DETROIT (AP) — Shohei Ohtani went 0 for 4 with an RBI groundout and walked once in his season debut as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2 Tuesday night.The Angels activated the AL Rookie of the Year from the injured list and looking very eager to make an impact, Ohtani swung so hard at times that his helmet flew off his head.The 24-year-old two-way player isn't expected to pitch this year as he recovers from Tommy John surgery in October. But the Angels, who are under .500, are hoping Ohtani can provide a boost as their designated hitter.Griffin Canning (1-0) earned the win in his second career start, giving up two runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out seven. Hansel Robles pitched the ninth for his third save in as many chances.Daniel Norris (1-1) took the loss.CUBS 5, MARLINS 2CHICAGO (AP) — Kris Bryant hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Chicago Cubs over Miami.With runners on the corners, Bryant drove a... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Shohei Ohtani went 0 for 4 with an RBI groundout and walked once in his season debut as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2 Tuesday night.The Angels activated the AL Rookie of the Year from the injured list and looking very eager to make an impact, Ohtani swung so hard at times that his helmet flew off his head.The 24-year-old two-way player isn't expected to pitch this year as he recovers from Tommy John surgery in October. But the Angels, who are under .500, are hoping Ohtani can provide a boost as their designated hitter.Griffin Canning (1-0) earned the win in his second career start, giving up two runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out seven. Hansel Robles pitched the ninth for his third save in as many chances.Daniel Norris (1-1) took the loss.CUBS 5, MARLINS 2CHICAGO (AP) — Kris Bryant hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Chicago Cubs over Miami.With runners on the corners, Bryant drove a... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Shohei Ohtani went 0 for 4 with an RBI groundout and walked once in his season debut as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2 Tuesday night.The Angels activated the AL Rookie of the Year from the injured list and looking very eager to make an impact, Ohtani swung so hard at times that his helmet flew off his head.The 24-year-old two-way player isn't expected to pitch this year as he recovers from Tommy John surgery in October. But the Angels, who are under .500, are hoping Ohtani can provide a boost as their designated hitter.Griffin Canning (1-0) earned the win in his second career start, giving up two runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out seven. Hansel Robles pitched the ninth for his third save in as many chances.Daniel Norris (1-1) took the loss.CUBS 5, MARLINS 2CHICAGO (AP) — Kris Bryant hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Chicago Cubs over Miami.With runners on the corners, Bryant drove a... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — CC Sabathia became the 17th player in major league history and third left-hander to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, but was outpitched by Arizona ace Zack Greinke in the Diamondbacks' 3-1 win over the New York Yankees Tuesday night.Sabathia (1-1) arrived in the desert needing three strikeouts to hit 3,000 and got them all in the third inning.The milestone whiff came when he got John Ryan Murphy swinging, sending the Yankees pouring out of the dugout.Sabathia became the first pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts since Atlanta's John Smoltz in 2008, and joined Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton as the only lefties to do it.Wilmer Flores hit a solo homer and a run-scoring single off Sabathia. He allowed two runs and five hits, and struck out five before being lifted with two on and one out in the sixth inning.Greinke (5-1) won his fifth straight game. He allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings.BREWERS 4, ROCKIES 3MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesus Aguilar homered again and Milwaukee broke through late... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle became the first major league team to homer in each of its first 15 games when Dee Gordon connected in the sixth inning, then beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 Thursday behind Daniel Vogelbach's home run in the 10th inning.Seattle improved the best record in the major leagues to 13-2, completing a four-game sweep and extending its winning streak to six. The Mariners became just the third team since 1987 to open with at least 13 wins in the first 15 games after Milwaukee (14-1 in 1987) and Boston (13-2 last year).Kansas City has lost 10 straight games, has the poorest record in the big leagues at 2-10 and is off to its worst 12-game start since 2006. The Royals failed to preserve leads of 4-0 in the sixth and 6-4 with two outs in the ninth.Kansas City's Whit Merrifield had his hitting streak end at 31 games. Merrifield went 0 for 6. He had not gone hitless since Sept. 9.Royals center fielder Billy Hamilton was carted off with a knee injury after failing to grab... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle became the first major league team to homer in each of its first 15 games when Dee Gordon connected in the sixth inning, then beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 Thursday behind Daniel Vogelbach's home run in the 10th inning.Seattle improved the best record in the major leagues to 13-2, completing a four-game sweep and extending its winning streak to six. The Mariners became just the third team since 1987 to open with at least 13 wins in the first 15 games after Milwaukee (14-1 in 1987) and Boston (13-2 last year).Kansas City has lost 10 straight games, has the poorest record in the big leagues at 2-10 and is off to its worst 12-game start since 2006. The Royals failed to preserve leads of 4-0 in the sixth and 6-4 with two outs in the ninth.Kansas City's Whit Merrifield had his hitting streak end at 31 games. Merrifield went 0 for 6. He had not gone hitless since Sept. 9.Royals center fielder Billy Hamilton was carted off with a knee injury after failing to grab... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle became the first major league team to homer in each of its first 15 games when Dee Gordon connected in the sixth inning, then beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 Thursday behind Daniel Vogelbach's home run in the 10th inning.Seattle improved the best record in the major leagues to 13-2, completing a four-game sweep and extending its winning streak to six. The Mariners became just the third team since 1987 to open with at least 13 wins in the first 15 games after Milwaukee (14-1 in 1987) and Boston (13-2 last year).Kansas City has lost 10 straight games, has the poorest record in the big leagues at 2-10 and is off to its worst 12-game start since 2006. The Royals failed to preserve leads of 4-0 in the sixth and 6-4 with two outs in the ninth.Kansas City's Whit Merrifield had his hitting streak end at 31 games. Merrifield went 0 for 6. He had not gone hitless since Sept. 9.Royals center fielder Billy Hamilton was carted off with a knee injury after failing to grab... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — David Robertson forced home the game-ending run with a ninth-inning walk to Jake Noll, a rookie without a hit in his two previous major league at-bats, and the Nationals beat the previously unbeaten Phillies 9-8 Wednesday as Washington's fans again booed Bryce Harper.Noll was sent to the minors after the game to make room for utilityman Howie Kendrick to come off the injured list Thursday.Robertson (0-1) gave up a leadoff single to Anthony Rendon, then walked three batters in a row.Nationals closer Sean Doolittle (2-0) worked the ninth.Philadelphia fell to 4-1 — it had been the last team in the majors without a loss. Making his second appearance against his former team since signing a $330 million, 13-year deal with the Phillies, Harper hit a pair of singles and was walked three times, twice intentionally.RED SOX 6, ATHLETICS 3OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mookie Betts' two-out grounder hit the third base bag and popped into the outfield for a tiebreaking, two-run double in the... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — David Robertson forced home the game-ending run with a ninth-inning walk to Jake Noll, a rookie without a hit in his two previous major league at-bats, and the Nationals beat the previously unbeaten Phillies 9-8 Wednesday as Washington's fans again booed Bryce Harper.Noll was sent to the minors after the game to make room for utilityman Howie Kendrick to come off the injured list Thursday.Robertson (0-1) gave up a leadoff single to Anthony Rendon, then walked three batters in a row.Nationals closer Sean Doolittle (2-0) worked the ninth.Philadelphia fell to 4-1 — it had been the last team in the majors without a loss. Making his second appearance against his former team since signing a $330 million, 13-year deal with the Phillies, Harper hit a pair of singles and was walked three times, twice intentionally.PADRES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 1SAN DIEGO (AP) — Manny Machado hit his first home run for San Diego, a two-run drive in the seventh off former Padres farmhand Matt Andriese.... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — The Chicago Cubs received good news on closer Brandon Morrow and reliever Pedro Strop, who have both been slowed this spring by injuries.Morrow threw 20 pitches in a bullpen session Monday, his first time off the mound this spring. He was limited to 35 games last season with the Cubs and did not pitch past July 15. He underwent a debridement on his right elbow in November. Morrow was expected to miss the first month of the season."It's a big step to get back up and off the slope," Morrow said Tuesday. "To take that step, everything was good. There's nothing to report other than I felt great. It was just like a normal bullpen. I felt in rhythm mechanically after a few pitches. It was all good."Strop, who was projected to fill in as closer for Morrow, has been sidelined this spring because of a mild right hamstring strain. He threw a bullpen Tuesday for the first time since he was injured."There's a chance he may be ready (for the season opener)," Cubs manager Joe Maddon... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Cubs manager Joe Maddon has a lot of experience cobbling together bullpens from pitchers without defined roles.Until closer Brandon Morrow is mended and ready, Maddon will once again be faced with a juggling act of sorts in the late innings.Maddon said Sunday the Cubs bullpen is a "fluid" situation. While that's not ideal, it's nothing new for the three-time manager of the year. He's not so big on in-game guidelines, anyway."I think primarily the focus will be who's rested, who hasn't pitched a couple days in a row," Maddon said. "And work it that way until Brandon becomes available. And when he becomes available, it's still not going to be an everyday kind of thing. So, I will work off numbers, but I think with this particular group, a lot of it will have to do with who's most rested."Morrow had right elbow surgery in November after being shut down in mid-July, and he's unlikely to be ready for opening day. Without him, Chicago still had the NL's top bullpen last year,... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Yu Darvish felt pressure after signing a $126 million, six-year contract with the Chicago Cubs."At the time I didn't say anything about that, but I was thinking I should do something for the Cubs. I should win 20 games," he said Wednesday. "This year I want to be myself. I am feeling less pressure."Darvish went 1-3 with 4.95 ERA in eight starts during 2018, the last coming on May 20. He was sidelined by triceps and elbow injuries, and his season ended in August when an MRI showed a stress reaction in his arm after one inning of a rehab start.The 32-year-old right-hander spoke in English, a sign he is feeling more comfortable, after his first bullpen session of spring training."I am feeling I am family," he said. "I feel good right now."Darvish came to the major leagues from Japan before the 2012 season and became a four-time All-Star with the Texas Rangers. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in July 2017 and struggled in the World Series, losing Games 3 and 7 against... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Peace in baseball is at hand — well, at feet.Major League Baseball and the players' association ended a footwear flap Thursday, agreeing to loosen restrictions on the colors of spikes that may be used.Ben Zobrist, Kyle Schwarber and Steve Cishek of the Chicago Cubs wore black spikes in May despite a warning from the commissioner's office that they were violating a regulation requiring that at least 51 percent of the exterior of a player's shoes be the club's designated primary shoe color. For the Cubs, that color is blue.The majority requirement was eliminated under the new agreement. Players may now wear shows with black, white, any colors on the team's uniform and additional colors approved by the team.Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says "we believe that this agreement strikes the appropriate balance between the shared goal of permitting players to express their individuality while maintaining reasonable restrictions on shoe colors and designs."The new rules take effect for next season."Players welcome the expanded opportunity to express themselves and engage with fans through innovative design," union head Tony Clark says.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

A look at the National League wild-card game between the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs:___Schedule: Tuesday, at Chicago, 8:09 p.m. EDT (ESPN).___Season Series: Tied 3-3.___Projected Lineups:Rockies: CF Charlie Blackmon (.291, 29 HRs, 70 RBIs), 2B DJ LeMahieu (.276, 15, 62), LF David Dahl (.273, 16, 48), 3B Nolan Arenado (.297, 38, 110), SS Trevor Story (.291, 37, 108), RF Carlos Gonzalez (.276, 16, 64), 1B Ian Desmond (.236, 22, 88), C Chris Iannetta (.224, 11, 36).Cubs: 2B Daniel Murphy (.299, 12, 42 with Nationals and Cubs), RF Ben Zobrist (.305, 9, 58), SS Javier Baez (.290, 34, NL-best 111, 21 SBs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.283, 25, 101), 3B Kris Bryant (.272, 13, 52), LF Kyle Schwarber (.238, 26, 61), CF Jason Heyward (.270, 8, 57) or Ian Happ (.233, 15, 44) or Albert Almora (.286, 5, 41), C Willson Contreras (.249, 10, 54).___Starting Pitchers:Rockies: LH Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85 ERA, lowest full-season ERA for starting pitcher in team history).Cubs: LH Jon Lester (18-6, 3.32).___Relievers:Rockies:... [More]

DENVER (AP) — David Dahl homered for the fourth straight game, and the Colorado Rockies opened a one-game NL West lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday that extended their winning streak to seven.Trevor Story and Gerardo Parra also went deep. Trying for the first division title in team history, Colorado (89-70) closes at home with three games against Washington while the Dodgers finish at San Francisco. The Dodgers are one game ahead of St. Louis for the second NL wild-card berth.Scott Oberg (8-1) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings, and Wade Davis got his NL-leading 42nd save.Philadelphia (78-81) has lost a season-high eight straight and has gone 15-33 since moving a season-high 15 games over .500 on Aug. 5.Jake Arrieta (10-11) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He had a 3.96 ERA, his highest since 2013, in his first season after agreeing to a $75 million, three-year contract with the Phillies.YANKEES 12, RAYS 1ST. PETERSBURG,... [More]

