rooting for Brady,” Pope said as he eyed a rack of the quarterback’s Patriots and Michigan Wolverines jerseys in the Gillette Stadium pro shop on Monday afternoon. So he drove up from Connecticut to see if the Patriots Pro Shop had any Brady Buccaneers gear in stock. At 6 years old, he had never known a Patriots season without Brady as the quarterback, or without a trip to the playoffs.

Like many baseball writers, C. Trent Rosecrans viewed the Hall of Fame vote as a labor of love. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)Like many baseball writers, C. Trent Rosecrans viewed the Hall of Fame vote as a labor of love. Ken Rosenthal, Rosecrans’ colleague with The Athletic, began a recent column this way: “I hate my Hall of Fame ballot. So it remains up to the voters to decide how they’ll weigh off-field issues when evaluating Hall of Fame candidates. Lynn Henning, a former columnist for the Detroit News, understands what makes some of these candidates objectionable — but he doesn’t think the Hall of Fame vote is the right forum for holding them accountable.

FILE - In this Oct. 8, 1960 file photo, New York Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third World Series game at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo, File)Reaction to the death of Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford, the ace of the mighty New York Yankees teams in the 1950s and ’60s. Obviously, a great pitcher. They never say Whitey Ford. It’s Whitey Ford.

(AP Photo/David Dermer)CLEVELAND – On a night for debates, Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees made quite an opening statement. "I wish I would have been with my off-speed stuff in the zone, and challenged those guys a little more. Staked to an early lead on Judge's homer, Cole showed why the Yankees shelled out $324 million for him in the offseason. Cole's strikeouts were the second-most by a New York pitcher in postseason history. Judge's first homer since coming off the injured list on Sept. 16 — and the first allowed by Bieber at home this season — gave the Yankees a stunning 2-0 lead.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore)ATLANTA The Atlanta Braves have renewed hopes their starting pitching can carry them through the second half of a shortened season. The second game of the twinbill was Judge's first since being activated from the injured list, and he left in the middle of the sixth inning. In the opener, Ian Anderson dazzled in his big league debut, holding the Yankees hitless into the sixth inning and ending Gerrit Coles 20-game winning streak as the Braves won 5-1. Masahiro Tanaka was dominant, allowing only three hits in five scoreless innings as he left the second game with a 1-0 lead. It was Acua's longest homer and the longest by any Braves batter at Truist Park, which opened in 2017.

The Washington Nationals play the New York Mets during the third inning of a baseball game at Citi Field Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020, in New York. Michael Conforto and the Mets will start making up the misses this week. The Astros, meanwhile, have reshuffled their series against Mike Trout and the Angels because of Tropical Storm Laura. Chatwood is lined up to start the game at Detroit and Quintana will begin his return in the bullpen. Their weekend series at Citi Field was wiped out when two members of the Mets organization tested positive for the virus.

New York Yankees' Gerrit Cole delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in New York. Cole hasnt lost a decision in the regular season since May 22, 2019, against the White Sox while with Houston. FRESH STRIPESThe Tigers will debut another prized pitching prospect when Casey Mize starts against the White Sox. STREAKINGCorey Seager and the Dodgers have won seven in a row and own the best record in the majors at 18-7. ... Alex Bregman and the Astros have won a season-high six straight after beating Colorado 2-1 at Muinute Maid Park.

New York Yankees' Gerrit Cole delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to ever reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night. New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time and is 12-1 at home against the Red Sox since the start of last season. The Red Sox also lost to the Yankees for the 12th time in the past 13 meetings since July 28, 2019. Yankees: LHP James Paxton (0-1, 7.84 ERA) starts Saturday.

FILE - This is a July 4, 2020, file photo showing the Miami Marlins running drills during a baseball workout at Marlins Park in Miami. Marlins Park will have a new look for its 2020 season debut Friday, thanks to cozier dimensions and a switch to artificial turf. Also, there will be a first-place team in the home dugout when the Marlins (8-4) host Atlanta. Miamis season was suspended for a week and the schedule scrambled, including the postponement of eight games at Marlins Park. The Cardinals season has been derailed by the coronavirus.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)A look at what's happening in the majors on Saturday:RED-HOT COLEGerrit Cole tries for his 20th straight regular-season win when he pitches for the Yankees at Tampa Bay. Cole is 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA in three starts since signing a $324 million, nine-year contract with New York. Cole lost the World Series opener last year when Washington beat the Astros. Paul Goldschmidt and the Cards have been off since a week ago Friday, when two players returned positive coronavirus tests.

With two outs and a runner on, Cole had a 1-2 count on Ji-Man Choi, who came back to hit an RBI double. Jose Martinez followed with a two-run homer on the 107th pitch from a clearly tiring Cole. Cole was bidding to tie Roger Clemens, Jake Arrieta and Rube Marquard for the third-longest streak ever. His only loss since May 2019 came in Game 1 of the World Series last October, pitching for Houston against Washington. ... Rays C Mike Zunino was mired in an 0 for 23 slide before doubling off Cole during the fifth.

Cole (3-0) allowed one run and five hits, struck out four and walked one on 91 pitches. The major league-best Yankees have won seven straight the equivalent of a 19-game spurt over a 162-game season. Because of Tuesdays postponement, the Phillies planned to return home after the game without having checked into their hotel. ... Closer Aroldis Chapman is to throw a bullpen in Scranton on Tuesday or Wednesday in his return from COVID-19. Happ (0-0) had been scheduled to start for the Yankees on Tuesday and RHP Aaron Nola (0-1) for the Phillies.

After 60 games this year, it will already be time to determine who wins those awards. Only one Cy Young winner over the past 20 seasons has had more than the nine wins Verlander had after 60 games last year. Mauer and Morneau have the highest and lowest batting averages for any MVP through 60 games since 2000. In 2008, nine years after Chipper Jones was the NL MVP, he was hitting .409 through Atlanta's first 60 games. Williams hit .406, only one point lower than he was through Boston's first 60 games that season.