OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Khris Davis asked a young fan from the Make-A-Wish Foundation to sign his jersey, then slugged a mighty home run for the Oakland Athletics in a 9-0 win against the Texas Rangers on Monday night.Davis let 10-year-old Oakland sixth-grader Anthony Slocumb print his name in blue ink on Davis' white jersey, then wore the uniform while hitting his 37th home run in the third inning. Slocumb, in remission from a rare cancer called Langerhans cell histiocytosis, was at the Coliseum with a group from the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Greater Bay Area chapter. His mother, Natalie Sanchez, was delighted by Davis' gesture."I was down there with the other kids and then two other players came down and then he came down," an overjoyed Slocumb said in an interview with The Associated Press outside the Coliseum. "So, I was like, 'You're my favorite player' and he was like, 'Cool.' I said, 'Can you sign my jersey?' and then he said, 'Sure, do you want to sign mine, too?' And I was like,... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Khris Davis asked a young fan from the Make-A-Wish Foundation to sign his jersey, then slugged a mighty home run for the Oakland Athletics against the Texas Rangers on Monday night.Davis let Anthony Slocumb print his name in blue ink on Davis' white jersey, then wore the uniform while hitting his 37th home run in the third inning. Slocumb was at the Coliseum with a group from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.Davis' shot was estimated at 438 feet. It came off starter Bartolo Colon and clanked off a window in the suite-level in left-center.Davis is seeking a third straight 40-homer season. He hit a career-best 43 home runs in 2017, connecting on the last day of the year to best the season high he set the previous season for Oakland. The 30-year-old Davis is the only A's player aside from Jimmie Foxx from 1932-34 with consecutive 40-homer seasons.Davis' 85 homers the past two seasons were second in the majors only to Giancarlo Stanton's 86.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today:JUST A MINUTERecently suspended players Jose Urena and Yasiel Puig are both appealing their punishments and should remain in action this weekend. Urena, the Marlins right-hander who plunked breakout Braves rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. with the first pitch of a game Wednesday, was suspended six games by Major League Baseball but was in uniform Friday and could pitch this weekend while the appeal process is completed. Puig also figures to play this weekend for the Dodgers in Seattle as he appeals his two-game ban for fighting and inciting a benches-clearing scrap against San Francisco.CY PAST VS. CY POTENTIALMets ace Jacob deGrom tries to enhance his NL Cy Young credentials when he starts vs. Jake Arrieta and the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. DeGrom leads the majors with a 1.81 ERA — he's evened his record at 7-7 after New York recently gave him some long-overdue run support. Arrieta (9-7, 3.33) won the 2015 NL Cy Young Award with the Cubs.BARTOLO'S... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:JUST A MINUTERecently suspended players Jose Urena and Yasiel Puig are both appealing their punishments and should remain in action this weekend. Urena, the Marlins right-hander who plunked breakout Braves rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. with the first pitch of a game Wednesday, was suspended six games by Major League Baseball but was in uniform Friday and could pitch this weekend while the appeal process is completed. Puig also figures to play this weekend for the Dodgers in Seattle as he appeals his two-game ban for fighting and inciting a benches-clearing scrap against San Francisco.CY PAST VS. CY POTENTIALMets ace Jacob deGrom tries to enhance his NL Cy Young credentials when he starts vs. Jake Arrieta and the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. DeGrom leads the majors with a 1.81 ERA — he's evened his record at 7-7 after New York recently gave him some long-overdue run support. Arrieta (9-7, 3.33) won the 2015 NL Cy Young Award with the Cubs.BARTOLO'S... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. pulled off one of the rarest feats in baseball history, hitting leadoff homers in both games of a doubleheader to send the first-place Atlanta Braves to a sweep of the Miami Marlins on Monday.The 20-year-old rookie hit an opposite-field drive into the Braves' bullpen in Game 1, powering Atlanta to a 9-1 victory. Haitian-American Touki Toussaint (1-0) pitched six strong innings to win his major league debut.It was more of the same from Acuna in the nightcap. He sent a towering shot into the seats in left-center, sparking the Braves to a 6-1 victory behind another strong outing on the mound from Mike Foltynewicz (10-7).Acuna appeared to be only the fourth player in big league history to hit a pair of leadoff homers in a doubleheader.Merandy Gonzalez (2-1) took the loss in the second game after being called up from Double-A Jacksonville for his first career start.Acuna hit his first leadoff homer off Pablo Lopez (2-3) and added a two-run double in the sixth,... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. pulled off one of the rarest feats in baseball history, hitting leadoff homers in both games of a doubleheader to send the first-place Atlanta Braves to a sweep of the Miami Marlins on Monday.The 20-year-old rookie hit an opposite-field drive into the Braves' bullpen in Game 1, powering Atlanta to a 9-1 victory. Haitian-American Touki Toussaint (1-0) pitched six strong innings to win his major league debut.It was more of the same from Acuna in the nightcap. He sent a towering shot into the seats in left-center, sparking the Braves to a 6-1 victory behind another strong outing on the mound from Mike Foltynewicz (10-7).Acuna appeared to be only the fourth player in big league history to hit a pair of leadoff homers in a doubleheader.Merandy Gonzalez (2-1) took the loss in the second game after being called up from Double-A Jacksonville for his first career start.Acuna hit his first leadoff homer off Pablo Lopez (2-3) and added a two-run double in the sixth,... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Bartolo Colon still has another lofty goal after becoming the top winning pitcher from Latin America."This year is almost getting close to the end. But there is one thing that I will look for, is Juan Marichal has more innings than me," Colon said through a translator. "For the Dominicans, I want to beat him also."But there likely won't be enough time left in his 21st big league season for the 45-year-old Texas Rangers right-hander to do that.After needing six tries to get his 246th career victory and finally break a tie with Nicaragua's Dennis Martinez for the most win by a Latin American, Colon now would have to throw 61 2/3 more innings to pass Hall of Famer and fellow countryman Marichal on another list.The last-place Rangers have only 46 games left in this long and hot summer. Colon, who has averaged just under six innings in his 21 starts, would probably have no more than nine starts remaining in a five-man rotation and if he stayed on his turn.But the Rangers... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Bartolo Colon became the top-winning pitcher born in Latin America, punctuating his 246th career victory with a nifty snag as the Texas Rangers roughed up Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners 11-4 on Tuesday night.The 45-year-old Colon, from the Dominican Republic, made his sixth start since earning his 245th win on June 30 that matched the mark held by Dennis Martinez from Nicaragua.Colon (6-10) gave up four runs in seven innings. The portly and popular right-hander struck out one and walked none.Adrian Beltre, Jurickson Profar and Rougned Odor homered off Hernandez (8-10), who allowed a career-high 11 runs — seven earned — in six innings.ANGELS 11, TIGERS 5ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer during a seven-run first inning, and the Angels celebrated Mike Trout's 27th birthday with a victory over the Tigers.Trout missed his sixth consecutive game with a sore right wrist, but his teammates maintained a celebratory mood at the Big A with... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Felix Hernandez briefly looked like the ace he used to be for the Seattle Mariners, even playfully pointing former teammate Adrian Beltre back to the dugout after striking out baseball's active career hits leader.After getting through the first two innings unscathed Tuesday night, including another entertaining on-field exchange with his friend, the struggles returned for the former AL Cy Young Award winner.Beltre grounded into a double play to end the third, but only after the Texas Rangers had scored four runs that inning to put them ahead to stay. And when Beltre homered to straightaway center in the sixth, it marked the most runs Hernandez has ever given up in his career."Yeah, I'm frustrated. What can I say? What can I say?" Hernandez said after giving up all the runs in six innings of an 11-4 loss.Hernandez (8-10) is 0-4 in his last five starts for the playoff-contending Mariners. This was the only time in that span he pitched more than five innings.Robinson... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Bartolo Colon became the top-winning pitcher born in Latin America, punctuating his 246th career victory with a nifty snag as the Texas Rangers roughed up Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners 11-4 on Tuesday night.The 45-year-old Colon, from the Dominican Republic, made his sixth start since earning his 245th win on June 30 that matched the mark held by Dennis Martinez from Nicaragua.Colon (6-10) gave up four runs in seven innings. The portly and popular right-hander struck out one and walked none.Adrian Beltre, Jurickson Profar and Rougned Odor homered off Hernandez (8-10), who allowed a career-high 11 runs — seven earned — in six innings.PIRATES 10, ROCKIES 2DENVER (AP) — Jameson Taillon beat Chad Bettis in a matchup of pitchers who battled testicular cancer last year, and the Pirates hit three homers.Taillon (9-8) allowed 10 hits in his second complete game of the season. The 26-year-old right-hander struck out three and walked one, helping Pittsburgh stop... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:BLUE BIRTHDAYMike Trout is likely to sit out the Angels' game against Detroit because of a sore right wrist, depriving Los Angeles' fans of what's become an annual treat: Seeing Trout do incredible things on his birthday. Trout will turn 27 on Tuesday, and he has a history of throwing celebrations for himself. He has homered on his birthday four times in his first six full big-league seasons. He did it at the Big A last season, homering and also getting his 1,000th career hit. Trout received a cortisone injection on his wrist Monday, and the Angels are hopeful he can return to the lineup on the weekend. He missed his fifth straight game Monday.PITCHING PALSPittsburgh's Jameson Taillon and Colorado's Chad Bettis will pitch in a game featuring two starters bouncing back from testicular cancer. Bettis underwent surgery in November 2016 for testicular cancer and continued cancer treatments through that spring and into last season. So when Taillon... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:BLUE BIRTHDAYMike Trout is likely to sit out the Angels' game against Detroit because of a sore right wrist, depriving Los Angeles' fans of what's become an annual treat: Seeing Trout do incredible things on his birthday. Trout will turn 27 on Tuesday, and he has a history of throwing celebrations for himself. He has homered on his birthday four times in his first six full big-league seasons. He did it at the Big A last season, homering and also getting his 1,000th career hit. Trout received a cortisone injection on his wrist Monday, and the Angels are hopeful he can return to the lineup on the weekend. He missed his fifth straight game Monday.PITCHING PALSPittsburgh's Jameson Taillon and Colorado's Chad Bettis will pitch in a game featuring two starters bouncing back from testicular cancer. Bettis underwent surgery in November 2016 for testicular cancer and continued cancer treatments through that spring and into last season. So when... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the highest-scoring game in franchise history, Daniel Murphy hit two early home runs and the Washington Nationals kept pouring it on against emergency reliever Jose Reyes and the New York Mets in a 25-4 rout Tuesday night.Trea Turner, who apologized before the game to his teammates for homophobic and racially insensitive tweets he sent several years ago, had four of Washington's 26 hits. Pitcher Tanner Roark (5-12) hit a three-run double during a seven-run first inning.The Nationals set the team scoring mark dating to their days as the Montreal Expos in 1969. It was the Mets' most-lopsided loss in their 57-season history, worse than a 26-7 pounding by Philadelphia in 1985.Reyes made the first pitching appearance of his career, and the 35-year-old infielder got tagged for home runs by Matt Adams and Mark Reynolds in a six-run eighth. Throwing a fastball in the mid-80s mph and a curve in the upper 40s, Reyes gave up five hits and walked two.Reyes also plunked Ryan Zimmerman... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Bartolo Colon has agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers, and the 44-year-old right-hander will attend big league spring training.Colon would get a $1.75 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster under the terms of the deal agreed to Sunday and could make an additional $1.3 million in performance bonuses based on innings.He was 7-14 with a 6.48 ERA in 28 starts for Atlanta and Minnesota last season. He was released by the Braves on July, then signed with the Twins and went 5-6 with a 5.18 ERA in 15 starts for them.Colon has 240 victories in 20 seasons with 10 teams, including the Montreal Expos. The portly right-hander has posted 21 wins against Texas, the most by any pitcher."Bartolo brings a track record of durability and success in the major leagues. He pounds the strike zone and provides quality competition for our rotation," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "Welcome to Texas, Big Sexy!"A four-time All-Star, Colon won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award with the Angels.He would earn $100,000 each for 90, 100, 110 and 120 innings, and $150,000 apiece for 130 and each additional 10 through 180.Texas was 78-84 last year. Rangers pitchers and catchers are set to hold their first spring workout Feb. 15 in Surprise, Arizona.___More MLB baseball: https://apnews.com/tags/MLBbaseball

