A look at what's happening around the majors today:OCTOBER IN THE AIRTwo of the top teams in the majors meet at Fenway Park when Gerrit Cole (13-5, 2.86 ERA) and the Astros take on David Price (14-6, 3.60) and the Red Sox in the opener of a three-game set between AL division leaders. Houston beat Boston in the playoffs last year on the way to winning the World Series. Price bruised his left wrist when it was hit by a line drive in his last start Aug. 29 against Miami. The streaking Astros have won five straight behind slugger Alex Bregman, who has reached base safely in 33 consecutive games. Bregman, with four homers in his last five games, batted .486 with seven doubles, five homers and 17 RBIs on the 10-game homestand Houston just completed. He has an extra-base hit and an RBI in five straight games, the longest such streak for an Astros hitter since 2006.WILD, WILD WESTTrevor Story and the first-place Rockies open a pivotal three-game series against the Dodgers at Coors Field with 1... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:OCTOBER IN THE AIRTwo of the top teams in the majors meet at Fenway Park when Gerrit Cole (13-5, 2.86 ERA) and the Astros take on David Price (14-6, 3.60) and the Red Sox in the opener of a three-game set between AL division leaders. Houston beat Boston in the playoffs last year on the way to winning the World Series. Price bruised his left wrist when it was hit by a line drive in his last start Aug. 29 against Miami. The streaking Astros have won five straight behind slugger Alex Bregman, who has reached base safely in 33 consecutive games. Bregman, with four homers in his last five games, batted .486 with seven doubles, five homers and 17 RBIs on the 10-game homestand Houston just completed. He has an extra-base hit and an RBI in five straight games, the longest such streak for an Astros hitter since 2006.WILD, WILD WESTTrevor Story and the first-place Rockies open a pivotal three-game series against the Dodgers at Coors Field with 1... [More]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Washington Nationals' competition for the fifth starter spot could run beyond opening day.The Nationals signed eight-year veteran Jeremy Hellickson to a minor league contract over the weekend, adding him to the mix that already included A.J. Cole and Erick Fedde. He would get a $2 million, one-year deal if added to the 40-man roster and the chance to earn $4 million in performance bonuses."We like the rotation we have," Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said. "This just adds another layer of depth for us."The 30-year-old Hellickson is scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League appearance in one of Friday's split squad games. Cole will start the other game.Depending on how that outing goes, the NL East champions might leave Hellickson behind at the spring training facility when they break camp on Sunday, allowing the right-hander to continue to build arm strength in the minor league camp.Rizzo cited past experiences rushing Joe Blanton and Matt Wieters... [More]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Washington Nationals' competition for the fifth starter spot could run beyond opening day.The Nationals signed eight-year veteran Jeremy Hellickson to a minor league contract over the weekend, adding him to the mix that already included A.J. Cole and Erick Fedde."We like the rotation we have," Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said. "This just adds another layer of depth for us."The 30-year-old Hellickson is scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League appearance in one of Friday's split squad games. Cole will start the other game.Depending on how that outing goes, the NL East champions might leave Hellickson behind at the spring training facility when they break camp on Sunday, allowing the right-hander to continue to build arm strength in the minor league camp.Rizzo cited past experiences rushing Joe Blanton and Matt Wieters through camp as reasoning for not pushing Hellickson, who says he's ready, to join the rotation sooner. With that in mind, the... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joaquin Benoit can earn $1 million in performance bonuses in addition to his $1 million base salary with the Washington Nationals.Washington announced the deal with the 40-year-old reliever on Wednesday and opened a roster spot by placing pitcher Joe Ross on the 60-day disabled list as he recovers from Tommy John surgery in July.Benoit would get $100,000 each for 30, 35, 40 and 45 pitching appearances, and $200,000 apiece for 50, 55 and 60.A right-hander who first reached the big leagues in 2001, Benoit has played for eight teams and finished last year with Pittsburgh.He has 764 career appearances, going 58-49 with a 3.83 ERA and 53 saves.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals say they have agreed to a one-year deal with 40-year-old reliever Joaquin Benoit.The team announced the move Wednesday, along with placing pitcher Joe Ross on the 60-day disabled list as he recovers from Tommy John surgery in July.The Nationals didn't release terms of the agreement, though a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Monday that it was for $1 million. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal wasn't official at the time.Benoit is a right-hander who first reached the big leagues in 2001. He has played for eight teams, finishing last year with Pittsburgh.He has 764 career appearances, going 58-49 with a 3.83 ERA and 53 saves.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

RHP Joe Ross had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Wednesday and is expected to miss 12-18 months. Ross was 5-3 with a 5.01 ERA in 13 starts for the Nationals this season.

