A look at what's happening around the majors today:HOT AS THE WEATHEREvan Gattis and the World Series champion Astros have the longest active winning streak in the majors. They go for their 10th straight victory when they play at Kansas City, where temperatures are expected to approach triple digits. Houston left-hander Dallas Keuchel (3-8) pitches against Danny Duffy (3-6). Keuchel, the 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner, has allowed 13 runs over 11 innings in two June starts — raising his ERA from 3.65 to 4.45. The Royals have lost four in a row and 10 of 11.OUCH!With a franchise-record 15 players on the disabled list, the Angels try for a second consecutive victory in Oakland. Los Angeles added four more players to the DL on Friday: infielder Zack Cozart (partially dislocated right shoulder), right-hander Jim Johnson (lower back strain), right-hander Garrett Richards (strained left hamstring) and right-hander Nick Tropeano (right shoulder inflammation). Only 12 players from the opening day... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:GOLDEN GOLDYPaul Goldschmidt tries to keep up his torrid pace at the plate when the NL West-leading Diamondbacks host the Mets. Goldschmidt entered this month hitting a paltry .209 after slogging his way through May, when he had only 14 hits in 97 at-bats (.144). The slugger has returned to form in June, batting .442 with six homers, 13 RBIs and 15 runs going into Friday night's game. Overall, he raised his season average nearly 50 points in the first 13 games of the month to .258.MAD MAXWashington ace Max Scherzer has won the last two NL Cy Young Awards. The right-hander appears well on his way to a third straight — and fourth Cy Young overall — going into his start at Toronto. Scherzer (10-2, 2.00 ERA) leads the majors with 142 strikeouts in 94 2/3 innings, and he's allowed more than five hits in a game only twice in 13 starts this season.KEUCHEL'S STRUGGLESHouston left-hander Dallas Keuchel (3-8) has had a rough go of things in two... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Brock Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr. each delivered a sacrifice fly in the 12th inning, and the Boston Red Sox limited the Baltimore Orioles to five hits in a 2-0 victory Monday night.A pitching duel between Dylan Bundy and Steven Wright was ultimately decided long after both starters departed.Xander Bogaerts led off the 12th with a single against Mychal Givens (0-3), and the Red Sox went on to load the bases before Holt broke the scoreless deadlock with a fly to center. Bradley followed with a fly ball to score Rafael Devers, who had doubled.Heath Hembree (3-1) struck out the side in the 11th and Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 21st save.It was the fifth straight loss for the Orioles, who have been shut out seven times this season.CUBS 7, BREWERS 2, 11 INNINGSMILWAUKEE (AP) — Anthony Rizzo homered down the right-field line on the first pitch of a five-run 11th inning to help Chicago beat Milwaukee and jump into first place in the NL Central.Rizzo turned on a fastball... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Brock Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr. each delivered a sacrifice fly in the 12th inning, and the Boston Red Sox limited the Baltimore Orioles to five hits in a 2-0 victory Monday night.A pitching duel between Dylan Bundy and Steven Wright was ultimately decided long after both starters departed.Xander Bogaerts led off the 12th with a single against Mychal Givens (0-3), and the Red Sox went on to load the bases before Holt broke the scoreless deadlock with a fly to center. Bradley followed with a fly ball to score Rafael Devers, who had doubled.Heath Hembree (3-1) struck out the side in the 11th and Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 21st save.It was the fifth straight loss for the Orioles, who have been shut out seven times this season.INDIANS 4, WHITE SOX 0CHICAGO (AP) — Carlos Carrasco struck out 11 while pitching two-hit ball over seven innings as Cleveland blanked Chicago.Michael Brantley hit his 11th homer, Yan Gomes had a two-run double and the AL Central leaders took... [More]

Yes, the baseball draft can feel like a bit of a crapshoot, but it does help to be picking near the top.This year's draft took place Monday night, with the Detroit Tigers selecting Auburn right-hander Casey Mize with the top pick . San Francisco followed by picking Georgia Tech catcher Joey Bart. It could be a while before either of those players makes an impact in the majors, but if the past two decades are any indication, the top two picks are as likely as anybody to provide major value.From 1998-2017, the 20 players picked No. 1 overall have been worth a total of 313.5 wins above replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.com. That's more value than any other slot in the first round. The 20 players drafted at No. 2 have been worth 261.3 WAR, which is the second-most value.After the top two picks, the draft has been more hit-or-miss. For example, the No. 7 pick (222.4 WAR) has yielded significantly more value than the No. 4 pick (82.1). That's not to say that a team should rather pick... