WASHINGTON (AP) — Essentially throwing in the towel on a disappointing season, the Washington Nationals traded second baseman Daniel Murphy to the Chicago Cubs and first baseman Matt Adams to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.Despite a roster that boasts such stars as Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper, Washington went into a three-game series at home against Philadelphia with a losing record of 62-63, 7½ games behind the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.General manager Mike Rizzo and the team owners gambled at the July trade deadline, standing pat and expressing faith in the roster as constituted. The Nationals trounced the New York Mets 25-4 that night, but are 9-10 since, including a 2-5 road trip through Chicago and St. Louis that featured a 4-3 loss at Wrigley Field on a two-out, walk-off grand slam."We felt that coming off that road trip and into this most recent homestand was a time that was a litmus test for us ... and we felt that the timing was right to make the vital decisions that... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals have traded second baseman Daniel Murphy to the Chicago Cubs and first baseman Matt Adams to the St. Louis Cardinals, essentially throwing in the towel on a disappointing season.The third-place Nationals announced the moves Tuesday before beginning a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.Despite a roster that boasts such stars as Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper, Washington began the day with a losing record of 62-63, 7½ games behind the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.The Nationals were coming off two consecutive division titles under manager Dusty Baker, who was fired after last season and replaced by rookie skipper Dave Martinez.The deals come three weeks after the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, and the Nationals aren't getting much in return.For Adams, the Cardinals are sending $50,000 to Washington.For Murphy, the Cubs are swapping Class-A infielder Andruw Monasterio and a player to be named later or cash.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Francisco Lindor connected for a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning as the Cleveland Indians again moved 10 games ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central with a 5-2 win over the Twins on Wednesday night.Lindor, who struck out with the winning run at second base in the ninth in a loss on Tuesday, drove the first pitch from Trevor Hildenberger (2-3) over the wall in right to trigger a wild celebration.Jason Kipnis singled with one out in the ninth before Twins right fielder Max Kepler robbed Yan Gomes of extra bases with a leaping catch before crashing into the wall. Brandon Guyer followed with a single to bring up Lindor, who capped a wild ninth inning with his 29th homer.The All-Star shortstop skipped around the bases before being mobbed at home plate by his teammates.Down 2-1, Minnesota tied it in the ninth on Miguel Sano's leadoff homer against Cody Allen (4-4), who wound up with a blown save and win.DIAMONDBACKS 6, PHILLIES 0PHOENIX — Patrick Corbin struck... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Francisco Lindor connected for a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning as the Cleveland Indians again moved 10 games ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central with a 5-2 win over the Twins on Wednesday night.Lindor, who struck out with the winning run at second base in the ninth in a loss on Tuesday, drove the first pitch from Trevor Hildenberger (2-3) over the wall in right to trigger a wild celebration.Jason Kipnis singled with one out in the ninth before Twins right fielder Max Kepler robbed Yan Gomes of extra bases with a leaping catch before crashing into the wall. Brandon Guyer followed with a single to bring up Lindor, who capped a wild ninth inning with his 29th homer.The All-Star shortstop skipped around the bases before being mobbed at home plate by his teammates.Down 2-1, Minnesota tied it in the ninth on Miguel Sano's leadoff homer against Cody Allen (4-4), who wound up with a blown save and win.DIAMONDBACKS 6, PHILLIES 0PHOENIX — Patrick Corbin struck... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the highest-scoring game in franchise history, Daniel Murphy hit two early home runs and the Washington Nationals kept pouring it on against emergency reliever Jose Reyes and the New York Mets in a 25-4 rout Tuesday night.Trea Turner, who apologized before the game to his teammates for homophobic and racially insensitive tweets he sent several years ago, had four of Washington's 26 hits. Pitcher Tanner Roark (5-12) hit a three-run double during a seven-run first inning.The Nationals set the team scoring mark dating to their days as the Montreal Expos in 1969. It was the Mets' most-lopsided loss in their 57-season history, worse than a 26-7 pounding by Philadelphia in 1985.Reyes made the first pitching appearance of his career, and the 35-year-old infielder got tagged for home runs by Matt Adams and Mark Reynolds in a six-run eighth. Throwing a fastball in the mid-80s mph and a curve in the upper 40s, Reyes gave up five hits and walked two.Reyes also plunked Ryan Zimmerman... