A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ OHTANI ON THE MOUND Shohei Ohtani's quest to regain his reputation as a stellar two-way player gets a big test when he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Angels against the White Sox. The right-handed Ohtani had 10 impressive starts on the mound as a rookie in 2018 before needing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He hasn't been on the mound since except for two ineffective appearances last season. The Angels still feel the Japanese star can contribute on the mound even after an inconsistent performance in spring training. The good news was Ohtani struck out 17 batters over 10 1/3 innings. The bad was he also gave up 14 earned runs, walked 10 and had a 12.19 ERA. But he gets a clean slate starting Sunday against the White Sox. SUPER SANCHEZ If the first two games are any indication, Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez is in for a bounceback season. The two-time All-Star has popped two homers over his first two games, becoming just the... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Sunday: ___ OHTANI ON THE MOUND Shohei Ohtani's quest to regain his reputation as a stellar two-way player gets a big test when he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Angels against the White Sox. The right-handed Ohtani had 10 impressive starts on the mound as a rookie in 2018 before needing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He hasn't been on the mound since except for two ineffective appearances last season. The Angels still feel the Japanese star can contribute on the mound even after an inconsistent performance in spring training. The good news was Ohtani struck out 17 batters over 10 1/3 innings. The bad was he also gave up 14 earned runs, walked 10 and had a 12.19 ERA. But he gets a clean slate starting Sunday against the White Sox. SUPER SANCHEZ If the first two games are any indication, Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez is in for a bounceback season. The two-time All-Star has popped two homers over his first two games, becoming just the... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes left Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs with discomfort in his left wrist. Hayes walked and scored on Kevin Newman’s two-out single in the first inning, but he jammed his left hand diving back to first on a pickoff attempt. Erik González batted for Hayes in the third and remained at third base. The 24-year-old Hayes is an NL Rookie of the Year favorite after a brief, stellar debut in 2020. He batted .376 in 24 games, hitting five homers with 11 RBIs. He hit a two-run homer off Chicago's Kyle Hendricks in Thursday's opener. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Gonzales tried to play it cool. He couldn't. It'd been too long since he homered in a real, live baseball game. So try as he might, the Pittsburgh Pirates first-round pick a year ago hopped into the dugout after hitting his first home run as a professional — a solo shot off Atlanta's A.J. Minter in the eighth inning of a 6-3 Grapefruit League win on Wednesday — and broke out in an ear-to-ear grin. Hard to blame him. The seventh overall selection in the 2020 first-year player draft spent last summer working out at Pittsburgh's alternate camp in Altoona and a large chunk of the offseason doing drills on his own back in Arizona. The player who practically begged to “just get thrown out there” had his wish granted on Wednesday night. Though he wasn't slated to play, just before the bottom of the eighth he was told if the Braves brought in a lefty — a lefty that just so happened to have a 0.83 ERA in 22 games last season for the NL East champions — he'd get a chance. So... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — A couple of postseason stars. The son of a former big leaguer. A versatile infielder from South Korea. Here is a closer look at a handful of rookies who could play a starring role this year: —OF Randy Arozarena and SS Wander Franco, Tampa Bay Rays: Arozarena helped power Tampa Bay to the World Series last year, batting .377 with 10 homers, 14 RBIs and a 1.273 OPS in 20 postseason games. The switch-hitting Franco, who just turned 20 on March 1, is widely regarded as baseball's top prospect. —RHP Ian Anderson, Atlanta Braves: The 22-year-old Anderson was called up in August and went 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA in six starts, helping Atlanta win the NL East. He also shined in the postseason, allowing just two earned runs in 18 2/3 innings. —INF Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates: Hayes, 24, provided some hope for lowly Pittsburgh in September, batting .376 with five homers in 24 games. The slick-fielding son of former big league infielder Charlie Hayes was selected by the Pirates in... [More]

The Cleveland Indians have broken COVID-19 protocols for the third time in less than a year, this time costing them third baseman José Ramírez and slugger Franmil Reyes. Manager Terry Francona said Sunday the two players were sent to their Arizona homes while the Indians wait to hear from Major League Baseball when they can rejoin the team. Francona said Reyes, who had a virus-related misstep last season, and Ramirez went out to dinner on Friday following an exhibition game in Mesa against the Chicago Cubs. They reported to the team’s complex on Saturday and were immediately sent away. They did not have contact with any other players or team personnel. “The players themselves actually self-reported that they had made a mistake," Francona said on a Zoom call. When spring training resumed last year after being stopped due to the pandemic, Reyes was forced to quarantine after the team learned via a social media posting that he attended a July 4 party while wearing a mask. A month later, the... [More]

