MESA, Ariz. (AP) — If Yu Darvish was tipping his pitches in the World Series last year, he seems to have fixed it.Darvish threw two hitless innings in his spring training debut for the Chicago Cubs, facing his former teammates on the Los Angeles Dodgers.When last on the mound, Darvish was chased by Houston after getting just five outs in both Games 3 and 7 of the World Series. Darvish said he was moved to lose 15 pounds "because of what happened in the World Series."Darvish was concerned about the possible impact of the weight loss on his velocity but those worries seemed unwarranted Tuesday."It was right up there," he said of his velocity, speaking through a translator. "Glad it's 95."There was speculation that the Astros had figured out what sort of pitches Darvish was about to throw."They could simply be a good, strong team," Darvish said, adding he has considered "various things to keep consistency and mix up pitches and throw from the same slot."Darvish struck out four, including Corey... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Chicago Cubs ace Jon Lester is trying a new approach when it comes to his biggest weakness.One bounce at a time.Lester is working with new third base coach Brian Butterfield on bouncing his throw to the bases when he has to make a play on defense. He got a chance to use the technique during Sunday's 2-0 loss to Arizona in spring training, and the ball skipped past minor league first baseman Efren Navarro for an error.Lester has struggled with throwing to bases for years, but the three-time World Series winner remains one of the game's most effective pitchers. The 34-year-old left-hander is slated to start on opening day on March 29 at Miami."It's just a different thing for him," Butterfield said Monday. "Throwing a ball to a base for him in a quiet setting is far different than when he's got to cock his arm in a game setting. You know, that's understandable, just because pitchers for the most part, it's probably a little bit more difficult for them to throw to the bases... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — The Chicago Cubs, boosted by the addition of Yu Darvish, are certainly well armed as they start spring training. The result, they hope, is a drive toward a second crown in three years."The expectation for this group is to win the World Series," center fielder Albert Almora Jr. said "We know the group in here can do it. We expect nothing but that."The Cubs have made three straight extended postseason runs, with 2015 and 2017 ending in losses in the NL Championship Series.The relatively young core of productive position players, led by Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, returns intact.Now, Darvish slides into an already strong pitching rotation that includes Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana and newcomer Tyler Chatwood."You could feel the confidence," manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday after the Cubs' first workout for pitchers and catchers.Darvish totally rounds out the starting rotation, Maddon said."Listen, it was going to be really good, anyway," he said."When you... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The young core of the Chicago Cubs is learning with each long playoff run.Coming off their first World Series title since 1908, the Cubs got off to a slow start last year and had to push themselves in the second half to overcome Milwaukee and win the NL Central. But they lined up with Washington in the first round of the playoffs and the grueling series with the Nationals took its toll, sending the Cubs on to a lopsided loss to rested Los Angeles in the next round.The grind of a third straight trip to the NL Championship Series left an impression."I think it just teaches you how every year is so different," pitcher Kyle Hendricks said, "not just the season, but the offseason too, and how you get your body ready. For a lot of us young guys, I think we learned a lot between the 16-17 year and that offseason and I think we're using it to our advantage this year; just how much to rest, how much to work out, what you need to get ready."The division is much improved, but the Cubs... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The young core of the Chicago Cubs is learning with each long playoff run.Coming off their first World Series title since 1908, the Cubs got off to a slow start last year and had to push themselves in the second half to overcome Milwaukee and win the NL Central. But they lined up with Washington in the first round of the playoffs and the grueling series with the Nationals took its toll, sending the Cubs on to a lopsided loss to rested Los Angeles in the next round.The grind of a third straight trip to the NL Championship Series left an impression."I think it just teaches you how every year is so different," pitcher Kyle Hendricks said, "not just the season, but the offseason too, and how you get your body ready. For a lot of us young guys, I think we learned a lot between the 16-17 year and that offseason and I think we're using it to our advantage this year; just how much to rest, how much to work out, what you need to get ready."The division is much improved, but the Cubs... [More]

