ATLANTA (AP) — The Braves added depth by agreeing to a minor league contract with utility player Ehire Adrianza. The 31-year-old Adrianza would receive a $1.5 million, one-year contract if added to the Braves' 40-man roster. Adrianza has played eight seasons with the San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins. He hit .191 in 44 games with the Twins in 2020 after batting .272 with Minnesota in 2019. He has a .244 career batting average with 16 homers. Adrianza has played more games at shortstop and third base than any other position but also has seen time at second base, first base and in the outfield. The agreement with Adrianza followed third baseman Pablo Sandoval's minor league deal with the Braves this week. Sandoval would receive a $1 million, one-year contract if he is added to the 40-man roster. The 34-year-old Sandoval hit .214 in 84 at-bats with the Braves and San Francisco Giants in 2020. Austin Riley enters spring training as the favorite to start at third base for the Braves. Riley also is an option in left field. ___ More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Third baseman Pablo Sandoval has signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. Sandoval would receive a $1 million, one-year contract if he is added to the team's 40-man roster under a deal the Braves confirmed Monday. The 34-year-old Sandoval hit .214 in 84 at-bats with the Braves and San Francisco Giants in 2020. He had no hits in two at-bats with Atlanta but was kept on the team's postseason roster, and he had no hits in four plate appearances. Sandoval, whose nickname is Kung Fu Panda, will try to prove he can return to the form he showed in 2019, when he hit .268 with 14 homers with the Giants. The 2012 World Series MVP with San Francisco signed with the Braves late last season following his release by the Giants on Sept. 10, ending his second stint with the team. Austin Riley will enter spring training as the favorite to start at third base for the Braves. Riley also is an option in left field. The switch-hitting Sandoval has a career .279 batting average with 149 home runs in 13 seasons with the Giants, Boston and Atlanta. He hit .330 with 25 homers and 90 RBI for San Francisco in 2009, his second season. ___ More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Atlanta Braves made another baserunning mistake with a lead in the NL Championship Series. This one was much more costly. The Braves ruined a promising fourth inning by running into a wild double play before the bats went cold in a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 on Sunday night. “We made some mistakes,” manager Brian Snitker said. “We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times that really hurt. Games like these, runs are so hard to come by, you pretty much got to play flawless baseball.” A year after imploding in a deciding Game 5 of their Division Series against St. Louis, the Braves fell short in their first NLCS since 2001 with their sixth straight loss in a winner-take-all game. Atlanta couldn’t hold a 3-1 series lead in an NLCS for the first time after winning each of the previous three with that commanding lead. The Braves haven't been to the World Series since 1999. Dodgers relievers retired 17 of the final 18 Braves batters, all following... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — More was not merrier for Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts went with an opener against the team that invented the concept, sending Tony Gonsolin to start Game 2 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays as the first of seven pitchers -- one shy of the record for a nine-inning Series game. By the end of the Dodgers’ 6-4 defeat Wednesday night, which evened the Series at one game apiece, it appeared the Dodgers are down to essentially a two-man rotation of Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw. Coming off games on seven straight days against Atlanta in the NL Championship Series under this year's unique postseason schedule, with just Monday's off-day, Roberts felt he had no rested alternative. “We didn’t have anybody that was on regular,” he explained. Seems like a throwback to the Boston Braves of Spahn and Sain and pray for rain, as Gerald V. Hern of the Boston Post poetically memorialized the pitching tandem of Warren Spahn and Johnny... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Baby Braves still have some growing up to do, although they're getting closer. Another baserunning blunder with the lead cost Atlanta dearly, and the Braves bats went cold after that in losing Game 7 of the NL Championship Series 4-3 to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night. A year after imploding in a deciding Game 5 of their Division Series against St. Louis, the Braves fell short in their first NLCS since 2001 with their sixth straight loss in a winner-take-all game. Atlanta couldn’t hold a 3-1 series lead in an NLCS for the first time after winning each of the previous three with that commanding lead. Dodgers relievers retired 17 of the final 18 Braves batters, all following a baserunning mishap that will haunt Atlanta this offseason. The Braves went ahead 3-2 in the fourth inning on Austin Riley's single and had runners at the corners with no outs before a wild double play just about wiped out the inning. Dansby Swanson broke for home on Nick Markakis'... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Atlanta's Freddie Freeman and Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw apparently had trouble seeing early in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series because of windy conditions in a stadium with a retractable roof. Major League Baseball said it wanted to keep the roof open at Globe Life Field — barring rain — when the agreement was reached for the new home of the Texas Rangers to host three rounds of the playoffs in the pandemic-shortened season. Fox reported during the telecast Thursday night that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told umpire Cory Blaser between innings that Kershaw and first baseman Max Muncy were having trouble seeing. Freeman was reaching for his eyes after striking out swinging in the first, and Fox reported he said, “I can't see," upon returning to the dugout. The MVP candidate with two homers in the NLCS briefly tried glasses while in the field and also was shown getting eyedrops. Freeman cleanly fielded Corey Seager's hard one-hopper to first... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ SHAKY ‘STROS Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros face a 2-0 hole against Tampa Bay in the AL Championship Series and have hardly looked like a club that’s won two of the past three AL pennants. Altuve made two throwing errors from second base during a 4-2 defeat in Game 2, including a short-hop toss that preceded a three-run homer by Manuel Margot. After the second error — both from shallow right field as part of infield shifts — Altuve and shortstop Carlos Correa began to swap positions in the formation. “You just hope he isn’t getting the yips, because invariably they come in bunches,” said manager Dusty Baker, who gave Altuve a hug in the dugout after the second error. “Everything comes in bunches. I just told him to flush it. This guy has been awesome for us. You’ve got to flush it and move on, or else it multiplies. I’m sure he’ll do that.” The Astros have also had a lousy go with runners on base. They’re 3 for 16 in the series... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are having trouble figuring out the back end of their bullpen. Blake Treinen surrendered Austin Riley's tiebreaking home run leading off the ninth inning, and the right-hander combined with lefty Jake McGee to give up four runs in Atlanta's 5-1 victory over the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series opener Monday night. Treinen and McGee were two of the ninth-inning options because Kenley Jansen, the club's career leader in saves, has been struggling with his velocity and command. Manager Dave Roberts has chosen his words carefully while saying the bullpen roles are open in the ninth. Ronald Acuña Jr. followed Riley's homer with a double, and Treinen was gone after giving up Marcell Ozuna's RBI single. Treinen's only out was a long flyball to center by Freddie Freeman that moved Ozuna to third. After starter Walker Buehler allowed one run with seven strikeouts in five innings, Brusdar Graterol retired three straight to escape the sixth when... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Atlanta Braves left fielder Adam Duvall left Game 1 of the NL Championships Series after hurting his left oblique in his first at-bat Monday night. Duvall was in obvious pain after fouling off a pitch from Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler in the second inning. Duvall immediately grimaced in pain and had his hand on his left side. Cristian Pache took over with a 1-2 count and drew a one-out walk before moving to second base on a wild pitch. He got stranded after Buehler struck out Nick Markakis and Austin Riley. Pache took over in center field, with Ronald Acuña Jr. shifting over to right and Markakis going to left. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Pablo Sandoval is on the Atlanta Braves' roster for the NL wild-card series against the Cincinnati Reds. The 2012 World Series MVP joined the Braves after being released by the San Francisco Giants a couple of weeks ago. He started at third base in the final game of the regular season, going 0 for 2 with two walks in a 9-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Sandoval played 33 games for the Giants, hitting .220 with one homer and six RBIs. The Braves also brought back infielder Charlie Culberson to the big league roster and released left-handed pitcher Tommy Milone, who was acquired at the trade deadline but posted a 14.90 ERA in three starts. ___ The 28-player rosters for the best-of-three series between the Reds and the Braves: CINCINNATI Pitchers (12): RH Tejay Antone, RH Trevor Bauer, RH Archie Bradley, RH Luis Castillo, LH Amir Garrett, RH Sonny Gray, RH Raisel Iglesias, RH Michael Lorenzen, RH Tyler Mahle, LH Wade Miley, RH Lucas Sims, RH Robert Stephenson Catchers (2): Tucker... [More]

