PHOENIX (AP) — Tyson Ross lost his bid to pitch the first no-hitter in the history of the San Diego Padres when rookie center fielder Franchy Cordero appeared to misplay a ball with two outs in the eighth inning Friday night of a 4-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.Playing their 7,835th game since joining the majors in 1969, the Padres again came agonizingly close to their first no-no. They remain the only team in the big leagues that has never thrown a no-hitter.Ross had a 1-0 lead with two outs in the eighth when Christian Walker lined a drive to deep center. Cordero seemed to get a late break on the ball, then had it sail just over his outstretched glove for a double that made it 1-all. Ross was pulled after throwing a career-high 127 pitches. The right-hander, who turns 31 on Sunday, struck out 10 and walked three. He retired 18 straight after walking Jarrod Dyson in the first. Brad Hand (1-2) relieved Ross and got the last four outs — they combined on the 29th one-hitter in Padres'... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Yoenis Cespedes, who struck out in his previous four at-bats, hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the 12th inning to lift the New York Mets to a 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.Cespedes' single to right field drove in winning pitcher Robert Gsellman from second base. Cespedes scored on Asdrubal Cabrera's double off Josh Ravin (0-1) to right field. Cabrera ran halfway to third before stopping and trying to return to second. A review showed he was out at second, overturning the original call. Ravin hit Gsellman with a pitch to open the 12th. Gsellman moved to second on Amed Rosario's sacrifice. Michael Conforto popped out before Cespedes delivered the go-ahead hit.Gsellman (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings. Jeurys Familia pitched a perfect 12th for his eighth save.ASTROS 10, WHITE SOX 0CHICAGO (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched six sparkling innings, Carlos Correa homered twice and the Houston Astros pounded the White Sox.George Springer also drove in four... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Xander Bogaerts hit the first grand slam for Boston since the end of the 2016 season and drove in a career-best six runs to carry the Red Sox to a 10-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday for their seventh straight victory.J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers homered for Boston, and Rick Porcello (2-0) pitched into the eighth inning.This is just the second time in franchise history that the Red Sox have lost their season opener and won the next seven. The other came in 1904 when Boston captured the AL pennant.The Rays have lost seven straight and are off to their worst start ever after rallying for a win at home over the Red Sox on opening day.Bogaerts hit a two-run double in Boston's four-run first. In the second, his second career slam completely left Fenway Park over the Green Monster and came after Jake Faria (0-1) walked the bases full.PHILLIES 20, MARLINS 1PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Maikel Franco and Aaron Altherr each hit a grand slam and Carlos Santana and Jorge Alfaro also... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Xander Bogaerts hit the first grand slam for Boston since the end of the 2016 season and drove in a career-best six runs to carry the Red Sox to a 10-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday for their seventh straight victory.J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers homered for Boston, and Rick Porcello (2-0) pitched into the eighth inning.This is just the second time in franchise history that the Red Sox have lost their season opener and won the next seven. The other came in 1904 when Boston captured the AL pennant.The Rays have lost seven straight and are off to their worst start ever after rallying for a win at home over the Red Sox on opening day.Bogaerts hit a two-run double in Boston's four-run first. In the second, his second career slam completely left Fenway Park over the Green Monster and came after Jake Faria (0-1) walked the bases full.PHILLIES 20, MARLINS 1PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Maikel Franco and Aaron Altherr each hit a grand slam and Carlos Santana and Jorge Alfaro also... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Trevor Bauer felt the rules beat him before the Royals did.Bauer allowed Lucas Duda's homer on his first pitch in the seventh inning for the game's only run and Ian Kennedy pitched six shutout innings, leading Kansas City to a 1-0 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday in frigid, football-like weather conditions.Duda's shot off Bauer (0-1) was one of only three hits by Kansas City and a rare highlight as the teams survived nine innings with the temperature hovering around freezing.But afterward, Bauer complained that he didn't have enough time to warm up following the sixth inning. In an attempt to speed up play this season, Major League Baseball has cut the time between innings from 2 minutes, 25 seconds to 2:05."First pitch of the inning, coming out, I tried to get loose, but with the new (Commissioner) Rob Manfred time (nonsense) we have only a certain amount of time between innings, it's hard to get loose sometimes, especially in conditions like that. It's not safe,... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Lucas Duda homered off Trevor Bauer for the game's only run and Ian Kennedy pitched six shutout innings, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 1-0 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday in frigid, football-like weather conditions.Duda's shot in the seventh off Bauer (0-1) was one of only three hits by Kansas City and a rare highlight as the teams survived nine innings with the temperature hovering around freezing.Kennedy (1-0) allowed four hits, walked none and struck out eight. The right-hander was only in trouble once, but worked out of the sixth-inning jam. Blaine Boyer and Justin Grimm pitched an inning apiece before closer Kelvin Herrera worked a perfect ninth for his second save.The temperature was 34 at gametime, one degree above the coldest start to a game in the 25-year history of Progressive Field. Players on both teams bundled up, with several wearing hoods under their caps to try and stay warm.Bauer matched Kennedy and then some, giving up just three hits... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his first major league home run in his first Angel Stadium at-bat, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Cleveland Indians 13-2 on Tuesday night.Ohtani capped a six-run first inning with a three-run drive to center off Josh Tomlin (0-1). The Japanese two-way player got the silent treatment from teammates when he returned to the dugout, but not from the crowd. After players broke character and jumped around Ohtani to celebrate, Mike Trout pointed to the field and instructed Ohtani to take a curtain call.Trout, Justin Upton, Luis Valbuena and Rene Rivera also homered for the Angels, who broke a 12-game losing streak to the Indians. Garrett Richards (1-0) got the win.Jose Ramirez hit a two-run home run in the first for the Indians.BREWERS 5, CARDINALS 4MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun hit consecutive homers off Dominic Leone with two out in the ninth, sending Milwaukee to the win.Leone (0-1) retired the first two batters, but then... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his first major league home run in his first Angel Stadium at-bat, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Cleveland Indians 13-2 on Tuesday night.Ohtani capped a six-run first inning with a three-run drive to center off Josh Tomlin (0-1). The Japanese two-way player got the silent treatment from teammates when he returned to the dugout, but not from the crowd. After players broke character and jumped around Ohtani to celebrate, Mike Trout pointed to the field and instructed Ohtani to take a curtain call.Trout, Justin Upton, Luis Valbuena and Rene Rivera also homered for the Angels, who broke a 12-game losing streak to the Indians. Garrett Richards (1-0) got the win.Jose Ramirez hit a two-run home run in the first for the Indians.YANKEES 11, RAYS 4NEW YORK (AP) — Didi Gregorius hit a pair of three-run homers and drove in a career-high eight RBIs, and the Yankees won Aaron Boone's chilly first home opener as manager.Gregorius had four hits and walked,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Didi Gregorius hit a pair of three-run homers and drove in a career-high eight RBIs, and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 11-4 on Tuesday in Aaron Boone's chilly first home opener as manager.Gregorius had four hits and walked, setting a major league record for RBIs by a player in a home opener. He also set a Yankees record for RBIs by a shortstop.He doubled and scored in the second, and his first homer put the Yankees ahead 4-1 in the third against Chris Archer. After New York's bullpen wasted a three-run lead for the second straight game, Gregorius drove an 0-2 pitch from Austin Pruitt (1-1) into the second deck in the seventh. He blooped an opposite-field two-run single to left in the eighth.New York improved to 3-2 under Boone, who took over when Joe Girardi was fired. Tommy Kahnle (1-0) got the win.Tampa Bay has lost four straight since beating Boston in its opener.MARINERS 6, GIANTS 4SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mitch Haniger hit a two-run single, helping the Mariners... [More]

Capsules of American League Central teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Cleveland Indians2017: 102-60, first place, lost to Yankees in ALDS.Manager: Terry Francona (sixth season).He's Here: 1B-DH Yonder Alonso, LF Rajai Davis, RHP Alexi Ogando.He's Outta Here: 1B Carlos Santana, OF Jay Bruce, RHP Bryan Shaw, RHP Joe Smith, OF Austin Jackson, LHP Boone Logan.Projected Lineup: SS Francisco Lindor (.273, 33 HRs, 89 RBIs, 44 2Bs, 15 SBs, 10 errors), 2B Jason Kipnis (.232, 12 HRs, 35 RBIs in 90 games), 3B Jose Ramirez (.318, 29, 83, AL-leading 56 2Bs), DH Edwin Encarnacion (.258, 38, 107), 1B Yonder Alonso (.266, career-high 28 HRs, 67 RBIs with Athletics and Mariners), RF Lonnie Chisenhall (.288, 12, 53 in 82 games), C Roberto Perez (.207, 8, 38, club went 44-22 in his starts) or Yan Gomes (.232, 14, 56), CF Bradley Zimmer (.241, 8, 39, 18 SBs, 0 errors), LF Michael Brantley (.299, 9, 52 in 90 games) or Rajai Davis (.235, 5, 20, 29 SBs with Oakland and Boston).Rotation: RH Corey Kluber... [More]