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2013 draft has walked away from baseball without every throwing a pitch in the major leagues.Mark Appel, a hard-throwing pitcher from Stanford taken by the Houston Astros with the No. 1 pick in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, has announced his intention to leave the game. He was released by Philadelphia in November ahead of the winter meeting draft.Appel told Bleacher Report he was at peace with his decision."If you want to call me the biggest draft bust, you can call it that," Appel told Bleacher Report. "If I never get to the big leagues, will it be a disappointment? Yes and no. That was a goal and a dream I had at one point, but that's with stipulations that I'm healthy, I'm happy and doing something I love. If I get to the big leagues, what's so great about the big leagues if you're in an isolated place, you're hurt and you're emotionally unhappy? How much is that worth to you?"Appel grew up an Astros fan in West Houston, became a college star at... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Indians utility man Michael Martinez will be sidelined at least six months following Achilles tendon surgery, and his career could be in jeopardy.He tore his left Achilles during a workout in the Dominican Republic last week and had surgery Wednesday at the Cleveland Clinic.The 35-year-old has bounced around Cleveland's organization the past three years. He was expected to compete for a reserve role at spring training.Martinez is perhaps best remembered for making the final out in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. He hit a slow roller to third that Kris Bryant fielded and threw to first to give the Chicago Cubs their first championship since 1908.Martinez's career began in Washington's farm system in 2005. He has also played for Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Boston.

CHICAGO (AP) — Kris Bryant put up another big number on Friday.Bryant agreed to a $10.85 million, one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, a record for a player eligible for arbitration for the first time."I guess for some players it might be stressful, but I really enjoyed the whole process of it," Bryant said before the start of the team's annual fan convention. "You play to get to this point in your career, and I've put in so much hard work behind the scenes to get to this point. It just feels so rewarding."The previous mark was held by former Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard, who was awarded $10 million by a three-person panel in 2008. The Cubs and Bryant avoided arbitration, and the 26-year-old third baseman receives a hefty raise after making $1.05 million last year."I don't look at money records," Bryant said. "I guess the records on the field are way more important, because when you're doing that, you know, you're helping the team. But it really is a cherry on top when you get paid... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — There was no surprise return for Jake Arrieta. No dramatic entrance for Yu Darvish, Alex Cobb or Greg Holland, either.Not even close.The Chicago Cubs settled five of their six potential arbitration cases before the start of their annual fan convention on Friday, including a record $10.85 million, one-year deal for third baseman Kris Bryant. But they remain at an impasse when it comes to another free-agent addition or a big acquisition via trade — a common refrain during one of the slowest winters for baseball in a long time."We're not done. We have confidence in this group if this is the 25 we end up taking to spring training," president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. "But realistically, we'd certainly like to add another pitcher. I like the talent that we have right now, but I think we could certainly add to the depth, and you can do that through depth moves or you can do it through adding another real quality pitcher and bolster the depth even more that way."I... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The hot corner figures to be sizzling Friday when players and team swap proposed salaries in arbitration.Toronto's Josh Donaldson, Baltimore's Manny Machado, Washington's Anthony Rendon and the Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant were among the more than 170 players headed to the exchange. But most are likely to reach agreement Friday, the busiest day of the offseason.Machado and Donaldson can become free agents after this season and are expected to command one-year deals approaching or exceeding $20 million. A three-time All-Star, the 25-year-old Machado hit. 259 with 33 homers and 95 RBIs last year, when he made $11.5 million. He has been mentioned in persistent trade rumors.Donaldson, 32, is a three-time All-Star and the 2015 AL MVP. He rebounded from an injury-slowed 2016 to hit .270 last season with 33 homers and 78 RBIs. Donaldson earned $17 million last year in the final season of a $28.65 million, two-year deal.Rendon set career bests with a .301 average, 25 homers and 100... [More]

3B Kris Bryant clubbed his first home run of the postseason in the Cubs' season-ending loss to the Dodgers on Thursday night. The blast gave Bryant six career postseason home runs in 36 games.