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Bartolo Colon has agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers, and the 44-year-old right-hander will attend big league spring training.Colon would get a $1.75 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster under the terms of the deal agreed to Sunday.He was 7-14 with a 6.48 ERA in 28 starts for Atlanta and Minnesota last season. He was released by the Braves on July, then signed with the Twins and went 5-6 with a 5.18 ERA in 15 starts for them.Colon has 240 victories in 20 seasons with 10 teams, including the Montreal Expos. The portly right-hander has posted 21 wins against Texas, the most by any pitcher."Bartolo brings a track record of durability and success in the major leagues. He pounds the strike zone and provides quality competition for our rotation," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "Welcome to Texas, Big Sexy!"A four-time All-Star, Colon won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award with the Angels.Texas was 78-84 last year. Rangers pitchers and catchers are set to hold their first spring workout Feb. 15 in Surprise, Arizona.___More MLB baseball: https://apnews.com/tags/MLBbaseball

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have signed 44-year-old Bartolo Colon to a minor league contract and invited the pitcher to big league spring training.The Rangers announced the move Sunday.Colon was a combined 7-14 with a 6.48 ERA in 28 starts for Atlanta and Minnesota last season. He was released by the Braves on July, then signed with the Twins and went 5-6 with a 5.18 ERA in 15 starts for them.Colon has 240 career victories in 20 seasons with 10 different teams, including the Montreal Expos. The portly right-hander has posted 21 career wins against Texas, the most by any pitcher."Bartolo brings a track record of durability and success in the major leagues. He pounds the strike zone and provides quality competition for our rotation," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "Welcome to Texas, Big Sexy!"A four-time All-Star, he won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award with the Angels.Texas was 78-84 last year. Rangers pitchers and catchers are set to hold their first spring workout Feb. 15 in Surprise, Arizona.___More MLB baseball: https://apnews.com/tags/MLBbaseball

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have signed 44-year-old Bartolo Colon to a minor league contract and invited the pitcher to big league spring training.The Rangers announced the move Sunday.Colon was a combined 7-14 with a 6.48 ERA in 28 starts for Atlanta and Minnesota last season. He was released by the Braves on July, then signed with the Twins and went 5-6 with a 5.18 ERA in 15 starts for them.Colon has 240 career victories in 20 seasons with 10 different teams, including the Montreal Expos. The portly right-hander has posted 21 career wins against Texas, the most by any pitcher.A four-time All-Star, he won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award with the Angels.Texas was 78-84 last year. Rangers pitchers and catchers are set to hold their first spring workout Feb. 15 in Surprise, Arizona.

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets general manager Sandy Alderson anticipates a flurry of roster moves as a large number of players find teams in the next few weeks.J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb, Greg Holland and Lance Lynn remain among the dozens of unsigned players with the Feb. 14 start of spring training less than two weeks away.Alderson counted only 13 open spots on 40-man rosters, which will lead to players getting traded, designated for assignment and released."As these free agents begin to sign, there's going to be a lot of roster churn among the teams and other opportunities," he said Thursday on a chilly winter morning at Citi Field. "So it's going to be interesting the next two or three weeks."Alderson spoke with invited fans as the Mets' equipment truck was loaded for the trip to training camp in Port St. Lucie, Florida. In a sign of baseball economics, club executives told him to speak with the media and face cameras while standing in front of the spot... [More]

RHP Bartolo Colon gave up just one run in 6 1/3 innings Sunday against Detroit to earn his fifth win as a member of the Twins. The 44-year-old Colon (7-14, 6.48 ERA overall) exited to a standing ovation in the seventh inning. Colon said he hopes to return in 2018 for what would be his 21st big league season.

RHP Bartolo Colon (6-14, 6.72 ERA) will start the regular-season finale Sunday. Manager Paul Molitor said he wanted Colon to pitch one more time. The 44-year-old Colon is 4-6 with a 5.50 ERA in 14 starts for Minnesota.