ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves are facing lineup changes after placing second baseman Ozzie Albies and designated hitter Matt Adams on the 10-day injured list.In another move on Wednesday, outfielder Nick Markakis was reinstated from the restricted list. Markakis announced on July 29 that he was returning to the team, three weeks after opting out due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.Albies is batting only .159 after he was held without a hit in Tuesday night's 10-1 win over Toronto. He is in a 2-for-21 slump as he tried to play with a bruised right wrist. The injury led the switch-hitter to bat left-handed against left-hander Anthony Kay in the seventh inning.Adams has been the team's primary designated hitter and has made two starts at first base. He hit a second-inning homer on Tuesday night before leaving the game with a strained left hamstring.Charlie Culberson is making his first start at second base since 2018 in Wednesday night's game against Toronto. Manager Brian Snitker's... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves are facing lineup changes after placing second baseman Ozzie Albies and designated hitter Matt Adams on the 10-day injured list.In another move on Wednesday, outfielder Nick Markakis was reinstated from the restricted list. Markakis announced on July 29 that he was returning to the team, three weeks after opting out due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.Albies is batting only .159 after he was held without a hit in Tuesday night's 10-1 win over Toronto. He is in a 2-for-21 slump as he tried to play with a bruised right wrist. The injury led the switch-hitter to bat left-handed against left-hander Anthony Kay in the seventh inning.Adams has been the team's primary designated hitter and has made two starts at first base. He hit a second-inning homer on Tuesday night before leaving the game with a strained left hamstring.Among manager Brian Snitker's options at second base are Johan Camargo, who replaced Adams as the designated hitter against the... [More]

Braves second. Matt Adams homers to center field. Austin Riley strikes out swinging. Ozzie Albies grounds out to second base, Bo Bichette to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. Tyler Flowers homers to center field. Ender Inciarte grounds out to first base to Vladimir Guerrero Jr..2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Braves 2, Blue jays 0.Blue jays fifth. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubles to shallow left field. Randal Grichuk walks. Danny Jansen pops out to first base to Freddie Freeman. Brandon Drury pops out to second base to Freddie Freeman. Anthony Alford singles to shallow left field. Randal Grichuk to third. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scores. Bo Bichette flies out to deep right field to Ronald Acuna Jr..1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Braves 2, Blue jays 1.Braves fifth. Ronald Acuna Jr. doubles to deep left center field. Dansby Swanson grounds out to second base, Cavan Biggio to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. Ronald Acuna Jr. to third. Freddie Freeman reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Ronald... [More]

Mets third. Amed Rosario singles to deep left field, advances to 3rd. Fielding error by Marcell Ozuna. Brandon Nimmo walks. Michael Conforto singles to left field, advances to 2nd. Brandon Nimmo to third. Amed Rosario scores. Pete Alonso walks. Robinson Cano singles to shallow left field. Pete Alonso to second. Michael Conforto scores. Brandon Nimmo scores. J.D. Davis reaches on a fielder's choice to first base. Robinson Cano out at second. Pete Alonso to third. Dominic Smith walks. J.D. Davis to second. Wilson Ramos singles to center field. Dominic Smith to second. J.D. Davis to third. Pete Alonso scores. Andres Gimenez pops out to first base to Freddie Freeman. Amed Rosario grounds out to shortstop, Johan Camargo to Freddie Freeman.4 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 3 left on. Mets 4, Braves 0.Mets fourth. Brandon Nimmo called out on strikes. Michael Conforto singles to deep right field. Pete Alonso walks. Michael Conforto to second. Robinson Cano singles to center field, advances to 2nd. Pete... [More]

Braves third. Adam Duvall singles to left field. Austin Riley doubles to deep left field. Adam Duvall to third. Adeiny Hechavarria reaches on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Ronald Acuna Jr. walks. Adeiny Hechavarria to second. Austin Riley to third. Adam Duvall scores. Dansby Swanson strikes out swinging. Freddie Freeman grounds out to shallow infield, Amed Rosario to Pete Alonso. Ronald Acuna Jr. to second. Adeiny Hechavarria to third. Austin Riley scores. Marcell Ozuna grounds out to shallow infield, Robinson Cano to Pete Alonso.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Braves 2, Mets 0.Braves fourth. Travis d'Arnaud grounds out to shallow left field, Amed Rosario to Pete Alonso. Johan Camargo homers to left field. Adam Duvall doubles to deep center field. Austin Riley strikes out swinging. Adeiny Hechavarria strikes out on a foul tip.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 3, Mets 0.Braves eighth. Ronald Acuna Jr. doubles to deep right center field. Dansby Swanson grounds out to shallow infield, Drew Smith to Pete Alonso. Freddie Freeman singles to deep right field. Ronald Acuna Jr. scores. Marcell Ozuna flies out to right field to Michael Conforto. Travis d'Arnaud flies out to right field to Michael Conforto.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 4, Mets 0.