Orioles third. Austin Hays doubles to deep left field. Andrew Velazquez walks. Hanser Alberto doubles to deep left field. Andrew Velazquez to third. Austin Hays scores. Jose Iglesias grounds out to shallow center field, Dansby Swanson to Freddie Freeman. Hanser Alberto to third. Andrew Velazquez scores. Ryan Mountcastle out on a sacrifice fly to center field to Ronald Acuna Jr.. Hanser Alberto scores. Pedro Severino grounds out to third base, Austin Riley to Freddie Freeman.3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Orioles 3, Braves 0.Braves sixth. Freddie Freeman singles to deep left field. Marcell Ozuna grounds out to third base, Hanser Alberto to Pat Valaika. Travis d'Arnaud grounds out to shortstop, Jose Iglesias to Pat Valaika. Freddie Freeman to third. Dansby Swanson grounds out to shallow center field, Andrew Velazquez to Pat Valaika.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Orioles 3, Braves 1.Orioles sixth. Jose Iglesias singles to left field. Ryan Mountcastle flies out to deep left field to Marcell Ozuna. Pedro Severino singles to right field. Jose Iglesias to second. Renato Nunez doubles, advances to 3rd. Pedro Severino scores. Jose Iglesias scores. DJ Stewart called out on strikes. Pat Valaika pops out to shallow center field to Ozzie Albies.2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Orioles 5, Braves 1.