The numbers were eye-popping. At least, they were eye-popping to everyone except Ke'Bryan Hayes. His ability to handle his business at third base was never in doubt. Winning three Gold Gloves in the minors offered all the proof required. Yet there were still questions — at least externally — about how the Pittsburgh Pirates' top prospect would adjust at the plate after middling numbers at best during his rise through the team's farm system. Hayes answered all of them during a blistering September, hitting .376 with five home runs, three triples and 17 doubles on his way to a sixth-place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting. His .682 slugging percentage was more than 200 points higher than his best year in the minors. “I mean I feel like I’ve always had the power,” Hayes said Tuesday. "I just feel like I wasn’t putting my body in a consistent position to hit the ball hard. I feel like I’ve always had stretches where I’ll hit the ball really hard, but it would be for a game or two and then... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Infielder Todd Frazier agreed to a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates that includes an invitation to big league spring training. If Frazier is added to the 40-man roster, he would get a one-year contract paying a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues, as part of the agreement announced Friday. He would be able to earn $600,000 in performance bonuses for plate appearances: $100,000 each for 275, 325 and 375, and $150,000 apiece for 425 and 475. He can ask for his release if not added to the big league roster by March 25. Pittsburgh is in need of depth at both corner infield spots after trading first baseman Josh Bell to Washington in the offseason. Colin Moran will move from third base to first full-time, with Ke'Bryan Hayes projected to start at third. The 35-year-old Frazier is a career .242 hitter with 218 home runs and 636 RBIs while playing for five teams, including Cincinnati, the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. Frazier split time with Texas and the Mets in 2020, hitting .236 with four home runs and 12 RBIs. Frazier is expected to join the Pirates in time to be on the field for the first day of workouts for position players on Monday. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Infielder Todd Frazier agreed to a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates that includes an invitation to big league spring training. If Frazier is added to the 40-man roster, he would get a one-year contract paying a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues, as part of the agreement announced Friday. Pittsburgh is in need of depth at both corner infield spots after trading first baseman Josh Bell to Washington in the offseason. Colin Moran will move from third base to first full-time, with Ke'Bryan Hayes projected to start at third. The 35-year-old Frazier is a career .242 hitter with 218 home runs and 636 RBIs while playing for five teams, including Cincinnati, the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. Frazier split time with Texas and the Mets in 2020, hitting .236 with four home runs and 12 RBIs. Frazier is expected to join the Pirates in time to be on the field for the first day of workouts for position players on Monday. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton has a bit of advice for his players as they prepare to report to spring training. Tune out the outside noise. All of it. Shelton is aware expectations aren't particularly high for a club in the midst of a massive overhaul under Shelton and general manager Ben Cherington. The Pirates finished with the worst record in the truncated 2020 season and spent the winter flipping established major leaguers like first baseman Josh Bell and starting pitchers Jameson Taillon and Joe Musgrove for prospects, most of whom won't arrive in Pittsburgh for a year or two, if they arrive at all. While Shelton is fully on board with the process — saying on the eve of pitchers and catchers reporting to Pirates City in Bradenton, Florida that he is in “alignment” with Cherington — he also is aware there could be some short-term pain involved. “Like I said before, man, this is going to be a fun journey, because we’re going to win,” Shelton said Tuesday.... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Cherington is tearing it all down. All of it. It's the only way the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager sees a way forward. The process Cherington began when he took over 15 months ago is picking up speed after the Pirates sent starting pitcher Joe Musgrove to the San Diego Padres as part of a three-team trade that brought five prospects to Pittsburgh. It's a process that will likely have little short-term impact at the big-league level for a club that finished the truncated 2020 season with the worst record in the majors. Still, it's one Cherington is convinced is the surest way to create sustainable success for a franchise that's fallen on hard times since reaching the playoffs three straight seasons from 2013-15. The Pirates need young talent. A lot of it. And while Cherington is well aware betting on teenagers and early 20-somethings doesn't necessarily guarantee anything, the more of them the club has under its umbrella, the better chance some turn into impactful... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The videos from Jameson Taillon come every few days, a reminder to Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton what hopefully awaits when spring training begins. Taillon is on schedule to return in 2021 after missing most of 2019 and all of 2020 while recovering from a second Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. To say the 29-year-old is eager to get back to work might be an understatement. “If you’re the Pirates manager and watching Jamo throw, it definitely makes you smile, so I’m excited for it,” Shelton said Tuesday. "He’s excited. His throwing’s going well, his rehab’s going well. He tackled it head-on and did about as good of a job as anybody can do, so I’m excited to watch Jamo take the mound at PNC.” Taillon's return to PNC isn't exactly a given. The Pirates are in the midst of a massive makeover, one that got off to a somewhat bumpy start after finishing with a major-league worst 19-41 record during the truncated 2020 season. General manager Ben Cherington has... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates began 2020 with plenty of questions. The truncated 60-game schedule provided few answers save for one: Ke'Bryan Hayes can play. Really, really play. The rookie third baseman's splashy debut — one that finished with a flourish thanks to an eight-game hitting streak that raised his average to an eye-popping .376 — provided an incandescent silver lining in a season at times felt epically long. Losing a major-league high 41 games will do that. Still, Hayes proved he belonged during his first taste of the bigs. “I was just so excited to finally get the opportunity to come up here," said Hayes, who showed a flair for the dramatic by homering in his debut on Sept. 1. “Just wanted to show what I could do and go out there, try to play to the best of my ability.” And to think the biggest issue when Hayes arrived was how he would cope at the plate. A three-time Gold Glove winner in the minors, Hayes came out swinging and didn't stop, hitting .516 over the final... [More]

