NEW YORK (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Friday night. Jonathan India went deep twice for the Reds, including a leadoff shot that came on Carlos Carrasco’s first pitch with the Mets. Acquired from Cleveland in January, the veteran right-hander finally made his New York debut after recovering from a hamstring injury. It was an up-and-down day for the Mets, who made a big deal to get Javier Báez from the Chicago Cubs before baseball’s trade deadline — and then revealed injured ace Jacob deGrom will be shut down for two more weeks because of inflammation in his pitching elbow, making it unlikely he’ll rejoin the NL East leaders before September. Báez was acquired from the Cubs along with right-hander Trevor Williams for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft. Báez is expected to join the Mets on Saturday and will play shortstop... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Javier Báez got his wish: He's headed to New York to play with Francisco Lindor. But first, the Mets are counting on their big-name newcomer to replace his good buddy at shortstop for a while. With the trade deadline fast approaching Friday, the Mets acquired Báez and pitcher Trevor Williams from the Chicago Cubs for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong. Báez, a two-time All-Star and 2020 Gold Glove winner, gives New York an immediate fill-in for Lindor. The star shortstop, obtained from Cleveland in a blockbuster deal last winter, is sidelined with a strained oblique and not expected back until at least mid-to-late August. “I’m super excited. I couldn’t be happier," Lindor said. "I can’t wait for him to come out here and put on a show for everybody.” Báez, who can become a free agent after the season, is batting .248 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs. He has a .775 OPS and 13 stolen bases in 16 tries, but also leads the National League with 131 strikeouts. He's made 18 errors... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Friday night. Jonathan India went deep twice for the Reds, including a leadoff shot that came on Carlos Carrasco’s first pitch with the Mets. Acquired from Cleveland in January, the veteran right-hander finally made his New York debut after recovering from a hamstring injury. It was an up-and-down day for the Mets, who made a big deal to get Javier Báez from the Chicago Cubs before baseball’s trade deadline — and then revealed injured ace Jacob deGrom will be shut down for two more weeks because of inflammation in his pitching elbow, making it unlikely he’ll rejoin the NL East leaders before September. Báez was acquired from the Cubs along with right-hander Trevor Williams for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft. Báez is expected to join the Mets on Saturday and will play shortstop... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Friday night. Jonathan India went deep twice for the Reds, including a leadoff shot that came on Carlos Carrasco’s first pitch with the Mets. Acquired from Cleveland in January, the veteran right-hander finally made his New York debut after recovering from a hamstring injury. It was an up-and-down day for the Mets, who made a big deal to get Javier Báez from the Chicago Cubs before baseball’s trade deadline — and then revealed injured ace Jacob deGrom will be shut down for two more weeks because of inflammation in his pitching elbow, making it unlikely he’ll rejoin the NL East leaders before September. Báez was acquired from the Cubs along with right-hander Trevor Williams for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft. Báez is expected to join the Mets on Saturday and will play shortstop... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Saturday: ___ EIGHT IS ENOUGH Joey Votto has homered in seven straight games and the Cincinnati Reds star can match a major league record by going deep against the New York Mets. Votto connected for a solo shot to center field off Mets reliever Drew Smith during Cincinnati's 6-2 victory Friday night at Citi Field. The six-time All-Star and 2010 NL MVP became the eighth player to homer in at least seven straight games and first since Kendrys Morales did it for the Toronto Blue Jays in August 2018. Dale Long (1956), Don Mattingly (1987) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1993) are the only players to go deep in eight consecutive games. Votto has nine homers and 15 RBIs during his streak, which began last Saturday and includes just one hit that wasn’t a home run — an infield single against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. ___ REVISED ROSTERS Plenty of big-name players are in different uniforms this weekend after a whirlwind of activity before MLB's trade deadline... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Javier Báez got his wish: He's headed to New York to play with longtime pal Francisco Lindor. But first, the Mets are counting on their big-name newcomer to hold down the fort at shortstop for a while. With the trade deadline fast approaching Friday, the Mets acquired Báez and pitcher Trevor Williams from the Chicago Cubs for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong. Báez, a two-time All-Star and 2020 Gold Glove winner, gives New York an immediate fill-in for Lindor. The star shortstop, obtained from Cleveland in a blockbuster deal last winter, is sidelined with a strained oblique and not expected back until at least mid-to-late August. Báez, who can become a free agent after the season, is batting .248 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs. He has a .775 OPS and 13 stolen bases in 16 tries, but also leads the National League with 131 strikeouts. He has made 18 errors in 88 games. “We think he adds a lot — brings a ton of energy to our team," Mets acting general manager Zack Scott... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets acquired flashy shortstop Javier Báez and pitcher Trevor Williams from the Chicago Cubs on Friday for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong. Báez, a two-time All-Star and 2020 Gold Glove winner, gives the NL East leaders an immediate fill-in for injured buddy Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Lindor is sidelined with a strained oblique and isn't expected back until at least mid-to-late August. Báez, who can become a free agent after the season, is batting .248 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs. He has a .775 OPS and 13 stolen bases in 16 tries, but also leads the National League with 131 strikeouts. He has made 18 errors in 88 games. When Lindor returns, Báez could move to second base or third. Williams also is a significant part of the deal for the Mets, who were eager to reinforce a thin starting rotation depleted by injuries. The right-hander is 4-2 with a 5.06 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) this season, his first with the Cubs after spending his first five years... [More]

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (oblique) was seen playing catch on the field on Friday, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Lindor landed on the injured list two weeks ago with a Grade 2 oblique strain, and is expected to require four to six weeks to fully recover, which would place his return at mid-to-late August. This is the first baseball activity Lindor has been seen doing since the injury, so this is a step in the right direction for him. With the acquisition today of Javier Baez, the Mets now have someone to fill in at shortstop until Lindor can return.

