PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks were one of baseball's big surprises a year ago. The surprise this year would be if they don't keep winning."Last year we kind of snuck up on people and had to earn their respect," said Torey Lovullo, the National League manager of the year in his first season in the desert. "I think we've done that, which I'm very proud of."Nearly everyone is back from the team that went 93-69 — 24 more wins than the previous year — and earned the National League's No. 1 wild card spot. Optimism abounds in the clubhouse."We learned from last year," outfielder David Peralta said, "and that's why we're going to be better this year."Not quite everybody returns. The glaring omission is outfielder J.D. Martinez, whose torrid performance after he came in a mid-season trade with Detroit (29 home runs, 65 RBIs in 62 games), carried the Diamondbacks down the stretch. Arizona couldn't afford to keep the free agent Martinez but tried to make up for some of that lost offense... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona manager Torey Lovullo says outfielder Steven Souza Jr. likely will open the season on the disabled list after straining his right pectoral muscle while diving for a baseball in a spring training game Wednesday night.Lovullo says Souza will be out "a couple of weeks at least."The extent of the injury was discovered in an MRI on Thursday, and it was a relief to all concerned, especially to Souza, that it wasn't worse."After last night I was obviously in a little bit of pain and you never know what to think in those situations," he said. "But after this morning we got some good news that I won't be gone too long."Souza was acquired from Tampa Bay in a three-team trade to add another big bat to help make up for the loss of J.D. Martinez from last year's team. Souza batted .239 with 30 home runs and 78 RBIs last season."He's a tough player. He tried to make a great play," Lovullo said, "left it all out there and he's just going to need to recuperate a little... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona manager Torey Lovullo says outfielder Steven Souza Jr. likely will open the season on the disabled list after straining his right pectoral muscle while diving for a baseball in a spring training game Wednesday night.Lovullo says Souza will be out "a couple of weeks at least."The extent of the injury was discovered in an MRI on Thursday.Souza was acquired from Tampa Bay in a three-team trade to add another big bat to help make up for the loss of J.D. Martinez from last year's team. Souza batted .239 with 30 home runs and 78 RBIs last season.Lovullo said the top two internal candidates to replace Souza in right field are Chris Owings and Jarrod Dyson. Owings, originally a shortstop, has played in the outfield as well as at third and second. The speedy Dyson was signed as a free agent.

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks were one of baseball's big surprises a year ago. The surprise this year would be if they don't keep winning."Last year we kind of snuck up on people and had to earn their respect," said Torey Lovullo, the National League manager of the year in his first season in the desert. "I think we've done that, which I'm very proud of."Nearly everyone is back from the team that went 93-69 — 24 more wins than the previous year — and earned the National League's No. 1 wild card spot. Optimism abounds in the clubhouse."We learned from last year," outfielder David Peralta said, "and that's why we're going to be better this year."Not quite everybody returns. The glaring omission is outfielder J.D. Martinez, whose torrid performance after he came in a mid-season trade with Detroit (29 home runs, 65 RBIs in 62 games), carried the Diamondbacks down the stretch. Arizona couldn't afford to keep the free agent Martinez but tried to make up for some of that lost offense... [More]

