Neil Walker became the latest free agent to take a big pay cut as opening day approaches, joining the New York Yankees on Monday with a one-year deal for $4 million.The veteran infielder made $17.2 million last season while playing for the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers. He can earn $1 million in performance bonuses this year.The 32-year-old Walker hit .265 with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs last season, then became a free agent. He will likely start at second base, giving prospects Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar more time to mature in the minor leagues."It's certainly a crazy offseason, but more than anything my hope was that I'd land somewhere that's going to be competitive and have a chance to win," Walker said. "I'm happy to be here, happy to be on a contending team."Starting pitcher Lance Lynn got right to work with Minnesota after finalizing his $12 million, one-year deal. He turned down a $17.4 million offer to stay with St. Louis, and looked for a richer contract in free agency.Lynn... [More]

Giancarlo Stanton got off to a sunny start at a new position for the New York Yankees.Making his first start in left field for his new team, the NL MVP lost two flyballs in the sun and both fell for hits Sunday in a 9-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.Stanton never played left field in his eight seasons with the Marlins, instead spending his time in right.Asked how someone should work on catching balls in the glare, the smiling slugger said: "Get sun vision gloves, see right through the sun."AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES:ORIOLES 10, RED SOX 8Adam Jones hit a pair of RBI doubles and a single and Manny Machado added a two-run double for Baltimore. Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers hit back-to-back homers for Boston off Gabriel Ynoa, who allowed six runs in two innings.The Orioles announced first baseman Chris Davis had an MRI on his sore right elbow and no structural damage was found. Manager Buck Showalter estimated Davis would be out another three to five days. Showalter also noted... [More]

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Chase Utley appears headed back to the Los Angeles Dodgers.The free-agent infielder's gloves and cleats were in the Dodgers' clubhouse on Tuesday, and mail addressed to him was in a dressing stall."We're hopeful," manager Dave Roberts said. "Chase is great. I'll talk more about him, maybe in a couple of days."The 39-year-old second baseman, a six-time All-Star, hit .236 last year for the Dodgers with eight homers and 34 RBIs in 309 at-bats. Acquired from Philadelphia in August 2015, he signed a $7 million deal for the following season and had a $2 million base salary last season, when he earned an additional $250,000 in bonuses.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Matt Kemp arrived early Tuesday to a Dodgers clubhouse he already knows and to a team he believes he can help win the World Series — if he gets the chance to stick around.Kemp, back in the Dodgers spring-training complex at Camelback Ranch for the first time since 2014, looked comfortable and confident in his return to his original major-league team."I got a lot left in me," said Kemp, a former All-Star outfielder who was in camp six days before the reporting date for position players.Maybe there's enough left, Kemp said, for the Dodgers to win the title that eluded them last fall against Houston in Game 7."I can help this team win," he said. "I feel strong, ready to go. I'm older, but I've got a lot to offer, a lot of knowledge. Nobody really knows what their role is, but I'm here to win. I know I can be in this lineup, can help us win, prove to everybody I can still play defense. We all got something to prove every year. It's a fresh start. Why not do it back where... [More]

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Chase Utley appears headed back to the Los Angeles Dodgers.The free-agent infielder's gloves and cleats were in the Dodgers clubhouse on Tuesday and mail addressed to him was in a dressing stall."We're hopeful," manager Dave Roberts said. "Chase is great. I'll talk more about him, maybe in a couple of days."The 39-year-old second baseman, a six-time All-Star, hit .236 last year for the Dodgers with eight homers and 34 RBIs in 309 at-bats. Acquired from Philadelphia in August 2015, he signed a $7 million deal for the following season and had a $2 million base salary last season, when he earned an additional $250,000 in bonuses.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