Never pay for saves. That mantra has been a constant in fantasy baseball circles almost as long as it has been played.Top relievers dominated the saves category, but their dearth of wins and strikeouts limited their value in comparison to starting pitchers. Despite posting elite ratios, relievers just didn't pitch enough innings to hang with even a mid-level starting pitcher. Add all that onto the relative ease of acquiring saves in-season and it's easy to see why many people bypassed the top relievers and scavenged the lower rungs of closers for value.Not anymore. Changes in real baseball mean values in fantasy are changing as a result.As MLB managers lean more on their bullpens, the statistical landscape has changed for pitchers. Managers are quicker with the hook and more starters are limited to five or six innings a start. This means once you get past the top few elite starters, the gap in strikeouts and wins is shrinking. As relievers grab an increasing percentage of innings, their... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals came to camp Sunday and finally knew for sure: Eric Hosmer was gone.The move was not unexpected, but they had been dreading this day.Hosmer agreed to an eight-year, $144 million contract with the San Diego Padres this weekend, leaving the Royals with a big void at first base and in the clubhouse."I had a pretty good sense about four days ago that it probably wasn't going to work out here," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "You still hold out hope. We began to develop a mindset that he is probably going in a different direction."The 28-year-old Hosmer hit a career-best .318 last year with 25 home runs. He is a four-time Gold Glove winner and was the MVP of the 2016 All-Star Game, which was played in San Diego. Hosmer helped the Royals to back-to-back World Series appearances, and they won it all in 2015."Eric Hosmer was a huge part of that," Moore said. "We're forever grateful for his leadership, what he meant and does mean to this organization.... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals had the most feared bullpen in the majors in 2014 and '15 with Wade Davis, Greg Holland and Kelvin Herrera helping them advance to back-to-back World Series.That's no longer the case entering 2018. The back end of the bullpen remains unsettled as Royals opened spring training on Tuesday with pitchers and catchers reporting.Herrera is back and led the team with 26 saves last year, but he lost his closing job late in the season. Scott Alexander logged four saves. Mike Minor finished the year as the closer, collecting six saves.The Royals traded relievers Alexander, Joakim Soria and Ryan Butcher in January. Minor signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent.Along with a plethora of new faces in the bullpen, the Royals have a new pitching coach in Cal Eldred and bullpen coach in Vance Wilson.Herrera, who had a career-worst 4.25 ERA in 64 appearances and battled forearm tightness last year, arrived in Arizona on January 13 to begin working out."I... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The offseason Royals fans have been dreading for years has come and gone, and now a team that could bear little resemblance to its championship past is ready to report to spring training in Arizona.Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas could be playing elsewhere. Lorenzo Cain is already headed to camp with Milwaukee. The only core member that reached free agency who will be back is shortstop Alcides Escobar, who agreed to one-year contract with Kansas City with nothing else materialized.One thing the Royals aren't going to do: tank.General manager Dayton Moore insisted they will not regress to their 100-loss past, even if Hosmer and Moustakas also sign with other teams. He's confident that a relatively weak farm system can replace those big names, and that the Royals will at least be competitive by opening day."If anybody thinks we're going to settle for mediocrity," Moore said, "or allow our players to be overmatched on a consistent basis, not put a competitive team on... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals agreed with reliever Kelvin Herrera and starter Nate Karns on one-year contracts Friday to avoid arbitration, leaving reliever Brandon Maurer as their only player still on track for a hearing next month.Herrera will make $7,937,500, an increase from $5,325,000. He would get a $50,000 bonus if he's an All-Star, which he was in 2015 and 2016.He was just 2-2 with a 4.25 ERA last season after taking on the full-time closer job.Karns will make $1,375,000 in his first year of arbitration eligibility, an increase from the $571,000 he made last season. He would get a $12,500 each for 15 and 20 starts and $50,000 if he's an All-Star.Karns missed most of last season after surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. He was 2-2 with a 4.17 ERA in nine games, eight of them starts, and is expected to compete for a rotation spot this spring.Maurer asked for a raise from $1.9 million to $3.5 million and was offered $2.95 million.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

RHP Kelvin Herrera is now 26-for-31 in save opportunities, after his blown save Thursday night, when he gave up a game-tying RBI double to SS Francisco Lindor with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. In nine appearances since his last save, on Aug. 16, Herrera has an 8.59 ERA.

RHP Kelvin Herrera has been pulled from his closer's role. Herrera, who blew a lead in the ninth inning Thursday in a loss to the Twins, has a team-leading 26 saves in 30 chances. Herrera was used to start the eighth inning Friday, but was removed after giving up two runs on two hits and a sacrifice bunt. He was pulled from games Sept. 1 and Aug. 22 with forearm tightness. "He hasn't pitched enough to stay sharp," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He dealt with that little inflammation stuff. He's not a guy who normally goes out and consistently throws 20 to 28 pitches per inning. It's due to lack of regular pitching. Backing him off the ninth and getting him in the seventh and eighth, we'll be able to utilize him much more and get him polished back up."

RHP Kelvin Herrera had not pitched since Sept. 1 when he left with forearm tightness. He retired only two of the seven batters he faced and allowed three runs on three hits and two walks. "He was fine," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He didn't have issues with the tightness. He just gave up the hits."

RHP Kelvin Herrera had an MRI exam that showed a mild strain in his lower right forearm, according to MLB.com. Herrera, who has 26 saves in 29 chances, will be out for a few days. Manager Ned Yost told MLB.com that he will determine his closer based on matchups.

RHP Kelvin Herrera left Friday's game against the Twins with low forearm tightness in his pitching arm. Herrera was throwing in the high-90s but hard some control issues. He walked one and hit a batter. He gave up two runs but none were earned after Whit Merrifield started the inning with an error at second base. After throwing three straight balls to Jorge Polanco, he left the field with a trainer. Manager Ned Yost said the tightness affected his command.