Capsules of National League West teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Los Angeles Dodgers2017: 104-58, first place, lost to Houston in World Series.Manager: Dave Roberts (third season).He's Here: OF Matt Kemp, RHP Tom Koehler, LHP Scott Alexander, LHP Henry Owens.He's Outta Here: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Brandon McCarthy, LHP Tony Watson, LHP Luis Avilan, LHP Scott Kazmir, LHP Adam Liberatore, OF Andre Ethier, INF Charlie Culberson, OF Curtis Granderson, LHP Grant Dayton, OF Franklin Gutierrez, RHP Josh Ravin.Projected Lineup: CF Chris Taylor (.288, 21 HRs, 72 RBIs, 17 SBs), SS Corey Seager (.295, 22, 77), 3B Justin Turner (.322, 21, 71, will start season on DL with broken left wrist), 1B Cody Bellinger (.267, 39, 97, 10 SBs), RF Yasiel Puig (.263, 28, 74), LF Matt Kemp (.276, 19, 64 in 115 games with Braves) or Joc Pederson (.212, 11, 35 in 102 games), C Austin Barnes (.289, 8, 38) or Yasmani Grandal (.247, 22, 58), 2B Logan Forsythe (.224, 6,... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — With two weeks left of spring training, the Arizona Diamondbacks still are grappling with a pair of significant unresolved issues.One, who is the closer? Two, how to sort out the crowd at middle infield?There is still plenty of time to work things out, manager Torey Lovullo said."I feel like it's still a little bit too early," he said, "but everybody is paying a lot of attention to some very key spots and you hit on a couple of them."The closer competition a three-way competition with Archie Bradley, Brad Boxberger and Yoshihisa Hirano.Bradley, the bearded fan favorite, was one of the game's best setup men last season with a 1.73 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched. Boxberger had an AL-leading 41 saves in 2015 but battled injuries the past two seasons. Hirano arrived from Japan a 33-year-old seasoned closer.Bradley insists he doesn't want the job."Really not at all, and not in a bad way. I'm not scared of it," he said. "I just want to win. I found so much... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Surprised to be traded, Steven Souza Jr. heads to Arizona for what promises to be a key role on a Diamondbacks team that expects to be good.The 28-year-old outfielder knew the Tampa Bay Rays were making some big changes but felt assured by management that he still figured in their plans."As much as people were flying off the shelf, it seemed like I was not going to be one of those people," Souza said Wednesday in a conference call from the airport before boarding a plane to Arizona. "It definitely caught me off-guard a little bit. I was definitely preparing for the role that I had there."Souza came to the Diamondbacks on Tuesday in a three-team trade that sent infielder Brandon Drury from Arizona to the New York Yankees and left-hander Anthony Banda, a top Arizona pitching prospect, to Tampa Bay.Souza batted just .239, but hit 30 homers, drove in 78 runs and walked 84 times, all three career highs.He will wear the same No. 28 that J.D. Martinez wore in his torrid... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks sent infielder Brandon Drury to the New York Yankees and received outfielder Steven Souza Jr. from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade Tuesday that included five players plus two to be named later.The deal was announced one day after former Diamondbacks slugger J.D. Martinez agreed to a $110 million, five-year contract with Boston, pending a physical. Arizona has moved quickly to fill that hole in the outfield, signing speedy Jarrod Dyson to a $7.5 million, two-year contract on Monday before trading for Souza.Souza will be the starter at one corner outfield position, with Dyson subbing at all three spots.Drury gives the Yankees a new option at third base or second base, where New York was projected to start a pair of rookies.Top pitching prospect Anthony Banda goes from Arizona to the Rays, who also get minor league second baseman Nick Solak from the Yankees and two players to be named from the Diamondbacks. Minor league right-hander... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — There isn't a lot new to the Arizona Diamondbacks this spring, with a couple of notable exceptions.J.D. Martinez won't be in the outfield and the Diamondbacks need a closer.Still, there should be plenty of optimism when the team reports to the Scottsdale, Arizona, training facility, with the entire rotation and pretty much every position player returning from the team that won 93 games, earned the top NL Wild Card spot and beat Colorado in the Wild Card game before being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.The glaring omission from last year's team is Martinez, who probably slugged his way well out of the Diamondbacks' price range with his half-season in Arizona following a trade with Detroit. Martinez is among the many free agents yet to sign a deal.Torey Lovullo, named National League manager of the year for his work in his first season in Arizona, has to determine who his team's closer will be. Fernando Rodney is gone, and an intriguing possibility is for the... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National 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:___Los Angeles DodgersManager: Dave Roberts (third season).2017: 104-58, first place, lost to Houston in World Series.Training Town: Glendale, Arizona.Park: Camelback Ranch.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: OF Matt Kemp, RHP Tom Koehler.He's Outta Here: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Yu Darvish, LHP Scott Kazmir, RHP Brandon McCarthy, INF Charlie Culberson, OF Curtis Granderson, 2B Chase Utley, OF Andre Ethier.Going campin': The Dodgers returned to the World Series for the first time since winning it in 1988, only to lose to Houston in seven games. They topped 100 wins while earning a fifth straight NL West title. Clayton Kershaw is one of the elite pitchers in the game, a seven-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner. He begins the season with 144 career victories, 21 shy of Sandy... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — There isn't a lot new to the Arizona Diamondbacks this spring, with a couple of notable exceptions.J.D. Martinez won't be in the outfield and the Diamondbacks need a closer.Still, there should be plenty of optimism when the team reports to the Scottsdale, Arizona, training facility, with the entire rotation and pretty much every position player returning from the team that won 93 games, earned the top NL Wild Card spot and beat Colorado in the Wild Card game before being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.The glaring omission from last year's team is Martinez, who probably slugged his way well out of the Diamondbacks' price range with his half-season in Arizona following a trade with Detroit. Martinez is among the many free agents yet to sign a deal.Lovullo, named National League manager of the year for his work in his first season in Arizona, has to determine who his team's closer will be. Fernando Rodney is gone, and an intriguing possibility is for the team's... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached one-year deals with center fielder A.J. Pollock, third baseman Jake Lamb and starters Robbie Ray and Taijuan Walker, avoiding salary arbitration with them and several other players.Right-hander Shelby Miller was the only Arizona player left in salary arbitration, asking for $4.9 million and being offered $4.7 million as the sides exchanged figures Friday. He lost in arbitration last year, getting $4.7 million instead of the $5.1 million he sought.The 30-year-old Pollock will get $7.75 million, up from the $6.75 million he made last season while hitting .266 with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs. An All-Star in 2015, he missed nearly the entire 2016 season after breaking his elbow in a headfirst slide at home plate near the end of spring training.Lamb received a $4,275,000 contract, Ray got $3.95 million and Walker received $4,825,000.Also reaching deals were left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin for $1,195,000; right-hander Brian Boxberger at $1.85... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Left-hander Patrick Corbin and the Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $7.5 million, one-year contract.The 28-year-old was 14-13 with a 4.03 ERA last season and made $3.95 million.He has a 45-47 record with a 4.13 ERA in five seasons with the Diamondbacks. After going 14-8 with a 3.41 ERA and making the All-Star Game in 2013, he missed 2014 and part of 2015 after Tommy John surgery.Corbin was among 12 Diamondbacks eligible for arbitration entering Thursday, joined by pitchers Shelby Miller, Brad Boxberger, Andrew Chafin, Robbie Ray and Taijuan Walker; outfielders A.J. Pollock and David Peralta; shortstops Chris Owings and Nick Ahmed; catcher Chris Herrmann; and third baseman Jake Lamb.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

