DENVER (AP) — Cole Hamels struck out nine in seven scoreless innings, singled twice and drove in two runs to lead the Chicago Cubs past the Colorado Rockies 10-1 in a testy game on Wednesday.Rockies All-Star third-baseman Nolan Arenado left in the fifth inning with a left forearm contusion after Hamels (6-2) hit him with a pitch in the third, and three more batters — including Hamels — were hit by pitches later in the game.Chicago's Kris Bryant was hit by pitches three times in the first two games of the series.Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber homered for Chicago, which snapped a five-game road losing streak. Colorado's 10-game home winning streak ended.Chicago scored five times in the second off Antonio Sentenzela (5-5).BREWERS 6, ASTROS 3, 14 INNINGSHOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander set a career high with 15 strikeouts, but Mike Moustakas hit a two-run homer during Milwaukee's three-run 14th inning and the Brewers rallied to beat Houston.Christian Yelich started the 14th with a single against... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Cole Hamels struck out nine in seven scoreless innings, singled twice and drove in two runs to lead the Chicago Cubs past the Colorado Rockies 10-1 in a testy game on Wednesday.Rockies All-Star third-baseman Nolan Arenado left in the fifth inning with a left forearm contusion after Hamels (6-2) hit him with a pitch in the third, and three more batters — including Hamels — were hit by pitches later in the game.Chicago's Kris Bryant was hit by pitches three times in the first two games of the series.Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber homered for Chicago, which snapped a five-game road losing streak. Colorado's 10-game home winning streak ended.Chicago scored five times in the second off Antonio Sentenzela (5-5).MARLINS 9, CARDINALS 0MIAMI (AP) — Jordan Yamamoto pitched seven innings to win his major league debut, Garrett Cooper hit a grand slam and Miami blanked St. Louis to end a six-game skid.Yamamoto, acquired last year in the Christian Yelich trade, allowed three hits and two... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Cole Hamels struck out nine in seven scoreless innings, singled twice and drove in two runs to lead the Chicago Cubs past the Colorado Rockies 10-1 in a testy game on Wednesday.Rockies All-Star third-baseman Nolan Arenado left in the fifth inning with a left forearm contusion after Hamels (6-2) hit him with a pitch in the third, and three more batters — including Hamels — were hit by pitches later in the game.Chicago's Kris Bryant was hit by pitches three times in the first two games of the series.Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber homered for Chicago, which snapped a five-game road losing streak. Colorado's 10-game home winning streak ended.Chicago scored five times in the second off Antonio Sentenzela (5-5).RED SOX 4, RANGERS 3BOSTON (AP) — Mookie Betts drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning, giving Boston the win over Texas.Andrew Benintendi hit a triple and two doubles, driving in two runs for the Red Sox as they ended a three-game skid and avoided falling below .500... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — CC Sabathia became the 17th player in major league history and third left-hander to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, but was outpitched by Arizona ace Zack Greinke in the Diamondbacks' 3-1 win over the New York Yankees Tuesday night.Sabathia (1-1) arrived in the desert needing three strikeouts to hit 3,000 and got them all in the third inning.The milestone whiff came when he got John Ryan Murphy swinging, sending the Yankees pouring out of the dugout.Sabathia became the first pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts since Atlanta's John Smoltz in 2008, and joined Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton as the only lefties to do it.Wilmer Flores hit a solo homer and a run-scoring single off Sabathia. He allowed two runs and five hits, and struck out five before being lifted with two on and one out in the sixth inning.Greinke (5-1) won his fifth straight game. He allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings.BREWERS 4, ROCKIES 3MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesus Aguilar homered again and Milwaukee broke through late... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger and Russell Martin homered as the Los Angeles Dodgers kept up their longball barrage, beating Colorado 10-6 Friday in the Rockies' home opener.After hitting a franchise-record 235 home runs last year, the NL champion Dodgers have connected a whopping 21 times in only eight games this season. They've homered in every game so far.Bellinger hit his sixth of the year, breaking the game open with a three-run drive in the fifth. Muncy finished a double shy of a cycle, walking in the ninth.Trevor Story homered twice for the Rockies.Kenta Maeda (2-0) threw five sharp innings and cruised through a scuffling Colorado lineup. He allowed four hits and his only run on Nolan Arenado's sacrifice fly.Tyler Anderson (0-2) couldn't find his groove in allowing six runs over four innings.RED SOX 15, DIAMONDBACKS 8PHOENIX (AP) — Ketel Marte homered from both sides of the plate, including a grand slam, and Arizona won its home opener by keeping Boston in a funk.Adam Jones... [More]

