ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton knows from his own heart-wrenching experience what the Los Angeles Angels are feeling now, and will experience moving forward, after the death of a teammate during the season.The slugger's message to the Angels, playing with heavy hearts after the death of 27-year-old pitcher Tyler Skaggs, is to "hug each other, laugh, cry, lift the ones taking it extra hard up."Stanton, now playing for the New York Yankees, was still with the Miami Marlins three years ago when 24-year-old two-time All-Star pitcher José Fernández was killed in a boating crash late that season.Los Angeles returned to the field with an emotional 9-4 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday night, a day after Skaggs was discovered unresponsive in his hotel room in Texas. No cause of death has been released."You're going to wonder why all of this is happening, is it real, why are u suiting up to play a game that seems irrelevant," Stanton wrote in an Instagram post. "Some Anger will ensue... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton knows from his own heart-wrenching experience what the Los Angeles Angels are feeling, and will experience moving forward after the death of a teammate during the season.The slugger's message to the Angels, playing with heavy hearts after the death of 27-year-old pitcher Tyler Skaggs, is to "hug each other, laugh, cry, lift the ones taking it extra hard up."Stanton, now playing for the New York Yankees, was still with the Miami Marlins three years ago when 24-year-old two-time All-Star pitcher José Fernández was killed in a boating crash late that season.Los Angeles returned to the field with an emotional 9-4 win over the Rangers on Tuesday night, a day after Skaggs was discovered unresponsive in his hotel room in Texas. No cause of death has been reported."You're going to wonder why all of this is happening, is it real, why are u suiting up to play a game that seems irrelevant," Stanton wrote in an Instagram post. "Some Anger will ensue while u... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton knows from his own heart-wrenching experience what the Los Angeles Angels are feeling, and will experience moving forward after the death of a teammate during the season.The slugger's message to the Angels, playing with heavy hearts after the death of 27-year-old pitcher Tyler Skaggs, is to "hug each other, laugh, cry, lift the ones taking it extra hard up."Stanton, now playing for the New York Yankees, was still with the Miami Marlins three years ago when 24-year-old two-time All-Star pitcher José Fernández was killed in a boating crash late that season.Los Angeles returned to the field with an emotional 9-4 win over the Rangers on Tuesday night, a day after Skaggs was discovered unresponsive in his hotel room in Texas. No cause of death has been reported."You're going to wonder why all of this is happening, is it real, why are u suiting up to play a game that seems irrelevant," Stanton wrote in an Instagram post. "Some Anger will ensue while u... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres lined a game-winning single in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees hit two more homers to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-7 Wednesday.Didi Gregorius and DJ LeMahieu connected as the Yankees extended their major league record to 29 straight games with a home run. The AL East leaders overcame two homers and a double by Lourdes Gurriel Jr., plus an early 5-0 deficit, to finish a power-packed 9-1 homestand.Now, they'll head straight from Yankee Stadium to England, where they'll enjoy two days off before playing the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium on Saturday and Sunday in the first major league games in Europe.Zack Britton wasn't so great in giving up Cavan Biggio's RBI single in the ninth that made it 7-all. But Britton (3-1) wound up with the win to close out a three-game sweep.Gregorius got an infield hit off Nick Kingham (3-2) with one out in the ninth, Aaron Hicks walked and Torres followed with his hit.ATHLETICS 2, CARDINALS 0ST. LOUIS (AP) — Beau Taylor... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres lined a game-winning single in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees hit two more homers to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-7 Wednesday.Didi Gregorius and DJ LeMahieu connected as the Yankees extended their major league record to 29 straight games with a home run. The AL East leaders overcame two homers and a double by Lourdes Gurriel Jr., plus an early 5-0 deficit, to finish a power-packed 9-1 homestand.Now, they'll head straight from Yankee Stadium to England, where they'll enjoy two days off before playing the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium on Saturday and Sunday in the first major league games in Europe.Zack Britton wasn't so great in giving up Cavan Biggio's RBI single in the ninth that made it 7-all. But Britton (3-1) wound up with the win to close out a three-game sweep.Gregorius got an infield hit off Nick Kingham (3-2) with one out in the ninth, Aaron Hicks walked and Torres followed with his hit.ATHLETICS 2, CARDINALS 0ST. LOUIS (AP) — Beau Taylor... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich hit his fourth homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the ninth, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a dramatic 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.Ben Gamel led off the ninth with a pinch-hit double and advanced on Lorenzo Cain's infield single off reliever Jordan Hicks' glove. Yelich then hit a liner into the gap in left-center, driving in Gamel and Cain.Yelich tossed his helmet in the air in celebration as Cain slid face first across the plate, giving Milwaukee three wins in its opening four-game set against rival St. Louis. Yelich's teammates rushed the field and doused the reigning NL MVP with Gatorade in a raucous celebration at second.Yelich began his day with a long drive into the second deck in right against Michael Wacha, tying the major league record for homers in consecutive games to start a season. He also became the first player to win the MVP award and then homer in his first four games of the next season.Paul Goldschmidt,... