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]

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]

Rangers first. Shin-Soo Choo homers to deep left center field. Nick Solak walks. Rougned Odor grounds out to shallow infield. Nick Solak out at second. Joey Gallo walks. Todd Frazier grounds out to shallow infield, Donovan Solano to Wilmer Flores.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Rangers 1, Giants 0.Giants second. Evan Longoria doubles to right field. Donovan Solano lines out to deep right field to Joey Gallo. Evan Longoria to third. Darin Ruf singles to right field. Evan Longoria scores. Chadwick Tromp grounds out to third base. Darin Ruf out at second.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Rangers 1, Giants 1.Rangers third. Nick Solak strikes out swinging. Rougned Odor reaches on error. Fielding error by Donovan Solano. Joey Gallo doubles to shallow right field. Rougned Odor scores. Todd Frazier grounds out to shallow infield, Evan Longoria to Wilmer Flores. Willie Calhoun grounds out to shallow center field, Mauricio Dubon to Wilmer Flores.1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 left on. Rangers 2, Giants... [More]

Padres third. Ty France doubles to left field. Francisco Mejia grounds out to shallow infield, Brandon Crawford to Brandon Belt. Ty France to third. Edward Olivares called out on strikes. Fernando Tatis Jr. grounds out to shallow infield, Brandon Crawford to Brandon Belt.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Padres 1, Giants 0.Padres fourth. Trent Grisham triples to deep right field. Manny Machado singles to shallow infield. Tommy Pham singles to right field. Manny Machado to second. Trent Grisham scores. Jurickson Profar singles to right center field. Tommy Pham to third. Manny Machado scores. Wil Myers strikes out swinging. Ty France strikes out swinging. Francisco Mejia strikes out swinging.2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Padres 3, Giants 0.Giants fifth. Mike Yastrzemski walks. Alex Dickerson flies out to left center field to Tommy Pham. Donovan Solano singles to left field. Mike Yastrzemski to second. Brandon Belt walks. Donovan Solano to second. Mike Yastrzemski to third. Evan Longoria... [More]

Giants third. Mauricio Dubon singles to shallow infield. Mike Yastrzemski walks. Mauricio Dubon to second. Wilmer Flores strikes out swinging. Darin Ruf singles to left field. Mike Yastrzemski to second. Mauricio Dubon scores. Hunter Pence lines out to deep right field to Mookie Betts. Donovan Solano flies out to right center field to Cody Bellinger.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Giants 1, Dodgers 0.Dodgers third. Will Smith flies out to center field to Mauricio Dubon. Mookie Betts singles to shallow right field. Max Muncy strikes out swinging. Justin Turner walks. Cody Bellinger singles to right field. Justin Turner to third. Mookie Betts scores. Chris Taylor lines out to left center field to Mike Yastrzemski.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Giants 1, Dodgers 1.Giants sixth. Donovan Solano singles to third base. Tyler Heineman flies out to deep right field to Mookie Betts. Pablo Sandoval pinch-hitting for Jaylin Davis. Pablo Sandoval singles to left field. Donovan Solano to second.... [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 Dodgers Manager: Dave Roberts (fifth season). 2019: 106-56, first place, lost to Nationals in Division Series. Training Town: Glendale, Arizona. Park: Camelback Ranch. First Workout: Feb. 14/18. He's Here: OF Mookie Betts, LHP David Price, LHP Alex Wood, RHP Blake Treinen, RHP Jimmy Nelson, 2B Clayton Daniel.He's Outta Here: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu, RHP Kenta Maeda, LHP Rich Hill, OF Joc Pederson, OF Alex Verdugo, 1B David Freese, RHP Yimi Garcia, 3B Jedd Gyorko, C Russell Martin, RHP JT Chargois, 2B Kristopher Negron.Going campin': In what's become a familiar refrain, the Dodgers arrive at camp still looking for their first World Series championship since 1988. After losing in two straight World Series, they were ousted by Washington in five games in the NL Division Series last fall.... [More]

1B Darin Ruf got his first hit since Sept. 24 with a pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, his fourth of the season.

1B/OF Darin Ruf was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley Friday. He had been in the minors since mid-May when he was replaced on the roster by Tommy Joseph to platoon

1B Darin Ruf was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Tommy Joseph, who had his contract selected by the Phillies on Friday. Ruf, 29, had only two extra-base hits -- both doubles -- and three RBIs in 63 plate appearances this season.

1B Darin Ruf was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday.

1B/OF Darin Ruf (left shoulder) made his first start on Saturday since April 6. Ruf was expected to platoon this season at first base with Ryan Howard but was slotted into left field as the Phillies search for more offense from their corner outfield positions.

1B Darin Ruf (left shoulder) returned to the field for the first time since Monday. The right-hander, who is supposedly platooning at first base with Ryan Howard, missed a few games after getting an anti-inflammatory injection. He lined out to left field in a pinch-hit appearance Friday night.

1B Darin Ruf, who manager Pete Mackanin plans to platoon with Ryan Howard this season, was not in the lineup Tuesday against San Diego after bruising his left rotator cuff while diving for a ball Monday. Mackanin said Ruf is day to day.

Ruf went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a 3-0 win over the Mets on Thursday.

Ruf is finally getting regular at-bats down the stretch run and responding well. The righty has four home runs, two doubles and 10 RBI over his last nine games. Ruf has always shows potential, but has struggled against right-handed pitching. In fact, Ruf is hitting .164 off righties and .374 off lefties this season. The 1.091 OPS against southpaws is an absurd number and if he could just carry some of that power over to right-handed pitching Ruf would become a fantasy asset.

Ruf went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over the Mets.

The veteran first baseman's first-inning three-run shot off Bartolo Colon was his third in the last seven games, and his fourth overall in September. Ruf has demonstrated some offensive pop in the form of 11 round-trippers over 252 at-bats and a .413 slugging percentage this season.

Ruf will get some additional starts at first base while Ryan Howard (knee) is sidelined, CSN Philadelphia reports.

Howard had his knee drained Monday and is currently considered day-to-day. Ruf has already been starting against lefties, but he will now pick up some at-bats against righties until Howard can return.

Ruf went 3-for-5 with a homer, six RBI and two runs Tuesday against the Mets.

Ruf's big night was capped off by his three-run homer to break the game open for the Phillies in the third inning. Despite not seeing regular at-bats this season, he drove in more runs in this game than he had in any month this season.

Interim manager Pete Mackanin said he will sit Ryan Howard against lefties to give Ruf more playing time at first base, CSN Philadelphia reports.

Ruf, who went 0-for-3 with a RBI on Thursday, has been in the lineup for three straight games. He will likely get a day off Friday with a righty on the mound, but should start Saturday and Sunday with the Marlins throwing lefties against the Phillies. He is hitting .241/.294/.365 with four home runs in 170 at-bats this season.

Ruf went 2-for-2 with a run scored while getting a spot start against Cubs lefty Jon Lester on Friday.

Ryan Howard replaced him as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning. Ruf will play on the small side of a platoon with Howard for the foreseeable future, as long as he contributes enough to justify a spot on the 25-man roster with his limited opportunities.

Ruf was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday.

The move corresponds to Chase Utley (ankle inflammation) being placed on the 15-day DL. Ruf probably won't see much playing time with the big league club, but he could see a couple starts in left field each week while occasionally filling in at first base. He hit just .235 with three home runs in 111 plate appearances with the Phillies earlier this season before being sent to Triple-A.