Braves third. Ozzie Albies doubles to deep left field. Ronald Acuna Jr. flies out to deep center field to Cedric Mullins. Freddie Freeman doubles. Ozzie Albies scores. Marcell Ozuna pops out to third base to Rio Ruiz. Travis d'Arnaud walks. Dansby Swanson reaches on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Travis d'Arnaud out at second.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 left on. Braves 1, Orioles 0.Braves fourth. Nick Markakis called out on strikes. Adam Duvall homers to left field. Austin Riley singles to center field. Ozzie Albies flies out to deep right field to DJ Stewart. Ronald Acuna Jr. walks. Austin Riley to second. Freddie Freeman lines out to deep center field to Cedric Mullins.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Braves 2, Orioles 0.Braves ninth. Ronald Acuna Jr. walks. Freddie Freeman doubles to deep center field, advances to 3rd. Ronald Acuna Jr. scores. Marcell Ozuna singles to deep left field. Freddie Freeman scores. Travis d'Arnaud singles to right center field. Marcell Ozuna to third. Dansby... [More]

Orioles first. Cedric Mullins singles to shallow infield. Jose Iglesias singles to right field. Cedric Mullins to second. DJ Stewart strikes out swinging. Ryan Mountcastle singles to deep left field. Jose Iglesias to second. Cedric Mullins scores. Rio Ruiz flies out to deep center field to Ronald Acuna Jr.. Renato Nunez singles to shortstop. Ryan Mountcastle to second. Jose Iglesias out at home.1 run, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Orioles 1, Braves 0.Orioles third. Cedric Mullins walks. Jose Iglesias singles to shortstop. DJ Stewart homers to right field. Jose Iglesias scores. Cedric Mullins scores. Ryan Mountcastle homers to center field. Rio Ruiz grounds out to shallow infield, Ozzie Albies to Freddie Freeman. Renato Nunez walks. Chance Sisco pops out to shallow infield to Freddie Freeman. Austin Hays reaches on error. Renato Nunez to second. Fielding error by Austin Riley. Andrew Velazquez walks. Austin Hays to second. Renato Nunez to third. Cedric Mullins singles to right field. Andrew... [More]

Braves first. Ronald Acuna Jr. strikes out swinging. Freddie Freeman doubles to deep center field. Marcell Ozuna strikes out swinging. Travis d'Arnaud doubles to deep right center field. Freddie Freeman scores. Dansby Swanson flies out to deep center field to Victor Robles.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 1, Nationals 0.Nationals second. Asdrubal Cabrera homers to right field. Kurt Suzuki grounds out to second base, Ozzie Albies to Freddie Freeman. Eric Thames strikes out swinging. Carter Kieboom strikes out swinging.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Braves 1, Nationals 1.Braves fourth. Travis d'Arnaud singles to deep right field. Dansby Swanson called out on strikes. Nick Markakis doubles to center field. Travis d'Arnaud scores. Adam Duvall lines out to center field to Victor Robles. Austin Riley called out on strikes.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 2, Nationals 1.Nationals fourth. Juan Soto doubles to center field. Asdrubal Cabrera lines out to deep right field to... [More]

Braves first. Ronald Acuna Jr. singles to left field. Freddie Freeman pops out to left field to Trea Turner. Marcell Ozuna singles to center field. Ronald Acuna Jr. scores. Travis d'Arnaud singles to right field. Marcell Ozuna to second. Dansby Swanson lines out to deep right field to Yadiel Hernandez. Marcell Ozuna to third. Austin Riley strikes out swinging.1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Braves 1, Nationals 0.Braves fourth. Austin Riley pops out to Yan Gomes. Adam Duvall doubles to deep right field. Tyler Flowers strikes out swinging. Ozzie Albies singles to shallow center field. Adam Duvall scores. Ronald Acuna Jr. called out on strikes.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 2, Nationals 0.Nationals eighth. Adam Eaton pinch-hitting for Michael A. Taylor. Adam Eaton singles to right field. Yadiel Hernandez strikes out swinging. Brock Holt strikes out swinging. Trea Turner doubles to deep right field. Adam Eaton scores. Juan Soto grounds out to second base, Ozzie Albies to Freddie Freeman.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Braves 2, Nationals 1.

