ST. LOUIS (AP) — Greg Holland is out as the Cardinals' closer, and Bud Norris is in.John Mozeliak, the team's president of baseball operations, made the announcement Tuesday.The Cardinals signed Holland to a one-year, $14 million deal on opening day and the three-time All-Star is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in 10 appearances. He has one blown save, which came Friday in Pittsburgh when St. Louis was leading 5-2 in the ninth inning.He pitched in Sunday's loss to the Pirates and gave three hits and one earned run in one inning."I don't think he'll be used in the ninth inning at this time," Mozeliak said.Norris will take over the closing duties for now, Mozeliak said. The Cardinals signed Norris in the offseason to a one-year contract for $3 million.Asked if he was OK with Norris as the Cardinals' closer, Mozeliak said: "Am I? Perfectly fine."Norris has five saves in five opportunities with a 2.03 ERA. He has allowed just three earned runs in 13 1/3 innings with 20 strikeouts and just two walks.In... [More]

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]

HOUSTON (AP) — Bartolo Colon carried a perfect game into the eighth inning and Robinson Chirinos drove in all three runs for the Texas Rangers during their 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros in 10 innings Sunday night.The 44-year-old Colon turned back the clock and dominated the defending World Series champions for seven innings, retiring his first 21 batters in an entertaining pitchers' duel with Astros ace Justin Verlander.Colon walked Carlos Correa to start the eighth before Josh Reddick lined an 0-2 delivery down the right-field line for a double that put runners at second and third, spoiling the no-hit bid as well.Opposing fans in Houston gave Colon a standing ovation. Two outs later, he was pulled with the score tied at 1.Chirinos homered in the third for the only hit off Verlander, who struck out 11 over eight innings.In the 10th, Chirinos launched a two-run double off Hector Rondon (1-1) that short-hopped the wall in straightaway center field. Jake Diekman pitched out of trouble... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Andrew Benintendi got three hits and the Boston Red Sox extended the best start in their 118-year history, beating the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 Sunday at frigid Fenway Park.Mitch Moreland also had three hits for the Red Sox, who completed a three-game sweep of the shortened series and improved to a major league-best 13-2 under new manager Alex Cora.The series was supposed to last four games, but the traditional Patriots' Day game scheduled for Monday morning at 11:05 a.m. was postponed late Sunday afternoon because of a forecast that calls for heavy rain throughout the day.The game will be made up May 17. It is the first time the Patriots' Day game in Boston has been postponed since 1984.Manny Machado had an RBI double for Baltimore, which has lost five of six.Boston ace Chris Sale gave up one run and two hits in five innings, striking eight and walking two.Heath Hembree (2-0) worked two innings of scoreless relief. Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his fifth save.Dylan Bundy... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Todd Frazier hit his first two home runs with the Mets, and New York extended its winning streak to nine with a 6-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.Steven Matz ended an 11-start winless streak dating to June 28 as New York improved to 11-1 under new manager Mickey Callaway, the best start in team history. The Mets are on their longest winning streak since 11 consecutive victories from April 12-23, 2015.Frazier homered leading off the second and fourth innings against Zach Davies (0-2). He also singled and walked.Matz (1-1), who had lost seven straight decisions, gave up four runs — three earned — and three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Jeurys Familia got three outs for his seventh save.Ryan Braun, Travis Shaw and Hernan Perez homered for Milwaukee. Davies, a 17-game winner last year, gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.RED SOX 7, ORIOLES 3BOSTON (AP) — Eduardo Nunez hit a three-run homer, Eduardo Rodriguez struck out eight over six stingy innings... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Todd Frazier hit his first two home runs with the Mets, and New York extended its winning streak to nine with a 6-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.Steven Matz ended an 11-start winless streak dating to June 28 as New York improved to 11-1 under new manager Mickey Callaway, the best start in team history. The Mets are on their longest winning streak since 11 consecutive victories from April 12-23, 2015.Frazier homered leading off the second and fourth innings against Zach Davies (0-2). He also singled and walked.Matz (1-1), who had lost seven straight decisions, gave up four runs — three earned — and three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Jeurys Familia got three outs for his seventh save.Ryan Braun, Travis Shaw and Hernan Perez homered for Milwaukee. Davies, a 17-game winner last year, gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.RED SOX 7, ORIOLES 3BOSTON (AP) — Eduardo Nunez hit a three-run homer, Eduardo Rodriguez struck out eight over six stingy innings... [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]

