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TORONTO — Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider allowed two runs and five hits in five-plus innings in his return to the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon.

Making his first big league appearance in 376 days because of surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, Strider struck out five, walked one and hit a batter in the 3-1 loss. He threw 97 pitches, 58 for strikes.

Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt (2-0) struck out a season-high 10 and allowed three hits — all singles — as Toronto set a single-game, nine-inning record with 19 strikeouts. Bassitt lowered his ERA to 0.77 through four starts.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two of the five hits off Strider, including an RBI single in the third inning and a solo home run into the second deck on a full-count slider in the sixth. The homer — a 412-foot drive — was Guerrero’s first of the season.

Strider followed that by walking Anthony Santander, and Braves manager Brian Snitker immediately replaced Strider with left-hander Dylan Lee.

Strider struck out Bo Bichette on three pitches to begin the game. His hardest pitch was a 98 mph fastball to Guerrero in the first.

Strider struck out Myles Straw to strand runners at second and third to end the second.

The Braves activated Strider off the injured list Wednesday morning and optioned right-handed reliever Zach Thompson to Triple-A.

Strider struck out 13 in 5⅓ innings in a dominant rehab start at Triple-A last Thursday, allowing one run and three hits. He threw 90 pitches, 62 for strikes and reached 97 mph with his fastball.

The Braves are off to a slow start, and the return of Strider could provide a big lift. He went 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 2023, finishing with a major league-best 281 strikeouts in 186⅔ innings and placing fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting.

Strider, 26, last appeared in the majors on April 5, 2024, against the Diamondbacks in Atlanta. He made two starts last season before undergoing surgery.

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D-backs ace Burnes set for MRI after exiting in 5th

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D-backs ace Burnes set for MRI after exiting in 5th

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes was lifted after just 70 pitches Sunday against Washington with right elbow discomfort.

Manager Torey Lovullo told reporters after Arizona’s 3-1 win that Burnes would have an MRI on Monday.

Arizona led 3-0 in the top of the fifth when Burnes allowed a single by CJ Abrams with two outs. The right-hander then gestured toward the dugout with his glove and yelled in frustration.

Jalen Beeks replaced Burnes and gave up an RBI single before getting the third out. Arizona won the game 3-1.

Burnes allowed a run and four hits in 4 2/3 innings, with a walk and six strikeouts. He is 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 11 starts this season.

Arizona signed Burnes to a $210 million, six-year contract before the season. He has been effective, but the Diamondbacks have dealt with a slew of pitching injuries. Jordan Montgomery (Tommy John surgery) is out for the season, Eduardo Rodríguez (shoulder) is on the injured list, and reliever A.J. Puk (elbow) is on the IL as well.

Arizona allowed 10 runs in the first inning Saturday, its ninth loss in 10 games.

Durability hasn’t been much of a concern for the 30-year-old Burnes, who has made at least 28 starts in every season since he won the 2021 National League Cy Young Award for Milwaukee. He spent his first six years with the Brewers before being traded to Baltimore before the 2024 season. After one year with the Orioles, he signed with the Diamondbacks as a free agent.

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Rockies’ lows: 10th sweep; 3rd fastest to 50 L’s

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Rockies' lows: 10th sweep; 3rd fastest to 50 L's

Another series, another sweep as the Colorado Rockies continue to make history for all the wrong reasons.

The Rockies fell 5-3 to the New York Mets on Sunday to extend their losing streak to eight games.

It is Colorado’s fourth eight-game losing streak this season.

The Rockies are 9-50 — the worst record through 59 games of any major league team in the modern era (since 1901). They have been swept 10 times in 20 series — tied for the most sweeps through 20 series with the 1962 Mets, the 1970 Milwaukee Brewers and the 1994 Athletics.

Going even deeper into the record books, Colorado is the third-fastest team to the 50-loss mark — behind only the 1884 Kansas City Unions and 1876 Cincinnati Red Stockings, who got to 50 losses in 57 games. However, in an odd quirk, the 2025 Rockies — with one more victory — will be just the second team to have 50 losses when they record their 10th win, as the 1876 Red Stockings finished their season at 9-56.

Colorado got on the scoreboard first Sunday with Orlando Arcia‘s solo home run off Clay Holmes in the first inning, but Pete Alonso hit a three-run shot in the fourth for the Mets.

The Rockies fought back, tying it on Tyler Freeman‘s two-run shot in the fifth, but Francisco Lindor answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning and the Rockies’ offense went silent thereafter.

Colorado fell to 4-13 this season when scoring first; the Chicago White Sox (14-17) are the only other team this season to have a sub-.500 record after taking the initial lead. The worst record for a full season since 1900 when scoring first in a game, according to ESPN Research, is 23-50 (.315) by 1962 Mets.

The Rockies haven’t held a lead at the end of consecutive innings since they led for the final four innings of their most recent win — a 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees on May 23.

The Mets, meanwhile, won for the seventh time in eight games to finish a 7-2 homestand. They regained sole possession of first place in the NL East, moving a game ahead of Philadelphia.

Holmes (5-3) gave up three hits, struck out three and walked none. The right-hander, who entered this season with 300 consecutive relief appearances dating to 2019, has lasted at least six innings in six of his past eight starts.

Reed Garrett and Edwin Diaz tossed a scoreless inning apiece, with Díaz earning his 13th save.

Colorado has lost all 19 series it has played this season and has been outscored by 185 runs. And if you go back to 2024, that streak extends to a MLB-record 22.

The Rockies, who are the first team in MLB’s modern era to lose 28 of their first 31 road games, will try to get win No. 10 on Monday as they start a three-game series against the Marlins in Miami.

ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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De La Cruz hits emotional HR after sister’s death

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De La Cruz hits emotional HR after sister's death

CHICAGO — Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz played with a heavy heart Sunday after learning of the death of his older sister, but manager Terry Francona said the 23-year-old shortstop was insistent on being in the lineup.

De La Cruz hit a two-run homer and scored two runs in Cincinnati’s 7-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Francona said De La Cruz insisted he wanted to play in the finale of the weekend series, and the team was going to support him.

After his towering home run — the 50th of his career — De La Cruz patted his chest as he took his final steps toward the plate, pointed to the sky and clapped.

After touching home plate, he made a heart with his hands.

“We care so much about playing a game and winning,” Francona said, “but in a hurry, you’re reminded of what’s really important. So I think everybody kind of kept their head on a swivel with him today, just trying to take care of him.”

Family members confirmed to Z101 Digital in the Dominican Republic that De La Cruz’s sister Genelis died Saturday after dealing with health problems for some time.

De La Cruz declined to speak with the media Sunday. The Reds also declined to offer any details on the situation, citing De La Cruz’s wishes.

“He takes so much pride in being available,” Francona said. “Guys like that, Carlos Santana in Cleveland was very similar, and for a kid that’s that young, that’s an admirable trait.”

De La Cruz singled in the first and flied out in the fourth. He connected for his 12th homer in the sixth and walked and scored on Tyler Stephenson‘s sacrifice fly in the ninth.

The estimated distance on his home run down the line in right was 423 feet with an exit velocity of 117.4 mph.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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