Like really, really short.

Gerrit Cole got back on the mound Saturday afternoon for the first time since he was sidelined by posterior inflammation in his throwing elbow.

The hardware keeps coming for Gary Sanchez.The Yankees catcher has won the American League Player of the Month Award and Rookie of the Month Award after a record-setting August.

The Mets remain hopeful, if not optimistic, that Lucas Duda can return this season after all. Duda recently began swinging a bat for the first time since suffering a setback in his recovery from a stress fracture in his lower back and is scheduled to advance to full batting practice as soon as next week. If all goes well, he could conceivably return in September or October, even if it’s only in a bench role.

On Saturday, the Rangers will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Day at Globe Life Park in Arlington as part of Major League Baseball’s Hispanic Heritage Month initiative. The Mariners will have a similar event Sunday at Safeco Field.

Yes, the kids have taken over the game. We’re constantly reminded of this as they amaze us with their skills and athleticism and energy.

Kris Bryant and Kyle Hendricks have been named National League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, after August performances that could lead to much bigger awards for both.

The Dodgers finally answered the question of when they were going to promote right-handed pitching prospect Jose De Leon by announcing that he’ll make his long-awaited debut with a Sunday start against the Padres.

Boston scout Gary Hughes is watching the Tim Tebow situation from afar, but with interest. Hughes, after all, had a special interest in multisport athletes during his days as an amateur scout with the Yankees, and then as the scouting director for the Montreal Expos and Florida Marlins.

Yangervis Solarte’s solo homer broke a tie in the eighth inning as the Padres bounced back from a sweep at the hands of the Braves with a 4-2 win over Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium.

The Royals suffered their third straight stinging loss, the latest at the hands of the red-hot Tigers, who rallied for two runs in the ninth off All-Star closer Wade Davis for a 7-6 win on Friday night.

The Mariners scored nine runs in the second inning Friday, as they opened their series against the Angels with a win. Dae-Ho Lee and Ketel Marte each had two hits in the inning and Ariel Miranda settled down after a rocky start, when he allowed a three-run home run to Mike Trout. The Angels scored four in the ninth to make it close.

Outfielder Yasiel Puig has been recalled by the Dodgers and will be in the starting lineup, playing right field, in the club’s series opener against the Padres on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

After months of anticipation, Yoan Moncada finally arrived. And, as he tends to do, the rookie found a way to impress while leaving room for the imagination to wonder what his future holds.

In a back-and-forth game, the surging Rockies pulled ahead with a seven-run eighth inning — highlighted by Nick Hundley’s first career grand slam — to beat the D-backs, 14-7, for their fifth win in six games.

It took four full innings before Boston’s ongoing demolition of Oakland pitching commenced, as the Red Sox routed the A’s, 16-2, and pulled within a game of the Blue Jays in the American League East on Friday night at the Coliseum.

Phillies No. 24 prospect Ben Lively was among the top prospect performers in the Minors on Friday.