Reds fifth. Nick Senzel grounds out to third base, Ke'Bryan Hayes to Josh Bell. Freddy Galvis flies out to deep center field to Cole Tucker. Jose Garcia singles to left field. Curt Casali singles to center field. Jose Garcia to third. Shogo Akiyama singles to left field. Curt Casali out at home. Jose Garcia scores.1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Reds 1, Pirates 0.

Reds first. Shogo Akiyama singles to left center field. Nick Castellanos singles to shallow center field. Shogo Akiyama to second. Joey Votto walks. Nick Castellanos to second. Shogo Akiyama to third. Jesse Winker reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Joey Votto to second. Nick Castellanos to third. Shogo Akiyama out at home. Mike Moustakas hit by pitch. Jesse Winker to second. Joey Votto to third. Nick Castellanos scores. Brian Goodwin out on a sacrifice fly to deep right field to Gregory Polanco. Joey Votto scores. Freddy Galvis singles to left field. Mike Moustakas to second. Jesse Winker scores. Jose Garcia strikes out swinging.3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Reds 3, Pirates 0.Reds second. Tucker Barnhart homers. Shogo Akiyama strikes out swinging. Nick Castellanos doubles to deep center field. Joey Votto grounds out to second base, Erik Gonzalez to Colin Moran. Nick Castellanos to third. Jesse Winker strikes out swinging.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Reds 4, Pirates 0.Pirates fourth. Bryan Reynolds grounds out to shallow infield, Freddy Galvis to Joey Votto. Ke'Bryan Hayes doubles to deep left field. Colin Moran singles to shallow infield. Ke'Bryan Hayes scores. Josh Bell singles to shallow infield. Colin Moran to second. Gregory Polanco strikes out swinging. Cole Tucker flies out to shallow infield to Shogo Akiyama.1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Reds 4, Pirates 1.

Pirates first. Erik Gonzalez strikes out swinging. Adam Frazier hit by pitch. Ke'Bryan Hayes called out on strikes. Colin Moran doubles to deep left field. Adam Frazier scores. Josh Bell singles to shallow left field, tagged out at second, Shogo Akiyama to Kyle Farmer. Colin Moran to third.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Pirates 1, Reds 0.Reds second. Eugenio Suarez walks. Mike Moustakas flies out to center field to Gregory Polanco. Brian Goodwin homers to left field. Eugenio Suarez scores. Freddy Galvis flies out to shallow center field to Bryan Reynolds. Kyle Farmer walks. Curt Casali walks. Kyle Farmer to second. Shogo Akiyama grounds out to shallow infield, Kevin Newman to Josh Bell.2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left on. Reds 2, Pirates 1.Reds third. Nick Castellanos strikes out swinging. Joey Votto homers to center field. Eugenio Suarez strikes out swinging. Mike Moustakas strikes out swinging.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Reds 3, Pirates 1.Pirates fourth. Josh Bell homers to... [More]

