Braves
Right fielder Jason Heyward has batted .292 (7-for-24) with a .333 on-base percentage since moving back to the leadoff spot Aug. 13. Heyward originally was moved up last season one day after the Braves began a 14-game winning streak. He batted .345 with a .418 on-base percentage in the 23 games he played between moving to the leadoff spot and suffering a broken jaw that sidelined him for a month.
Marlins
As the Major League leader in home runs (32) and the National League leader in RBIs (88), Giancarlo Stanton has become the face of the franchise. He also leads a strong Marlins outfield. According to FanGraphs.com, Stanton (5.1), Christian Yelich (3.5) and Marcell Ozuna (2.1) have a combined Wins Above Replacement (WAR) of 10.7. Only the Rays’ threesome of Ben Zobrist (4.5), Desmond Jennings (3.4) and Kevin Kiermaier (3.1) bests Miami’s 10.7.
Mets
Bartolo Colon’s departure to be with his ailing mother in the Dominican Republic left the Mets without a starter for Monday’s afternoon game. It also came too late for the Mets to call someone up from the minors, since the team’s Class AAA affiliate is in Las Vegas.
With few options, Manager Terry Collins said he spoke to the team’s pitching coach, Dan Warthen, and the bullpen coach, Ricky Bones, at 8 a.m. and told them to inform Carlos Torres that he would be getting the start. Torres had thrown nine pitches in a third of an inning of relief in Sunday’s loss to the Cubs. When Torres took the mound Monday, he became just the fourth pitcher in Mets history to make a start on zero days’ rest. Torres, who pitched five scoreless innings on a season-high 86 pitches, had not made a start since September 2013. He became first starting pitcher in the major leagues to allow no runs on zero days’ rest since 1993.
Nationals
It’s been almost a month since third baseman Ryan Zimmerman suffered a Grade 3 hamstring strain, and the only thing he has done since that time is work out on an underwater treadmill. There is no timetable as to when Zimmerman will start baseball activities. Zimmerman hurt the hamstring on July 22 while running to first base against the Rockies. While he is walking normally, Zimmerman can’t do much else.
“There is no exact timetable,” Zimmerman said. “I’ve been doing a few rehab things. There’s really nothing you can do right now.”
Phillies
Jimmy Rollins, 35, had started 115 games this season before getting a day off Monday. Only Marlon Byrd (119) and Chase Utley (116) have more starts for the Phillies. Entering Monday, Rollins had started 16 straight games and 34 of the last 35 and was hitless in his final nine at-bats.
Compiled by Rachel Lister from wire reports.
