NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third straight night, Jordan Montgomery cut up one of the league’s hottest lineups in his 2020 debut and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night in their first home game of the coronavirus-shortened season.Judge took aim at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch in the third, a half-inning after starting a double play from right. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, Chad Green pitched two perfect innings in relief, and Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder closed up shop as New York improved to 5-1.Michael Chavis homered for Boston and Phillips Valdez impressed over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, but the club couldn’t overcome another poor start by Ryan Weber (0-2).There was also a moment of silence for late Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, who died in April. New York is wearing uniform patches with his initials this season.Montgomery (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, limiting the Red Sox to a run,... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daniel Bard won in his first major league game in more than seven years, pitching 1 1-3 scoreless innings in relief for the Colorado Rockies in a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The 35-year-old Bard (1-0), whose control troubles ran him out of baseball, got the Rockies out of a jam when he took over for starter Jon Gray with two on and two outs in the fifth. The right-hander worked around two more base runners in the sixth, getting Willie Calhoun on an inning-ending flyout to cap an 11-pitch at-bat.Wade Davis worked the ninth for his first save since July 25, 2019. He gave up a run.Colorado went ahead to stay with two runs in the fourth off Mike Minor (0-1), helped by two fielder’s choice plays and two errors. Bard threw 20 of 25 pitches for strikes Saturday, including his first one before Elvis Andrus flied out to end the fifth. ANGELS 4, ATHLETICS 1OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Dylan Bundy pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning in his Angels debut and... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daniel Bard won in his first major league game in more than seven years, pitching 1 1-3 scoreless innings in relief for the Colorado Rockies in a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The 35-year-old Bard (1-0), whose control troubles ran him out of baseball, got the Rockies out of a jam when he took over for starter Jon Gray with two on and two outs in the fifth. The right-hander worked around two more base runners in the sixth, getting Willie Calhoun on an inning-ending flyout to cap an 11-pitch at-bat.Wade Davis worked the ninth for his first save since July 25, 2019. He gave up a run.Colorado went ahead to stay with two runs in the fourth off Mike Minor (0-1), helped by two fielder’s choice plays and two errors. Bard threw 20 of 25 pitches for strikes Saturday, including his first one before Elvis Andrus flied out to end the fifth. ANGELS 4, ATHLETICS 1OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Dylan Bundy pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning in his Angels debut and... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daniel Bard won in his first major league game in more than seven years, pitching 1 1-3 scoreless innings in relief for the Colorado Rockies in a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The 35-year-old Bard (1-0), whose control troubles ran him out of baseball, got the Rockies out of a jam when he took over for starter Jon Gray with two on and two outs in the fifth. The right-hander worked around two more base runners in the sixth, getting Willie Calhoun on an inning-ending flyout to cap an 11-pitch at-bat.Wade Davis worked the ninth for his first save since July 25, 2019. He gave up a run.Colorado went ahead to stay with two runs in the fourth off Mike Minor (0-1), helped by two fielder’s choice plays and two errors. Bard threw 20 of 25 pitches for strikes Saturday, including his first one before Elvis Andrus flied out to end the fifth. ANGELS 4, ATHLETICS 1OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Dylan Bundy pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning in his Angels debut and... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When the Minnesota Twins signed Rich Hill from the bargain aisle of free agency last winter, they expected the left-hander to be available around midseason after his recovery from elbow surgery. Now the 40-year-old is on track to be ready right away, thanks to the virus outbreak that shoved the schedule back by four months and shrunk it to 60 games. The Twins, who open on the road against the Chicago White Sox on July 24, are setting up a rotation with Hill in it. The 15-year veteran faced hitters at Target Field on Monday, logging four simulated innings in his latest step forward in yet another injury comeback.“There’s a lot of people who put in the time and the effort and gave me their time to make sure that I can be in the best position possible to go out there and perform,” Hill said Tuesday on a video conference call with reporters. "I put in the time and put in the effort, and it’s definitely paid off. I feel great, and yesterday was just one step in the right direction.”Over... [More]

