ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating David Price and Boston 3-2 in a game that the Red Sox protested on Wednesday.Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed.Kolarek replaced Morton and retired pinch-hitter Sam Travis on a pop fly. The left-hander then shifted to first base when Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in reliever Chaz Roe, who got a fly ball from Mookie Betts.After Kolarek then returned to the mound and Nate Lowe entered to play first base, Cora met with the umpires, which prompted around a 15-minute stoppage as the umpires discussed the matter.After the protest was made and the game resumed, Kolarek got a first-pitch grounder from Rafael Devers.An unhappy Cora again talked... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating David Price and Boston 3-2 in a game that the Red Sox protested on Wednesday.Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed.Kolarek replaced Morton and retired pinch-hitter Sam Travis on a pop fly. The left-hander then shifted to first base when Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in reliever Chaz Roe, who got a fly ball from Mookie Betts.After Kolarek then returned to the mound and Nate Lowe entered to play first base, Cora met with the umpires, which prompted around a 15-minute stoppage as the umpires discussed the matter.After the protest was made and the game resumed, Kolarek got a first-pitch grounder from Rafael Devers.An unhappy Cora again talked... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating David Price and Boston 3-2 in a game that the Red Sox protested on Wednesday.Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed.Kolarek replaced Morton and retired pinch-hitter Sam Travis on a pop fly. The left-hander then shifted to first base when Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in reliever Chaz Roe, who got a fly ball from Mookie Betts.After Kolarek then returned to the mound and Nate Lowe entered to play first base, Cora met with the umpires, which prompted around a 15-minute stoppage as the umpires discussed the matter.After the protest was made and the game resumed, Kolarek got a first-pitch grounder from Rafael Devers.An unhappy Cora again talked... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joe Maddon didn't let the free time created by a rare ejection go to waste.Shortly after getting tossed by home plate umpire Joe West on July 4 following an outburst in which the Chicago Cubs manager appeared ready to take on any and all comers from the Pittsburgh dugout after taking exception to the way the Pirates kept pitching up and in to his players, Maddon retired to the visiting manager's office at PNC Park. He eased into a chair, opened a bottle of wine, flipped on the television and watched his wildly uneven team put the finishing touches on an 11-3 victory that avoided a four-game sweep.Veteran move. Opportunities to relax over the next two-plus months will be scarce in the most competitive division in the majors.The National League Central enters the second half with the first-place Cubs and last-place Cincinnati separated by just 4½ games, an outlier during an otherwise yawn-inducing first half in which five divisions reached the All-Star break with at least... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joe Maddon didn't let the free time created by a rare ejection go to waste.Shortly after getting tossed by home-plate umpire Joe West on July 4 following an outburst in which the Chicago Cubs' manager appeared ready to take on any and all comers from the Pittsburgh dugout after taking exception to the way the Pirates kept pitching up and in to his players, Maddon retired to the visiting manager's office at PNC Park. He eased into a chair, opened a bottle of wine, flipped on the television and watched his wildly uneven team put the finishing touches on an 11-3 victory that avoided a four-game sweep.Veteran move. Opportunities to relax over the next two-plus months will be scarce in the most competitive division in the majors.The National League Central enters the second half with the first-place Cubs and last-place Cincinnati separated by just 4 1/2 games, an outlier during an otherwise yawn-inducing first half in which five divisions reached the All-Star break with at... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Scooter Gennett left the Reds' game against the Brewers on Wednesday night because of tightness in the left side of his groin.Gennett was activated from the injured list last week after recovering from a severe injury to the other side of his groin during spring training. He's 2 for 19 with a pair of singles in five games.He flied out and struck out against Jhoulys Chacin, then left the game an inning later.The Reds have sorely missed Gennett, who had 50 homers and 189 RBIs in the last two seasons. He was an All-Star for the first time last year, when he finished second to Milwaukee's Christian Yelich for the batting title at .310.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CINCINNATI (AP) — Scooter Gennett left after striking out in his second at-bat Wednesday night during the Reds' game against the Brewers.Gennett was activated from the injured list last week after recovering from a severe groin injury suffered during spring training. He's 2 for 19 with a pair of singles in five games.He flied out and struck out against Jhoulys Chacin, then left the game an inning later.The Reds have sorely missed Gennett, who had 50 homers and 189 RBIs in the last two seasons. He was an All-Star for the first time last year, when he finished second to Milwaukee's Christian Yelich for the batting title at .310.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CINCINNATI (AP) — Scooter Gennett spent a lot of time watching the Cincinnati Reds on television as his severe groin injury healed slowly over three months.The Reds activated Gennett from the injured list Friday and had him in the lineup at second base for the opening game of a series against the NL Central-leading Cubs. Catcher Tucker Barnhart went on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique that is expected to sideline him for significantly longer.A lack of offense has been the Reds' biggest problem this season. They are last in the NL Central with a .234 team batting average that's second-worst in the league, ahead of San Francisco.Until now, all Gennett could do was watch the struggles from the dugout during home games and on television while the Reds were on the road, a routine that never became comfortable."I'm not used to sitting at home watching baseball games, especially this time of year," Gennett said.The biggest question is how long it will take for Gennett to become... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Scooter Gennett has rejoined the Reds after missing all season with a severe groin injury suffered during a spring training game.Gennett was in the lineup Friday at second base for the opening game of a series against the Cubs.The Reds have desperately missed Gennett, who was their most productive hitter the last two seasons. Cincinnati is last in the NL Central with one of the league's least-productive offenses.Gennett had 50 homers and 189 RBIs in the last two seasons. He was an All-Star for the first time last year, when he finished second to Milwaukee's Christian Yelich for the batting title at .310.The Reds also placed catcher Tucker Barnhart on the injured list with a strained oblique.