NEW YORK (AP) — Less than two hours before the start of their season, the St. Louis Cardinals found a closer.Greg Holland and the Cardinals agreed to a $14 million, one-year contract Thursday, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical and had not been announced.A three-time All-Star, Holland was a free agent after leading the National League with 41 saves last year for Colorado. His addition would be a major boost to an unsettled Cardinals bullpen lacking a proven closer in the wake of several injuries."It's great," catcher Yadier Molina said following a 9-4 loss to the New York Mets. "I'm excited. Hopefully everything works out and it happens."Holland turned down a $17.4 million, one-year qualifying offer from the Rockies last fall. If the Cardinals complete the deal, they will forfeit their second-highest draft pick in June, currently No. 43, and $500,000 of international signing bonus allocation... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Less than two hours before the start of their season, the St. Louis Cardinals found a closer.Greg Holland and the Cardinals agreed to a $14 million, one-year contract Thursday, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical and had not been announced.A three-time All-Star, Holland was a free agent after leading the National League with 41 saves last year for Colorado. His addition would be a major boost to an unsettled Cardinals bullpen lacking a proven closer in the wake of several injuries.Holland turned down a $17.4 million, one-year qualifying offer from the Rockies last fall. If the Cardinals complete the deal, they will forfeit their second-highest draft pick in June, currently No. 43, and $500,000 of international signing bonus allocation for the 2018-19 signing period.St. Louis had planned to use newcomer Luke Gregerson in the ninth inning, but he strained his left hamstring late... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — St. Louis closer Luke Gregerson will begin the season on the disabled list with a hamstring strain, manager Mike Matheny said on Saturday.Gregerson injured the hamstring during conditioning drills. He hasn't pitched in a Grapefruit League game since Tuesday, when he struck out two in an inning. There is no announced timetable for his return."Hamstrings are so difficult to predict," Matheny said.The Cardinals signed Gregerson during the offseason to be their closer. He saved 31 games for Houston in 2015 and 15 more the following season.Gregerson worked three perfect innings this spring for the Cardinals."He's frustrated, too," Matheny said. "He's had a long career and been a guy that's been durable."Earlier this spring, Gregerson missed time because of oblique tightness. Matheny said he didn't believe the two issues were related."He bounced back pretty quick which is hopefully an indicator of how quickly he's able to bounce back from injury," Matheny said.Without Gregerson,... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — St. Louis closer Luke Gregerson will begin the season on the disabled list with a hamstring strain, manager Mike Matheny said on Saturday.Gregerson injured the hamstring during conditioning drills. He hasn't pitched in a Grapefruit League game since Tuesday, when he struck out two in an inning. There is no announced timetable for his return.The Cardinals signed Gregerson during the offseason to be their closer. He saved 31 games for Houston in 2015 and 15 more the following season.Earlier this spring, Gregerson missed time because of oblique tightness. Matheny said he didn't believe the two issues were related.Without Gregerson, Matheny intends to select his closer on a game-by-game basis based on matchups. Righties Dominic Leone and Bud Norris, along with lefty Tyler Lyons, figure to be in the mix.___More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Clayton Kershaw's second spring training outing went according to plan, save for one poor throw to first.The ace left-hander breezed through two scoreless innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, allowing one hit and walking one during a 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Glendale, Arizona. He worked a perfect inning in his spring training debut against Seattle on Sunday."Another step. Another inning," Kershaw said. "Definitely things I can do better, but for the most part I'll take it. It was all right. I made some good pitches when I needed to. I made some bad ones, too. Enough to work on for the next one."Leury Garcia dropped a single into left in the first for Chicago's only hit off Kershaw. Garcia raced all the way to third when Kershaw made a wild throw on a pickoff attempt, but Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia grounded out to end the inning."I just tried to be a little too quick," Kershaw said, looking back on his fielding miscue. "I think I might have, it would have been... [More]

