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]

Mariners fourth. J.P. Crawford singles to shortstop. Tim Lopes flies out to Stephen Piscotty. Kyle Lewis singles to left center field. J.P. Crawford to third. Kyle Seager doubles to right field. Kyle Lewis scores. J.P. Crawford scores. Evan White grounds out to shallow infield, Sean Manaea to Matt Olson. Austin Nola singles to shallow infield. Kyle Seager scores. Throwing error by Matt Chapman. Shed Long Jr. strikes out swinging.3 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 1 left on. Mariners 3, Athletics 0.Mariners fifth. Dylan Moore doubles to deep right center field. Dee Gordon pops out to shortstop to Marcus Semien. J.P. Crawford singles to shortstop. Dylan Moore to third. Tim Lopes reaches on a fielder's choice to second base. J.P. Crawford to second. Dylan Moore scores. Throwing error by J.B. Wendelken. Kyle Lewis singles to center field. Tim Lopes to second. J.P. Crawford scores. Kyle Seager walks. Kyle Lewis to second. Tim Lopes to third. Evan White strikes out on a foul tip. Austin Nola flies out... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daniel Bard won in his first major league game in more than seven years, pitching 1 1-3 scoreless innings in relief for the Colorado Rockies in a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The 35-year-old Bard (1-0), whose control troubles ran him out of baseball, got the Rockies out of a jam when he took over for starter Jon Gray with two on and two outs in the fifth. The right-hander worked around two more base runners in the sixth, getting Willie Calhoun on an inning-ending flyout to cap an 11-pitch at-bat.Wade Davis worked the ninth for his first save since July 25, 2019. He gave up a run.Colorado went ahead to stay with two runs in the fourth off Mike Minor (0-1), helped by two fielder’s choice plays and two errors. Bard threw 20 of 25 pitches for strikes Saturday, including his first one before Elvis Andrus flied out to end the fifth. ANGELS 4, ATHLETICS 1OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Dylan Bundy pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning in his Angels debut and... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daniel Bard won in his first major league game in more than seven years, pitching 1 1-3 scoreless innings in relief for the Colorado Rockies in a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The 35-year-old Bard (1-0), whose control troubles ran him out of baseball, got the Rockies out of a jam when he took over for starter Jon Gray with two on and two outs in the fifth. The right-hander worked around two more base runners in the sixth, getting Willie Calhoun on an inning-ending flyout to cap an 11-pitch at-bat.Wade Davis worked the ninth for his first save since July 25, 2019. He gave up a run.Colorado went ahead to stay with two runs in the fourth off Mike Minor (0-1), helped by two fielder’s choice plays and two errors. Bard threw 20 of 25 pitches for strikes Saturday, including his first one before Elvis Andrus flied out to end the fifth. ANGELS 4, ATHLETICS 1OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Dylan Bundy pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning in his Angels debut and... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daniel Bard won in his first major league game in more than seven years, pitching 1 1-3 scoreless innings in relief for the Colorado Rockies in a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The 35-year-old Bard (1-0), whose control troubles ran him out of baseball, got the Rockies out of a jam when he took over for starter Jon Gray with two on and two outs in the fifth. The right-hander worked around two more base runners in the sixth, getting Willie Calhoun on an inning-ending flyout to cap an 11-pitch at-bat.Wade Davis worked the ninth for his first save since July 25, 2019. He gave up a run.Colorado went ahead to stay with two runs in the fourth off Mike Minor (0-1), helped by two fielder’s choice plays and two errors. Bard threw 20 of 25 pitches for strikes Saturday, including his first one before Elvis Andrus flied out to end the fifth. ANGELS 4, ATHLETICS 1OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Dylan Bundy pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning in his Angels debut and... [More]

