A capsule look at the best-of-three playoff series between the Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis beginning Tuesday: ___ HOUSTON ASTROS Record: 29-31. Playoff Entry: second place, AL West. Playoff Seed: No. 6. Manager: Dusty Baker (first season). Projected Rotation: RHP Zack Greinke (3-3, 4.03 ERA, 67 Ks), RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (3-3, 3.93, 56 Ks), RHP Jose Urquidy (1-1, 2.73, 17 Ks) or LHP Framber Valdez (5-3, 3.57, 76 Ks) or RHP Cristian Javier (5-2, 3.48, 54 Ks.) Top Hitters: LF Michael Brantley (.300, 5 HRs, 22 RBIs, 15 doubles), CF George Springer (.265, 14, 32), RF Kyle Tucker (.268, 9, 42). Top Relievers: RHP Ryan Pressly (1-3, 3.43 ERA, 12 saves), LHP Brooks Raley (0-1, 3.94, 1 save). Series Summary: Last year’s American League champions limp into the playoffs as the only AL team to make the postseason with a losing record after dropping three straight and four of their last five. With ace Justin Verlander out due to Tommy John surgery, the Astros look for Greinke... [More]

The Chicago White Sox clinched their first postseason berth since 2008, beating the Minnesota Twins 4-3 Thursday as Eloy Jim�nez hit a tiebreaking double that capped a two-run, seventh-inning rally. Chicago (33-17) opened a three-game lead over the second-place Twins (31-21) in the AL Central. The White Sox assured themselves of no worse than a wild-card berth. Jos� Abreu homered and drove in two runs and Edwin Encarnaci�n also homered for Chicago, which won three of four in the series. Chicago trailed 3-2 in the seventh when Abreu beat out an infield hit on a slow grounder that drove in Jarrod Dyson from third base. Jim�nez followed with a go-ahead double. Codi Heuer (3-0) pitched a scoreless 1 2/3 innings, and Alex Colom� got four outs for his 12th save in 13 chances. Tyler Clippard (1-1) gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning. Byron Buxton homered twice, giving him seven in his last nine games and 12 this season. Josh Donaldson also went deep for Minnesota and was ejected for kicking... [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]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Angels star Mike Trout flinched after yet another high-and-tight fastball from San Francisco reliever Shaun Anderson, prompting a warning from the plate umpire Thursday night in the Giants’ 10-5 win over Los Angeles.Two days earlier in Anaheim, Trout was upset when Anderson twice threw near his head in the ninth inning. After that game, Giants manager Gabe Kapler said he was giving Anderson, a 25-year-old with control issues, some needed work after not pitching for a while.This time, the three-time AL MVP turned his head after another heater sailed up and in. Angels manager Joe Maddon loudly cursed and complained before emerging from the dugout to continue — after this week’s previous episode, Maddon said of Anderson: “That’s just a young man that’s not ready to be here, that’s all that is.”A few people in the Giants barked back as Maddon came onto the field and the umpires conferred in the infield, prompting the warning from plate ump Lance Barrett.Once play resumed,... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Dansby Swanson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a four-run rally that gave the Atlanta Braves a stunning 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.With the Braves trailing 6-3 against Washington closer Daniel Hudson (1-2), Adam Duvall made it close by hitting a two-run shot that just cleared the wall in left field. Johan Camargo followed with a single, but Hudson retired the next two hitters to put the Braves down to their final out.It never came.Swanson drove one over the wall in right-center for the game winner. The rally ruined a memorable night for Washington rookie Luis Garcia, who became the first player born in the 2000s to hit a big league homer. The youngest player in the majors at age 20, Garcia hit a two-run shot off Touki Toussaint in the second inning. Asdrubal Cabrera, Juan Soto and Eric Thames also homered for the defending World Series champs, but it wasn’t enough.DODGERS 11, MARINERS 9LOS ANGELES (AP) —... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Dansby Swanson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a four-run rally that gave the Atlanta Braves a stunning 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.With the Braves trailing 6-3 against Washington closer Daniel Hudson (1-2), Adam Duvall made it close by hitting a two-run shot that just cleared the wall in left field. Johan Camargo followed with a single, but Hudson retired the next two hitters to put the Braves down to their final out.It never came.Swanson drove one over the wall in right-center for the game winner. The rally ruined a memorable night for Washington rookie Luis Garcia, who became the first player born in the 2000s to hit a big league homer. The youngest player in the majors at age 20, Garcia hit a two-run shot off Touki Toussaint in the second inning. Asdrubal Cabrera, Juan Soto and Eric Thames also homered for the defending World Series champs, but it wasn’t enough.TWINS 4, ROYALS 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nelson... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Dansby Swanson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a four-run rally that gave the Atlanta Braves a stunning 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.With the Braves trailing 6-3 against Washington closer Daniel Hudson (1-2), Adam Duvall made it close by hitting a two-run shot that just cleared the wall in left field. Johan Camargo followed with a single, but Hudson retired the next two hitters to put the Braves down to their final out.It never came.Swanson drove one over the wall in right-center for the game winner. The rally ruined a memorable night for Washington rookie Luis Garcia, who became the first player born in the 2000s to hit a big league homer. The youngest player in the majors at age 20, Garcia hit a two-run shot off Touki Toussaint in the second inning. Asdrubal Cabrera, Juan Soto and Eric Thames also homered for the defending World Series champs, but it wasn’t enough.TWINS 4, ROYALS 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nelson... [More]