The Latest on opening day (all times EDT):5:45 p.m.The Dodgers have chased Arizona's Zack Greinke with three homers in the fourth inning on opening day.After Enrique Hernandez and Austin Barnes hit back-to-back homers, Corey Seager celebrated his return from Tommy John surgery with a solo shot that sent Greinke to the showers. The $206.5 million right-hander gave up seven hits and seven runs, including Joc Pederson's two-run homer in the second for the two-time defending NL champions.Meanwhile, Hyun-Jin Ryu was stellar in the first four innings of his first opening day start, striking out six Diamondbacks and allowing one infield single. Arizona got only one ball out of the infield in the first four innings while falling behind 7-0.—Greg Beacham reporting from Los Angeles.___5:40 p.m.Chris Sale will join rare company when he throws the first pitch of the season for the Boston Red Sox.Sale recorded the final out of last season when he helped Boston clinch its World Series championship. By... [More]

The Latest on opening day (all times EDT):5:35 p.m.Javier Baez is already slugging and driving in runs again for the Chicago Cubs, with two homers in the season opener.Baez greeted Texas Rangers reliever Jesse Chavez with a three-run homer in the fifth inning to give the Cubs a 7-2 lead.The Cubs shortstop, who last season hit 34 homers and led the NL with 111 RBIs, hit a solo homer in the fourth off starter Mike Minor.—Stephen Hawkins reporting from Arlington, Texas___5:05 p.m.The pitching matchup in Minnesota between Cleveland's Corey Kluber and the home team's Jose Berrios has been all aces to start, with the Twins and Indians scoreless through four innings.Kluber, the two-time Cy Young Award winner, is perfect, actually, with 12 batters up and 12 batters down.Berrios, the youngest opening day starter for the Twins since Brad Radke in 1996, didn't give up a hit until a leadoff double to Leonys Martin in the fourth inning. But the 24-year-old right-hander finished the frame without any... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National 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:___Milwaukee BrewersManager: Craig Counsell (fifth season).2018: 96-67, first place, lost to Dodgers in NLCS.Training Town: Phoenix.Park: Maryvale Baseball Park.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: C Yasmani Grandal, OF Ben Gamel, 2B-3B Cory Spangenberg, LHP Alex Claudio, RHP Deolis Guerra, RHP Bobby Wahl, RHP Josh Tomlin.He's Outta Here: 3B Mike Moustakas, LHP Gio Gonzalez, LHP Wade Miley, OF Keon Broxton, OF Domingo Santana, 2B Jonathan Schoop, RHP Joakim Soria, LHP Dan Jennings, OF Curtis Granderson, LHP Xavier Cedeno.Going campin': The Brewers return mostly intact after making it to the NL Championship Series last year in the franchise's first playoff appearance since they also lost the NLCS in 2011. Grandal is a major upgrade behind the plate after he hit 24 homers last year with... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National 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:___Milwaukee BrewersManager: Craig Counsell (fifth season).2018: 96-67, first place, lost to Dodgers in NLCS.Training Town: Phoenix.Park: Maryvale Baseball Park.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: C Yasmani Grandal, OF Ben Gamel, 2B-3B Cory Spangenberg, LHP Alex Claudio, RHP Deolis Guerra, RHP Bobby Wahl.He's Outta Here: 3B Mike Moustakas, LHP Gio Gonzalez, LHP Wade Miley, OF Keon Broxton, OF Domingo Santana, 2B Jonathan Schoop, RHP Joakim Soria, LHP Dan Jennings, OF Curtis Granderson, LHP Xavier Cedeno.Going campin': The Brewers return mostly intact after making it to the NL Championship Series last year in the franchise's first playoff appearance since they also lost the NLCS in 2011. Grandal is a major upgrade behind the plate after he hit 24 homers last year with the Dodgers. There... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Jordy Mercer found out quickly that the Tigers had him on their radar."They were one of the first clubs that we had talks with," Detroit's new shortstop said Tuesday. "It was early on in the process, so I know they were interested. They didn't back down."The rebuilding Tigers aren't a team likely to turn many heads this offseason, but they've wasted little time in pursuing their objectives, making three quiet free agent signings already. Mercer reached a one-year deal with Detroit, and so did pitchers Matt Moore and Tyson Ross. Those moves don't figure to shift the balance of power in the AL Central, but after two straight 98-loss seasons, the Tigers have been content to give out short-term contracts while waiting for some of their top prospects to reach the majors.While other teams have proceeded more slowly this offseason — perhaps waiting to see how the bidding goes for stars like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado — the Tigers have moved fast. So have the Texas Rangers, who... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Jordy Mercer found out quickly that the Tigers had him on their radar."They were one of the first clubs that we had talks with," Detroit's new shortstop said Tuesday. "It was early on in the process, so I know they were interested. They didn't back down."The rebuilding Tigers aren't a team likely to turn many heads this offseason, but they've wasted little time in pursuing their objectives, making three quiet free agent signings already. Mercer reached a one-year deal with Detroit, and so did pitchers Matt Moore and Tyson Ross. Those moves don't figure to shift the balance of power in the AL Central, but after two straight 98-loss seasons, the Tigers have been content to give out short-term contracts while waiting for some of their top prospects to reach the majors.While other teams have proceeded more slowly this offseason — perhaps waiting to see how the bidding goes for stars like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado — the Tigers have moved fast. So have the Texas Rangers, who... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Right-hander Jesse Chavez finalized an $8 million, two-year contract with the Texas Rangers on Friday, returning to the team that traded him to the Chicago Cubs last July.The 35-year-old was 5-2 with a 2.55 ERA and five saves in 62 relief appearances with the Rangers and Cubs last season. He was second in the majors among relievers with 95 1/3 innings.Chavez had a 1.68 ERA after June 1, with 61 strikeouts and 11 walks in 64 1/3 innings. He made his postseason with the Cubs, pitching a scoreless inning in Colorado's 2-1 win in the NL wild-card game.Chavez was selected by the Rangers in the 42nd round of the 2002 amateur draft. Chavez and Philadelphia's Tommy Hunter are the only active pitchers with at least 390 innings as both a starter and reliever. Chavez gets $4 million in each of the next two seasons.Texas also failed to offer 2019 contracts to four players, including right-hander Matt Bush, making the quartet free agents. Bush didn't appear in a game after June... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Right-hander Jesse Chavez finalized an $8 million, two-year contract with the Texas Rangers on Friday, returning to the team that traded him to the Chicago Cubs last July.The 35-year-old was 5-2 with a 2.55 ERA and five saves in 62 relief appearances with the Rangers and Cubs last season. He was second in the majors among relievers with 95 1/3 innings.Chavez had a 1.68 ERA after June 1, with 61 strikeouts and 11 walks in 64 1/3 innings. He made his postseason with the Cubs, pitching a scoreless inning in Colorado's 2-1 win in the NL wild-card game.Chavez was selected by the Rangers in the 42nd round of the 2002 amateur draft. Chavez and Philadelphia's Tommy Hunter are the only active pitchers with at least 390 innings as both a starter and reliever.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Right-hander Jesse Chavez finalized an $8 million, two-year contract with the Texas Rangers on Friday, returning to the team that traded him to the Chicago Cubs last July.The 35-year-old was 5-2 with a 2.55 ERA and five saves in 62 relief appearances with the Rangers and Cubs last season. He was second in the majors among relievers with 95 1/3 innings.Chavez had a 1.68 ERA after June 1, with 61 strikeouts and 11 walks in 64 1/3 innings. He made his postseason with the Cubs, pitching a scoreless inning in Colorado's 2-1 win in the NL wild-card game.Chavez was selected by the Rangers in the 42nd round of the 2002 amateur draft. Chavez and Philadelphia's Tommy Hunter are the only active pitchers with at least 390 innings as both a starter and reliever.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at the National League wild-card game between the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs:___Schedule: Tuesday, at Chicago, 8:09 p.m. EDT (ESPN).___Season Series: Tied 3-3.___Projected Lineups:Rockies: CF Charlie Blackmon (.291, 29 HRs, 70 RBIs), 2B DJ LeMahieu (.276, 15, 62), LF David Dahl (.273, 16, 48), 3B Nolan Arenado (.297, 38, 110), SS Trevor Story (.291, 37, 108), RF Carlos Gonzalez (.276, 16, 64), 1B Ian Desmond (.236, 22, 88), C Chris Iannetta (.224, 11, 36).Cubs: 2B Daniel Murphy (.299, 12, 42 with Nationals and Cubs), RF Ben Zobrist (.305, 9, 58), SS Javier Baez (.290, 34, NL-best 111, 21 SBs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.283, 25, 101), 3B Kris Bryant (.272, 13, 52), LF Kyle Schwarber (.238, 26, 61), CF Jason Heyward (.270, 8, 57) or Ian Happ (.233, 15, 44) or Albert Almora (.286, 5, 41), C Willson Contreras (.249, 10, 54).___Starting Pitchers:Rockies: LH Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85 ERA, lowest full-season ERA for starting pitcher in team history).Cubs: LH Jon Lester (18-6, 3.32).___Relievers:Rockies:... [More]

