0xbt

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

CLUTCH CITY

Alex Bregman is red-hot at the plate as the Astros travel to Tampa Bay for a four-game series [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/jake-ryan-jersey-cheap]Jake Ryan Jersey[/url] , and he’s been especially good late in games. Bregman has homered in three straight, including a game-ending two-run shot Wednesday to cap Houston’s rally from five runs down against Toronto. That was the second walk-off hit this month for Bregman, who also had a game-ending single in Game 5 of last year’s World Series. Bregman is 9 for 17 with three homers and five doubles since shaving his mustache midway through a game Sunday.

TAKE TWO

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw looks to sharpen his stuff against the Cubs in his second start since ending a DL stint for a lower back strain. Kershaw stumbled through three innings against the Mets last Saturday after surprisingly nixing a scheduled minor league rehab assignment, though Los Angeles beat New York 8-3 that day behind stellar relief work from rookie Caleb Ferguson. The 21-year-old left-hander is set to follow Kershaw again against Chicago. Kershaw acknowledged feeling some rust at Citi Field, when he was limited to 55 pitches. He’s hoping to go deeper and pitch more effectively this time at Dodger Stadium.

BOSIO FIRED

The Tigers fired pitching coach Chris Bosio on Wednesday, saying he made insensitive comments to another employee of the team. General manager Al Avila said Bosio made the comments recently and they were brought to Avila’s attention Tuesday. Avila decided Wednesday to terminate Bosio’s contract after the team investigated the situation and spoke to all of the people involved. Detroit promoted bullpen coach Rick Anderson to replace Bosio. Roving pitching instructor A.J. Sager will be the team’s bullpen coach until Triple-A Toledo pitching coach Jeff Pico takes his place next week. The Tigers are set to wrap a four-game series against Oakland.

ANOTHER SHOT AT NOLA

The Nationals try to solve the Phillies’ Aaron Nola five days after the right-hander won a 5-3 decision in Washington. Nola (9-2 [url=http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-seth-jones-jersey]Seth Jones Jersey[/url] , 2.58) allowed two runs, four hits and three walks over six innings while striking out five in that game. Nola is fifth in the NL in ERA, and only Mets ace Jacob deGrom has allowed fewer home runs per nine innings than Nola (0.53) among qualified NL starters.

—

Former Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi has divulged that he lost most of his left hand in an all-terrain vehicle crash last April.

Massaquoi, who starred at Georgia before he was drafted by Cleveland in the second round in 2009, revealed his prosthetic and details of his misfortune in a video posted Monday on The Players Tribune.

Massaquoi was riding ATVs with friends when he said he took a turn too sharply and crashed. The 31-year-old said it felt as if an explosion had gone off in his hand, and he was initially unaware of the severity of his injury.

”What I’m seeing and what my friends are seeing are completely different [url=http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-sonny-milano-jersey]Sonny Milano Jersey[/url] ,” he said, giving the first public description of his life-changing ordeal. ”They’re seeing what actually happened. I’m seeing what I think happened. I’m thinking that I just broke my hand. My friend, on the other hand, thinks my hand just went through a meat grinder or something like that. Meanwhile you can see the panic and the fear in everybody.”

Massaquoi said he was flown by helicopter to a hospital, where doctors initially tried to save his hand. However, after it didn’t heal as hoped [url=http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-zach-werenski-jersey]Zach Werenski Jersey[/url] , four fingers were amputated. His thumb was spared.

He has battled denial and fear during his recovery.

”It gives you a perspective of how precious life is,” he said. ”How fast things can change. You go from joy-riding to getting in a helicopter to find out that your hand’s going to be amputated.”

Massaquoi, who spent four years with the Browns and has been out of football since, credited his family and friends for helping him come to terms with the injury.