April 201910 — Addie Joss of Cleveland pitched the second no-hitter of his career, a 1-0 win over the White Sox in Chicago.1912 — Fenway Park was opened in Boston and the Red Sox defeated the visiting New York Yankees 7-6 in 11 innings. Tiger Stadium in Detroit also opened its doors as the Tigers defeated the Cleveland Indians 6-5.1916 — The Chicago Cubs played their first game at Weeghman Park — renamed Wrigley Field in 1926 — defeating the Cincinnati Reds 7-6 in 11 innings.1920 — Manager Gavvy Cravath of the Philadelphia Phillies inserted himself as a pinch hitter and beat the New York Giants with a three-run homer, 3-0. It was his last home run in the majors.1937 — Gee Walker hit for the cycle on opening day to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 win over Cleveland. Walker hit the cycle in reverse order: home run, triple, double, single.1938 — Cleveland’s Bob Feller pitched the first of 12 career one-hitters, beating the St. Louis Browns 9-0.1939 — In his first major league game, Ted Williams... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — In the ocean off the Florida coast, Mike Fiers found a way to get his mind off everything this winter for a couple of hours at a time and prepare for another baseball season.Far away from the Astros scandal. No whistleblower chatter. Just tough swims in the surf and workouts with his buddies on Pompano Beach.It's an offseason the Oakland pitcher is counting on to carry him from the momentum he established during a career year in 2019 and another playoff season, when he pitched his second career no-hitter and went on to win 15 games.Fiers made it clear he is moving forward after he told The Athletic in November that his former Houston team had stolen signs using a video camera in center field during the Astros' 2017 run to the World Series title. “Right now I want to focus on this team and not the past,” said Fiers, who has declined to speak in detail about the scheme or his decision to go public.The revelations prompted an investigation that shook up several teams. Houston... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — In the ocean off the Florida coast, Mike Fiers found a way to get his mind off everything this winter for a couple of hours at a time and prepare for another baseball season.Far away from the Astros scandal. No whistleblower chatter. Just tough swims in the surf and workouts with his buddies on Pompano Beach.It's an offseason the Oakland pitcher is counting on to carry him from the momentum he established during a career year in 2019 and another playoff season, when he pitched his second career no-hitter and went on to win 15 games.Fiers made it clear he is moving forward after he told The Athletic in November that his former Houston team had stolen signs using a video camera in center field during the Astros' 2017 run to the World Series title. “Right now I want to focus on this team and not the past,” said Fiers, who has declined to speak in detail about the scheme or his decision to go public.The revelations prompted an investigation that shook up several teams. Houston... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American 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:___Houston Astros Manager: Dusty Baker (first season). 2019: 107-55, first place, lost to Nationals in World Series. Training Town: West Palm Beach, Florida. Park: Ballpark of Palm Beaches. First Workout: Feb. 13/17. He's Here: Manager Dusty Baker, RHP Austin Pruitt, C Dustin Garneau.He's Outta Here: Manager AJ Hinch, RHP Gerrit Cole, RHP Will Harris, C Robinson Chirinos, OF Tony Kemp. Going campin': The Astros enter the spring reeling from a sign-stealing scandal that cost manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow their jobs. They brought in Baker to steady the team, and it gives the 70-year-old another chance to chase his first World Series title as a manager. He’ll get a crash course learning his new team this spring after being hired less than three weeks before pitchers and catchers... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Following a career year, Oakland Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien was rewarded Friday with a $13 million, one-year contract that avoids arbitration and gives him a raise of $7.1 million.Semien played all 162 games for the first time in 2019 to help the A's win 97 games for a second straight season and the AL's top wild card. He finished third in MVP voting after putting up several personal bests: 33 homers and 92 RBIs while hitting .285. Semien earned $5.9 million last year.All seven of Oakland's arbitration-eligible players reached one-year agreements, including starting pitcher Sean Manaea and closer Liam Hendriks. Manaea got $3.75 million and Hendriks $5.3 million.Manaea started Oakland’s wild-card loss to Tampa Bay last year, chosen over right-hander Mike Fiers.It was the first career playoff start for Manaea at age 27 and it came after he missed nearly a year following shoulder surgery. The left-hander pitched a no-hitter in 2018 before the injury. Manaea earned... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Following a career year, Oakland Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien was rewarded Friday with a $13 million, one-year contract that avoids arbitration and gives him a raise of $7.1 million.Semien played all 162 games for the first time in 2019 to help the A's win 97 games for a second straight season and the AL's top wild card. He finished third in MVP voting after putting up several personal bests: 33 homers and 92 RBIs while hitting .285. Semien earned $5.9 million last year.All seven of Oakland's arbitration-eligible players reached one-year agreements, including starting pitcher Sean Manaea and closer Liam Hendriks. Manaea got $3.75 million and Hendriks $5.3 million.Manaea started Oakland’s wild-card loss to Tampa Bay last year, chosen over right-hander Mike Fiers.It was the first career playoff start for Manaea at age 27 and it came after he missed nearly a year following shoulder surgery. The left-hander pitched a no-hitter in 2018 before the injury. Manaea earned... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics did not tender a contract to former closer Blake Treinen on Monday, letting the 2018 All-Star become a free agent.The right-handed Treinen posted a 0.78 ERA in 2018, but that number ballooned to 4.91 in 2019. He was replaced by Liam Hendriks in the closer role as the low-budget A’s earned the AL’s top wild card.Treinen was expected to command roughly $7.5 million in arbitration.Left-hander Ryan Buchter and catcher Josh Phegley also didn’t receive contracts. Lefty T.J. McFarland reached agreement on a $1.8 million, one-year deal to avoid salary arbitration. He was claimed off waivers from the Diamondbacks on Nov. 4.The A’s announced the moves after completing a trade that sent switch-hitting second baseman Jurickson Profar to the San Diego Padres for catcher Austin Allen and a player to be named.Treinen started the 2019 season as A’s closer but wasn’t nearly as consistent. He had a 6.14 ERA during a 19-game span from April 28 to June 20 before... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics did not tender a contract to former closer Blake Treinen on Monday, letting the 2018 All-Star become a free agent.The right-handed Treinen posted a 0.78 ERA in 2018, but that number ballooned to 4.91 in 2019. He was replaced by Liam Hendriks in the closer role as the low-budget A’s earned the AL’s top wild card.Treinen was expected to command roughly $7.5 million in arbitration.Left-hander Ryan Buchter and catcher Josh Phegley also didn’t receive contracts. Lefty T.J. McFarland reached agreement on a one-year deal to avoid salary arbitration. He was claimed off waivers from the Diamondbacks on Nov. 4.The A’s announced the moves after completing a trade that sent switch-hitting second baseman Jurickson Profar to the San Diego Padres for catcher Austin Allen and a player to be named.Treinen started the 2019 season as A’s closer but wasn’t nearly as consistent. He had a 6.14 ERA during a 19-game span from April 28 to June 20 before a strained pitching... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Manager Bob Melvin knows the Oakland Athletics might need to find a way to win the AL West to guarantee themselves a long playoff series.Pulling past the powerful Astros is the next aim for the A’s, daunting as it might be.Two straight AL wild-card losses following 97-win seasons have left the A’s going into the offseason again wondering what it will take to finally get over the hump in a tough division dominated by Houston the past three years. Oakland has lost nine straight winner-take-all games since 2000 after a 5-1 defeat to the Rays on Wednesday night with Tampa Bay getting to Sean Manaea from the start.The A’s were playing at home this time, a far different scenario from the 7-2 loss at Yankee Stadium in the 2018 wild-card game.“We really had a great feeling about yesterday, so it's disappointing for a lot of reasons,” Melvin said Thursday. “Trying to digest that but as far as the season goes, it was another great season. We're proud of the fact that we backed... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:THAT'S WILDOakland tabbed left-hander Sean Manaea (4-0, 1.21 ERA) to start the AL wild-card game against Tampa Bay. The 27-year-old Manaea was sidelined last year when the Athletics lost the wild-card game to the Yankees, and missed most of this season following shoulder surgery. He returned in September and has been sharp over five starts. He'll start opposite Rays right-hander Charlie Morton (16-6, 3.05) — that's right, no openers for either of these forward-thinking clubs — although neither manager will shy away from an early hook.GOING TO CALIFORNIASo familiar with playoff heartache, the Washington Nationals have finally advanced in October. Juan Soto delivered a bases-loaded single against closer Josh Hader that scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Nationals rallied past the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in the National League wild-card game Tuesday night.Soto's sharp single skipped by rookie right fielder... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday:THAT'S WILDOakland tabbed left-hander Sean Manaea (4-0, 1.21 ERA) to start the AL wild-card game against Tampa Bay. The 27-year-old Manaea was sidelined last year when the Athletics lost the wild-card game to the Yankees, and missed most of this season following shoulder surgery. He returned in September and has been sharp over five starts. He'll start opposite Rays right-hander Charlie Morton (16-6, 3.05) — that's right, no openers for either of these forward-thinking clubs — although neither manager will shy away from an early hook.GOING TO CALIFORNIASo familiar with playoff heartache, the Washington Nationals have finally advanced in October. Juan Soto delivered a bases-loaded single against closer Josh Hader that scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Nationals rallied past the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in the National League wild-card game Tuesday night.Soto's sharp single skipped by rookie right... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday:THAT'S WILDThe Athletics have tabbed left-hander Sean Manaea (4-0, 1.21 ERA) to start the AL wild-card game against Tampa Bay. The 27-year-old Manaea missed last postseason, when Oakland lost the wild-card game to the Yankees, and most of this regular season following left shoulder surgery. He returned in September and has been sharp over five starts. He'll start opposite Rays right-hander Charlie Morton (16-6, 3.05) — that's right, no openers for either of these forward-thinking clubs — although neither manager will shy away from an early hook.OCT-HOMERHitters smashed a record 6,776 home runs in 2019, and pitchers are preparing for a big fly bonanza this postseason. Justin Verlander told the AP "the game has changed completely" this year, and he's blamed that on adjustments to the baseball. Commissioner Rob Manfred has acknowledged the ball has less drag but says the league isn't sure why. He denied charges from Verlander and other... [More]

A look at the American League wild-card game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics:___Schedule: Wednesday, at Oakland, California, 8:09 p.m. EDT (ESPN).___Season Series: Athletics won 4-3.___Projected Lineups:Rays: 2B Joey Wendle (.231, 3 HRs, 19 RBIs in 75 games), LF Tommy Pham (.273, 21, 68, 33 2Bs), RF Austin Meadows (.291, 33, 89 in 138 games), C Travis d'Arnaud (.263, 16, 67 in 92 games with Rays; .087, 0, 2 in 10 games with Mets, and 1 at-bat in only game with Dodgers), 1B Ji-Man Choi (.261, 19, 63), DH Brandon Lowe (.270, 17, 51 in 82 games) or Avisail Garcia (.282, 20, 72, 25 2Bs in 125 games), 3B Matt Duffy (.252, 1, 12 in 46 games), CF Kevin Kiermaier (.228, 14, 55, 19 SBs in 129 games), SS Willy Adames (.254, 20, 52).Athletics: SS Marcus Semien (.285, 33, 92, 123 runs, 43 2Bs), RF Ramon Laureano (.288, 24, 67, 10 assists), 3B Matt Chapman (.249, 36, 91, 102 runs, 36 2Bs), 1B Matt Olson (.267, 36, 91), CF Mark Canha (.273, 26, 58), DH Khris Davis (.220, 23, 73), LF... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Just more than a year after shoulder surgery, Sean Manaea will make his most important start yet when he takes the mound for the Oakland Athletics in the AL wild-card game.Manager Bob Melvin named Manaea his starter for Wednesday's winner-take-all home game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The left-hander earned the nod over Mike Fiers in a tough decision."I think it came down to the fact that since Manaea's been back, he's pitched great every single game out," Melvin said Tuesday before his team held a workout. "We were lucky to have two guys to consider in that respect and a luxury to have two guys we'd be comfortable with, but Manaea will start."Manaea returned later than he had hoped following surgery last September but immediately found a groove, going 4-0 with 1.21 ERA in five starts last month."This is one of those opportunities I think about a lot," the 27-year-old Manaea said of his first playoff start.Fiers (15-4) pitched a no-hitter May 7 against the Reds to... [More]