Braves first. Ronald Acuna Jr. called out on strikes. Ozzie Albies flies out to left field to Dominic Smith. Freddie Freeman walks. Marcell Ozuna homers to center field. Freddie Freeman scores. Matt Adams strikes out swinging.2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Braves 2, Mets 0.Braves second. Dansby Swanson singles to left field. Johan Camargo strikes out swinging. Ender Inciarte flies out to center field to Brandon Nimmo. Tyler Flowers doubles to deep right field. Dansby Swanson scores. Ronald Acuna Jr. doubles to deep left center field. Tyler Flowers scores. Ozzie Albies singles to shallow center field. Ronald Acuna Jr. scores. Freddie Freeman grounds out to shallow right field, Jeff McNeil to Pete Alonso.3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 5, Mets 0.Mets fifth. Brandon Nimmo walks. Jeff McNeil singles to shallow center field. Brandon Nimmo to second. Pete Alonso strikes out swinging. Michael Conforto singles to center field. Jeff McNeil to second. Brandon Nimmo to third. Robinson... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third straight night, Jordan Montgomery cut up one of the league’s hottest lineups in his 2020 debut and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night in their first home game of the coronavirus-shortened season.Judge took aim at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch in the third, a half-inning after starting a double play from right. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, Chad Green pitched two perfect innings in relief, and Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder closed up shop as New York improved to 5-1.Michael Chavis homered for Boston and Phillips Valdez impressed over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, but the club couldn’t overcome another poor start by Ryan Weber (0-2).There was also a moment of silence for late Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, who died in April. New York is wearing uniform patches with his initials this season.Montgomery (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, limiting the Red Sox to a run,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third straight night, Jordan Montgomery cut up one of the league’s hottest lineups in his 2020 debut and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night in their first home game of the coronavirus-shortened season.Judge took aim at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch in the third, a half-inning after starting a double play from right. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, Chad Green pitched two perfect innings in relief, and Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder closed up shop as New York improved to 5-1.Michael Chavis homered for Boston and Phillips Valdez impressed over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, but the club couldn’t overcome another poor start by Ryan Weber (0-2).There was also a moment of silence for late Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, who died in April. New York is wearing uniform patches with his initials this season.Montgomery (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, limiting the Red Sox to a run,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third straight night, Jordan Montgomery cut up one of the league’s hottest lineups in his 2020 debut and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night in their first home game of the coronavirus-shortened season.Judge took aim at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch in the third, a half-inning after starting a double play from right. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, Chad Green pitched two perfect innings in relief, and Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder closed up shop as New York improved to 5-1.Michael Chavis homered for Boston and Phillips Valdez impressed over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, but the club couldn’t overcome another poor start by Ryan Weber (0-2).There was also a moment of silence for late Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, who died in April. New York is wearing uniform patches with his initials this season.Montgomery (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, limiting the Red Sox to a run,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third straight night, Jordan Montgomery cut up one of the league’s hottest lineups in his 2020 debut and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night in their first home game of the coronavirus-shortened season.Judge took aim at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch in the third, a half-inning after starting a double play from right. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, Chad Green pitched two perfect innings in relief, and Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder closed up shop as New York improved to 5-1.Michael Chavis homered for Boston and Phillips Valdez impressed over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, but the club couldn’t overcome another poor start by Ryan Weber (0-2).There was also a moment of silence for late Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, who died in April. New York is wearing uniform patches with his initials this season.Montgomery (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, limiting the Red Sox to a run,... [More]