3B Kris Bryant finished 2-for-4 with a pair of hard-hit singles Tuesday night in Game 3 of the NLCS to increase his series average to .250 (3 of 12) with three strikeouts. Bryant entered the game hitting only .179 (5 of 28) this postseason.

3B Kris Bryant played in his 151st game of the season on Sunday and is the first in Cubs history to make at least 150 starts in his first three seasons. The reigning NL most valuable player closed the regular season with a .295 average with 29 homers and 73 RBIs. He was 0-for-2 in an abbreviated Sunday appearance.

There may not be two American League players who differ more standing side-by-side than the Houston Astros' Jose Altuve and the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge.Altuve is a diminutive 5-foot-6. Judge is a giant at 6-7. But when it comes to the AL Most Valuable Player Award, the difference could be measured in angstroms.The members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America are sending in their votes right now for all of the major 2017 awards. There are some that will be, or should be, unanimous picks.How do you not give Judge the AL Rookie of the Year? Same goes in the National League for Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both were by far at the top of their classes when all was said and done.Below is our take on the deserving winners in each race. AL MVP isn't the only white-knuckler. In the AL, the Cy Young Award race between Boston's Chris Sale and Cleveland's Corey Kluber is tight, too. In the National League, the MVP, Cy Young and Manager of the Year are all worthy of great... [More]

3B Kris Bryant played his 150th game of the season Saturday, making him the first player in team history to play at least 150 games in each of his first three major league seasons. Only 11 players in major league history have accomplished the feat.

3B Kris Bryant went 3-for-4 with his 29th homer on Monday night, giving him an RBI in five straight games to tie a career high. Bryant has also hit safely in five straight games, going 10-for-18 in that span, and has reached base safely in 12 straight games. It was the 18th three-hit game of the year for Bryant, tying him for fourth in the NL with Colorado's Charlie Blackmon.

3B Kris Bryant had two hits Sunday and has reached base in 11 consecutive games. He's posted a .472 OBP during that span, while batting .325 (77-for-237) with 20 doubles, 10 home runs and 34 RBIs since the All-Star break.

MILWAUKEE -- Kris Bryant's two-run homer in the 10th inning led Chicago past Milwaukee 5-3 on Thursday night at Miller Park, boosting the Cubs' lead over the Brewers to 4 1/2 games in the National League Central.Javier Baez tied the game for Chicago with a ninth-inning single, and the Brewers squandered a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity in the bottom of the ninth. The late collapse spoiled an outstanding effort from Zach Davies, who held the Cubs to two runs on seven hits and two walks (one intentional) in seven innings.Chicago's Jake Arrieta worked five innings in his first start since Sept. 4. He missed his previous two turns in the rotation because of a strained hamstring but was cleared earlier this week. He held Milwaukee to a run -- a solo homer by Domingo Santana -- on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts.Kyle Schwarber gave Chicago an early lead, taking Davies deep to left with one out in the second for his 29th home run of the season. The Cubs added another run in the third... [More]

CLEVELAND -- Lorenzo Cain had three hits and Alcides Escobar and Brandon Moss homered as the Kansas City Royals halted the Cleveland Indians' American League-record 22-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory Friday night.It's Cleveland's first loss since Aug. 23. The Indians' 22-game winning streak is the second longest in major league history. The 1916 New York Giants won 26 in a row.Jason Vargas (16-10) gave up three runs on five hits in five innings to get the win for Kansas City. Mike Minor pitched the ninth to pick up his first major league save.Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer (16-9) gave up four runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss.Red Sox 13, Rays 6 (15 innings)ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Deven Marrero had a two-run double as part of a seven-run outburst in the top of the 15th inning as Boston earned the win against Tampa Bay.Boston maintained a three-game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East Division. The Red Sox magic number to reach the postseason... [More]

3B Kris Bryant went 3-for-4 with a homer -- his 27th of the season -- on Friday against the Cardinals. He also became just the second Cubs hitter this season with two hits in an inning with a pair of base hits in the sixth. Kyle Hendricks did the same on Aug. 26 at the Phillies. Bryant has now scored nine runs in his last four games and his 104 runs rank fourth in the National League.