With all the protocols in place, Stephen Strasburg got a good feel Monday night for what pitching on the road will entail this season during the coronavirus pandemic. Last year's World Series MVP threw five strong innings for Washington in a 4-2 exhibition win over the Baltimore Orioles. Nationals manager Dave Martinez said the team took five buses for the 45-minute ride to Baltimore so players and staff could space out, with 14 people on each bus. “It’s pretty intense,” Strasburg said. “You get on the bus and you have to wear a face mask the whole time. Then you get in, and basically they temperature screen you. It’s kind of tough to get a good temperature reading when it’s 100 degrees outside. "But if you pass that, then you come into the clubhouse and everybody’s kind of sectioned off. So it’s just kind of an adjustment that we have to make. But unfortunately it’s kind of challenging to build team chemistry in an environment like this right now.” Strasburg looked just fine on the mound,... [More]

Miami Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas talked Monday about the ways the 2020 season will be different for players, with little clubhouse interaction, seats in the stands and postgame meals via hotel room service.Another change: Rojas believes the Marlins will be good.He joined Miami in 2015 and has since endured five consecutive losing seasons. But like the team’s management and some outside observers, Rojas says the Marlins are poised for a big leap forward in Year 3 of Derek Jeter’s rebuilding program.“I’m really excited about the starting pitching, and our offense is way better than the last couple of years,” Rojas said. “The whole organization has been doing a great job bringing the young prospects along. It doesn’t matter if they don’t make the club right now. We know we have those guys waiting.”Fans will get their first look — on TV only — when the Marlins play an exhibition game Tuesday at Atlanta. They begin the season Friday at Philadelphia.GETTING GOINGDr. Anthony Fauci, a Washington... [More]

Miami Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas talked Monday about the ways the 2020 season will be different for players, with little clubhouse interaction, seats in the stands and postgame meals via hotel room service.Another change: Rojas believes the Marlins will be good.He joined Miami in 2015 and has since endured five consecutive losing seasons. But like the team’s management and some outside observers, Rojas says the Marlins are poised for a big leap forward in Year 3 of Derek Jeter’s rebuilding program.“I’m really excited about the starting pitching, and our offense is way better than the last couple of years,” Rojas said. “The whole organization has been doing a great job bringing the young prospects along. It doesn’t matter if they don’t make the club right now. We know we have those guys waiting.”Fans will get their first look — on TV only — when the Marlins play an exhibition game Tuesday at Atlanta. They begin the season Friday at Philadelphia.GETTING GOINGDr. Anthony Fauci, a Washington... [More]

Angels sent LHP Brooks Raley outright to Triple-A Salt Lake.

This move takes Raley off of the team's 40-man roster. The 25-year-old southpaw has gotten destroyed in his 21 innings at Salt Lake, registering an 11.14 ERA, 2.29 WHIP and 15/11 K/BB ratio.

Angels claimed LHP Brooks Raley off waivers from the Twins; assigned him to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Raley was one of the Twins' first cuts this spring and got removed from the 40-man roster Thursday to clear a spot for right-handed reliever Matt Guerrier. The 25-year-old left-hander opened the season with a 3.68 ERA in 14 2/3 innings at Triple-A Rochester. He will now function as organizational relief depth for the Angels.

Twins claimed LHP Brooks Raley off waivers from the Cubs.

Raley made nine relief appearances with the Cubs last year, but he mostly pitched at the Triple-A level, posting a 4.46 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 141 1/3 innings. He'll function as organizational pitching depth.

Cubs recalled LHP Brooks Raley from Triple-A Iowa.

Raley posted a 4.46 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 141 1/3 innings this season at the Triple-A level. He'll pitch in long relief down the stretch for the big-league Cubs.

Cubs optioned LHP Brooks Raley to Triple-A Iowa.

Raley was called up from the minors earlier this week and gave up two runs over 4 1/3 innings in relief of Jeff Samardzija on Wednesday night. The Cubs called up Michael Bowden in a corresponding move in order to have a fresh arm for the bullpen.

Cubs recalled LHP Brooks Raley from Triple-A Iowa.

Raley was up with the big club for a couple days earlier this season but didn't make an appearance. He'll work in long relief.

Brooks Raley will be recalled by the Cubs on Monday.

Raley is going to fill the 25-man roster spot left vacant by Sunday night's Scott Hairston trade. The left-handed reliever will not carry any sort of fantasy value.

Cubs optioned LHP Brooks Raley to Triple-A Iowa.

Raley was only up for a couple days and didn't appear in a game. He's making room for the arrival of Henry Rodriguez.

Cubs recalled LHP Brooks Raley from Triple-A Iowa

He'll take the place of Zach Putnam (elbow) on the active roster. Raley, 24, has a 4.92 ERA and 51/21 K/BB ratio in 64 innings over 12 starts and one relief appearance this season in Triple-A. He figures to pitch in middle relief.

Cubs optioned LHP Brooks Raley, RHPs Trey McNutt and Alberto Cabrera and INF/OF Logan Watkins to Triple-A Iowa and RHP Robert Whitenack to Double-A Tennessee.

They also reassigned righty Nick Struck to minor league camp. Of all the group, Cabrera probably had the best shot to make the team, but he really struggled this spring, allowing 12 runs over 6 2/3 frames. He'll be up with the big club at some point, though.