INF Chris Owings, who is on the 60-day disabled list with a fractured middle finger, is slated to play in an Instructional League game Monday. If all goes well, he could be added to the wildcard roster. "CO's versatility might give us the opportunity to keep an extra pitcher instead of two position players," manager Torey Lovullo said. He also said Owings could be used as a pinch runner.

SS/OF Chris Owings (finger) will be considered as a possible pinch runner for the NL wild-card game. "For me, it's very intriguing," manager Torey Lovullo said. "He is one of our best baserunners. If it is something we have, we ought to take advantage of it." Owings, third on the team with 12 stolen bases despite playing only 97 games, is not expected to be able to play the field until perhaps the NL Division Series, the team said last week, because the fracture in his right middle finger has not healed. He has missed the past 50 games and is eligible to return from the 60-day disabled list Friday for the first of a three-game series at Kansas City that concludes the regular season.

IF/OF Chris Owings (finger) is not expected to be activated from the 60-day disabled list when eligible next Friday, and the earliest he is expected to return would be in a potential NLDS. Owings was given an x-ray Friday and "the break wasn't totally healed up," manager Torey Lovullo said. "We're not going to make him do anything he is not ready to to physically or emotionally. It wasn't the best news. Next week might be a different story." Owings fielded ground balls in early work and has been swinging a bat.

SS Chris Owings could rejoin the Diamondbacks for the season-ending series against the Royals. Owings, who has been on the disabled list since July 31, with a fractured right middle finger, will be re-examined on Friday. He has been taking dry swings.

SS/OF Chris Owings (fractured finger) has progressed to the point where he is taking ground balls and working on his grip strength with a bat in his hand, manager Torey Lovullo said. If the trend continues, Owings should be able to return to the team when he is eligible to return from the 60-day disabled list Sept. 29, Lovullo said. "He's working hard to make this happen," Lovullo said. Owings is slashing .268/.299/.442 with a career-highs in homers (12) and RBIs (51).

INF Chris Owings (broken right middle finger) was placed on the 60-day disabled list Monday. He got hurt Sunday on a bunt attempt.

INF Chris Owings (broken finger) left Sunday's game in the second inning after getting struck while fouling off a pitch. Owings lined out in his first-inning at-bat and was hitting with the bases loaded when he was forced to depart the game. Owings is probably headed for the 10-day DL with an injury that will last significantly longer than 10 days.