ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols' 20th season in the majors is about to begin with the Los Angeles Angels. When it does, the 40-year-old slugger is likely to be the oldest player in the big leagues.Although time has chipped away at Pujols' mountainous talent, he has never believed his advancing age will prevent him from putting up more big numbers on the diamond. His recent years of diminishing overall production have been counterbalanced by still-steady power numbers, and they have done nothing to hurt his confidence — particularly as he heads into this short season with big plans.After struggling through injuries that slowed him earlier in his 10-year contract with the Angels, the three-time MVP is feeling better than he has in years as he heads into the ninth season of that mammoth $240 million deal. He fervently hopes this will be the year when the Angels finally get their first playoff victories of his tenure.“When you don’t have that hunger and that joy and that passion coming... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman has tested positive for the coronavirus and is experiencing mild symptoms.New York manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that Chapman “overall is doing well” but “will not be here for the foreseeable future.”The AL East champions are scheduled to start the virus-delayed season on July 23 at Washington.Hours after Chapman's diagnosis, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was scratched from a simulated game with a stiff neck. The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year was set to bat second and play right field at Yankee Stadium but was taken out of the lineup shortly before first pitch.Judge declared himself “game ready” earlier this week after being diagnosed with a broken rib in March. The 6-foot-7 slugger used the coronavirus shutdown to get healthy and had been swinging at full strength for at least a couple of weeks before reporting for preseason camp last week.Boone said Judge's neck “locked up" but he doesn't expect it to be a long-term issue.“Hopefully he can... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman has tested positive for the coronavirus and is experiencing mild symptoms.New York manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that Chapman “overall is doing well” but “will not be here for the foreseeable future.”The AL East champions are scheduled to start the virus-delayed season on July 23 at Washington.Hours after Chapman's diagnosis, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was scratched from a simulated game with a stiff neck. The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year was set to bat second and play right field at Yankee Stadium but was taken out of the lineup shortly before first pitch.Judge declared himself “game ready” earlier this week after being diagnosed with a broken rib in March. The 6-foot-7 slugger used the coronavirus shutdown to get healthy and had been swinging at full strength for at least a couple of weeks before reporting for preseason camp last week.Chapman threw a bullpen session Tuesday, and Boone wouldn't comment on whether the left-hander had been... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman became the latest high-profile player to test positive for the coronavirus, his diagnosis announced Saturday hours after the Houston Astros canceled another practice due to virus concerns. In New York, manager Aaron Boone said Chapman wouldn't “be here for the foreseeable future.” Boone said the left-handed reliever “overall was doing well” despite experiencing mild symptoms.The Yankees are scheduled to start the virus-delayed season on July 23 at the World Series champion Washington Nationals. The AL champ Yankees already were missing star infielder DJ LeMahieu and right-hander Luis Cessa, who both tested positive last week and are still isolating at home.Boone wouldn’t say whether Chapman had been at Yankee Stadium since throwing a bullpen session on Tuesday. He said the team the team had gone through contact tracing protocols, and no other players or personnel would be forced to isolate because of Chapman’s positive test.In Houston,... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo says he doesn’t know if he actually had the coronavirus despite two positive tests, since he has never had any symptoms and also had multiple negative tests.“I wish I had an answer,” he said Saturday, a day after he was able to join the team. “I don’t know. I really don’t know.”Gallo said he planned to have a more extensive antibody test to be sure after a finger-prick test didn’t indicate that he had COVID-19 at any point.The 26-year-old All-Star slugger missed the first week of the Rangers summer camp and isolated from teammates for two weeks after two positive tests that sandwiched a negative result during intake testing. He had two negative tests on his own outside of the MLB testing program, but wasn’t cleared to join the team until consecutive negative tests under the protocol.“It was a strange process to go through. There wasn’t much anybody could have done because the test came up positive,” Gallo said. “It was weird, it... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo says he doesn’t know if he actually had the coronavirus despite two positive tests, since he never had any symptoms and also had multiple negative tests.“I wish I had an answer,” he said Saturday, a day after his first workout. “I don’t know. I really don’t know.”Gallo said he planned to have a more extensive antibody test to be sure after a finger-prick test didn’t indicate that he had COVID-19.The All-Star slugger missed the first week of the Rangers summer camp after two positive tests that sandwiched a negative result during intake testing. He had two negative tests on his own outside of the MLB testing program, but wasn’t cleared to join the team until consecutive negative tests under the protocol.Gallo said he is a little behind baseball-wise, but feels good overall. He had been working out for several weeks at the new stadium before the positive tests that forced him to self-isolate in his downtown Dallas apartment and be away from the team for two weeks.The 26-year-old Gallo has totaled 103 home runs in the last three years.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago White Sox prized pitching prospect Michael Kopech chose Friday not to play this season and the team put star third baseman Yoán Moncada and pitcher Jose Ruiz on the 10-day injured list because of unspecified ailments.There was no official word on whether the moves were related to the coronavirus pandemic.The White Sox believe they are poised for a turnaround after seven straight losing seasons. But losing Kopech for the season and Moncada for at least a little while are big blows.Both players had been absent since the White Sox resumed workouts last week for the first time since Major League Baseball shut down camps in March.The team had said Kopech was dealing with a personal issue.“We recognize that reaching this decision is incredibly difficult for any competitive athlete, and our organization is understanding and supportive,” general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. “We will work with Michael to assure his development continues throughout 2020, and we look... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — All-Star slugger Joey Gallo joined the Texas Rangers for the first time at summer camp Friday after missing the first week of workouts because he had tested positive for coronavirus. Gallo never felt any symptoms, but had two positive tests that sandwiched a negative result during intake testing. He was cleared to return after multiple negative tests this week.“Obviously my fingers were crossed every day that one of those tests was going to come back negative," manager Chris Woodward said. “The fact that he had no symptoms, he felt fine the whole time."Gallo took batting practice and spent some time in right field during the early portion of the workout, but wasn't part of the afternoon intrasquad. The 26-year-old Gallo initially took a saliva test during intake testing June 27, and got a positive result two days later. Gallo, who then allowed the Rangers to share the information, took a nasal swab test on June 30 that came back negative, but then had another saliva... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays are shifting Vladimir Guerrero Jr. across the diamond, moving the slugger to first base from third. Blue Jays Manager Charlie Montoyo said Guerrero feels comfortable at first and the team has Travis Shaw ready to play third. Montoyo also said Guerrero will see time as a designated hitter. He didn't rule out that he will play some third in the future. “This is more about Vladdy and giving him a chance to succeed in a short season,” Montoyo said. Guerrero hit .272 with 15 home runs and 69 RBIs in 123 games as a rookie, delivering a series of big swings en route to the finals of the All-Star Home Run Derby. He led the team with 17 errors. A move to to first was not expected this early in his career. Guerrero said he’s OK with the move. “I agreed to it,” he said through an interpreter. “Whatever the team needs."The 21-year-old son of Hall of Fame outfielder Vladimir Guerrero is one of baseball’s most heralded young players. The Blue Jays asked him to drop... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays are shifting Vladimir Guerrero Jr. across the diamond, moving the slugger to first base from third. Blue Jays Manager Charlie Montoyo said Guerrero feels comfortable at first and the team has Travis Shaw ready to play third. Montoyo also said Guerrero will see time as a designated hitter. He didn't rule out that he will play some third in the future. “This is more about Vladdy and giving him a chance to succeed in a short season,” Montoyo said. Guerrero hit .272 with 15 home runs and 69 RBIs in 123 games as a rookie, delivering a series of big swings en route to the finals of the All-Star Home Run Derby. The 21-year-old son of Hall of Fame outfielder Vladimir Guerrero is one of baseball’s most heralded young players. The Blue Jays asked him to drop weight and boost endurance during the off-season. He injured his left oblique muscle in spring training last year, and later missed occasional games because of right knee pain.