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich hit his fourth homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the ninth, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a dramatic 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.Ben Gamel led off the ninth with a pinch-hit double and advanced on Lorenzo Cain's infield single off reliever Jordan Hicks' glove. Yelich then hit a liner into the gap in left-center, driving in Gamel and Cain.Yelich tossed his helmet in the air in celebration as Cain slid face first across the plate, giving Milwaukee three wins in its opening four-game set against rival St. Louis. Yelich's teammates rushed the field and doused the reigning NL MVP with Gatorade in a raucous celebration at second.Yelich began his day with a long drive into the second deck in right against Michael Wacha, tying the major league record for homers in consecutive games to start a season. He also became the first player to win the MVP award and then homer in his first four games of the next season.Paul Goldschmidt,... [More]

March 311961 — The Pacific Coast League's proposal to use a designated hitter for the pitcher was rejected by the Professional Baseball Rules Committee by a vote of 8-1.1968 — Seattle, the American League's second new team, announced its nickname — the Pilots.1995 — Major league baseball players end their strike when Federal judge Sonia Sotomayor of U.S. District Court in Manhattan rules against the owners in the labor dispute.1996 — The Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 in 12 innings in major league baseball's season opener, the first major league game played in March.1998 — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks looked like expansion teams in their first games. The Devil Rays fell behind 11-0 in an 11-6 loss to Detroit at Tropicana Field, and the Diamondbacks dropped a 9-2 decision to the Colorado Rockies at Bank One Ballpark. Milwaukee dropped a 2-1 decision at Atlanta in the Brewers' first game since becoming the only team to switch leagues this century.2003... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — This is the new normal in baseball — pitching not just effectively after Tommy John surgery but even gaining velocity.Returning to form following labrum surgery is less likely. Just ask Mike Minor."I started throwing, it hurt. I shut it down. I start throwing again, it hurt again," the 6-foot-4 Rangers left-hander said of his two-year rehabilitation.All the rehab has been well worth it. He will open the season at home for Texas on March 28 against the Chicago Cubs."It's a cool thing, especially when I talk to my family and friends, talk about where I was a couple years ago," he said. "From not pitching two years in a row and coming back, and having to go in the bullpen and last year trying to re-establish myself as a starter. And having a lot of people belief that I couldn't do it, a lot of doubters."A former Team USA and Vanderbilt star, Minor was selected in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2009 draft by the Atlanta Braves. He made his MLB debut in 2010... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have tried to match up Zack Greinke with the same catcher per the pitcher's request. On Monday, 24-year-old Carson Kelly got his first chance behind the plate in the ace's first spring training start.It was a good partnership. Greinke needed just 16 pitches — 14 strikes — to retire the Oakland Athletics in order over two innings."Get outs — that's kind of the big thing for him," Kelly said of Greinke. "He did that and he did it efficiently, too, without throwing a lot of pitches. I feel like that's Zack Greinke-esque."Jeff Mathis was Greinke's personal catcher last season but signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers. Kelly, acquired by Arizona from the St. Louis Cardinals in the trade for Paul Goldschmidt, caught Greinke during his last live batting practice session as a tuneup.Pitching on a back field and facing teammates, however, is different than a real game, even if it is an exhibition game."With the live BP, I was excited, very... [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 (fourth season).2018: 92-71, first place, lost to Boston in World Series.Training Town: Glendale, Arizona.Park: Camelback Ranch.First Workout: Feb. 13/19.He's Here: CF A.J. Pollock, RHP Joe Kelly, C Russell Martin, RHP Homer Bailey, 3B Justin Yorchak, LHP Adam McCreery, RHP Jaime Schultz.He's Outta Here: SS Manny Machado, OF Matt Kemp, OF Yasiel Puig, C Yasmani Grandal, LHP Alex Wood, 2B Brian Dozier, RHP Ryan Madson, C Kyle Farmer, 2B Chase Utley, RHP John Axford, RHP Daniel Hudson, LHP-RHP Pat Venditte.Going campin': The Dodgers arrive at camp with unfinished business yet again, having lost in the World Series for the second straight year. They won their sixth consecutive NL West title and second straight NL pennant only to fall short in seven... [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 (fourth season).2018: 92-71, first place, lost to Boston in World Series.Training Town: Glendale, Arizona.Park: Camelback Ranch.First Workout: Feb. 13/19.He's Here: CF A.J. Pollock, RHP Joe Kelly, C Russell Martin, RHP Homer Bailey, 3B Justin Yorchak, LHP Adam McCreery, RHP