LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired infielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo from the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday for a player to be named or cash. The 29-year old Tsutsugo has struggled in the majors since coming over from Japan. He has a .187 batting average in two seasons, including .167 in 27 games with Tampa Bay this season. Tsutsugo also had no home runs and 27 strikeouts in 87 plate appearances. The defending World Series champions have been seeking veteran role players as they have struggled with injuries throughout the season. Tsutsugo can also play the outfield for the Dodgers, who also reportedly agreed to terms with Albert Pujols on Saturday. To make room for Tsutsugo on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred infielder Edwin Ríos to the 60-day injured list. Ríos will be undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery next week. The Rays made another trade earlier, dealing right-hander Hunter Strickland to the Los Angeles Angels for a player to be named or cash after activating first baseman Ji-Man Choi from the injured list. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A person with knowledge of the deal says the Los Angeles Dodgers are signing veteran first baseman Albert Pujols to a major league deal. The source spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the deal isn't expected to be finalized until Monday. The Los Angeles Times first reported the agreement. The 41-year-old Pujols left the Los Angeles Angels earlier this month after nearly 10 seasons with the Dodgers' Orange County rivals. The oldest player in the majors batted .198 this season with five homers and 12 RBIs for the Angels. Pujols was in the final season of a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels, who didn't win a playoff game during his tenure. “I’m happy for him. I knew he would get an opportunity somewhere. I’m good friends with him. I’m happy for him,” longtime Angels teammate Mike Trout said after a 9-0 loss in Boston. Pujols is making $30 million this season, and the Dodgers will pay him only the pro-rated portion of the... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Sunday: ___ DODGEBALL Albert Pujols didn’t have to travel far to find a new opportunity -- released by the Angels, the 41-year-old slugger has reached a deal up the freeway with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pujols is expected to finalize the agreement Monday. The oldest player in the majors batted .198 this season with five homers and 12 RBIs for the Angels. The three-time NL MVP is fifth in major league history with 667 career homers and 13th with 3,253 hits. Pujols left Anaheim hoping to play every day for another team, but that might be tough with the World Series champions. The Dodgers have veteran Max Muncy as their regular first baseman and also former NL MVP Cody Bellinger, who’s been out with a leg injury. The Dodgers, however, have not hit well against left-handed pitching and hope the righty-swinging Pujols can provide some pop. Pujols is making $30 million this year, and the Dodgers will pay him only the pro-rated portion of the major... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A person with knowledge of the deal says the Los Angeles Dodgers are signing veteran first baseman Albert Pujols to a major league deal. The source spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the deal isn't expected to be finalized until Monday. The Los Angeles Times first reported the agreement. The 41-year-old Pujols left the Los Angeles Angels earlier this month after nearly 10 seasons with the Dodgers' Orange County rivals. The oldest player in the majors batted .198 this season with five homers and 12 RBIs for the Angels. Pujols was in the final season of a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels, who didn't win a playoff game during his tenure. The slugger is making $30 million this season, and the Dodgers will pay him only the pro-rated portion of the major league minimum salary for the rest of the season, roughly $420,000. The rest will be paid by the Angels. Pujols is fifth in major league history with 667 career homers and... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty became the major leagues’ first seven-game winner this year with a 2-0 victory over Milwaukee on Thursday as the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes extended his streak to 58 consecutive strikeouts before his first walk. Flaherty (7-0) allowed four hits in six innings, struck out six and walked two to help the Cardinals win a three-game series that featured dominant starting pitching. Burnes (2-3) returned from the injured list after a positive test for coronavirus, which he said left him asymptomatic. He opted against getting vaccinated for what he said were personal reasons. In his first appearance since April 26, Burnes struck out nine among his first 14 outs, giving him 58 strikeouts and no walks this year before he walked Tommy Edman with two outs in the fifth. Alex Reyes remained perfect in 11 save chances by striking out Tyrone Taylor to strand two runners. Nolan Arenado’s two-out single in the first scored Edman. That marked the only... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty became the major leagues’ first seven-game winner this year with a 2-0 victory over Milwaukee on Thursday as the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes extended his streak to 58 consecutive strikeouts before his first walk. Flaherty (7-0) allowed four hits in six innings, struck out six and walked two to help the Cardinals win a three-game series that featured dominant starting pitching. Burnes (2-3) returned from the injured list after a positive test for coronavirus, which he said left him asymptomatic. He opted against getting vaccinated for what he said were personal reasons. In his first appearance since April 26, Burnes struck out nine among his first 14 outs, giving him 58 strikeouts and no walks this year before he walked Tommy Edman with two outs in the fifth. Alex Reyes remained perfect in 11 save chances by striking out Tyrone Taylor to strand two runners. Nolan Arenado’s two-out single in the first scored Edman. That marked the only... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols was released by the Los Angeles Angels after clearing waivers on Thursday, one week after the 41-year-old star slugger was designated for assignment. Pujols became a free agent and can sign with any team. The Angels remain responsible for his $30 million salary in the final season of a $240 million, 10-year contract. A team signing the first baseman and designated hitter would pay only a prorated share of the $570,500 major league minimum, which would be offset against what the Angels owe him. Pujols is hitting .198 with a .622 OPS this season with five homers and 12 RBIs in 92 plate appearances. He is fifth in major league history with 667 homers and 13th with 3,253 hits. A three-time NL MVP and two-time World Series champion with St. Louis, Pujols has a .298 career average and .921 OPS. He is a 10-time All-Star and had been the oldest active player in the major leagues. Pujols was in a 7-for-43 slump at the time he was cut. He batted .328 with a 1.037 OPS in St. Louis, but hit .256 with a .758 OPS in Anaheim along with 222 homers. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A decade ago, Albert Pujols won his second World Series title with the St. Louis Cardinals. That same year, Justin Verlander was the American League MVP, and Miguel Cabrera won his first of three straight batting titles — the latter two would be accompanied by MVP honors of his own. Time can catch up with any player, of course, and in 2021, that proud trio is in a much different spot. Pujols was designated for assignment Thursday by the Los Angeles Angels, Cabrera is hitting well under .200 for Detroit, and Verlander hasn't pitched at all this year following Tommy John surgery. Pujols, a three-time MVP with the Cardinals, is the oldest of that bunch at age 41. He hasn't been an All-Star since 2015, and now the big question is whether he can find a team willing to give him regular playing time. He's hitting .198 on the season, although five of his 17 hits have been home runs, pushing his career total to 667. Cabrera began the season with a classic opening day highlight, homering in the snow... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout was cooling down after the Los Angeles Angels' game Wednesday night when he was told Albert Pujols was hugging teammates in the locker room. Trout tracked down Pujols inside Angel Stadium and learned the stunning news: His 41-year-old mentor and fellow three-time league MVP was leaving the team early in their 10th season together in Orange County. “I broke down a little bit,” Trout said Friday in his first public comments on the decision. “Just knowing that he’s been here for the whole time I’ve been here, and knowing it could be done just like that.” The superstars' decade-long partnership is over, and Trout is still stunned. The Angels designated Pujols for assignment on Thursday after a late-night meeting between the team's top brass and Pujols, who was disappointed about the prospect of not playing every day for the Halos, and eager to join a new team that would allow him to do so. “It was tough,” Trout said. “I think we were all in shock when the news... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ NOT DONE YET Albert Pujols wants to hook on with a new team and be an everyday player. The 41-year-old superstar was cut Thursday by the Los Angeles Angels, abruptly ending a decade-long stint with his second major league club. He was designated for assignment one day after Pujols, dissatisfied with irregular playing time, had a late-night meeting with general manager Perry Minasian and team president John Carpino. Pujols, batting .198 this season, is determined to play first base regularly for another team after he clears waivers, Angels manager Joe Maddon said. Pujols is fifth in major league history with 667 career homers and 13th with 3,253 hits. “He wants to play, and he wants to be in the field,” Maddon said. “Hopefully he’s going to get that opportunity somewhere else, and believe me, we’re all going to be rooting for him.” The three-time NL MVP for St. Louis was in the final season of a $240 million, 10-year contract with Los... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — José Altuve responded to jeering fans by marking his 31st birthday with a go-ahead, three-run homer off Chad Green in the eighth inning, and the Houston Astros beat the New York Yankees 7-4 on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep. Booed throughout the series by fans getting to express their anger directly at the Astros since their cheating scandal en route to the 2017 World Series title was exposed, Altuve turned on a shoulder-high 96 mph 3-2 pitch and drove it over the left-field scoreboard for a 5-3 lead. Gleyber Torres made an incredible, daring dash for the Yankees, scoring from first base on an infield single, but New York’s five-game winning streak ended. Yordan Álvarez hit a pair of solo homers off Gerrit Cole, who turned a 3-2 lead over to Green (0-3) starting the eighth. After Torres pulled the Yankees within a run in the bottom half, Martín Maldonado hit a two-run homer off Justin Wilson in the ninth, ending a streak of of 75 plate appearances without an RBI. Cole... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Friday: ___ NOT DONE YET Albert Pujols wants to hook on with a new team and keep playing. The 41-year-old superstar was cut Thursday by the Los Angeles Angels, abruptly ending a decade-long stint with his second major league club. He was designated for assignment one day after Pujols, dissatisfied with irregular playing time, had a late-night meeting with general manager Perry Minasian and team president John Carpino. Pujols, batting .198 this season, is determined to play first base regularly for another team after he clears waivers, Angels manager Joe Maddon said. Pujols is fifth in major league history with 667 career homers and 13th with 3,253 hits. “He wants to play, and he wants to be in the field,” Maddon said. “Hopefully he’s going to get that opportunity somewhere else, and believe me, we’re all going to be rooting for him.” The three-time NL MVP for St. Louis was in the final season of a $240 million, 10-year contract with Los Angeles.... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols was cut by the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, abruptly ending the 41-year-old superstar slugger's decade with his second major league team. The Angels surprisingly announced the move to designate Pujols for assignment one day after he wasn't in the lineup for the slumping club's fourth consecutive loss. The decision was made after Pujols, dissatisfied with irregular playing time, had a late-night meeting with general manager Perry Minasian and team president John Carpino. Pujols, who is batting .198 this season, is determined to play first base regularly for another team after he clears waivers, Angels manager Joe Maddon said. Pujols is fifth in major league history with 667 career homers and 13th with 3,253 hits. “He wants to play, and he wants to be in the field,” Maddon said. “Hopefully he’s going to get that opportunity somewhere else, and believe me, we’re all going to be rooting for him.” The three-time NL MVP for St. Louis was in the final season... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols was cut by the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, abruptly ending the 41-year-old superstar slugger's decade with his second major league team. The Angels surprisingly announced the move to designate Pujols for assignment a day after he wasn't in their lineup for the slumping club's fourth consecutive loss. The three-time NL MVP for St. Louis was in the final season of a 10-year, $240 million contract with Los Angeles. Pujols is fifth in major league history with 667 career homers, and the first baseman is 13th in major league history with 3,253 hits. A 10-time All-Star and the oldest active player in the majors, he is batting .198 this season with five homers and 12 RBIs while playing in 24 of the Angels' 29 games. “The Angels organization proudly signed Albert Pujols in 2011, and are honored that he has worn an Angels jersey for nearly half of his Hall of Fame career," Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. "Albert’s historical accomplishments,... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, abruptly ending the 41-year-old superstar slugger's decade with his second major league team. The Angels announced the move a day after Pujols wasn't in their lineup for the slumping club's fourth consecutive loss. He was in the final season of a 10-year, $240 million contract with Los Angeles. Pujols is fifth in major league history with 667 career homers, and the first baseman is 13th in major league history with 3,253 hits. A 10-time All-Star and the oldest active player in the majors, he is batting .198 this season with five homers and 12 RBIs while playing in 24 of the Angels' 29 games. “The Angels organization proudly signed Albert Pujols in 2011, and are honored that he has worn an Angels jersey for nearly half of his Hall of Fame career," Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. "Albert’s historical accomplishments, both on and off the field, serve as an inspiration to... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols has been designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels, abruptly ending the 41-year-old superstar slugger's decade with his second major league team. The Angels announced the move Thursday, a day after Pujols wasn't in their lineup for their fourth consecutive loss. He was in the final season of a 10-year contract with Los Angeles. Pujols is fifth in major league history with 667 career homers, and he is 13th in major league history with 3,253 hits. The oldest active player in the majors, he is batting .198 this season with five homers and 12 RBIs. Pujols joined the Angels in late 2011 after 11 successful seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He won three NL MVP awards and two World Series rings in St. Louis while establishing himself as one of the greatest sluggers of his generation. Angels owner Arte Moreno persuaded Pujols to leave for the West Coast with a lavish $240 million contract, but the Angels have not won a playoff game during the concurrent tenures of Pujols and three-time AL MVP Mike Trout at the heart of their lineup. Pujols hasn't performed at a level commensurate with his pay for many years, although Moreno knew the consequences of such a long contract. Pujols is making $30 million in salary this season in the final year of the deal. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Angels have designated Albert Pujols for assignment, abruptly ending the superstar's decade with the team.

May 4 1869 — Henry Chadwick published his first annual baseball handbook. The book eventually evolved into Spalding’s Official Baseball Guide. 1869 — The Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first all-professional team, played its first regular season game and beat the Great Westerns of Cincinnati 45-9. 1871 — The Fort Wayne Kekiongas beat the Cleveland Forest Citys, 2-0, in the first game played in the National Association. In the 127 games during the 1871 season, there were a total of four shutouts. 1910 — The Browns and Cardinals played home games in St. Louis, and President Taft, not wanting to offend either club, saw parts of each game at Robinson Field and Sportsman’s Park. 1939 — Boston rookie Ted Williams became the first player to hit a home run that cleared the right field seats at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. It was his first at-bat at Detroit. The Red Sox edged the Tigers 7-6. 1944 — Blacks were allowed to buy grandstand seats for the first time in St. Louis history. St. Louis was the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jordan Luplow hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning off Alex Colomé, giving the Cleveland Indians a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins in their series opener Monday night. Luplow’s second career game-ending homer was a leadoff shot that easily cleared the wall in left field, scoring free runner César Hernández from second base. Minnesota fell to 0-5 in extra-inning games. Emmanuel Clase (2-1) worked a perfect inning, helping Cleveland to its second straight win. Luplow was the only batter faced by Colomé (1-3). It was the first of 19 meetings this season between teams that have combined to win the last five AL Central titles. Minnesota is the two-time defending champion. Luis Arraez gave the Twins a 3-2 lead in the eighth when he singled home Jake Cave with two outs, but José Ramírez answered in the bottom half with a homer off Tyler Duffey. ANGELS 9, RANGERS 4 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shohei Ohtani struck out nine after a shaky first inning on the mound, and also scored... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jordan Luplow hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning off Alex Colomé, giving the Cleveland Indians a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins in their series opener Monday night. Luplow’s second career game-ending homer was a leadoff shot that easily cleared the wall in left field, scoring free runner César Hernández from second base. Minnesota fell to 0-5 in extra-inning games. Emmanuel Clase (2-1) worked a perfect inning, helping Cleveland to its second straight win. Luplow was the only batter faced by Colomé (1-3). It was the first of 19 meetings this season between teams that have combined to win the last five AL Central titles. Minnesota is the two-time defending champion. Luis Arraez gave the Twins a 3-2 lead in the eighth when he singled home Jake Cave with two outs, but José Ramírez answered in the bottom half with a homer off Tyler Duffey. ANGELS 9, RANGERS 4 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shohei Ohtani struck out nine after a shaky first inning on the mound, and also scored... [More]