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) — Blue Jays infielder Travis Shaw says he's not interested in confining himself to the hotel attached to the Rogers Centre for the summer if major league baseball is granted an exemption from the Canadian government to play baseball in Toronto amid the pandemic. The Blue Jays have created a quarantine environment at Rogers Centre and the adjoining Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel during training camp. The current exemption does not cover the regular season and player travel between the U.S. and Canada.MLB requires an exemption as anyone entering Canada for nonessential reasons must self-isolate for 14 days. The U.S.-Canada border remains closed to nonessential travel until at least July 21 and that is widely expected to be extended. Any exemption likely means the Blue Jays would not be allowed to leave the hotel attached to the Rogers Center when they play home games in the city. “All summer isn’t gonna happen. Not an option,” Shaw tweeted Friday. Players have not been allowed... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Giants star catcher Buster Posey decided to opt out of the 2020 season Friday out of health concerns for his newly adopted twin baby girls during the coronavirus pandemic.The babies were born about eight weeks prematurely last Friday and Posey and his wife, Kristen, finalized the adoption on Thursday. Ada and Livvi are healthy but will need to spend time in neonatal intensive care and will have weakened immune systems for the next few months.“In the current state that we are right now and these babies being as fragile as they are for the next four months, at minimum, this ultimately wasn’t that difficult a decision for me,” Posey said. “From a baseball standpoint, it was a tough decision. From a family standpoint and feeling like I’m making a decision to protect our children, I think it was relatively easy.”Posey is one of the most prominent players to opt out of the season as a six-time All-Star, the 2012 NL MVP and a three-time World Series champion with San Francisco.... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Blue Jays infielder Travis Shaw says he's not interested in confining himself to the hotel attached to the Rogers Centre for the summer if major league baseball is granted an exemption from the Canadian government to play baseball in Toronto amid the pandemic. The Blue Jays have created a quarantine environment at Rogers Centre and the adjoining Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel during training camp. The current exemption does not cover the regular season and player travel between the U.S. and Canada.MLB requires an exemption as anyone entering Canada for nonessential reasons must self-isolate for 14 days. The U.S.-Canada border remains closed to nonessential travel until at least July 21 and that is widely expected to be extended. Any exemption likely means the Blue Jays would not be allowed to leave the hotel attached to the Rogers Center when they play home games in the city. “All summer isn’t gonna happen. Not an option,” Shaw tweeted Friday. Players have not been allowed... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — All-Star slugger Joey Gallo joined the Texas Rangers for the first time at summer camp Friday after missing the first week of workouts because he had tested positive for coronavirus. Gallo never felt any symptoms, but had two positive tests that sandwiched a negative result during intake testing. He was cleared to return after multiple negative tests this week.The 26-year-old Gallo initially took a saliva test during intake testing June 27, and got a positive result two days later. Gallo, who then allowed the Rangers to share the information, took a nasal swab test on June 30 that came back negative, but then had another saliva test that came back positive last Sunday.Gallo's return came two weeks before the scheduled season opener July 24 against Colorado. He is expected to be ready for the season, and had been working out at the new stadium for several weeks before the positive tests that kept him away from the team. After consecutive 40-homer seasons while hitting under .210, Gallo had 22 homers and a .253 average in 70 games last season, when he was an All-Star before right wrist surgery. He homered in the All-Star game.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels' new $245 million third baseman mostly spent the first few months of his seven-year contract changing his daughters' diapers and occasionally throwing a tennis ball at a wall.Anthony Rendon is more than ready to get to work earning his riches, and the World Series winner doesn't think it will take long for baseball's best players to get back into championship form.“As we get older, we know what we need to do to prepare ourselves for a game as men, as professionals,” Rendon said Thursday. “I think there's a little bit of a light switch deal, where we know that we’ve got to go right now. We can kind of turn it on and say we need to get down to business, and I need to bear down because the real deal is about to happen. If the season started today, I think a lot of the guys, including myself, would be ready.”Rendon is getting to know his teammates again after his first year with the Angels was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic before he even... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Baseball has its answer to penalty kicks, overtimes and shootouts, and it figures to stir just as much debate as all those other tiebreakers.Major League Baseball will start each extra inning in this abbreviated, 60-game season by putting a runner on second base. The rule has been used since 2018 in the minor leagues, where it created more action and settled games sooner.“It’s like ‘arena baseball,’” said Scott Thorman, who managed the Kansas City Royals’ Single-A Carolina League affiliate in Wilmington, Delaware, last season.Those words may cause traditionalists to shudder.“I haven’t met anyone so far that likes it,” Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said.Dave Martinez, meet Christian Yelich.“I think it’s great,” said Yelich, the Brewers outfielder and 2018 National League MVP. “As a player, there’s nothing worse than extra innings. Especially in a season like this, where you literally can’t take on that 15- or 16-inning game with just how rosters are constructed... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers lofted a fly ball to left, and John Andreoli took off in pursuit.It’s a long sprint, because Andreoli was playing center -- the only outfielder in the game at the time. The ball fell just out of the reach of his outstretched glove as Devers coasted into second base.And then a voice echoed off the empty Fenway seats: “Out!”Welcome to the Boston Red Sox summer camp, a reboot of the spring training that was aborted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. With its intrasquad scrimmages of 5½ innings and automatic outs to make up for the eight (and later down to seven) fielders, it looked more like the world’s fanciest sandlot on Thursday than a major league team getting ready for the season.“It seems like everything is just a little bit off,” manager Ron Roenicke said in a video call from one area of Fenway Park to reporters sitting in another. “I thought it was pretty good for what it was.”A week after reporting for training camp and just 15 days before the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Franmil Reyes' first error this season was in judgment.The Indians' free-swinging slugger and outfielder apologized Thursday for endangering his health — and putting his teammates at risk — by not wearing a mask while attending a holiday party last weekend.Reyes' off-field behavior prompted the Indians to keep the affable 25-year-old away from their training camp in case he had been exposed to the coronavirus. Reyes was re-tested twice and cleared by Cleveland's medical personnel before he was allowed to resume on-field activities Wednesday.“They did the right thing they have to do to protect us,” Reyes said of the Indians, who have had few problems with testing or positive cases in the early stages of the delayed camp. “I really apologize because I was not protecting myself and my teammates. I learned from it and it won’t happen again. I really don’t want to stop practicing. I really apologize about that.”Reyes, who came to Cleveland last season in a trade from the San... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Baseball has its answer to penalty kicks, overtimes and shootouts, and it figures to stir just as much debate as all those other forms of tiebreakers. Major League Baseball will start each extra inning in this abbreviated, 60-game season by putting a runner on second base. The rule has been used since 2018 in the minor leagues, where it created more action and settled games sooner. “It’s like ‘arena baseball,’” said Scott Thorman, who managed the Kansas City Royals’ Single-A Carolina League affiliate in Wilmington, Delaware, last season.Those words may cause traditionalists to shudder.“I haven’t met anyone so far that likes it,” Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said.Dave Martinez, meet Christian Yelich.“I think it’s great,” said Yelich, the Brewers's outfielder and 2018 National League MVP. “As a player, there’s nothing worse than extra innings. Especially in a season like this, where you literally can’t take on that 15- or 16-inning game with just how rosters... [More]

July 111914 — Babe Ruth made his major league debut for the Boston Red Sox and received credit for a 4-3 victory over Cleveland. He was removed for a pinch hitter in the seventh, and Duffy Lewis’ single led to the winning run.1944 — Phil Cavaretta set an All-Star game record by reaching base safely five straight times — triple, single, three walks — to lead the NL to a 7-1 victory over the AL at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.1950 — The All-Star game returned to Comiskey Park, the site of the first game, and was won by the NL 4-3 on Red Schoendienst’s 14th-inning home run off Ted Gray. It was the first extra-inning All-Star game, the first time the NL won at an AL park and the first All-Star game shown on network television.1961 — Despite a record seven errors and pitcher Stu Miller getting blown off the Candlestick Park mound by a gale wind, the NL edged the AL 5-4 in the first of two All-Star games played that year.1967 — Tony Perez’s home run off Catfish Hunter in the 15th inning gave the... [More]