NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is a finalist for the AL Rookie of the Year award along with two New York Yankees infielders.The Baseball Writers' Association of America revealed the finalists for its major awards Monday night. The winners will be announced next week.Ohtani figures to be in a tight race with Yankees infielders Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres after a historic first season with the Los Angeles Angels. The two-way Japanese sensation was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA as a starting pitcher before an elbow injury forced him off the mound. He finished out the season exclusively as a designated hitter, hitting .285 with 22 home runs and 61 RBIs.Ohtani is the first player ever to hit 15 home runs and strike out 50 batters in a season, and he joined Babe Ruth as the only players ever to hit 15 homers and pitch 50 innings. He had Tommy John surgery after the season and is not expected to pitch in 2019.Andujar hit 47 doubles, tied for the second-most by a rookie in major league history, while... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is a finalist for the AL Rookie of the Year award along with two New York Yankees infielders.The Baseball Writers' Association of America revealed the finalists for its major awards Monday night. The winners will be announced next week.Ohtani figures to be in a tight race with Yankees infielders Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres after a historic first season with the Los Angeles Angels. The two-way Japanese sensation was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA as a starting pitcher before an elbow injury forced him off the mound. He finished out the season exclusively as a designated hitter, hitting .285 with 22 home runs and 61 RBIs.Ohtani is the first player ever to hit 15 home runs and strike out 50 batters in a season, and he joined Babe Ruth as the only players ever to hit 15 homers and pitch 50 innings. He had Tommy John surgery after the season and is not expected to pitch in 2019.Andujar hit 47 doubles, tied for the second-most by a rookie in major league history, while... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Christian Yelich made it to the World Series, just not the way he hoped.The Milwaukee Brewers star accepted the Hank Aaron Award as the outstanding offensive player in the National League before Game 3 between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. Boston slugger J.D. Martinez was the AL recipient.Yelich and the Brewers were one win shy of reaching their first World Series since 1982, but lost to the Dodgers in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Yelich said he isn't over the disappointment yet, but he's tried to move on."To be that close is definitely disappointing, but like I said earlier, use that as motivation throughout the offseason and into next season," Yelich said. "It was a great learning experience for us as a team and I think it's going to help us going forward."Yelich and Martinez each won the award despite being in their first seasons with their respective clubs. Yelich, acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins, led the NL with a .326... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Christian Yelich made it to the World Series, just not in the manner he had hoped.The Milwaukee Brewers slugger accepted the Hank Aaron Award prior to Game 3 between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. Boston's J.D. Martinez was the American League recipient of the award.Yelich and the Brewers were one game shy of getting to their first World Series since 1982 as they lost to the Dodgers in seven games in the National League Championship Series. Yelich said that he isn't over the disappointment yet, but that he has tried to move on."To be that close is definitely disappointing, but like I said earlier, use that as motivation throughout the offseason and into next season," Yelich said. "It was a great learning experience for us as a team and I think it's going to help us going forward."Yelich and Martinez won the award despite being in their first seasons with their respective clubs. Yelich, who was acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins, led the NL with a... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Astros second baseman Jose Altuve had surgery on his right knee, one day after Houston was eliminated by Boston in the AL Championship Series.Altuve was the AL MVP in 2017, when he hit a major league-leading .346 with 24 homers and 81 RBIs as the Astros won their first World Series title.He was on the disabled list for the first time this year, missing 21 games while sidelined from July 28 to Aug. 21. Altuve hit .316 with 13 homers and 61 RBIs and manager AJ Hinch said the six-time All-Star was playing pretty much on one leg during the postseason.Altuve batted .250 with two RBIs in the five-game loss to the Red Sox, who will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.Houston announced the operation on Saturday and did not say where it took place Friday. The Astros said he is expected to be ready for spring training.