ORKCubs rookie David Bote tries to keep his sensational rookie season rolling in a game against Cincinnati. Bote walked off Chicago with a 10th-inning homer Friday http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-josh-bell-jersey , his second game-ending shot this month. The 25-year-old didn’t get much hype as a prospect, but he’s finding the spotlight regularly in the majors, with each of his five home runs either tying the game or putting the Cubs ahead. That includes a ninth-inning grand slam for a 4-3 win over Washington on Aug. 12.GOOD GETMike Fiers has given Oakland a major boost in its pursuit of the Astros in the AL West, a trend the right-hander will try to continue against Minnesota. Fiers is 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA, 21 strikeouts and one walk in three starts since being acquired from Detroit on Aug. 6, finding success with the A’s by pitching up in the zone with his fastball more often. Oakland entered Friday 1 1/2 games behind Houston, and Fiers has a chance to help bump the Astros off the division lead a year after making 28 starts for the World Series champions.DODGER KILLERJustin Verlander is set to pitch against the Angels in Anaheim http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-josh-bell-jersey , though at least one Dodger fan has taken note that the Astros ace is in LA. Verlander, who started twice against the Dodgers in last year’s World Series, got a surprise Friday while dining at the Beverly Hills Hotel when his bill included a $1 million item for “Dodger Killer.”“#BeveryHillsHotel really making me pay for that World Series win,” Verlander wrote on Twitter .BACK, BUT WITH BAGGAGEBlue Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez is set to come off the DL against Philadelphia for his first start since a suitcase-related injury sidelined him in late June. Sanchez acknowledged Wednesday that the bruised right index finger that has kept him out for the past two months occurred when his finger got caught in a falling suitcase. The incident happened June 21, hours before Sanchez took the mound in Los Angeles against the Angels with about 180 friends and family from his hometown of Barstow, California Corey Dickerson Jersey , in the crowd. He pitched through the pain for an inning, then exited and ended up on the 60-day DL.SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVEIn a matchup between resurgent starting pitchers on a roll, Washington right-hander Tanner Roark (8-12, 4.05 ERA) faces Zack Wheeler (8-6, 3.63) and the Mets at Citi Field. Roark is 5-0 with a 1.63 ERA in his past six starts. Wheeler, who beat the Nationals at home on July 14, is 6-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last seven outings. He struck out a season-high 10 over seven innings last time out against San Francisco Austin Meadows Jersey , but is 3-8 with a 4.79 ERA in 12 career starts vs. Washington. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Rehabbing Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia will open the regular season on the 25-man roster so he can serve a five-game suspension stemming from last season before being placed on the injured list.Sabathia, retiring after the season, is expected to miss the first two or three turns through the rotation as he recovers from an offseason that included knee surgery and the insertion of a stent after a blockage was found in an artery from his heart.The Yankees will be short-handed for three games with Baltimore and a pair against Detroit while Sabathia serves the suspension for hitting Tampa Bay’s Jesus Sucre with a pitch in his last regular season start of 2018.Jonathan Loaisiga was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilke-Barre on Saturday but will be recalled for the sixth game on April 3 against the Tigers. Loaisiga is expected to start the game or enter after a reliever serves as an opener.“We’re getting him ready to start,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Whether we decide to do something with the opener, we’ll see where we are at that point in the season.”Luis Cessa and Domingo German, who both competed for open rotation spots with Loaisiga Colin Moran Jersey , will be on the opening day roster.Boone said German will likely be the fourth starter, while Cessa will be a long reliever.“That’s also something that’s fluid,” Boone said. “They’re all built up. That will be kind of week-by-week, rotation-by-rotation kind of thing.”Gio Gonzalez, a two-time All-Star signed to a minor league contract this week for rotation depth, allowed five runs and four hits over two innings in a 7-3 loss Saturday to the Toronto Blue Jays.“Maybe a tick off,” Gonzalez said. “A little more seasoning and I think I’ll be right where I want to be.”Yankees ace Luis Severino is sidelined by right shoulder inflammation and will not be available until May at the earliest.Opening day starter Masahiro Tanaka heads a rotation that includes James Paxton and J.A. Happ.Tanaka gave up a hit and struck out three in two scoreless innings Saturday during his final tuneup before facing the Orioles on Thursday.It will be his fourth opening day assignment David Freese Jersey , the most by a Japanese-born pitcher in major league history.“I’m ready,” Tanaka said.TRAINER’S ROOM1B Greg Bird (right elbow swelling) was in the original lineup Saturday but Boone decided not to play him until Sunday. Bird was hit by a pitch Wednesday, and Boone wanted to give him one more day to bring down inflammation. … Severino played catch for the third time in four days and increased his throwing distance from 60 to 90 feet.