Jaime Schultz.He's Outta Here: SS Manny Machado, OF Matt Kemp, OF Yasiel Puig, C Yasmani Grandal, LHP Alex Wood, 2B Brian Dozier, RHP Ryan Madson, C Kyle Farmer, 2B Chase Utley, RHP John Axford, RHP Daniel Hudson, LHP-RHP Pat Venditte.Going campin': The Dodgers arrive at camp with unfinished business yet again, having lost in the World Series for the second straight year. They won their sixth consecutive NL West title and second straight NL pennant only to fall short in seven... [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 (fourth season).2018: 92-71, first place, lost to Boston in World Series.Training Town: Glendale, Arizona.Park: Camelback Ranch.First Workout: Feb. 13/19.He's Here: CF A.J. Pollock, RHP Joe Kelly, C Russell Martin, RHP Homer Bailey, 3B Justin Yorchak, LHP Adam McCreery, RHP Jaime Schultz.He's Outta Here: SS Manny Machado, OF Matt Kemp, OF Yasiel Puig, C Yasmani Grandal, LHP Alex Wood, 2B Brian Dozier, RHP Ryan Madson, C Kyle Farmer, 2B Chase Utley, RHP John Axford, RHP Daniel Hudson, LHP-RHP Pat Venditte.Going campin': The Dodgers arrive at camp with unfinished business yet again, having lost in the World Series for the second straight year. They won their sixth consecutive NL West title and second straight NL pennant only to fall short in seven... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American 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:___Houston AstrosManager: AJ Hinch (fifth season).2018: 103-59, first place, lost to Boston in ALCS.Training Town: West Palm Beach, Florida.Park: Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.First Workout: Feb. 14/18.He's Here: OF Michael Brantley, C Robinson Chirinos, LHP Wade Miley, INF Aledmys Diaz.He's Outta Here: INF-OF Marwin Gonzalez, LHP Dallas Keuchel, RHP Charlie Morton, DH Evan Gattis, LHP Tony Sipp, C Brian McCann, C Martin Maldonado.Going campin': The Astros won a franchise-record 103 games last season and reached the ALCS. But mounting injuries and inconsistent play led to their elimination by Boston in five games and kept them from repeating as champions after winning their first World Series title in 2017. Houston returns aces Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, who are both coming off great... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Catcher John Ryan Murphy and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a $900,000, one-year contract, a raise from his $558,000 salary last year.The 27-year-old set career bests with nine homers and 24 RBIs in 223 plate appearances, hitting .202. He split time behind the plate with Alex Avila and Jeff Mathis, who left for Texas.Ten Diamondbacks remain eligible for Friday's exchange of proposed arbitration salaries: outfielders David Peralta and Steven Souza; shortstop Nick Amed; third baseman Jake Lamb; right-handers Matt Andriese and Archie Bradley; and left-handers Andrew Chafin, T.J. McFarland and Robbie Ray.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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) — Catcher Jeff Mathis and the Texas Rangers finalized a $6.25 million, two-year contract Tuesday.Mathis, one of baseball's best defensive catchers, gets $3.25 million next season and $3 million in 2020.The Rangers later Tuesday added four players to their major league roster, protecting them from being available to other teams during the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings next month. They added right-handed pitcher Edinson Volquez and outfielder Scott Heineman from Triple-A Nashville, along with right-hander Wei-Chieh Huang and lefty Taylor Hearn from Double-A Frisco.Texas also acquired infielder Jack Reinheimer from the Chicago Cubs on a waiver claim, while right-handers Eddie Butler and Ronald Herrera were assigned outright to Triple-A Nashville.The 35-year-old Mathis spent the last two years with Arizona and hit .200 this season with one homer and 20 RBIs in 69 games. He threw out 18 of 53 runners attempting to steal this year, and his 17 defensive runs saved were... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Catcher Jeff Mathis and the Texas Rangers have finalized a $6.25 million, two-year contract.He gets $3.25 million next year and $3 million in 2020 under the deal announced Tuesday.The 35-year-old is among baseball's top defensive catchers. He spent the last two years with Arizona and hit .200 this season with one homer and 20 RBIs in 69 games. He threw out 18 of 53 runners attempting to steal this year, and his 17 defensive runs saved were five more than any other catcher.Mathis is a .198 hitter in 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Angels (2005-11), Toronto (2012), Miami (2013-16) and Arizona (2017-18).___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Luke Voit hit two homers off David Price, Miguel Andujar popped another one barely into the right-field seats and the New York Yankees stalled Boston's division-clinching celebration by beating the Red Sox 10-1 on Wednesday night.Luis Severino (18-8) pitched seven innings of one-run ball, and the Yankees had no need for All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman on the day they activated him from the disabled list. Chapman had been out since Aug. 21 with left knee tendinitis.Mookie Betts had two strikeouts and no hits in his return to Boston's lineup. He pulled a possible grand slam just foul in the ninth before grounding into a game-ending double play. The AL MVP contender sat out Tuesday after injuring his left side two days earlier, but came back to bat leadoff as the designated hitter.The Yankees will try to send Boston packing Thursday with the AL East still undecided. The Red Sox lead the division by 9 1/2 games and entered this three-game series needing one victory to lock up... [More]