Braves first. Ronald Acuna Jr. strikes out swinging. Dansby Swanson grounds out to shortstop, Amed Rosario to Pete Alonso. Freddie Freeman singles to right center field. Marcell Ozuna singles to shallow infield. Freddie Freeman to second. Matt Adams singles to shortstop. Marcell Ozuna to third. Freddie Freeman scores. Travis d'Arnaud singles to center field. Matt Adams to second. Marcell Ozuna scores. Austin Riley grounds out to shallow infield, Amed Rosario to Pete Alonso.2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Braves 2, Mets 0.Mets fourth. Brandon Nimmo called out on strikes. Pete Alonso walks. J.D. Davis homers to center field. Pete Alonso scores. Michael Conforto lines out to left center field to Ender Inciarte. Yoenis Cespedes lines out to shallow infield to Marcell Ozuna.2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Mets 2, Braves 2.Mets fifth. Robinson Cano homers to right field. Wilson Ramos singles to right field. Andres Gimenez singles to shallow infield. Wilson Ramos to second. Amed Rosario... [More]

Braves second. Marcell Ozuna singles to left field. Adam Duvall hit by pitch. Marcell Ozuna to second. Dansby Swanson singles to right field. Adam Duvall to third. Marcell Ozuna scores. Johan Camargo strikes out swinging. Austin Riley out on a sacrifice fly to Hunter Renfroe. Adam Duvall scores. Tyler Flowers called out on strikes.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 2, Rays 0.Rays seventh. Brandon Lowe flies out to deep left field to Austin Riley. Hunter Renfroe grounds out to shortstop, Johan Camargo to Freddie Freeman. Willy Adames doubles to shallow left field. Ji-Man Choi pinch-hitting for Mike Brosseau. Ji-Man Choi singles to shallow infield. Willy Adames scores. Joey Wendle lines out to shortstop to Dansby Swanson.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 2, Rays 1.

Braves third. Ronald Acuna Jr. singles to right field. Ozzie Albies grounds out to shallow infield to Yandy Diaz. Ronald Acuna Jr. to second. Freddie Freeman homers to right field. Ronald Acuna Jr. scores. Marcell Ozuna singles to left field. Matt Adams lines out to center field to Kevin Kiermaier. Travis d'Arnaud called out on strikes.2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 2, Rays 0.Rays fifth. Kevin Kiermaier grounds out to shallow infield, Ozzie Albies to Freddie Freeman. Hunter Renfroe grounds out to shallow left field, Austin Riley to Freddie Freeman. Willy Adames singles to right field. Mike Zunino walks. Willy Adames to second. Brandon Lowe strikes out swinging.1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 left on. Braves 2, Rays 1.Rays sixth. Joey Wendle singles to deep center field. Yandy Diaz walks. Joey Wendle to second. Yoshi Tsutsugo strikes out swinging. Manuel Margot flies out to deep left field to Marcell Ozuna. Kevin Kiermaier singles to center field, advances to 2nd. Yandy Diaz to third.... [More]

Braves third. Ender Inciarte reaches on error. Fielding error by Ji-Man Choi. Alex Jackson doubles to deep left field. Ender Inciarte to third. Ronald Acuna Jr. walks. Ozzie Albies strikes out swinging. Freddie Freeman strikes out swinging. Marcell Ozuna singles to deep left field. Ronald Acuna Jr. to second. Alex Jackson to third. Ender Inciarte scores. Matt Adams pops out to shortstop to Joey Wendle.1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 3 left on. Braves 1, Rays 0.Rays third. Kevin Kiermaier walks. Michael Perez flies out to left field to Marcell Ozuna. Ji-Man Choi strikes out swinging. Brandon Lowe walks. Yandy Diaz walks. Brandon Lowe to second. Kevin Kiermaier to third. Yoshi Tsutsugo singles to deep right center field. Yandy Diaz to third. Brandon Lowe scores. Kevin Kiermaier scores. Jose Martinez singles to left field. Yoshi Tsutsugo to second. Yandy Diaz scores. Joey Wendle singles to shallow center field. Jose Martinez to third. Yoshi Tsutsugo scores. Hunter Renfroe grounds out to shortstop,... [More]

The Washington Nationals are ready to take the field as defending champs.The fans won't be there, but the ballpark will reflect the team's proud status.The Nationals are planning to raise a new 2019 World Series champions flag before Thursday night's opener against the New York Yankees. Other festivities include a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Dr. Anthony Fauci and a previously recorded Presidents Race to be shown during the fourth inning.“We definitely feel a connection with the fans so we’re really going to miss them and we’ll be thinking about them. We’ll be pumping in crowd noise to try to make up the difference,” reliever Sean Doolittle said.“I think opening day, like I said, we’ve got that patch on our uniform sleeve that says world champs. Going out there to start to defend our championship is something we’ve been looking forward to since the end of October," he added.The Nationals also say a Black Lives Matter stencil will appear on the pitcher's mound during games on opening... [More]