DENVER (AP) — David Dahl homered for the fourth straight game, and the Colorado Rockies opened a one-game NL West lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday that extended their winning streak to seven.Trevor Story and Gerardo Parra also went deep. Trying for the first division title in team history, Colorado (89-70) closes at home with three games against Washington while the Dodgers finish at San Francisco. The Dodgers are one game ahead of St. Louis for the second NL wild-card berth.Scott Oberg (8-1) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings, and Wade Davis got his NL-leading 42nd save.Philadelphia (78-81) has lost a season-high eight straight and has gone 15-33 since moving a season-high 15 games over .500 on Aug. 5.Jake Arrieta (10-11) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He had a 3.96 ERA, his highest since 2013, in his first season after agreeing to a $75 million, three-year contract with the Phillies.YANKEES 12, RAYS 1ST. PETERSBURG,... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:PEN PALSThe Cubs will try a closer-by-committee approach down the stretch after learning Pedro Strop is out for the rest of the regular season because of a strained left hamstring. Strop, who had posted 11 saves since closer Brandon Morrow went on the disabled list in July, hurt himself trying to beat out a double-play grounder this week.On Friday night, Jorge De La Rosa worked around a double and walk in the ninth inning for his first career save, preserving a 3-2 win over Cincinnati at Wrigley Field. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he envisions calling on veterans including Steve Cishek, Justin Wilson and Jesse Chavez to finish games.ONE MOREMike Clevinger starts at Progressive Field as Cleveland tries to clinch its third straight AL Central title. The Indians have a magic number of one — they can wrap up the division with a win over Detroit, or a loss by Minnesota at Kansas City.RATS!The New York Mets had an unwelcome visitor to their dugout... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:PEN PALSThe Cubs will try a closer-by-committee approach down the stretch after learning Pedro Strop is out for the rest of the regular season because of a strained left hamstring. Strop, who had posted 11 saves since closer Brandon Morrow went on the disabled list in July, hurt himself trying to beat out a double-play grounder this week.On Friday night, Jorge De La Rosa worked around a double and walk in the ninth inning for his first career save, preserving a 3-2 win over Cincinnati at Wrigley Field. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he envisions calling on veterans including Steve Cishek, Justin Wilson and Jesse Chavez to finish games.ONE MOREMike Clevinger starts at Progressive Field as Cleveland tries to clinch its third straight AL Central title. The Indians have a magic number of one — they can wrap up the division with a win over Detroit, or a loss by Minnesota at Kansas City.RATS!The New York Mets had an unwelcome visitor to their... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:BRAVE NEW WORLDRookie phenom Ronald Acuna Jr. will try to get the first-place Atlanta Braves off to another fast start when they visit Arizona in a matchup of NL playoff contenders. Acuna hit his eighth leadoff homer Wednesday, setting a club single-season record, but the Braves blew a late six-run lead in an excruciating 9-8 loss to Boston at home. Brandon Phillips' two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning of his long-awaited season debut capped the biggest comeback by the Red Sox this year. On the heels of a three-game sweep, Anibal Sanchez (6-5, 2.98 ERA) looks to get Atlanta back on track when he faces Zack Greinke (13-9, 2.97) and the Diamondbacks in the opener of a four-game series. Acuna has 24 homers, including 17 since the All-Star break.GETTING CLOSERWith their magic number down to eight, the Cleveland Indians attempt to move closer to a third consecutive AL Central title when they play at Toronto. Lefty reliever Andrew... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Thursday:BRAVE NEW WORLDRookie phenom Ronald Acuna Jr. will try to get the first-place Atlanta Braves off to another fast start when they visit Arizona in a matchup of NL playoff contenders. Acuna hit his eighth leadoff homer Wednesday, setting a club single-season record, but the Braves blew a late six-run lead in an excruciating 9-8 loss to Boston at home. Brandon Phillips' two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning of his long-awaited season debut capped the biggest comeback by the Red Sox this year. On the heels of a three-game sweep, Anibal Sanchez (6-5, 2.98 ERA) looks to get Atlanta back on track when he faces Zack Greinke (13-9, 2.97) and the Diamondbacks in the opener of a four-game series. Acuna has 24 homers, including 17 since the All-Star break.GETTING CLOSERWith their magic number in single digits, the Cleveland Indians attempt to move closer to a third consecutive AL Central title when they play at Toronto. Lefty reliever... [More]