Randy Dobnak had finished making his morning omelette one day last week when his wife, Aerial, asked the Minnesota Twins pitcher to keep the eggs out so she could make a sandwich.For the base she used a hot dog bun, an ingredient so bewildering to her husband that he took it as the latest sign that baseball's pandemic-induced hiatus had dragged on too long amid strained negotiations between owners and players over adjusted pay.“It's time to get back to work,” Dobnak tweeted. “Tell us when and where!”Finally, major leaguers have their answer. Teams can start training together again next week, with the truncated 60-game season slated to open on July 23 or 24.“We’re all ready to get back, because baseball’s literally been our lives for our whole entire lives,” Dobnak said in an interview from Hedgesville, West Virginia, where he and his wife have been living with her parents. “To have the last three months now not playing baseball, it’s definitely weird.”Twins teammate Taylor Rogers, after... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers have finalized their trade sending starting pitcher Kenta Maeda to the Twins and bullpen prospect Brusdar Graterol to the Dodgers.Just in time for spring training. Twins pitchers and catchers take the field Wednesday for their first official workout in Fort Myers, Florida, with the Dodgers following Friday in Glendale, Arizona.In Monday's deal, spawned from the original three-team agreement with Boston that hit a snag last week, the Twins sent minor league outfielder Luke Raley and a competitive balance round pick in the 2020 draft, 67th overall, along with Graterol to Los Angeles. The Dodgers will send $10 million and minor league catcher Jair Camargo along with Maeda to Minnesota.The 25-year-old Raley returned to the Dodgers, after missing most of last season with an ankle injury and playing in just 33 games for Triple-A Rochester. The Twins acquired him and starting pitching prospect Devin Smeltzer on July 31, 2018, in a... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers have finalized their trade sending starting pitcher Kenta Maeda to the Twins and bullpen prospect Brusdar Graterol to the Dodgers.Just in time for spring training. Twins pitchers and catchers take the field Wednesday for their first official workout in Fort Myers, Florida, with the Dodgers following Friday in Glendale, Arizona.In Monday's deal, spawned from the original three-team agreement with Boston that hit a snag last week, the Twins sent minor league outfielder Luke Raley and a competitive balance round pick in the 2020 draft, 67th overall, along with Graterol to Los Angeles. The Dodgers sent $10 million and minor league catcher Jair Camargo along with Maeda to Minnesota.The 25-year-old Raley returned to the Dodgers, after missing most of last season with an ankle injury and playing in just 33 games for Triple-A Rochester. The Twins acquired him and starting pitching prospect Devin Smeltzer on July 31, 2018, in a trade... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Moving Mookie Betts out of Boston proved to be quite the task for the cost-cutting Red Sox.The trade wound up taking all week — and being divvied into two different deals.The Minnesota Twins agreed Sunday to send bullpen prospect Brusdar Graterol to the Los Angeles Dodgers for starting pitcher Kenta Maeda, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal, five days after the initial Betts-headlined trade with the Red Sox was held up.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deals had not yet been announced. The Twins also agreed to send one of their draft picks in the competitive balance round this summer — 67th overall — and a minor leaguer to the Dodgers for $10 million and a minor leaguer to settled their portion of the trade.Graterol was first headed for the Red Sox as part of a three-team swap agreed to Tuesday that moved Betts, a four-time All-Star, and starting pitcher David Price to the Dodgers. But the Red Sox, as first... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American League Central 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:___Minnesota TwinsManager: Rocco Baldelli (second season). 2019: 101-61, first place, lost to Yankees in Division Series.Training Town: Fort Myers, Florida.Park: Hammond Stadium at CenturyLink Sports Complex. First Workout: Feb. 12/17.He's Here: 3B Josh Donaldson, RHP Kenta Maeda, RHP Homer Bailey, RHP Tyler Clippard, C Alex Avila, LHP Rich Hill, RHP Matt Wisler, RHP Jhoulys Chacin, LHP Blaine Hardy.He's Outta Here: RHP Brusdar Graterol, RHP Kyle Gibson, 1B C.J. Cron, 2B Jonathan Schoop, C Jason Castro, LHP Mart�n P�rez, RHP Ryne Harper, RHP Trevor Hildenberger, RHP Sam Dyson.Going campin': The high-priced addition of the big-swinging, slick-fielding Donaldson boosted an already deep lineup that produced a major league record 307 home runs last season. Then came the agreement this week... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jhoulys Chacín finalized a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins on Monday after a miserable 2019 season that saw him go from an opening day start to an August release.He would get a $1.6 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster and would have the chance to earn $1.5 million in performance bonuses based on innings.The 32-year-old right-hander was 15-8 with a 3.50 ERA for Milwaukee in 2018 after signing a $15.5 million, two-year deal with the Brewers.He beat St. Louis on opening day last year and won at Cincinnati in his second start, then went 1-10 with a 6.00 ERA in his next 17 starts. After his release, he signed with Boston and was 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA in five starts and one relief appearance.He figures to compete during spring training with Randy Dobnak, Devin Smeltzer and Lewis Thorpe for rotation spots behind José Berríos, Jake Odorizzi and Homer Bailey.Michael Pineda will miss the first 36 games while completing a suspension for a positive test for a banned diuretic, and Rich Hill is not expected back until June following elbow surgery.———More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jhoulys Chacín finalized a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins on Monday after a miserable 2019 season that saw him go from an opening day start to an August release.The 32-year-old right-hander was 15-8 with a 3.50 ERA for Milwaukee in 2018 after signing a $15.5 million, two-year deal with the Brewers.He beat St. Louis on opening day last year and won at Cincinnati in his second start, then went 1-10 with a 6.00 ERA in his next 17 starts. After his release, he signed with Boston and was 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA in five starts and one relief appearance.He figures to compete during spring training with Randy Dobnak, Devin Smeltzer and Lewis Thorpe for rotation spots behind José Berríos, Jake Odorizzi and Homer Bailey.Michael Pineda will miss the first 36 games while completing a suspension for a positive test for a banned diuretic, and Rich Hill is not expected back until June following elbow surgery.———More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins set a major league record for home runs last season. They created a bigger buzz with their recent signing of star third baseman Josh Donaldson to a $92 million, four-year contract — the richest in club history for a free agent. Still, the defending AL Central champions carry with them a pressing question. Is their starting pitching going to be strong enough to not only help them get back to the postseason but play deeper into October this time?With spring training less than three weeks away, diminishing the likelihood of another acquisition, the Twins have publicly expressed confidence in their rotation for 2020.“As it stands right now, I feel really good about the group we have and the ability to build around that,” president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. He added: “We never say never to anything, but we feel like we have a lot of good guys in the mix.”Twins starters in 2019 ranked 11th in the majors in ERA (4.11) and sixth in innings... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Just too much traffic for Twins rookie Randy Dobnak.The feel-good story of the Uber driver-turned-big league pitcher came to a screeching halt Saturday when the New York Yankees tagged him from the get-go in an 8-2 rout, putting Minnesota in a serious jam in the AL Division Series."Nerves were fine," Dobnak said. "I don't know what it was."A week removed from his in-season wedding in Maryland, and with new bride Aerial in the stands, Dobnak soaked in the mocking, taunting cheers of "Uber, Uber" from the bleacher crowd at Yankee Stadium when he limbered up in the outfield before Game 2."I figured that was going to happen," he said, smiling. In fact, he asked his bullpen catcher: "How many Uber chants are we getting tonight?"Dobnak looked loose, too, as he hopped over the third base line on the way to the mound. With his Fu Manchu mustache, big glasses and red-shaded shoes, No. 68 certainly stood out before throwing a pitch, even to those who didn't know his backstory.Then,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Just too much traffic for Twins rookie Randy Dobnak.The feel-good story of the Uber driver-turned-big league pitcher came to a screeching halt Saturday when the New York Yankees tagged him from the get-go in an 8-2 rout, putting Minnesota in a serious jam in the AL Division Series.A week removed from his in-season wedding in Maryland, and with new bride Aerial in the stands, Dobnak soaked in the mocking, taunting cheers of "Uber, Uber" from the bleacher crowd at Yankee Stadium when he limbered up in the outfield before Game 2.He looked loose, too, as he hopped over the third base line on the way to the mound. And with his Fu Manchu mustache, big glasses and red-shaded shoes, No. 68 certainly stood out before throwing a pitch, even to those who didn't know his backstory.Then, the Yankees geared up. Quickly, they drove Dobnak out of the game.DJ LeMahieu sliced a leadoff double against Dobnak, and things didn't improve much for the 24-year-old righty. He left with the bases... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Last weekend, Randy Dobnak got married in Maryland. This one, he'll pitch a playoff game at Yankee Stadium.Pretty nice little Saturday planned — two of them, actually — for an undrafted rookie who never expected to be in this position. Just find No. 68 of the Minnesota Twins on Twitter , where he mentions his 4.99/5 Uber driver rating.Dobnak was a surprising choice by the Twins to start Game 2 of their AL Division Series against Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and the powerful New York Yankees. The 24-year-old righty will make his postseason debut with Minnesota trailing 1-0 in the best-of-five series following a 10-4 defeat Friday night."My parents are coming from Pittsburgh," Dobnak said. "My agent and his dad, I think they live here. And then my wife, her dad, her roommate and her brother are coming from Hedgesville, West Virginia. I think it's like five hours or so, not too bad."Only eight people, nothing too crazy, but they're really looking forward to it. I'm looking... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Last weekend, Randy Dobnak got married in Maryland. This one, he'll pitch a playoff game at Yankee Stadium.Pretty nice little Saturday planned — two of them, actually — for an undrafted rookie who never expected to be in this position. Just find No. 68 of the Minnesota Twins on Twitter, where he mentions his 4.99/5 Uber driver rating.Dobnak was a surprising choice by the Twins to start Game 2 of their AL Division Series against Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and the powerful New York Yankees. The 24-year-old righty will make his postseason debut with Minnesota trailing 1-0 in the best-of-five series following a 10-4 defeat Friday night."My parents are coming from Pittsburgh," Dobnak said. "My agent and his dad, I think they live here. And then my wife, her dad, her roommate and her brother are coming from Hedgesville, West Virginia. I think it's like five hours or so, not too bad."Only eight people, nothing too crazy, but they're really looking forward to it. I'm looking... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Last weekend, Randy Dobnak got married in Maryland. This one, he'll pitch a playoff game at Yankee Stadium.Pretty nice little Saturday planned — two of them, actually — for an undrafted rookie who never expected to be in this position. Just find him on Twitter, where he boasts about his 4.99/5 Uber driver rating.Dobnak was a surprising choice by the Minnesota Twins to start Game 2 of their AL Division Series against the New York Yankees. The 24-year-old righty will make his postseason debut with the AL Central champions trailing 1-0 in the best-of-five series following a 10-4 defeat Friday night."My parents are coming from Pittsburgh," Dobnak said. "My agent and his dad, I think they live here. And then my wife, her dad, her roommate and her brother are coming from Hedgesville, West Virginia. I think it's like five hours or so, not too bad."Only eight people, nothing too crazy, but they're really looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to it, having them there, just having... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:COLE'S ROLLGerrit Cole led the big leagues with 326 strikeouts, topped the AL with a 2.50 ERA and went 20-5, one win behind Astros teammate Justin Verlander for most in the majors. He also was 16-0 in his final 22 starts.Cole starts Game 2 of the AL Division Series, a day after Verlander pitched seven shutout innings of one-hit ball in a 6-2 win over Tampa Bay in the opener. Cole's strikeouts set a franchise record, topping the 313 fanned by J.R. Richard in 1979.Blake Snell (6-8, 4.29 ERA) pitches for the Rays. A year after going 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA and winning the AL Cy Young Award, the lefty missed two months late in the season because of arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow. Snell didn't get out of the third inning in any of his three September starts, but believes he'll be able to go quite a bit longer in this playoff outing."I feel very good," he said. "I feel like I'll be able to go five strong innings, if I'm... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:COLE'S ROLLGerrit Cole led the big leagues with 326 strikeouts, topped the AL with a 2.50 ERA and went 20-5, one win behind Astros teammate Justin Verlander for most in the majors. He also was 16-0 in his final 22 starts.Cole starts Game 2 of the AL Division Series, a day after Verlander pitched seven shutout innings of one-hit ball in a 6-2 win over Tampa Bay in the opener. Cole's strikeouts set a franchise record, topping the 313 fanned by J.R. Richard in 1979.Blake Snell (6-8, 4.29 ERA) pitches for the Rays. A year after going 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA and winning the AL Cy Young Award, the lefty missed two months late in the season because of arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow. Snell didn't get out of the third inning in any of his three September starts, but believes he'll be able to go quite a bit longer in this playoff outing."I feel very good," he said. "I feel like I'll be able to go five strong innings, if I'm... [More]