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the highest-scoring game in franchise history, Daniel Murphy hit two early home runs and the Washington Nationals kept pouring it on against emergency reliever Jose Reyes and the New York Mets in a 25-4 rout Tuesday night.Trea Turner, who apologized before the game to his teammates for homophobic and racially insensitive tweets he sent several years ago, had four of Washington's 26 hits. Pitcher Tanner Roark (5-12) hit a three-run double during a seven-run first inning.The Nationals set the team scoring mark dating to their days as the Montreal Expos in 1969. It was the Mets' most-lopsided loss in their 57-season history, worse than a 26-7 pounding by Philadelphia in 1985.Reyes made the first pitching appearance of his career, and the 35-year-old infielder got tagged for home runs by Matt Adams and Mark Reynolds in a six-run eighth. Throwing a fastball in the mid-80s mph and a curve in the upper 40s, Reyes gave up five hits and walked two.Reyes also plunked Ryan Zimmerman... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals activated right-hander Stephen Strasburg from the 10-day disabled list and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman from the 60-day DL ahead of Friday's series opener against the Atlanta Braves.Strasburg (6-6, 3.46 ERA) started Friday against Washington's NL East foe. The right-hander landed on the DL June 10 with right shoulder inflammation. In 13 starts, Strasburg has 95 strikeouts and 19 walks.The 33-year-old Zimmerman last played on May 9 after suffering a strained right oblique. He was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on June 30. Zimmerman is hitting .217 with five homers and 16 RBIs.Washington's starting first baseman before the injury was not in the lineup against Atlanta. Manager Dave Martinez elected to start the lefty-swinging Matt Adams against Braves starter pitching Anibal Sanchez. Adams batted .342 in his last 11 games and has 15 home runs on the season."He is going to play," Martinez said of Zimmerman. "I mean Matt Adams, he's pretty much killing right-handers right now. He deserves to play. I talked to Zim and he's going to come off the bench today."Washington opened roster space by optioning pitchers Wander Suero and Trevor Gott to Triple-A Syracuse.The Nationals, fresh off hosting the All-Star Game, are third in the NL East. Washington is 5½ games behind Philadelphia and five back of Atlanta.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Manny Machado homered before making an early exit, Adam Jones hit a three-run double and the Baltimore Orioles rallied past the Texas Rangers 6-5 Sunday.Machado was removed in the fifth inning by manager Buck Showalter after a 26-minute rain delay, taking the All-Star shortstop off a sloppy field. The last-place Orioles are entertaining offers for Machado, who is expected to be dealt before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.After being replaced by Jace Peterson, Machado sat in the dugout, wearing a sweatshirt and joking with his teammates.In a matchup between two teams staggering into the All-Star break, Texas got a first-inning grand slam from rookie Ronald Guzman but quickly gave the lead away in losing for the seventh time in nine games.Machado ignited the comeback with his 24th homer, and Jones' bases-clearing double in the third off Mike Minor (6-6) put Baltimore ahead to stay.Tanner Scott (1-1) earned his first big league win. Zach Britton worked the ninth for... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Manny Machado homered before making an early exit, Adam Jones hit a three-run double and the Baltimore Orioles rallied past the Texas Rangers 6-5 Sunday.Machado was removed in the fifth inning by manager Buck Showalter after a 26-minute rain delay, taking the All-Star shortstop off a sloppy field. The last-place Orioles are entertaining offers for Machado, who is expected to be dealt before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.After being replaced by Jace Peterson, Machado sat in the dugout, wearing a sweatshirt and joking with his teammates.In a matchup between two teams staggering into the All-Star break, Texas got a first-inning grand slam from rookie Ronald Guzman but quickly gave the lead away in losing for the seventh time in nine games.Machado ignited the comeback with his 24th homer, and Jones' bases-clearing double in the third off Mike Minor (6-6) put Baltimore ahead to stay.Tanner Scott (1-1) earned his first big league win. Zach Britton worked the ninth for... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Manny Machado homered before making an early exit, Adam Jones hit a three-run double and the Baltimore Orioles rallied past the Texas Rangers 6-5 Sunday.Machado was removed in the fifth inning by manager Buck Showalter after a 26-minute rain delay, taking the All-Star shortstop off a sloppy field. The last-place Orioles are entertaining offers for Machado, who is expected to be dealt before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.After being replaced by Jace Peterson, Machado sat in the dugout, wearing a sweatshirt and joking with his teammates.In a matchup between two teams staggering into the All-Star break, Texas got a first-inning grand slam from rookie Ronald Guzman but quickly gave the lead away in losing for the seventh time in nine games.Machado ignited the comeback with his 24th homer, and Jones' bases-clearing double in the third off Mike Minor (6-6) put Baltimore ahead to stay.Tanner Scot (1-1) earned his first big league win. Zach Britton worked the ninth for... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Syndergaard pitched out of trouble in a rusty return from the disabled list and helped himself with an RBI single as the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Friday night.Amed Rosario tripled and doubled, both times over Bryce Harper's head in center field, and the Mets won for only the sixth time in their last 26 home games. Brandon Nimmo had three hits for New York, which built a three-run cushion in the first inning against struggling starter Tanner Roark.Roark (3-12) became the first 12-game loser in the majors this season. He allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.Matt Adams homered for the inconsistent Nationals, who fell back to .500 at 47-47. They have lost just three of 13 games at Citi Field since the start of last season.After missing seven weeks with a strained ligament in his right index finger, Syndergaard (5-1) came out firing 99 mph fastballs.Robert Gsellman gave up Adams' upper-deck shot in the eighth but got six outs for his... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Syndergaard pitched out of trouble in a rusty return from the disabled list and helped himself with an RBI single as the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Friday night.Amed Rosario tripled and doubled, both times over Bryce Harper's head in center field, and the Mets won for only the sixth time in their last 26 home games. Brandon Nimmo had three hits for New York, which built a three-run cushion in the first inning against struggling starter Tanner Roark.Roark (3-12) became the first 12-game loser in the majors this season. He allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.Matt Adams homered for the inconsistent Nationals, who fell back to .500 at 47-47. They have lost just three of 13 games at Citi Field since the start of last season.After missing seven weeks with a strained ligament in his right index finger, Syndergaard (5-1) came out firing 99 mph fastballs.Robert Gsellman gave up Adams' upper-deck shot in the eighth but got six outs for his... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Syndergaard pitched out of trouble in a rusty return from the disabled list and helped himself with an RBI single as the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Friday night.Amed Rosario tripled and doubled, both times over Bryce Harper's head in center field, and the Mets won for only the sixth time in their last 26 home games. Brandon Nimmo had three hits for New York, which built a three-run cushion in the first inning against struggling starter Tanner Roark.Roark (3-12) became the first 12-game loser in the majors this season. He allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.Matt Adams homered for the inconsistent Nationals, who fell back to .500 at 47-47. They have lost just three of 13 games at Citi Field since the start of last season.After missing seven weeks with a strained ligament in his right index finger, Syndergaard (5-1) came out firing 99 mph fastballs.Gsellman gave up Adams' upper-deck shot in the eighth but got six outs for his fourth... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Starter Jeremy Hellickson will have an MRI after straining his right hamstring, forcing him to leave with one out in the first inning of the Washington Nationals' 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.As Hellickson ran to cover Ozzie Albies' grounder, a throwing error by first baseman Mark Reynolds caused him to drop the ball as he came down on the bag. Hellickson immediately clutched the back top of his leg and walked slowly off the field.Hellickson is likely to go on the disabled list, another setback for the injury-riddled Nationals."I tried to walk, and it just kept grabbing on me," he said. "It's really frustrating. It's exactly what I didn't want to happen. The bullpen threw seven shutout innings yesterday and now they have to get 26 more outs. I tried to walk it off, but I couldn't."Jefry Rodriguez, recalled earlier in the day from Double-A Harrisburg, immediately warmed up to make his major league debut. He allowed six base runners in 4 2-3 scoreless innings.Washington... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander tamed the Yankees again, slowing down the highest-scoring team in the majors and pitching the Houston Astros past New York 5-1 Monday.Verlander exited in the seventh inning with a major league-best 1.11 ERA. J.D. Davis hit an early three-run homer and Jose Altuve had a solo drive, helping Houston win for the sixth time in eight games.Davis hit his first homer of the season, connecting in the second off Domingo German (0-3).Closer Ken Giles, tagged Sunday as the Astros blew a five-run lead in the ninth at Cleveland, pitched the final inning and worked around a leadoff single.Facing the only club in baseball that hasn't been shut out this season, Verlander (7-2) blanked the Yankees until Greg Bird hit a leadoff home run in the seventh.As he left, Verlander took off his cap and waved it toward a solid contingent of Astros fans wearing bright orange behind the dugout.NATIONALS 6, ORIOLES 0BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer to back a sharp... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander tamed the Yankees again, slowing down the highest-scoring team in the majors and pitching the Houston Astros past New York 5-1 Monday.Verlander exited in the seventh inning with a major league-best 1.11 ERA. J.D. Davis hit an early three-run homer and Jose Altuve had a solo drive, helping Houston win for the sixth time in eight games.Davis hit his first homer of the season, connecting in the second off Domingo German (0-3).Closer Ken Giles, tagged Sunday as the Astros blew a five-run lead in the ninth at Cleveland, pitched the final inning and worked around a leadoff single.Facing the only club in baseball that hasn't been shut out this season, Verlander (7-2) blanked the Yankees until Greg Bird hit a leadoff home run in the seventh.As he left, Verlander took off his cap and waved it toward a solid contingent of Astros fans wearing bright orange behind the dugout.NATIONALS 6, ORIOLES 0BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer to back a sharp... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander tamed the Yankees again, slowing down the highest-scoring team in the majors and pitching the Houston Astros past New York 5-1 Monday.Verlander exited in the seventh inning with a major league-best 1.11 ERA. J.D. Davis hit an early three-run homer and Jose Altuve had a solo drive, helping Houston win for the sixth time in eight games.Davis hit his first homer of the season, connecting in the second off Domingo German (0-3).Closer Ken Giles, tagged Sunday as the Astros blew a five-run lead in the ninth at Cleveland, pitched the final inning and worked around a leadoff single.Facing the only club in baseball that hasn't been shut out this season, Verlander (7-2) blanked the Yankees until Greg Bird hit a leadoff home run in the seventh.As he left, Verlander took off his cap and waved it toward a solid contingent of Astros fans wearing bright orange behind the dugout.NATIONALS 6, ORIOLES 0BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer to back a sharp... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer to back a sharp pitching performance by Gio Gonzalez, and the surging Washington Nationals beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-0 Monday.Gonzalez (6-2) allowed six hits over 7 2/3 innings to end a six-game losing streak against Baltimore. The left-hander won his first start against the Orioles in 2009 before coming up empty in his next nine outings.Shawn Kelley got four outs to complete the fifth shutout against the Orioles this season.Matt Adams and Michael Taylor both had two hits and an RBI for the Nationals, who have won four straight and 13 of 18.Though NL home run leader Bryce Harper went hitless, his leaping catch against the right-field wall in the fifth inning robbed Andrew Susac of a potential extra-base hit.Making his ninth start with Baltimore since signing as a free agent in March, Alex Cobb (1-7) was undone by a horrific, 42-pitch third inning that featured Rendon's sixth home run.BRAVES 4, METS 3ATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Culberson's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Trout homered and doubled three times during his first five-hit game in the majors, and the Los Angeles Angels quickly erased an early deficit in beating the New York Yankees 11-4 on Saturday night.Playing not far from his southern New Jersey hometown, Trout went deep for the third straight game to tie Boston's Mookie Betts for the big league lead with 17 home runs. The two-time MVP drove in four runs and set career bests with four extra-base hits and 11 total bases.Jose Briceno homered in his major league debut for Los Angeles, and rookie Jaime Barria (4-1) returned from the minors to win his third consecutive major league decision.Brett Gardner, Aaron Judge and Austin Romine homered for the Yankees. Sonny Gray (3-4) was tagged for five runs in 3 2/3 innings.RED SOX 8, BRAVES 6BOSTON (AP) — Andrew Benintendi homered and drove in three runs, helping Boston top Atlanta.The AL East-leading Red Sox celebrated the return of Dustin Pedroia with their sixth win in seven games.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Trout homered and doubled three times during his first five-hit game in the majors, and the Los Angeles Angels quickly erased an early deficit in beating the New York Yankees 11-4 on Saturday night.Playing not far from his southern New Jersey hometown, Trout went deep for the third straight game to tie Boston's Mookie Betts for the big league lead with 17 home runs. The two-time MVP drove in four runs and set career bests with four extra-base hits and 11 total bases.Jose Briceno homered in his major league debut for Los Angeles, and rookie Jaime Barria (4-1) returned from the minors to win his third consecutive major league decision.Brett Gardner, Aaron Judge and Austin Romine homered for the Yankees. Sonny Gray (3-4) was tagged for five runs in 3 2/3 innings.RED SOX 8, BRAVES 6BOSTON (AP) — Andrew Benintendi homered and drove in three runs, helping Boston top Atlanta.The AL East-leading Red Sox celebrated the return of Dustin Pedroia with their sixth win in seven games.... [More]