Pro Sports

LEADING OFF: Will Romine play 9? Plus Marlins return home

Posted September 17, 2017 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Matthew Boyd, lower right, delivers against the Chicago White Sox in the ninth inning, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, in Detroit. Boyd threw a one-hitter. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) The Associated Press

A look at what's happening all around the majors Monday:

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ROAMING ROMINE?

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus says he may play Andrew Romine at all nine positions during one of Detroit's games this week against Oakland. Romine has played everywhere except catcher in his career, and if he needs pointers behind the plate, he can ask his brother Austin, a backstop with the New York Yankees. With Detroit closing out the season against playoff-chasing Minnesota and Kansas City, this series against the A's is the last chance Romine would get to play all nine in a game without possible postseason implications.

FINALLY HOME

The Marlins are set to return home for the first time since Hurricane Irma struck Miami. After rallying to a .500 record and posing a possible NL wild-card threat last month, Miami has lost 17 of 20, including eight of 10 since hitting the road while Irma approached. The Marlins will begin this home series against the Mets with Dan Straily on the mound against New York's Matt Harvey.

FANCY MEETING YOU HERE

The Twins take on the Yankees to begin a series between the top AL wild-card contenders, and Minnesota's first test comes against New York left-hander Jaime Garcia, who very briefly joined the Twins this summer. Garcia went from Atlanta to Minnesota in a trade, made one start, then was flipped to New York when the Twins dropped in the standings ahead of the trade deadline. Minnesota roared back into the chase, though, and is now two games ahead of the Angels for the AL's last playoff spot. Garcia is winless in six starts for the Yankees.

WELCOME JOLT

J.D. Martinez has been exactly the spark Arizona hoped for, and the midseason acquisition leads the NL wild-card contenders into a series against San Diego. Martinez has 24 homers in 51 games since being traded from Detroit to the Diamondbacks, giving him 40 on the season. Arizona's magic number to clinch a playoff spot is six.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Miami Marlins' Derek Dietrich reacts to his two run homer off of Milwaukee Brewers' Zach Davies during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Tom Lynn) The Associated Press

Minnesota Twins outfielders Eddie Rosario, left, Byron Buxton and Max Kepler, right, show their basketball three-point form after the Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 13-7 in a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, in Minneapolis. Rosario hit two home runs in the game. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) The Associated Press

New York Yankees' Jaime Garcia delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) The Associated Press

Arizona Diamondbacks' J.D. Martinez rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, in San Francisco. Paul Goldschmidt scored on the home run. (AP Photo/George Nikitin) The Associated Press

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