Nationals first. Adam Eaton doubles. Trea Turner walks. Juan Soto doubles to deep right field. Trea Turner scores. Adam Eaton scores. Eric Thames singles to right field. Juan Soto scores. Brock Holt grounds out to shallow infield. Eric Thames out at second. Yan Gomes doubles to deep left field. Luis Garcia pops out to shortstop to Dansby Swanson.3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Nationals 3, Braves 0.Nationals third. Trea Turner doubles to left field. Juan Soto singles to left field. Trea Turner scores. Eric Thames strikes out swinging. Brock Holt grounds out to shallow infield, Ozzie Albies to Freddie Freeman. Juan Soto to third. Yan Gomes singles to shallow center field. Juan Soto scores. Luis Garcia grounds out to shallow right field, Ozzie Albies to Freddie Freeman.2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Nationals 5, Braves 0.Braves fourth. Adam Duvall strikes out swinging. Nick Markakis doubles to deep right field. Ozzie Albies walks. Ender Inciarte flies out to deep right field to... [More]

Nationals first. Victor Robles called out on strikes. Adam Eaton singles to deep left field. Trea Turner triples. Adam Eaton scores. Juan Soto doubles. Trea Turner scores. Asdrubal Cabrera triples to deep left center field. Juan Soto scores. Josh Harrison grounds out to shallow infield, Ozzie Albies to Freddie Freeman. Yan Gomes flies out to left center field to Adam Duvall.3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Nationals 3, Braves 0.Nationals second. Michael A. Taylor doubles. Carter Kieboom lines out to deep center field to Ronald Acuna Jr.. Michael A. Taylor to third. Victor Robles lines out to shallow infield to Freddie Freeman. Adam Eaton homers to center field. Michael A. Taylor scores. Trea Turner walks. Juan Soto is intentionally walked. Asdrubal Cabrera walks. Juan Soto to second. Trea Turner to third. Josh Harrison reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Asdrubal Cabrera out at second.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 4 left on. Nationals 5, Braves 0.Braves fourth. Ronald Acuna... [More]

Marlins second. Garrett Cooper doubles to left field. Lewis Brinson strikes out swinging. Monte Harrison strikes out swinging. Jorge Alfaro singles to left field. Garrett Cooper scores. Jazz Chisholm triples to deep right center field. Jorge Alfaro scores. Miguel Rojas grounds out to second base, Ozzie Albies to Freddie Freeman.2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Marlins 2, Braves 0.Braves second. Dansby Swanson singles to deep left field. Austin Riley walks. Dansby Swanson to second. Adam Duvall walks. Austin Riley to second. Dansby Swanson to third. Ozzie Albies grounds out to first base, Garrett Cooper to Pablo Lopez. Adam Duvall to second. Austin Riley to third. Dansby Swanson scores. Ender Inciarte out on a sacrifice fly to deep left center field to Starling Marte. Adam Duvall to third. Austin Riley scores. Ronald Acuna Jr. walks. Freddie Freeman singles to right field. Ronald Acuna Jr. to third. Adam Duvall scores. Marcell Ozuna singles to left field. Freddie Freeman to third. Ronald... [More]

Braves first. Ronald Acuna Jr. walks. Dansby Swanson walks. Freddie Freeman doubles to deep left center field. Dansby Swanson scores. Ronald Acuna Jr. scores. Marcell Ozuna strikes out swinging. Travis d'Arnaud singles to left field. Freddie Freeman to third. Nick Markakis grounds out to second base. Travis d'Arnaud out at second.2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 left on. Braves 2, Marlins 0.Marlins second. Garrett Cooper grounds out to shallow infield, Adeiny Hechavarria to Freddie Freeman. Jon Berti called out on strikes. Jazz Chisholm reaches on error to shallow infield, advances to 2nd. Throwing error by Ian Anderson. Miguel Rojas doubles. Jazz Chisholm scores. Jorge Alfaro walks. Miguel Rojas to third. Corey Dickerson grounds out to second base, Adeiny Hechavarria to Freddie Freeman.1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 left on. Braves 2, Marlins 1.Braves second. Austin Riley lines out to shallow left field to Miguel Rojas. Adeiny Hechavarria singles to third base. Ender Inciarte triples to left field.... [More]

Nationals second. Asdrubal Cabrera strikes out swinging. Brock Holt singles to center field. Yan Gomes pops out to shallow center field to Dansby Swanson. Eric Thames singles to deep right field. Brock Holt scores. Carter Kieboom grounds out to shallow infield to Freddie Freeman.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Nationals 1, Braves 0.Braves fourth. Travis d'Arnaud called out on strikes. Austin Riley singles to shallow left field. Adam Duvall doubles. Austin Riley to third. Tyler Flowers doubles. Adam Duvall scores. Austin Riley scores. Adeiny Hechavarria grounds out to third base, Carter Kieboom to Eric Thames. Ronald Acuna Jr. is intentionally walked. Dansby Swanson singles to shortstop. Ronald Acuna Jr. to second. Tyler Flowers to third. Freddie Freeman flies out to left field to Brock Holt.2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 3 left on. Braves 2, Nationals 1.Braves fifth. Marcell Ozuna homers to left field. Travis d'Arnaud grounds out to third base, Carter Kieboom to Eric Thames. Austin Riley... [More]