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros entered the AL Championship Series aching.Jose Altuve was playing on just one good knee, Carlos Correa's back was never right and Lance McCullers was pitching through an injury that will likely require surgery.Now the Astros are hurting even worse, done after losing four straight to the Red Sox to end their bid to repeat as champions."The heart of this team really (is) unparalleled," said ace Justin Verlander, whose big season helped the Astros go deep in the playoffs. "We had guys playing through so much. I'm not going to name anyone specifically, but I think you could see some of it on the field and how hard guys were grinding trying to help us win."It was a disappointing end for the Astros to a stellar year in which they won a franchise-record 103 games to capture the AL West for a second straight season. The Astros had no trouble in the division series, sweeping the Cleveland Indians to set up a meeting with the 108-win Red Sox.The Astros won Game 1,... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa has been moved from seventh to fourth in the Houston Astros' batting order for Game 5 of the AL Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox.Astros manager AJ Hinch made the switch for his team's must-win game Thursday night after Correa had three hits and drove in two runs in Game 4. It was the first multi-hit game this postseason for Correa, the shortstop who has struggled with back problems for months."At the end of the day he's a middle-of-the-order bat. I've been wanting to get him back in the middle of the order," Hinch said. "Why not now? There may be no tomorrow, literally."Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland, who injured his right hamstring in Game 2 of the AL Division Series, gets his first start in the ALCS.Alex Bregman was still in the leadoff spot for Houston and Jose Altuve was the designated hitter for the third game in a row because of his bruised right knee."He's playing on one leg. If this was the regular season there's no way he could play,"... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve was sure he'd hit a tying home run for the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series. He thought it was a double, at least, when he watched the ball ricochet back onto the field.Then, he saw the signal: He was out, and couldn't believe it.Altuve's potential homer was wiped away when umpire Joe West ruled that fans reaching for the ball interfered with Boston right fielder Mookie Betts attempting to make a leaping catch.Now Houston's chances to repeat as World Series champions are nearly out of reach after an 8-6 loss Wednesday night that put the Red Sox ahead 3-1 in the best-of-seven matchup."I normally don't get mad at the umpire's call. That one, I was a little upset," Altuve said. "All of a sudden, it wasn't even a double, it was an out. Two runs the game ended up ... that make me a little bit more upset."Denied Altuve's two-run drive in the first inning, the Astros wound up falling two runs short."That's just a tough call right now," said Houston's... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve was denied a potential two-run homer in the first inning for the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series after fans reaching for the ball interfered with Mookie Betts' attempt to make a leaping catch.Now Houston's chances to repeat as World Series champion are nearly out of reach.The Astros recovered from that early gut punch to take the lead — including homers by George Springer and Tony Kemp well over that same right field wall. But Jackie Bradley Jr. homered for the second night in a row for the Boston Red Sox in an 8-6 victory Wednesday, putting them up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.Houston has lost three in a row since winning the series opener 7-2 at Fenway Park on Saturday night.Justin Verlander, 6-1 in eight postseason games for Houston, including a win in Game 1 of this ALCS, starts Thursday night with the season on the line.After Boston scored twice in the first inning for the second night in a row, it appeared the Astros might have... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve was denied a potential two-run homer in the first inning for the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series after fans reaching for the ball interfered with Mookie Betts' attempt to make a leaping catch.Now Houston's chances to repeat as World Series champion are nearly out of reach.The Astros recovered from that early gut punch to take the lead — including homers by George Springer and Tony Kemp well over that same right field wall. But Jackie Bradley Jr. homered for the second night in a row for the Boston Red Sox in an 8-6 victory Wednesday, putting them up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.Houston has lost three in a row since winning the series opener 7-2 at Fenway Park on Saturday night.Justin Verlander, 6-1 in eight postseason games for Houston, including a win in Game 1 of this ALCS, starts Thursday night with the season on the line.After Boston scored twice in the first inning for the second night in a row, it appeared the Astros might have... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve was denied a potential two-run homer for the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series when umpires ruled at least one fan interfered with Mookie Betts' attempt at a leaping catch above the right-field wall Wednesday night.Crew chief Joe West, working the right-field line at Minute Maid Park, signaled fan interference after the Boston Red Sox outfielder was unable to make the grab and the ball ricocheted back onto the field.The call stood after a replay review that lasted 3 minutes, 13 seconds. Altuve was ruled out and teammate George Springer was sent back to first base.A fan wearing an orange Astros jersey, who identified himself as Troy Caldwell, insisted he wasn't reaching out over the yellow line atop the 7-foot-high fence when the ball hit his hand."That ball was gone no matter what," said Caldwell, a lifelong Astros fan from Houston who now lives in Atlanta.While Betts didn't say anything to the fans, Caldwell said he immediately started getting... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve has been denied a potential two-run homer for the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series when umpires ruled at least one fan interfered with Mookie Betts' attempt at a leaping catch above the right-field fence.Crew chief Joe West, working the right-field line Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park, signaled fan interference after the Boston Red Sox outfielder was unable to make the grab and the ball ricocheted back onto the field.The call stood after a replay review that lasted 3 minutes, 13 seconds. Altuve was ruled out and teammate George Springer was sent back to first base.A home run by Altuve would have tied the score at 2 in the first inning. Boston leads 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.Betts jumped and it appeared that fans reaching for the ball made contact with his glove as he extended it above the wall . The ball then glanced off the side of Betts' glove and touched fans reaching to catch it.Boston took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run single by Rafael Devers.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

HOUSTON (AP) — Alex Bregman is in the leadoff spot for the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox after batting third in the team's first six playoff games.Houston manager AJ Hinch made the change after the Red Sox walked Bregman seven times combined in the first three games of this series. Hinch made the change with the Astros trailing 2-1 going into Wednesday's matchup."I've never seen someone pitch any of our players the way that they're pitching Bregman. And that's a credit to their game plan but also they'll have a whole lineup behind him to deal with now," Hinch said.Bregman hit leadoff 12 times in the regular season but mostly batted second with 96 games in that spot. The change leaves former leadoff hitter George Springer in the second spot in the order, Jose Altuve hitting third and Marwin Gonzalez batting cleanup.Hinch says he likes the idea of speedy No. 9 hitter Tony Kemp batting before Bregman later in the game.Hinch says: "We'll give... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — With his team down one run going into the eighth inning, Houston manager AJ Hinch went to closer Roberto Osuna in hopes of keeping it that way.Things only got worse for the Astros in Game 3 of the AL Championship Series.Osuna gave up a grand slam to Jackie Bradley Jr. after hitting consecutive pinch-hitters with two-strike pitches, and the Boston Red Sox won 8-2 on Tuesday to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series."It's a 3-2 ballgame until all hell broke loose in the eighth inning," Hinch said. "A couple of hit by pitches and a huge swing by Bradley and there's the game."Hinch treats one-run deficits like a tie game in the postseason, figuring his team still has a good chance to win."Trying to keep it at a one-run game with a really effective closer against the middle part of their order," he said. "We get out of that 3-2, we've got plenty of outs left, and you never know what can happen."In his first ALCS appearance for the Astros, Osuna came on with Houston trailing... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Six-time All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve is a designated hitter for the Houston Astros in the playoffs for the first time.Astros manager A.J. Hinch has Altuve as the DH for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against Boston. Altuve bruised his right knee during the playoffs and it is still bothering him. Last year's AL MVP has dealt with right knee soreness since July, when he went on the disabled list for the first time in his career.Altuve was still batting second against the Red Sox and right-hander Nathan Eolvadi on Tuesday night. Marwin Gonzalez, who had played left field the first two ALCS games, moved to second base. Tony Kemp was the left fielder.For the Red Sox, Eduardo Nunez was starting at third base over left-handed hitting Rafael Devers against Houston lefty Dallas Keuchel. Devers was 2 for 3 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI in the Red Sox's 7-5 victory in Game 2.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