Royals first. Whit Merrifield homers to left field. Adalberto Mondesi strikes out swinging. Salvador Perez grounds out to shallow left field, Ke'Bryan Hayes to Josh Bell. Maikel Franco pops out to Ke'Bryan Hayes.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Royals 1, Pirates 0.Pirates second. Colin Moran flies out to Alex Gordon. Josh Bell homers to left field. Gregory Polanco lines out to right field to Nicky Lopez. Bryan Reynolds homers to center field. Kevin Newman grounds out to shallow infield to Hunter Dozier.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Pirates 2, Royals 1.Pirates third. Jacob Stallings strikes out swinging. Erik Gonzalez grounds out to shallow infield, Kelvin Gutierrez to Hunter Dozier. Adam Frazier homers to right field. Ke'Bryan Hayes grounds out to shallow center field, Adalberto Mondesi to Hunter Dozier.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Pirates 3, Royals 1.Royals third. Whit Merrifield singles to shallow right field. Adalberto Mondesi homers to center field. Whit Merrifield scores.... [More]

Royals first. Whit Merrifield grounds out to shallow infield, Ke'Bryan Hayes to Josh Bell. Adalberto Mondesi homers. Salvador Perez strikes out swinging. Maikel Franco walks. Hunter Dozier singles to shallow center field. Maikel Franco to second. Ryan McBroom strikes out on a foul tip.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Royals 1, Pirates 0.Royals third. Whit Merrifield lines out to deep left field to Adam Frazier. Adalberto Mondesi walks. Salvador Perez singles to right field. Adalberto Mondesi to third. Maikel Franco singles to shallow center field. Salvador Perez to second. Adalberto Mondesi scores. Hunter Dozier singles to center field. Maikel Franco to second. Salvador Perez to third. Ryan McBroom flies out to right field to Cole Tucker. Edward Olivares strikes out swinging.2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Royals 3, Pirates 0.Pirates fourth. Colin Moran singles to deep left field. Josh Bell singles to right center field. Colin Moran to third. Jacob Stallings doubles to deep left... [More]

White sox third. James McCann homers to center field. Nomar Mazara strikes out swinging. Nick Madrigal grounds out to shallow infield, Erik Gonzalez to Colin Moran. Tim Anderson grounds out to third base, Ke'Bryan Hayes to Colin Moran.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. White sox 1, Pirates 0.White sox fourth. Yoan Moncada singles to deep right center field, advances to 2nd. Fielding error by Gregory Polanco. Yasmani Grandal singles to shallow center field. Yoan Moncada scores. Jose Abreu singles to shallow infield. Yasmani Grandal to second. Eloy Jimenez walks. Jose Abreu to second. Yasmani Grandal to third. Luis Robert strikes out swinging. James McCann out on a sacrifice fly to center field to Bryan Reynolds. Yasmani Grandal scores. Nomar Mazara walks. Eloy Jimenez to second. Jose Abreu to third. Nick Madrigal singles to shallow center field. Nomar Mazara to second. Eloy Jimenez scores. Jose Abreu scores. Tim Anderson reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Nick Madrigal out... [More]

White sox fifth. Nomar Mazara strikes out swinging. Nick Madrigal doubles to deep left center field. Tim Anderson singles to center field, advances to 2nd. Nick Madrigal out at home. Yoan Moncada singles to shallow center field. Tim Anderson scores. Yasmani Grandal homers to right field. Yoan Moncada scores. Jose Abreu strikes out swinging.3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. White sox 3, Pirates 0.Pirates fifth. Colin Moran grounds out to first base, Jose Abreu to Dylan Cease. Gregory Polanco grounds out to second base, Nick Madrigal to Jose Abreu. Josh Bell doubles to left field. Ke'Bryan Hayes triples to deep right field. Josh Bell scores. Kevin Newman singles to shallow left field. Ke'Bryan Hayes scores. Jacob Stallings flies out to shallow right field to Nomar Mazara.2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. White sox 3, Pirates 2.White sox eighth. Yoan Moncada grounds out to shallow right field, Josh Bell to Chris Stratton. Yasmani Grandal grounds out to shallow infield, Chris Stratton... [More]