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:GOLDENArizona slugger Paul Goldschmidt is swinging a bruising bat after being stuck in a slump for much of the season. He tripled and doubled Sunday, and went 8 for 13 with four home runs and nine RBIs in a three-game sweep at Colorado. Goldschmidt and the Diamondbacks next host Pittsburgh.Q'ED UPCubs lefty Jose Quintana (6-4, 4.20 ERA) has pitched 24 straight shutout innings against Milwaukee. He'll start the series opener at Miller Park when Chicago, trailing the NL Central-leading Brewers by a half-game, face Junior Guerra (3-4, 2.83).GIANT ARMSSan Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner makes his second start of the season, pitching at Miami. The lefty broke the pinkie on his throwing hand in his final spring training game. Bumgarner returned to the rotation last week and tossed six strong innings in a loss to Arizona. Giants pitchers Johnny Cueto (right elbow inflammation) and Jeff Samardzija (right shoulder tightness) are both expected to... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched eight strong innings to become the first 10-game winner in the majors this season, striking out 13 in the Washington Nationals' 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.Scherzer (10-1) won his ninth consecutive decision while scattering five hits and did not allow a runner past second base until pinch hitter Brad Miller's two-out double in the eighth.Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 opportunities.Scherzer struck out Johnny Field, Christian Arroyo and Daniel Robertson on a combined nine pitches in the sixth inning. It was the third nine pitch/three strikeout inning in Nationals history and the first since Scherzer did it against Philadelphia on May 14, 2017.Tampa Bay starter Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) gave up four runs in five innings in his second start back from Tommy John surgery.DIAMONDBACKS 3, GIANTS 2SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Madison Bumgarner tossed six solid innings in his long-awaited season debut but was outpitched... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:WELCOME BACKGiants lefty Madison Bumgarner makes his season debut, more than two months after a line drive broke the pinkie on his pitching hand in a spring training game. The ace rejoins a San Francisco team that has hovered around .500, but has won four in a row and is right in the middle of an NL West race where no one has seized control. Bumgarner struck out 15 in 8 1/3 innings of two minor league outings. Manager Bruce Bochy says the 2014 World Series MVP can throw "90 or so" pitches for this home start against the division-leading Diamondbacks.WHO'S WHERE?We'll see if Jake Arrieta's critical comments about Philadelphia's defensive positioning have any effect. The star pitcher called his team "the worst in the league with shifts" after Sunday's loss at San Francisco. Now 2-5 on a 10-game road trip, the Phillies open a series at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.HITLESS WONDERRays right-hander Nathan Eovaldi tries to duplicate what he... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:WELCOME BACKGiants lefty Madison Bumgarner makes his season debut, more than two months after a line drive broke the pinkie on his pitching hand in a spring training game. The ace rejoins a San Francisco team that has hovered around .500, but has won four in a row and is right in the middle of an NL West race where no one has seized control. Bumgarner struck out 15 in 8 1/3 innings of two minor league outings. Manager Bruce Bochy says the 2014 World Series MVP can throw "90 or so" pitches for this home start against the division-leading Diamondbacks.WHO'S WHERE?We'll see if Jake Arrieta's critical comments about Philadelphia's defensive positioning have any effect. The star pitcher called his team "the worst in the league with shifts" after Sunday's loss at San Francisco. Now 2-5 on a 10-game road trip, the Phillies open a series at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.HITLESS WONDERRays right-hander Nathan Eovaldi tries to duplicate what he... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:WELCOME BACKGiants lefty Madison Bumgarner makes his season debut, more than two months after a line drive broke the pinkie on his pitching hand in a spring training game. The ace rejoins a San Francisco team that has hovered around .500, but has won four in a row and is right in the middle of an NL West race where no one has seized control. Bumgarner struck out 15 in 8 1/3 innings of two minor league outings. Manager Bruce Bochy says the 2014 World Series MVP can throw "90 or so" pitches for this home start against the division-leading Diamondbacks.WHO'S WHERE?We'll see if Jake Arrieta's critical comments about Philadelphia's defensive positioning have any effect. The star pitcher called his team "the worst in the league with shifts" after Sunday's loss at San Francisco. Now 2-5 on a 10-game road trip, the Phillies open a series at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.HITLESS WONDERRays right-hander Nathan Eovaldi tries to duplicate what he... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner will make his season debut Tuesday night at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks after recovering from a broken pinkie on his pitching hand.Bumgarner has been out since March 23, when he was hit by a line drive from Kansas City's Whit Merrifield in the Giants' final game of spring training. The San Francisco ace had surgery to insert three pins into his finger.Originally tabbed to be San Francisco's starter on opening day, Bumgarner was dominant in two rehab starts in the minors. He struck out eight in 3 2/3 innings for Triple-A Sacramento, then fanned seven in 4 2/3 innings for Class A San Jose.Bumgarner was the MVP of the 2014 World Series. He was limited to 17 starts last year following a dirt bike accident during an off-day in Colorado that left him shoulder and rib injuries.Bumgarner finished 4-9 last season with a 3.32 ERA that was the second-highest of his career. He bounced back with strong a spring training that included 30 strikeouts over 21 innings before getting hurt.The Giants also activated second baseman Joe Panik off the disabled list and optioned infielder Kelby Tomlinson to San Jose. Right-hander Jose Valdez was designated for assignment.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner will make his season debut Tuesday night at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks after recovering from a broken pinkie on his pitching hand.Bumgarner has been out since March 23, when he was hit by a line drive from Kansas City's Whit Merrifield in the Giants' final game of spring training. The San Francisco ace had surgery to insert three pins into his finger.Originally tabbed to be San Francisco's starter on opening day, Bumgarner was dominant in two rehab starts in the minors. He struck out eight in 3 2/3 innings for Triple-A Sacramento, then fanned seven in 4 2/3 innings for Class A San Jose.Bumgarner was the MVP of the 2014 World Series. He was limited to 17 starts last year following a dirt bike accident during an off-day in Colorado that left him shoulder and rib injuries.Bumgarner finished 4-9 last season with a 3.32 ERA that was the second-highest of his career. He bounced back with strong a spring training that included 30 strikeouts over 21 innings before getting hurt.The Giants also activated second baseman Joe Panik off the disabled list and optioned infielder Kelby Tomlinson to San Jose.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner was sharp in his first rehabilitation start since breaking the pinkie on his pitching hand in March, striking out eight while throwing 47 pitches over 3 2/3 hitless innings for Triple-A Sacramento.It was such an encouraging start that Bumgarner didn't rule out an immediate return to the Giants — if that decision was made."I obviously didn't know before today, but judging off the way I felt out there, I think so for sure," Bumgarner said. "I wouldn't say I'd be back and be in midseason form, but I feel definitely good enough to get some outs."Bumgarner threw 31 strikes and walked one Saturday night while facing 12 hitters against the Albuquerque Isotopes.The appearance came almost two months to the day of having surgery to insert three pins into his pinkie after injuring the hand in the final game of spring training."I feel pretty good about how everything was working.," Bumgarner said. "My command was good. My... [More]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner was sharp in his first rehabilitation start since breaking the pinkie on his pitching hand in March, striking out eight while throwing 47 pitches over 3 2/3 hitless innings for Triple-A Sacramento.Bumgarner threw 31 strikes and walked one Saturday night while facing 12 hitters against the Albuquerque Isotopes.The appearance came almost two months to the day of having surgery to insert three pins into his pinkie after injuring the hand in the final game of spring training.Bumgarner's fastball was clocked between 91-93 mph and he effectively mixed pitches in his most extensive work since getting hurt.The 2014 World Series MVP also drew a rousing ovation from the sold-out crowd at Raley Field when he singled to right field leading off the bottom of the third on the first pitch from Albuquerque's Antonio Senzatela.Because Sacramento leaves for a road trip next week, Bumgarner will next pitch for Single-A San Jose on... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner threw off a mound Monday for the first time since surgery in March to have three pins inserted into the broken pinkie on his pitching hand.Bumgarner threw 20 fastballs to take another step in his comeback from the injury that sidelined him since being hit in the hand by a line drive at the end of spring training.He said he's been throwing breaking pitches on flat ground but because the session was so short Monday he stuck to fastballs and was encouraged by how he felt."I could also tell the last few days last week throwing on flat ground what it was going to feel like," he said. "It wasn't like I was surprised I felt good because I've been feeling good the whole time. It's hard to find the happy medium and try not to ramp it up too fast and then cause a setback in your arm getting ready and getting in shape. But it's hard also to hold it back. I feel like we've been definitely aggressive but not too aggressive."Bumgarner will... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:RED HOT, BUT STILL LASTCincinnati is the hottest team in baseball, taking a six-game winning streak into a series at San Francisco, and another win would finally get them out of the NL cellar. The Reds (14-27) still have the league's worst winning percentage, but they would pass idle Miami by beating the Giants. They have more work to do in the NL Central, though. Cincinnati trails the fourth-place Cubs by nine games, even after sweeping the Dodgers over four games this weekend.YOU AGAINAthletics left-hander Sean Manaea faces the Red Sox at Fenway Park about three weeks after no-hitting Boston at home. Manaea (4-4, 2.11 ERA) has been on a bit of a slide since, losing his past two starts while allowing four runs in each game. Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello (5-0, 2.79) can match Corey Kluber and Luis Severino for the AL wins lead a start after allowing five runs in 5 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium.ROBBED OF ROBINSONSeattle heads to Minnesota... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Monday:RED HOT, BUT STILL LASTCincinnati is the hottest team in baseball, taking a six-game winning streak into a series at San Francisco, and another win would finally get them out of the NL cellar. The Reds (14-27) still have the league's worst winning percentage, but they would pass idle Miami by beating the Giants. They have more work to do in the NL Central, though. Cincinnati trails the fourth-place Cubs by nine games, even after sweeping the Dodgers over four games this weekend.YOU AGAINAthletics left-hander Sean Manaea faces the Red Sox at Fenway Park about three weeks after no-hitting Boston at home. Manaea (4-4, 2.11 ERA) has been on a bit of a slide since, losing his past two starts while allowing four runs in each game. Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello (5-0, 2.79) can match Corey Kluber and Luis Severino for the AL wins lead a start after allowing five runs in 5 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium.ROBBED OF ROBINSONSeattle heads to Minnesota... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The San Francisco Giants have transferred Johnny Cueto to the 60-day disabled list, meaning it will be late June at the earliest before the right-hander returns to the rotation.Giants manager Bruce Bochy also announced Thursday that fellow ace Madison Bumgarner will throw his first bullpen session next week as the leftie begins to work his way back from a broken pinkie finger suffered in spring training.The Giants made the move with Cueto on Thursday to free a 25-man roster spot for right-hander Jose Valdez, who was promoted from Triple-A Sacramento. Right-hander Derek Law was optioned to Triple-A, a day after throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings in an 11-3 loss to Philadelphia.The Giants announced earlier this week that Cueto would miss 6-8 weeks with a strained right elbow.Bochy said Cueto perhaps could have returned within 60 days, but they want to be cautious.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Right-hander Johnny Cueto has been put on the 10-day disabled list by the San Francisco because of inflammation in his pitching elbow, and the Giants said left-hander Madison Bumgarner has been cleared to resume throwing.Cueto leads the major leagues with a 0.84 ERA. The two-time All-Star is 3-0 in five starts with 26 strikeouts in 32 innings. He was on the DL from April 7-17 with a sprained left ankle.Bumgarner broke the pinkie on his left hand in the team's final spring training game and is at least a month from returning. Right-hander Jeff Samardzija began the season on the disabled list because of a pectoral strain.Bumgarner was given clearance to throw off flat ground this weekend. The 2014 World Series MVP met in Arizona with Dr. Donald Sheridan, who inserted three pins into Bumgarner's pitching hand after the left-hander was hit by a line drive.Left-hander Andrew Suarez was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:___GOT YOUR NUMBERDodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (1-4, 2.84 ERA) tries to slow down A.J. Pollock and the first-place Diamondbacks (20-8) in Arizona. Pollock hit three home runs Monday night during an 8-5 victory in the series opener as the Diamondbacks won for the 12th time in the last 13 regular-season meetings between the NL West rivals — six of seven this year. In the 2017 playoffs, the Dodgers cruised to a three-game sweep of Arizona, but they've had trouble with Pollock this season. He had a two-homer game at Dodger Stadium on April 14 and is batting .361 with five home runs, 10 RBIs and 10 runs scored in his last nine games. To make matters worse for the injury-depleted Dodgers (12-16), the defending NL champions just learned star shortstop Corey Seager will have season-ending Tommy John surgery this week.GROUNDED IN HOUSTONDidi Gregorius and the powerful Yankees have been putting up big offensive numbers — except against the World... [More]