RHP Joe Ross was placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday retroactive to July 11 after developing elbow problems that prompted an MRI. Ross (5-3) left his start on Sunday with a shoulder problem that apparently caused the elbow discomfort. "It's not in the near future because Joe's had some problems in the past," manager Dusty Baker said. "I don't want to speculate on things and I don't want to think the worst. We're preparing for it to be a longer situation."

RHP Joe Ross was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on Sunday. Ross was placed on the DL on Saturday with a right elbow strain. He is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery.

RHP Joe Ross (elbow) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list by the Washington Nationals. Ross will undergo Tommy John surgery next week and will miss the remainder of the season.

RHP Joe Ross will undergo Tommy John surgery next week,Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker announced on Saturday. Baker said the procedure will take place Wednesday in Texas. Ross, who will miss the remainder of the season, was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right triceps on Friday. The 24-year-old owns a 5-3 mark with a 5.01 ERA in 13 starts this season. He posted a 2-1 record with a 2.36 ERA in four outings prior to sustaining the injury.

RHP Joe Ross, in his ninth home start of the year, left the game with one out in the top of the fourth inning on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves after he retired leadoff hitter Nick Marakis on a flyout to left field. Ross left due to tricep tendinitis and was getting an MRI, manager Dusty Baker said after the game. The velocity of the fastballs from Ross to Markakis were clocked around 87 mph on the stadium scoreboard, several mph below the Ross standard. Pitching coach Mike Maddux, heading athletic trainer Paul Lessard and Baker visited the mound after the Markakis out. Ross left with the score 3-3 after he gave up a three-run homer in the third inning to Freddie Freeman.

RHP Joe Ross is 1-1 with a 5.85 ERA in four games (all starts) in his career against the Braves. He will start Sunday at home against Atlanta. Ross is 5-3 with a 4.86 ERA in 12 starts this year. The Nationals have averaged more than 10 runs in his eight home starts this year.

RHP Joe Ross allowed just two solo homers in seven innings to get the win Tuesday. It was his fourth solid start in a row after a tough outing in June against the Atlanta Braves. He said his changeup has improved and at one point he threw it three times in a row to the Mets.

RHP Joe Ross will start against the Mets on Tuesday. Current Mets hitters are batting 31-for-94 (.330) against him with five home runs. He is 1-2 with a 4.71 ERA in five career starts against the Mets.

RHP Joe Ross allowed five hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings and did not figure in the decision. "It was tough because Joe pitched a heck of a game," manager Dusty Baker said as the bullpen blew the lead in the ninth.

RHP Joe Ross will try to gain some consistency when he starts against the Cubs at home Thursday. He is 4-3 with a 5.40 ERA this season. Ross got 62 runs of support in his first four starts to set a MLB record and then the Nationals scored 18 runs as Ross won Saturday over the Cincinnati Reds in his 10th start of the year.

RHP Joe Ross, who entered the game with a 5.98 ERA, allowed one run in seven innings to get the win Saturday.Washington began the day leading the league with a team batting average of .276 and league-best 114 homers. The Nationals scored 23 runs on April 30 against the New York Mets in a game that Ross started at home on a Sunday afternoon.

RHP Joe Ross is slated to start Saturday against the Reds. In his third big league season he has struggled, going 3-3 with a 5.98 ERA in nine starts. Ross began the year at Triple-A Syracuse and his best game with the Nationals was when he fanned 12 Baltimore Orioles in early June at home.

RHP Joe Ross will look to get back on track Sunday afternoon, when he takes the mound for the Nationals in the finale of a four-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Ross didn't factor into the decision in his most recent start on Tuesday, when he gave up five runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out two over 5 2/3 innings as the Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves, 10-5. He was in line for the loss before the Nationals took the lead by scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ross has allowed at least five runs in five of eight starts this season. He is 1-1 with a 5.16 ERA in four career starts against the Mets.