NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees have let Tommy Kahnle become a free agent rather than allow him to become eligible for salary arbitration ahead of a season he is likely to largely miss while recovering from Tommy John surgery. New York said Saturday that the hard-throwing 31-year-old right-hander had refused an outright assignment to the minor leagues and elected to become a free agent, Kahnle’s right as a player with at least three years of major league service. Kahnle has 5 years, 131 days of major league service and despite the injury would have been likely to get a raise after making $2.65 million last season. He had Tommy John surgery on Aug. 4 with Yankees head physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad and is likely to return in late 2021 or at the start of the 2022 season. His absence was a factor in the Yankees' loss to Tampa Bay in the AL Division Series, when Aroldis Chapman gave up a go-ahead home run to Mike Brosseau in the eighth inning of Game 5. Kahnle had been one of five key... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees have let Tommy Kahnle become a free agent rather than allow him to become eligible for salary arbitration ahead of a season he is likely to largely miss while recovering from Tommy John surgery. New York said Saturday that the hard-throwing 31-year-old right-hander had refused an outright assignment to the minor leagues and elected to become a free agent, Kahnle’s right as a player with at least three years of major league service. Kahnle has 5 years, 131 days of major league service and despite the injury would have been likely to get a raise after making $2.65 million last season. He had Tommy John surgery on Aug. 4 with Yankees head physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad and is likely to return in late 2021 or at the start of the 2022 season. His absence was a factor in the Yankees' loss to Tampa Bay in the AL Division Series, when Aroldis Chapman gave up a go-ahead home run to Kevin Brosseau in the eighth inning of Game 5. Kahnle had been one of five key... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Manager Kevin Cash and the Tampa Bay Rays introduced the concept of an opener to modern baseball two years ago. With a chance to close out their AL Division Series against the Yankees on Thursday night, they were bitten by their own creation. The Rays fell behind in the second inning of Game 4 and never caught up after rookie opener Ryan Thompson gave up two hits, three walks and two runs over 1 2/3 innings in just his second career start. The Rays couldn't come back in a 5-1 loss in San Diego, their homer-happy lineup limited to just three hits by a sublime collective pitching performance from the Yankees. But just as New York almost certainly regretted using an opener in Game 2 when Deivi García and J.A. Happ both got tagged, the Rays are probably wishing they had simply allowed Ryan Yarbrough to start instead of opening with Thompson, a 28-year-old right-handed reliever appearing in his third career playoff game. Game 5 is likely to be much less complicated: Although... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The final pitch of Masahiro Tanaka's seven years with the New York Yankees might have been a slider down the middle that Randy Arozarena crushed for another Rays homer in Game 3 of the AL Division Series. Although Tanaka and the Yankees aren't officially done with the playoffs or each other, they're on the brink after Tampa Bay's 8-4 victory Wednesday night at Petco Park to put the Rays up 2-1 in the best-of-five series. That errant slider was far from the only mistake made by the Yankees' pitching staff during back-to-back losses to the Rays, who have forced their bitter AL East rivals into two must-win games in San Diego. New York has yielded 15 runs and 21 hits in its two losses to Tampa Bay, including an outburst of impressive power from a team that ranked 14th in the majors in homers during the regular season. Michael Perez’s two-run shot off Chad Green in the sixth was the seventh homer given up by the Yankees’ pitching staff in a 15-inning stretch. What's more, the... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-five playoff series between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in San Diego beginning Monday: ___ Season Series: Rays won 8-2. ___ NEW YORK YANKEES Record: 33-27. Playoff Entry: second place, AL East. Playoff Seed: No. 5. Manager: Aaron Boone (third season). Projected Rotation: RHP Gerrit Cole (7-3, 2.84 ERA, 94 Ks), RHP Masahiro Tanaka (3-3, 3.56, 44 Ks), LHP J.A. Happ (2-2, 3.47, 42 Ks), RHP Deivi Garc�a (3-2, 4.98, 33 Ks in 34 1/3 IP as rookie). Top Hitters: 1B Luke Voit (.277, major league-leading 22 HRs, 52 RBIs), 2B DJ LeMahieu (major league-leading .364, 10, 27, 41 runs, 10 doubles, 1.011 OPS). Top Relievers: LHP Aroldis Chapman (1-1, 3.09 ERA, 3 saves), LHP Zack Britton (1-2, 1.89, 8 saves). RHP Chad Green (3-3, 3.51, 1 save, 32 K in 25 2/3 IP). Series Summary: The Yankees are in the playoffs for the fourth straight year but still looking for their first pennant since winning the 2009 World Series. ... Favored to win the AL East, the Yankees alternated... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Bregman singled in the go-ahead run during a five-run ninth inning, and the Astros rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 under smoky skies Saturday night in Houston’s first visit since the infamous 2017 World Series.The Dodgers blew a three-run lead in the ninth when Kenley Jansen (3-1) got knocked around, giving up four consecutive hits without an out.Josh James (1-0) got the victory with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Ryan Pressly earned his ninth save.The game lacked the fiery emotion of the teams’ matchup on July 29. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago.A plane towed a banner reading “Houston Cheats Bang Bang” over the stadium.WHITE SOX 14, TIGERS 0CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu hit two three-run homers and matched a career high with seven RBIs, and the White Sox earned their eighth straight win against the Tigers.Abreu went 4 for 4 a day after his career-best 22-game... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Bregman singled in the go-ahead run during a five-run ninth inning, and the Astros rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 under smoky skies Saturday night in Houston’s first visit since the infamous 2017 World Series.The Dodgers blew a three-run lead in the ninth when Kenley Jansen (3-1) got knocked around, giving up four consecutive hits without an out.Josh James (1-0) got the victory with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Ryan Pressly earned his ninth save.The game lacked the fiery emotion of the teams’ matchup on July 29. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago.A plane towed a banner reading “Houston Cheats Bang Bang” over the stadium.WHITE SOX 14, TIGERS 0CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu hit two three-run homers and matched a career high with seven RBIs, and the White Sox earned their eighth straight win against the Tigers.Abreu went 4 for 4 a day after his career-best 22-game... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Voit hit a game-ending sacrifice fly leading off the 10th inning, and the New York Yankees beat Baltimore 2-1 Saturday to open a 4 1/2-game lead over the Orioles for the American League’s eighth and final playoff berth.With DJ LeMahieu starting the inning as the automatic runner on second, Hunter Harvey (0-2) bounced a wild pitch that advanced LeMahieu. Baltimore brought the field in.Voit, hitting in shadows, worked the count to 2-2, fouled off three pitches and hit a fly ball to center fielder Cedric Mullins for his 37th RBI. LeMahieu scored without a throw.A day after sweeping a doubleheader from the Orioles, New York (25-21) won its fourth straight game and closed in on Toronto (24-20) for second place in the AL East.Jonathan Holder (2-0) combined with Jordan Montgomery, Chad Green, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman on a four-hitter.RANGERS 5, ATHLETICS 2, GAME 1ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rougned Odor and Ronald Guzman homered during Texas' five-run first inning, and... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Voit hit a game-ending sacrifice fly leading off the 10th inning, and the New York Yankees beat Baltimore 2-1 Saturday to open a 4 1/2-game lead over the Orioles for the American League’s eighth and final playoff berth.With DJ LeMahieu starting the inning as the automatic runner on second, Hunter Harvey (0-2) bounced a wild pitch that advanced LeMahieu. Baltimore brought the field in.Voit, hitting in shadows, worked the count to 2-2, fouled off three pitches and hit a fly ball to center fielder Cedric Mullins for his 37th RBI. LeMahieu scored without a throw.A day after sweeping a doubleheader from the Orioles, New York (25-21) won its fourth straight game and closed in on Toronto (24-20) for second place in the AL East.Jonathan Holder (2-0) combined with Jordan Montgomery, Chad Green, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman on a four-hitter.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Yankees first. DJ LeMahieu doubles to deep left center field. Luke Voit lines out to deep right field to DJ Stewart. DJ LeMahieu to third. Aaron Hicks walks. Clint Frazier out on a sacrifice fly to deep right field to DJ Stewart. DJ LeMahieu scores. Gleyber Torres singles to center field. Aaron Hicks to second. Brett Gardner flies out to deep center field to Cedric Mullins.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Yankees 1, Orioles 0.Orioles sixth. Hanser Alberto singles to deep center field, advances to 2nd. Fielding error by Brett Gardner. Jose Iglesias lines out to deep right field to Mike Tauchman. Hanser Alberto to third. Ryan Mountcastle singles to shallow center field. Hanser Alberto scores. Pedro Severino flies out to right field to Mike Tauchman. Renato Nunez grounds out to shallow infield, Chad Green to Luke Voit.1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 left on. Orioles 1, Yankees 1.Yankees tenth. Luke Voit out on a sacrifice fly to deep center field to Cedric Mullins. DJ LeMahieu scores.1 run, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Yankees 2, Orioles 1.