The Washington Nationals are ready to take the field as defending champs.The fans won't be there, but the ballpark will reflect the team's proud status.The Nationals are planning to raise a new 2019 World Series champions flag before Thursday night's opener against the New York Yankees. Other festivities include a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Dr. Anthony Fauci and a previously recorded Presidents Race to be shown during the fourth inning.“We definitely feel a connection with the fans so we’re really going to miss them and we’ll be thinking about them. We’ll be pumping in crowd noise to try to make up the difference,” reliever Sean Doolittle said.“I think opening day, like I said, we’ve got that patch on our uniform sleeve that says world champs. Going out there to start to defend our championship is something we’ve been looking forward to since the end of October," he added.The Nationals also say a Black Lives Matter stencil will appear on the pitcher's mound during games on opening... [More]

The Washington Nationals are ready to take the field as defending champs.The fans won't be there, but the ballpark will reflect the team's proud status.The Nationals are planning to raise a new 2019 World Series champions flag before Thursday night's opener against the New York Yankees. Other festivities include a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Dr. Anthony Fauci and a previously recorded Presidents Race to be shown during the fourth inning.“We definitely feel a connection with the fans so we’re really going to miss them and we’ll be thinking about them. We’ll be pumping in crowd noise to try to make up the difference,” reliever Sean Doolittle said.“I think opening day, like I said, we’ve got that patch on our uniform sleeve that says world champs. Going out there to start to defend our championship is something we’ve been looking forward to since the end of October," he added.The Nationals also say a Black Lives Matter stencil will appear on the pitcher's mound during games on opening... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Former Cy Young winner Félix Hernández has opted out of the 2020 season, at least temporarily ending his bid to revive his career with the Atlanta Braves.Braves manager Brian Snitker said Sunday that Hernández, 34, opted out due to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was made after Hernández participated in workouts on Friday and Saturday at Truist Park.The decision came a day after Snitker announced that four-time All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith and two more Atlanta players tested positive for COVID-19. Right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma also had positive tests announced on Saturday.Snitker said Hernández may have realized “it is way, way different” now as players must deal with the concerns of trying to start the season during the pandemic.“Everybody told him it would be, but until you live it I don’t think you know it,” Snitker said. "As tests come in and outbreaks and things like that, I think it’s just human nature... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — As he searched for the best things Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis brings to the team, bench coach Walt Weiss shared several.Highly credible. Strong, quiet leader. One of the most respected players in baseball. Humble. Calming force.But you could tell Weiss had something else on his mind.And then he said it."He's one of those guys that's the conscience of the team," Weiss said.Markakis made some of the strongest comments this spring about the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.The soundbite — "I feel every single guy over there deserves a beating" — is what most people heard. But his other comments on how this affected baseball's integrity spoke more about what Markakis is about."I know we're all competitors, we're out to compete, but there are right ways to do it and wrong ways to do it. I 100% disagree the way with the way they did it. A lot of people were hurt by it."Weiss wasn't surprised by what Markakis said. "That fire runs pretty deep," he said."When... [More]

NORTH PORT, Fla. (AP) — Nothing like a little encouragement from Hammerin' Hank himself to show the way at spring training for the Atlanta Braves.The Braves welcomed Hall of Fame slugger Hank Aaron to their first full-squad workout and named a street for him at their new complex Tuesday, starting off a season full of high expectations."It's awesome, we're so appreciative," manager Brian Snitker said. "We talked in the winter of him coming down. I told the guys and Hank we'd like to have him around more."The two-time NL East champions intend to put some pressure on themselves this year.The Braves signed outfielder Marcell Ozuna, starting pitcher Cole Hamels and reliever Will Smith in the offseason, and gave contract extensions to general manager Alex Anthopolous, Snitker and his coaching staff.That's all intended to boost a team that went 97-65 last season, but lost to Ozuna and the St. Louis Cardinals in a five-game Division Series.Atlanta hasn't won a playoff series since 2001, with one-and-done... [More]