HOUSTON (AP) — Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros are brimming with confidence, even after a Game 2 AL Championship Series defeat to the Boston Red Sox.For proof, just see Bregman's social media feed.Hours after Boston beat Houston 7-5 to even the best-of-seven series at a game each, Bregman shared video Monday on Instagram of the Astros hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs against Game 3 Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi from a game in June."Lil pregame video work," he wrote.Eovaldi will oppose Dallas Keuchel in Houston on Tuesday after Rick Porcello was used in relief during Game 2, when the Astros took their first loss of the postseason. Eovaldi's previous start against the Astros didn't go well. The right-hander allowed seven hits and four runs in a 5-1 loss June 20 while with Tampa Bay, including a season-high four homers.Three of those were hit in succession by George Springer, Bregman and Jose Altuve in the sixth inning.The Astros didn't work out Monday, so the brazen 24-year-old... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox ace Chris Sale and manager Alex Cora both made early exits in Boston's 7-2 loss to Houston in Game 1 of AL Championship Series on Saturday night.Sale lasted just four innings, giving up two runs, one hit, four walks and a hit batter.Cora wasn't far behind the lanky left-hander going back to the clubhouse. The rookie manager was ejected in the bottom of the fifth inning with the game tied 2-2 after arguing a called third strike on Andrew Benintendi that ended Boston's first rally of the game."You can't argue balls and strikes, and I did," Cora said. "It's kind of like embarrassing that it happens in the playoffs. That wasn't cool watching the game in the clubhouse. ... But sometimes you got to do what you got to do, and you've got to defend your players."Sale opened the game with an eight-pitch walk to George Springer and struggled through the first three innings with subpar stuff and location."I just went out there and lost it for a little bit," Sale said.Houston took... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox ace Chris Sale and manager Alex Cora both made early exits in Boston's 7-2 loss to Houston in Game 1 of AL Championship Series on Saturday night.Sale lasted just four innings, giving up two runs, one hit, four walks and a hit batter.Cora wasn't far behind the lanky left-hander going back to the clubhouse. The rookie manager was ejected in the bottom of the fifth inning with the game tied 2-2 after arguing a called third strike on Andrew Benintendi that ended Boston's first rally of the game."You can't argue balls and strikes, and I did," Cora said. "It's kind of like embarrassing that it happens in the playoffs. That wasn't cool watching the game in the clubhouse. ... But sometimes you got to do what you got to do, and you've got to defend your players."Sale opened the game with an eight-pitch walk to George Springer and struggled through the first three innings with subpar stuff and location."I just went out there and lost it for a little bit," Sale said.Houston took... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox ace Chris Sale and manager Alex Cora both made early exits in Boston's 7-2 loss to the Houston Astros in Game 1 of AL Championship Series on Saturday night.Sale lasted just four innings, giving up two runs on one hit, four walks and a hit batter.Cora wasn't far behind the lanky left-hander going back to the clubhouse. The rookie manager was ejected in the bottom of the fifth inning with the game tied 2-2 after arguing a called third strike on Andrew Benintendi that ended Boston's first rally of the game.Sale opened the game with an eight-pitch walk to George Springer and struggled through the first three innings with subpar stuff and location.Houston took advantage in the second. Sale got two quick outs, but then walked Carlos Correa, plunked Martin Maldonado on the hand with a fastball and walked Josh Reddick. Springer followed with a hard grounder past third baseman Eduardo Nunez to put Boston ahead 2-0.Sale decided to go sleeveless despite a 48-degree first pitch,... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox ace Chris Sale and manager Alex Cora both made early exits in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series against the Houston Astros.Sale lasted just four innings Saturday night, giving up two runs on one hit and four walks.Cora wasn't far behind the lanky left-hander going back to the clubhouse. The rookie manager was ejected in the bottom of the fifth inning with the game tied 2-2 after arguing a called third strike on Andrew Benintendi that ended Boston's first rally of the game.Sale opened the game with an eight-pitch walk to George Springer and struggled through the first three innings with subpar stuff and location.Houston took advantage in the second. Sale got two quick outs, but then walked Carlos Correa, plunked Martin Maldonado on the hand with a fastball and walked Josh Reddick. Springer followed with a hard grounder past third baseman Eduardo Nunez to put Boston ahead 2-0.Sale decided to go sleeveless despite a 48-degree first pitch, and it took too long for his... [More]