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chad Green and Adam Ottavino were routed during a 10-run sixth inning that included Danny Jansen’s grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Yankees 12-7 Monday night and send skidding New York to its sixth loss in seven games.New York has lost four straight and 14 of 19, dropping into third place in the AL East, two games behind second-place Toronto and 6 1/2 back of Tampa Bay. At 21-20 overall following a 16-6 start, the Yankees have dropped into the AL’s eighth and final playoff position.With general manager Brian Cashman making a rare road trip, New York led 6-2 when Green replaced Jonathan Holder going to the bottom of the sixth. Green, Ottavino (2-3) and Luis Cessa needed 67 pitches and 43 minutes to get three outs. New York had not allowed 10 runs in an inning since CC Sabathia and Esmil Rogers were hit hard in the third inning of a 15-4 loss to Texas on May 23, 2015.Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) won despite a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Hicks in the sixth... [More]

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chad Green and Adam Ottavino were routed during a 10-run sixth inning that included Danny Jansen’s grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Yankees 12-7 Monday night and send skidding New York to its sixth loss in seven games.New York has lost four straight and 14 of 19, dropping into third place in the AL East, two games behind second-place Toronto and 6 1/2 back of Tampa Bay. At 21-20 overall following a 16-6 start, the Yankees have dropped into the AL’s eighth and final playoff position.With general manager Brian Cashman making a rare road trip, New York led 6-2 when Green replaced Jonathan Holder going to the bottom of the sixth. Green, Ottavino (2-3) and Luis Cessa needed 67 pitches and 43 minutes to get three outs. New York had not allowed 10 runs in an inning since CC Sabathia and Esmil Rogers were hit hard in the third inning of a 15-4 loss to Texas on May 23, 2015.Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) won despite a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Hicks in the sixth... [More]

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chad Green and Adam Ottavino were routed during a 10-run sixth inning that included Danny Jansen’s grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Yankees 12-7 Monday night and send skidding New York to its sixth loss in seven games.New York has lost four straight and 14 of 19, dropping into third place in the AL East, two games behind second-place Toronto and 6 1/2 back of Tampa Bay. At 21-20 overall following a 16-6 start, the Yankees have dropped into the AL’s eighth and final playoff position.With general manager Brian Cashman making a rare road trip, New York led 6-2 when Green replaced Jonathan Holder going to the bottom of the sixth. Green, Ottavino (2-3) and Luis Cessa needed 67 pitches and 43 minutes to get three outs. New York had not allowed 10 runs in an inning since CC Sabathia and Esmil Rogers were hit hard in the third inning of a 15-4 loss to Texas on May 23, 2015.Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) won despite a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Hicks in the sixth... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles ended their 19-game losing streak against the New York Yankees, using a strong offensive performance by rookie Ryan Mountcastle in a 6-3 victory Friday night for a doubleheader split. In the opener, Miguel Andújar singled in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and Clint Frazier added an RBI single to give New York a 6-5 win. Gary Sanchez homered and Brett Gardner drove in two runs for the Yankees.Mountcastle hit a two-run homer off 21-year-old Deivi García in second inning of the nightcap and sparked a four-run fifth inning with an RBI single off Clarke Schmidt, who was making his major league debut. Rio Ruiz followed with a run-scoring single and Pat Valaika capped the uprising with a two-run double.That helped Baltimore secure its first win over New York since March 31, 2019. It also snapped the Yankees’ 18-game winning streak at Camden Yards.García (0-1) allowed four runs and five hits with six strikeouts in his second big league appearance.... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles ended their 19-game losing streak against the New York Yankees, using a strong offensive performance by rookie Ryan Mountcastle in a 6-3 victory Friday night for a doubleheader split. In the opener, Miguel Andújar singled in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and Clint Frazier added an RBI single to give New York a 6-5 win. Gary Sanchez homered and Brett Gardner drove in two runs for the Yankees.Mountcastle hit a two-run homer off 21-year-old Deivi García in second inning of the nightcap and sparked a four-run fifth inning with an RBI single off Clarke Schmidt, who was making his major league debut. Rio Ruiz followed with a run-scoring single and Pat Valaika capped the uprising with a two-run double.That helped Baltimore secure its first win over New York since March 31, 2019. It also snapped the Yankees’ 18-game winning streak at Camden Yards.García (0-1) allowed four runs and five hits with six strikeouts in his second big league appearance.... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles ended their 19-game losing streak against the New York Yankees, using a strong offensive performance by rookie Ryan Mountcastle in a 6-3 victory Friday night for a doubleheader split. In the opener, Miguel Andújar singled in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and Clint Frazier added an RBI single to give New York a 6-5 win. Gary Sanchez homered and Brett Gardner drove in two runs for the Yankees.Mountcastle hit a two-run homer off 21-year-old Deivi García in second inning of the nightcap and sparked a four-run fifth inning with an RBI single off Clarke Schmidt, who was making his major league debut. Rio Ruiz followed with a run-scoring single and Pat Valaika capped the uprising with a two-run double.That helped Baltimore secure its first win over New York since March 31, 2019. It also snapped the Yankees’ 18-game winning streak at Camden Yards.García (0-1) allowed four runs and five hits with six strikeouts in his second big league appearance.... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles ended their 19-game losing streak against the New York Yankees, using a strong offensive performance by rookie Ryan Mountcastle in a 6-3 victory Friday night for a doubleheader split. In the opener, Miguel Andújar singled in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and Clint Frazier added an RBI single to give New York a 6-5 win. Gary Sanchez homered and Brett Gardner drove in two runs for the Yankees.Mountcastle hit a two-run homer off 21-year-old Deivi García in second inning of the nightcap and sparked a four-run fifth inning with an RBI single off Clarke Schmidt, who was making his major league debut. Rio Ruiz followed with a run-scoring single and Pat Valaika capped the uprising with a two-run double.That helped Baltimore secure its first win over New York since March 31, 2019. It also snapped the Yankees’ 18-game winning streak at Camden Yards.García (0-1) allowed four runs and five hits with six strikeouts in his second big league appearance.... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Miguel Andújar singled in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees ran their winning streak against the Baltimore Orioles to 19 games with a 6-5 victory Friday in the opener of a doubleheader.Gary Sanchez homered and Brett Gardner drove in two runs for the Yankees, who have won 18 in a row at Camden Yards — tied for the second-longest road streak in major league history by one team against another. The record is 19, by Brooklyn at Cincinnati from 1947-49.Recalled from New York’s alternate site before the game, Andújar entered as a pinch runner in the seventh and stayed in the game at third base. His single to right against Travis Lakins Sr. (2-2) made it 5-4, and Clint Frazier followed with an RBI single.Jonathan Holder (2-0) worked the eighth and Chad Green got three outs for his first save. Holder ran for himself after New York burned the designated hitter and scored on Andújar’s single.Facing the Orioles probably couldn’t have come at a better... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Miguel Andújar singled in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees ran their winning streak against the Baltimore Orioles to 19 games with a 6-5 victory Friday in the opener of a doubleheader.Gary Sanchez homered and Brett Gardner drove in two runs for the Yankees, who have won 18 in a row at Camden Yards — tied for the second-longest road streak in major league history by one team against another. The record is 19, by Brooklyn at Cincinnati from 1947-49.Recalled from New York’s alternate site before the game, Andújar entered as a pinch runner in the seventh and stayed in the game at third base. His single to right against Travis Lakins Sr. (2-2) made it 5-4, and Clint Frazier followed with an RBI single.Jonathan Holder (2-0) worked the eighth and Chad Green got three outs for his first save. Holder ran for himself after New York burned the designated hitter and scored on Andújar’s single.Facing the Orioles probably couldn’t have come at a better... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Miguel Andújar singled in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees ran their winning streak against the Baltimore Orioles to 19 games with a 6-5 victory Friday in the opener of a doubleheader.Gary Sanchez homered and Brett Gardner drove in two runs for the Yankees, who have won 18 in a row at Camden Yards — tied for the second-longest road streak in major league history by one team against another. The record is 19, by Brooklyn at Cincinnati from 1947-49.Recalled from New York’s alternate site before the game, Andújar entered as a pinch runner in the seventh and stayed in the game at third base. His single to right against Travis Lakins Sr. (2-2) made it 5-4, and Clint Frazier followed with an RBI single.Jonathan Holder (2-0) worked the eighth and Chad Green got three outs for his first save. Holder ran for himself after New York burned the designated hitter and scored on Andújar’s single.Facing the Orioles probably couldn’t have come at a better... [More]