DENVER (AP) — David Dahl homered for the fourth straight game, and the Colorado Rockies opened a one-game NL West lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday that extended their winning streak to seven.Trevor Story and Gerardo Parra also went deep. Trying for the first division title in team history, Colorado (89-70) closes at home with three games against Washington while the Dodgers finish at San Francisco. The Dodgers are one game ahead of St. Louis for the second NL wild-card berth.Scott Oberg (8-1) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings, and Wade Davis got his NL-leading 42nd save.Philadelphia (78-81) has lost a season-high eight straight and has gone 15-33 since moving a season-high 15 games over .500 on Aug. 5.Jake Arrieta (10-11) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He had a 3.96 ERA, his highest since 2013, in his first season after agreeing to a $75 million, three-year contract with the Phillies.YANKEES 12, RAYS 1ST. PETERSBURG,... [More]

DENVER (AP) — David Dahl homered for the fourth straight game, and the Colorado Rockies opened a one-game NL West lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday that extended their winning streak to seven.Trevor Story and Gerardo Parra also went deep. Trying for the first division title in team history, Colorado (89-70) closes at home with three games against Washington while the Dodgers finish at San Francisco. The Dodgers are one game ahead of St. Louis for the second NL wild-card berth.Scott Oberg (8-1) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings, and Wade Davis got his NL-leading 42nd save.Philadelphia (78-81) has lost a season-high eight straight and has gone 15-33 since moving a season-high 15 games over .500 on Aug. 5.Jake Arrieta (10-11) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He had a 3.96 ERA, his highest since 2013, in his first season after agreeing to a $75 million, three-year contract with the Phillies.YANKEES 12, RAYS 1ST. PETERSBURG,... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers fired manager Jeff Banister on Friday after the team stumbled to its first consecutive losing records in 10 years following AL West titles in each of his first two seasons.Texas announced the move with 10 games left in Banister's fourth season, and general manager Jon Daniels said the decision wasn't based on the record."There are times when you're looking for a new voice, and the new voice for the leadership," Daniels said. "Jeff did a very good job for us. Ton of passion and energy and care for everybody involved. ... We just made a decision that a new voice at this point was needed."In a season when the focus turned to the development of their younger players, the Rangers took a 64-88 record into the Friday night's game against Seattle to open the final home series of the year. They had lost four in a row and 11 of 15.Bench coach Don Wakamatsu will serve as interim manager for the remainder of the season, starting with the three-game series against... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers fired manager Jeff Banister on Friday after the team stumbled to its first consecutive losing records in 10 years after winning AL West titles in each of his first two seasons.Texas announced the move with 10 games left in Banister's fourth season, and general manager Jon Daniels said the decision wasn't based on the record."There are times when you're looking for a new voice, and the new voice for the leadership," Daniels said. "Jeff did a very good job for us. Ton of passion and energy and care for everybody involved, and we just made a decision that a new voice at this point was needed."In a season when the focus turned to the development of their younger players, the Rangers took a 64-88 record into the Friday night's game against Seattle to open the final home series of the year. They had lost four in a row and 11 of 15.Bench coach Don Wakamatsu will serve as interim manager for the remainder of the season, starting with the three-game series... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers fired manager Jeff Banister on Friday after the team stumbled to its first consecutive losing records in 10 years after winning AL West titles in each of his first two seasons.Texas announced the move with 10 games left in Banister's fourth season, with general manager Jon Daniels saying the record was not the reason and that the team needed a "new voice from leadership."In a season when the focus turned to the development of their younger players, the Rangers had a 64-88 record heading into the Friday night's game against Seattle to open the final home series of the year. They had lost four in a row and 11 of 15.Bench coach Don Wakamatsu will serve as interim manager for the remainder of the season, starting with the three-game series against the Mariners. The Rangers will finish the season on the road next week against the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle.Daniels said he informed the 54-year-old Banister of the decision earlier Friday. Banister... [More]