A team-by-team look at the National League West entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Los Angeles DodgersManager: Dave Roberts (third season).2017: 104-58, first place, lost to Houston in World Series.Training Town: Glendale, Arizona.Park: Camelback Ranch.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: OF Matt Kemp, RHP Tom Koehler.He's Outta Here: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Yu Darvish, LHP Scott Kazmir, RHP Brandon McCarthy, INF Charlie Culberson, OF Curtis Granderson, 2B Chase Utley, OF Andre Ethier.Going campin': The Dodgers returned to the World Series for the first time since winning it in 1988, only to lose to Houston in seven games. They topped 100 wins while earning a fifth straight NL West title. Clayton Kershaw is one of the elite pitchers in the game, a seven-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner. He begins the season with 144 career victories, 21 shy of Sandy... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Playing meaningful games in September seems attainable for the Philadelphia Phillies.That's a big step forward for a team with five straight losing seasons. Philadelphia won only 66 games in 2017 and finished last in the NL East for a third time in four years.A decade after winning the franchise's second World Series title, the Phillies have a solid group of young players ready to make summers at the ballpark fun again the way Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins did from 2007-11.Slugger Rhys Hoskins, shortstop J.P. Crawford, outfielder Nick Williams and catcher Jorge Alfaro proved they belonged in the majors and will get a chance to showcase their talent over a full season.Outfielders Odubel Herrera and Aaron Altherr and second baseman Cesar Hernandez have been productive for a few years. Veteran first baseman Carlos Santana got big money in free agency to complete a lineup that has a chance to be dynamic.It will be up to new manager Gabe Kapler to maximize their... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers' bid to win their first World Series in 29 years came up short in a Game 7 loss to Houston. They seek to take the final step to an elusive championship this season with the roster mostly intact and an eye on the future.Certainly, Los Angeles has to be considered the favorite to win a sixth consecutive NL West title.The Dodgers' farm system remains deep and the team has the talent and depth to withstand injuries during a 162-game season. Their $243 million payroll was baseball's biggest last year and they made a move this winter to dump salary in preparation for 2019, when the free agent market will be loaded.___Some things to watch for as the Dodgers open spring training in Glendale, Arizona:NEW LOOKThe Dodgers sent 1B Adrian Gonzalez, pitchers Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy, and utility man Charlie Culberson, along with $4.5 million, to Atlanta for OF Matt Kemp, a former Dodger who could be traded or released. The move freed up a huge amount of salary,... [More]

2B Chase Utley, the former Phillies' standout, was 0-for-3 on Thursday. He was 2-for-11 with a triple and an RBI in the Dodgers' four-game series in Philadelphia. He is now 5-for-24 with two home runs, a triple and six RBIs at Citizens Bank Park as an opposing player. Utley moved from second base to first base in the second inning Thursday.

2B Chase Utley, who walked up to an ovation at his former home ballpark, had a pinch-hit triple in the seventh inning Wednesday. It was Utley's fourth triple of the season and the 57th of his 15-year major league career.

2B Chase Utley returned to Philadelphia for the second series since leaving the team for which he played parts of 13 seasons. Utley, who was greeted with a long ovation, didn't quite have the return he did last season, when he homered twice in his first game back. Utley was 0-for-2 with two strikeouts before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh.

2B Chase Utley homered into the San Francisco Bay in Tuesday's win over the San Francisco Giants. The "Splash Hit" was the first of his career and only the 41st by a Giants opponent in the 18-year history of AT&T Park. The homer was Utley's eighth of the season.

2B Chase Utley was lifted for a pinch hitter without having any previous at-bats in the Dodgers' Monday loss to the Giants. The left-handed hitter was in the starting lineup against Giants RHP Chris Stratton, who was pulled one batter into the game following a long rain delay. By the time Utley's spot in the order (eighth) came up, the Giants' pitcher was LHP Ty Blach, which prompted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to switch to right-handed-hitting 2B Logan Forsythe. Forsythe finished with a hit and a walk in four plate appearances.

INF Chase Utley had two of the Dodgers' five hits Saturday against Milwaukee, giving him 11 multi-hit games this season, while paying mostly in a reserve role. In his last 14 home games, Utley is 12-for-36 (.333) with seven runs scored and four doubles.

2B Chase Utley re-entered the lineup after not receiving a starting nod Tuesday. He went 0-for-4, but made an impact in the eighth inning, when he temporarily kept LHP Rich Hill's perfect-game attempt alive. Pirates 1B Josh Bell sharply struck a ball toward center field, but Utley robbed him with a diving catch.

2B Chase Utley became the ninth active player with 1,000 career RBIs after a RBI double Friday night. The stoic infielder said the milestone meant "I played on a lot of great teams." Utley ranks in the top three in several categories among active second baseman -- first in triples, second in home runs and RBI, and third in runs and hits.

UTIL Chase Utley started at first base for the ninth time this season and 34th of his 15-year career. He went 0-for-3 in the leadoff spot and remains one RBI shy of 1,000 for his career.

INF Chase Utley had a season-high three hits, finished with a 3-for-4 outing. Utley has reached base in 11 of the past 15 games. Since May 25, he is hitting .341 with three homers, three doubles, one triple and eight RBIs.

INF Chase Utley remained a force hitting at the top of the lineup. Utley went 1-for-3 with a walk and one of the few Dodgers who avoided being a strikeout victim to RHP Max Scherzer. Utley has hit safely in 10 of his past 13 games, hittin .324 with three home runs, a triple and seven RBIs since May 25.

2B Chase Utley went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI Tuesday, finishing a homer shy of the cycle. Utley became the oldest visiting player to triple in Busch Stadium since Milwaukee's Craig Counsell did it in 2011 when Utley led off the second innings with a liner to left-center. Utley has also knocked in a run during the last five games, tying C Yasmani Grandal for the team lead.