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LEADING OFF: Cole a go, Greinke returns, Brewers make pitch

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole delivers the ball to a Toronto Blue Jays batter during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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A look at what’s happening around the majors Tuesday:

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LEG WORK

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Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (14-7, 2.78 ERA), pushed back because of left hamstring tightness, is set to start on six days’ rest at Baltimore.

Cole will have a new shortstop behind him, too, after New York moved error-prone Gleyber Torres to second base Monday. Torres will spend the rest of the season at second, manager Aaron Boone said.

DJ LeMahieu switched from second to third, and Tyler Wade played shortstop during Monday’s comeback win over Minnesota. Boone said Gio Urshela will move from third and likely become the regular shortstop starting Tuesday night against the major league-worst Orioles.

Andrew Velazquez, a shortstop optioned Sunday to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, could be recalled when eligible.

Torres, 24, was primarily a second baseman during his first two seasons with the Yankees in 2018 and 2019. He filled in at shortstop when Didi Gregorius got hurt and was moved there for 2020 after Gregorius left as a free agent to sign with Philadelphia.

Torres made nine errors last year and has 18 this season, second-most in the American League behind Toronto’s Bo Bichette (24).

New York has lost 12 of 16 following a 13-game winning streak and is in a tight race with AL East rivals Toronto and Boston for the league’s two wild cards.

ZACK IS BACK

Houston Astros right-hander Zack Greinke makes his first start since testing positive for COVID-19 last month.

Greinke (11-5, 2.66 ERA) is scheduled to pitch at Texas, the same team he lost to on the road in his last start 16 days earlier.

The 37-year-old Greinke gave up nine hits and six runs in four innings at Texas on Aug. 29, two days before he was put on the COVID-19 injured list while the Astros were in Seattle.

Greinke had also lost his previous start against Kansas City, marking the only time in his 27 starts this season he has dropped consecutive games. AL West-leading Houston has lost five of his past six starts overall.

HERE’S THE PITCH

Closing in on the NL Central title, Milwaukee tries to extend its run of dominant pitching when Freddy Peralta (9-4, 2.69 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series in Detroit.

Eric Lauer held Cleveland hitless into the sixth inning Sunday in an 11-1 victory — a day after Brewers ace Corbin Burnes and closer Josh Hader combined on the record ninth no-hitter in the majors this season. Milwaukee allowed only seven hits in a three-game sweep of the Indians.

Off on Monday, the Brewers have won five in a row overall and their magic number is five for clinching the division crown.

ON THE MEND

Cleveland ace Shane Bieber (strained right shoulder) is slated to throw 40-45 pitches on a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Columbus. The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner has been sidelined since June 13.

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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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