Clayton Kershaw's second spring training outing went according to plan, save for one poor throw to first.The ace left-hander breezed through two scoreless innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, allowing one hit and walking one during a 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Glendale, Arizona. He worked a perfect inning in his spring training debut against Seattle on Sunday."Another step. Another inning," Kershaw said. "Definitely things I can do better, but for the most part I'll take it. It was all right. I made some good pitches when I needed to. I made some bad ones, too. Enough to work on for the next one."Leury Garcia dropped a single into left in the first for Chicago's only hit off Kershaw. Garcia raced all the way to third when Kershaw made a wild throw on a pickoff attempt, but Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia grounded out to end the inning."I just tried to be a little too quick," Kershaw said, looking back on his fielding miscue. "I think I might have, it would have been... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Drew Pomeranz of the Boston Red Sox and Bud Norris of the St. Louis Cardinals left their spring training starts because of injuries Friday.Pomeranz left his first exhibition outing due to left forearm tightness. Norris had a left hamstring spasm.Pomeranz breezed through the first inning, retiring the side in order with 13 pitches, then felt an issue while warming up for the second. He threw four pitches to Marcell Ozuna, then summoned catcher Blake Swihart to the mound, talked with a trainer and departed."I wasn't really pushing it, so I just was like, you know what? There's no point," Pomeranz said. "Figure out what's going on and shut it down."Pomeranz, 17-6 with a 3.32 ERA for the Red Sox last season, is to undergo further examinations Saturday."I'm not too worried about it," he said.Norris allowed homers to Andrew Benintendi and Sam Travis in the first and pitched a scoreless second. He allowed a run in the third and Rafael Devers grounded to first baseman Jose... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — St. Louis scratched pitcher Carlos Martinez from his scheduled start against Boston on Friday because of a personal reasons.Martinez threw a simulated game on a back field, then returned to his home in Jupiter. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny did not provide a time frame for Martinez's return.Bud Norris was moved up a day and replaced Martinez against the Red Sox.Projected as the Cardinals' opening day starter, Martinez allowed one run, one hit and three walks in his spring training debut Saturday against the New York Mets. Martinez was 12-11 with a 3.64 ERA last season.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Beard and all, a most familiar face is back in the St. Louis Cardinals clubhouse."Once I walked in, seeing the guys, seeing the coaches, it's like being back at home," reliever Jason Motte said Monday. "This is where I started my career. This is where everything began."After signing a minor league deal over the weekend, Motte returned to the Cardinals for the first time since 2014.The 35-year-old Motte began his professional career as catcher in the Cardinals' organization before making the switch to the mound. He took over the closer's role late in 2011 and was on the mound that fall, inducing a flyball from Texas' David Murphy for the final out in Game 7 of the World Series."He's been there, got some big outs for the Cardinals," St. Louis pitching coach Mike Maddux said.Motte led the National League with 42 saves for the Cardinals in 2012. An elbow injury that required ligament replacement surgery caused him to miss all of 2013.Upon his return, Motte posted a 4.68... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Pitcher Bud Norris and the St. Louis Cardinals finalized a $3 million, one-year contract on Wednesday as the team started spring training workouts.The 32-year-old right-hander led the Los Angeles Angels with 19 saves in 23 chances last season. He went 2-6 with a 4.23 ERA in three starts and 57 relief appearances, striking out 74 in 62 innings.He is 68-84 with a 4.49 ERA over nine major league seasons, making 188 starts and 103 relief appearances with Houston (2009-13), Baltimore (2013-15), San Diego (2015), Atlanta (2016), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2016) and the Angels.He can earn additional performance bonuses. To clear a roster spot, right-hander Rowan Wick was designated for assignment.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

A team-by-team look at the American League West entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Houston AstrosManager: A.J. Hinch (fourth season).2017: 101-61, first place, won World Series.Training Town: West Palm Beach, Florida.Park: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: RHP Gerrit Cole, RHP Joe Smith, RHP Hector Rondon.He's Outta Here: DH Carlos Beltran, RHP Luke Gregerson, RHP Joe Musgrove, RHP Mike Fiers, RHP Michael Feliz, INF Colin Moran.Going campin': This team is basically set after retaining almost every key player from last season's championship squad. The two strongest areas are the middle infield, where shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve, last year's AL MVP, return to anchor the middle of the order. Correa hit .315 with 24 homers — both career highs — and Altuve had his finest season, hitting a career-best and major... [More]