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CINCINNATI (AP) — Scooter Gennett began a rehab assignment Monday, the final step in returning from a severe groin injury in spring training that has sidelined the Cincinnati Reds second baseman all season.Gennett will play five days with Single-A Daytona and move up to Triple-A Louisville to continue the rehab, which will last until he feels ready to come off the injured list. Manager David Bell said Gennett will be back in the starting lineup as soon as he's able."We all know he's going to play," Bell said. "He's been a big part of our offense the last few years. There's no reason that would change."There may be some limitations at the beginning, to make sure he's healthy and all that."In the last two years, Gennett has 50 homers and 189 RBIs, joining Dave Parker and Deron Johnson as the only Reds to put up such numbers in their first two seasons with Cincinnati. He was an All-Star for the first time last year, when he finished second to Milwaukee's Christian Yelich for the batting title... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Scooter Gennett has begun a rehab assignment, the final step in returning from a severe groin sprain in spring training that has sidelined the Cincinnati Reds' All-Star second baseman all season.Gennett will play five days with Single-A Daytona and move up to Triple-A Louisville to continue the rehab.In the last two years, Gennett has 50 homers and 189 RBIs, joining Dave Parker and Deron Johnson as the only Reds to put up such numbers in their first two seasons with Cincinnati. He was an All-Star for the first time last year, when he finished second to Milwaukee's Christian Yelich for the batting title at .310.The Reds are last in the NL Central at 31-38 with one of the majors' worst offenses.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Using the search engine at Baseball-Reference.com, The Associated Press evaluated each team's draft performance from 1996 through 2018, adding up wins above replacement (WAR) figures for drafted players.For each pick, the player's career WAR was added to the appropriate total for the team, depending on whether or not the player signed with the team after being drafted. Some players had their WAR totals included multiple times, if they were drafted more than once.Stats are through May 25. Compensation picks were considered part of the first round where applicable.___ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKSTotal WAR for all drafted players: 581.8 (MLB rank: 4th)Total WAR for drafted players who signed: 440.1 (rank: 5th)Total WAR for drafted players who did not sign: 141.7Impact players (10 WAR or more) drafted: 17 (rank: tie-9th)Impact players drafted and signed: 13 (rank: 12th)Most recent impact player drafted and signed: Trevor Bauer, 2011, first round, pick No. 3 (15.2 WAR)Lowest pick for impact player drafted... [More]

June 21928 — Les Bell of the Boston Braves hit three home runs and a triple at Braves Field, but the Cincinnati Reds came away with a 20-12 triumph.1928 — The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1. All the runs came from three pinch-hit home runs.1935 — Babe Ruth, 40, announces his retirement as a player.1941 — Lou Gehrig died in New York at age 37.1949 — The Philadelphia Phillies hit five homers in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds. Andy Seminick hit two and Del Ennis, Willie Jones, and Schoolboy Rowe hit one apiece. Seminick had homered earlier in the game.1959 — The Baltimore Orioles-Chicago White Sox game at Comiskey Park was delayed for nearly half an hour as a swarm of gnats overcame the field. Groundskeepers tried using bug sprays and torches, but the gnats wouldn't budge. A post-game fireworks display was brought in from center field and a smoke bomb was attached to the framework. The gnats left and the Orioles defeated the White Sox, 3-2.1990 —... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — With an offense that's last in the NL, the Reds decided to bring up top prospect Nick Senzel and let him continue learning a new position at the major league level.The Reds brought up Senzel for his major league debut at the start of their series against the San Francisco Giants on Friday. The 23-year-old outfielder was batting second and playing center, the spot they've been aiming him toward since the offseason."We don't bring guys up to put them on the sidelines," said Dick Williams, the president of baseball operations. "We expect him to inject some energy and help the outfield defense. Nick is ready to do that."He got the loudest ovation during pregame introductions and hit a flyout to center field in his first at-bat against Tyler Beede, another former first-round pick.Senzel was taken second overall in the 2016 amateur draft out of Tennessee. He signed for a $6.2 million bonus, but his ascent was slowed by bouts of vertigo and a broken right index finger last season.The... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — With an offense that's last in the NL, the Reds decided to bring up top prospect Nick Senzel and let him continue learning a new position at the major league level.The Reds brought up Senzel for his major league debut at the start of their series against the San Francisco Giants on Friday. The 23-year-old outfielder was batting second and playing center, the spot they've been aiming him toward since the offseason."We don't bring guys up to put them on the sidelines," said Dick Williams, the president of baseball operations. "We expect him to inject some energy and help the outfield defense. Nick is ready to do that."Senzel was taken second overall in the 2016 amateur draft out of Tennessee. He signed for a $6.2 million bonus, but his ascent was slowed by bouts of vertigo and a broken right index finger last season.The Reds decided to turn the career infielder into a center fielder after Billy Hamilton was let go and nobody else on the roster had significant experience... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds are bringing up top prospect Nick Senzel for his major league debut.The 23-year-old outfielder will bat second and play center field against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.Cincinnati selected his contract from Louisville, optioned right-hander Matt Bowman to the Triple-A farm team and transferred second baseman Scooter Gennett to the 60-day injured list.Senzel was the second overall pick in the 2016 amateur draft from Tennessee and signed for a $6.2 million bonus.He sprained his right ankle during a minor league spring training game on March 25 and did not make his season debut at Triple-A Louisville until April 23. He hit .257 one double, one homer and two RBIs in eight games and 35 at-bats.Senzel played third, shortstop and second before transitioning to the outfield this year.He hit .310 with six homers and 25 RBIs in 44 games at Louisville last season before season-ending surgery on June 28 to repair a broken right index finger. He returned to play in the instructional league, then had surgery Oct. 16 for bone spurs in his left, non-throwing, elbow.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports