AL CENTRAL NEWS AND NOTES

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

The rebuilding White Sox hope Dylan Covey can be a significant part of their future. He showed why on July 21.

The 26-year-old right-hander blanked the Mariners on two hits over 8 1 / 3 innings in a 5-0 victory at Seattle. He walked two, threw an efficient 105 pitches and made it past the seventh inning for the first time in 24 career starts.

Covey had been 0-4 with an 11.70 ERA in his five previous starts. He had not won since beating the Cleveland Indians on June 13.

Covey is 4-5 with a 4.95 ERA in 12 starts this season.

❚ Right fielder Avisail Garcia was activated from the disabled list July 21 and hit a three-run homer to support Covey. Garcia has been on the DL twice this season because of a strained right hamstring.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

The Indians made a move to bolster their beleaguered bullpen by acquiring All-Star lefthander Brad Hand and rookie right-hander Adam Cimber from the San Diego Padres in a trade for switch-hitting catching prospect Francisco Mejia.

Hand allowed one run in one inning in his Indians debut, giving up a home run to the Texas Rangers’ Joey Gallo. In the same 9-8 victory by the division leading Indians on July 20, Cimber pitched two-thirds of a scoreless inning.

Indians relievers were next to last in the majors in ERA at the time of the trade.

Hand converted 24 of 29 save opportunities and had a 3.05 ERA in 41 games for the Padres this season. However, he will serve primarily as a set-up man for closer Cody Allen.

❚ Andrew Miller, another All-Star lefty reliever, made his third rehab appearance July 22 for Class AAA Columbus (Ohio) and was nearing a return from the disabled list. He has been sidelined by a sore right knee.

DETROIT TIGERS

Mike Fiers could be pitching his way into a pennant race.

The veteran right-hander’s name has begun coming up in trade rumors, a testament to his 7-6 record and 3.49 ERA in 19 starts during his first season with the rebuilding Tigers. He pitched 6 1 / 3 innings to beat the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox on July 21.

The Tigers signed Fiers, 33, to a one-year, $6 million contract as a free agent in the offseason. He spent the previous 2 1 / 2seasons with Houston but was inactive in October last year as the Astros won the World Series.

❚ Right-hander Michael Fulmer was scratched from his scheduled start July 22 and placed on the disabled list because of a strained muscle in his left side. Left-handed reliever Blaine Hardy was moved into the rotation to replace Fulmer, who is 3-9 with a 4.50 ERA.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

The Royals followed a dreadful first half by sweeping three games from the visiting Minnesota Twins in their first series after the All-Star break.

It was the Royals’ first sweep since taking three from Detroit in July 2017. Kansas City also won three games in a row for just the second time all season.

Backup catcher Drew Butera was the unlikely hero as the Royals completed the sweep with a 5-3 victory July 22. He hit a tie-breaking, three-run, inside- the-park home run when center fielder Jake Cave failed to make a diving catch.

Butera, who has never stolen a base in his nine-year career, slid into home just ahead of the relay throw.

❚ Brian Goodwin will get the chance to be the regular center fielder after being acquired from the Washington Nationals in a trade for a minor league pitcher. Goodwin, 27, was hitting .200 with three homers in 48 games.

MINNESOTA TWINS

While center fielder Jake Cave’s mistimed dive led to a loss to the Royals, manager

Paul Molitor likes the rookie’s aggressive style of play.

Cave has taken over as the primary center fielder with 2017 Gold Glove winner Byron Buxton trying to regain his hitting stroke at Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.). Acquired from the New York Yankees in a trade during spring training, Cave was hitting .289 with three home runs through 29 games.

❚ Right-hander Ervin Santana was set to make his season debut July 25 with a start at Toronto. He has been out all season while recovering from surgery on his right middle finger.

THIS WEEKS PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

FRANCISCO LINDOR, INDIANS: Cleveland came out of the All-Star break with the biggest lead of any of the majors’ six first-place teams, and the 24-year-old shortstop has had a big role in putting the Indians in position to win a third consecutive American League Central title. Lindor was hitting .293 with 25 home runs and 15 stolen bases through 97 games. He was one of five Indians chosen for the All-Star Game.