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ CLOCK IS TICKING Ace Max Scherzer and star shortstop Trea Turner could be moving from the Washington Nationals to the Los Angeles Dodgers as the 4 p.m. EDT trade deadline approaches. The Dodgers and Nationals were close to deal late Thursday night after a day full of trades. Washington sent slugger Kyle Schwarber to Boston, closer Brad Hand to Toronto and reliever Daniel Hudson to San Diego. The New York Yankees acquired Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo after completing another trade to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers. Already with an eight-game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox acquired second baseman Cesar Hernandez from the Indians, and then got reliever Ryan Tepera from the Cubs. Left-hander Danny Duffy went from Kansas City to the Dodgers. Seattle got right-hander Diego Castillo from Tampa Bay Rays, and he likely will take over the closer role vacated when the Mariners... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors on Friday: ___ CLOCK IS TICKING Time is running out for playoff contenders to bolster their rosters through a trade, and there likely will be more players changing teams before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was among those still on the trading block. The right-hander made what might have been his last start for the Washington Nationals, allowing one run and three hits in six innings to win the the opener of a doubleheader Thursday. He then watched the second game against Philadelphia from the dugout. There was a lot of movement Thursday, with the selling Nationals sending closer Brad Hand to Toronto. Shortstop Trea Turner, currently out because of COVID-19 protocols, could also be headed out of Washington. The New York Yankees acquired Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo after completing another trade to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers. Already with an eight-game lead over Cleveland... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians probably can't catch the Chicago White Sox, so they're helping their AL Central rival. Cleveland traded second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the first-place White Sox on Thursday for minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington — a move that signals the Indians are conceding the division. “We made the trade that we felt made the most sense for us and this is the direction we went,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. "Just as we tried to be realistic in assessing where we are, we’re going to continue to do our best to win as many games as possible. “But the reality is the White Sox are a number of games in front of us and we’re intent on improving. If they didn’t acquire Cesar, we were pretty confident they were going to acquire another talented player from another team.” The White Sox, who lead the Indians by 8 1/2 games and open a series with them Friday, have been in the market for a second baseman since starter Nick Madrigal suffered a... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians probably can't catch the Chicago White Sox, so they're helping their AL Central rival. Cleveland traded second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the first-place White Sox on Thursday for minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington — a move that signals the Indians are conceding the division. “We made the trade that we felt made the most sense for us and this is the direction we went,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. "Just as we tried to be realistic in assessing where we are, we’re going to continue to do our best to win as many games as possible. “But the reality is the White Sox are a number of games in front of us and we’re intent on improving. If they didn’t acquire Cesar, we were pretty confident they were going to acquire another talented player from another team.” The White Sox, who lead the Indians by 8 1/2 games and open a series with them Friday, have been in the market for a second baseman since starter Nick Madrigal suffered a... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians probably can't catch the Chicago White Sox, so they're helping their AL Central rival. Cleveland traded second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the first-place White Sox on Thursday for minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington. The White Sox, who lead the Indians by 8 1/2 games and open a series with them Friday, have been in the market for a second baseman since starter Nick Madrigal suffered a season-ending hamstring tear June 10. In Hernandez, Chicago is getting a Gold Glove defender who can bat leadoff and drive in runs for manager Tony La Russa. The 31-year-old Hernandez is hitting .231 in his second season with the Indians with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 96 games. "Cesar Hernández provides our club with a valuable combination of a power bat in the middle infield and Gold-Glove quality defense,” Chicago general manager Rick Hahn said. “Adding a player like Cesar gives Tony a strong and proven option at second base for the stretch run of the season and hopefully... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians probably can't catch the Chicago White Sox, so they're helping their AL Central rival. Cleveland traded second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the first-place White Sox on Thursday in return for minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington. The White Sox, who lead the Indians by 8 1/2 games and open a series with them on Friday, have been in the market for a second baseman since starter Nick Madrigal suffered a season-ending hamstring tear on June 10. In Hernandez, Chicago is getting a Gold Glove defender who can bat leadoff and drive in runs. The 31-year-old Hernandez is hitting .231 in his second season with the Indians with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 96 games. Hernandez has always been viewed as the player most likely to be dealt before Friday's deadline because of the Indians' depth with middle infielders. Andrés Giménez, who was acquired from the Mets in the offseason as part of the Francisco Lindor deal, is ready at Triple-A and Owen Miller, Tyler Freeman and... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians are finalizing a trade that will send second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The Indians are getting minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington from the White Sox, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams are still working through details. The left-hander has pitched in Double-A this season. ESPN was first to report the agreement. The trading deadline is Friday, when Cleveland opens a three-game series in Chicago. The decision to deal the 31-year-old Hernandez to their division rival signals a concession by the Indians, who have managed to stay around .500 despite a slew of injuries. They're currently without reigning Cy Young winner Shane Bieber because of a shoulder issue and starter Aaron Civale, who was leading the league in wins earlier this season before hurting his finger in a start against the Cubs. Hernandez... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets newcomer Rich Hill is expected to make his debut for the NL East leaders on Sunday when New York plays Toronto at Citi Field. Mets manager Luis Rojas said Hill would arrive at the ballpark before Saturday night's game against the Blue Jays and throw on the side. The Mets acquired the 41-year-old left-hander in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday for veteran pitcher Tommy Hunter and minor league catcher Matthew Dyer. Hill went 6-4 with a 3.87 ERA in 19 starts for the Rays this season. He faced Toronto on July 11 and gave up three runs on four hits and three walks in five innings. Hill will be a much-needed addition to a starting rotation that has been depleted by injuries, most notably ace Jacob deGrom being on the 10-day injured list with tightness in his right forearm. Left-handed David Peterson had been expected to return sometime in August after being sidelined with an oblique strain, but the Mets announced Saturday they were moving him to he 60-day IL after... [More]

In a matchup between two of the American League's top teams, Lucas Giolito and Carlos Rod�n helped the Chicago White Sox fight back against Houston's powerful offense. Giolito pitched a three-hitter in Chicago's 10-1 victory Saturday, then Rod�n allowed one hit in seven innings Sunday as the White Sox blanked Houston 4-0. Those two victories came after the Astros swept a four-game series against the White Sox last month and beat Chicago 7-1 on Friday night. The White Sox (56-36) now have the best record in the American League, and they lead the AL Central by eight games. Houston (56-38) has a 3 1/2-game advantage atop the AL West. The Astros lead the major leagues in runs despite Alex Bregman's injury problems and George Springer's offseason departure. Houston finished the 2020 regular season with a sub-.500 record but still came within a victory of reaching the World Series thanks to the expanded playoffs. The Astros again look formidable this year. If they face Chicago in the playoffs,... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: SUSPENSION AFTER SHOOTING The San Diego Padres and Washington will resume their game after it was suspended because of a shooting outside Nationals Park. The game Saturday night was halted in the sixth inning with the Padres ahead 8-4. The shooting caused echoes of gunfire inside the stadium and prompted many fans to clear the seats and sent some scrambling for safety in the San Diego dugout. The shooting, an exchange of gunfire between people in two cars, left three people injured, according to Ashan Benedict, the Metropolitan Police Department’s executive assistant police chief. One of the people who was shot was a woman who was attending the game and who was struck while she was outside the stadium, he said. Her injuries weren’t considered life-threatening. Two people who were in one of the cars later walked into a local hospital with gunshot wounds and were being questioned by investigators, Benedict said, and the extent of their injuries... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Sunday: SUSPENSION AFTER SHOOTING The San Diego Padres and Washington will resume their game after it was suspended because of a shooting outside Nationals Park. The game Saturday night was halted in the sixth inning with the Padres ahead 8-4. The shooting caused echoes of gunfire inside the stadium and prompted many fans to clear the seats and sent some scrambling for safety in the San Diego dugout. The shooting, an exchange of gunfire between people in two cars, left three people injured, according to Ashan Benedict, the Metropolitan Police Department’s executive assistant police chief. One of the people who was shot was a woman who was attending the game and who was struck while she was outside the stadium, he said. Her injuries weren’t considered life-threatening. Two people who were in one of the cars later walked into a local hospital with gunshot wounds and were being questioned by investigators, Benedict said, and the extent of their... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The game between the San Diego Padres and Washington was suspended in the sixth inning Saturday night after police said there was a shooting outside Nationals Park. The shooting, an exchange of gunfire between people in two cars, left three people injured, according to Ashan Benedict, the Metropolitan Police Department’s executive assistant police chief. One of the people who was shot was a woman who was attending the game and who was struck while she was outside the stadium, he said. Her injuries weren’t considered life-threatening. Two people who were in one of the cars later walked into a local hospital with gunshot wounds and were being questioned by investigators, Benedict said, and the extent of their injuries wasn’t immediately clear. Investigators were still trying to locate the second vehicle involved in the shooting. The gunshots caused panic among fans inside the stadium, some of whom ducked for cover, hiding underneath tables and behind seats as announcers... [More]