Jose Ramirez is expected to be in the Cleveland Indians' opening day lineup Thursday, four days after fouling a pitch off the area below his left knee.Manager Terry Francona said Tuesday that Ramirez should be ready to go for the opener at Minnesota. The All-Star third baseman worked out Monday and Tuesday in Arizona, testing his bruised left knee while Cleveland finished its exhibition schedule with games against the Rangers in Texas. Ramirez will join the team for a workout Wednesday in Minnesota.Ramirez left the field on a cart Sunday in an alarming scene for the Indians, who will already be without star shortstop Francisco Lindor and second baseman Jason Kipnis. Both players are working back from right calf strains.Ramirez had 39 home runs and 105 RBIs last season, finishing third in AL MVP voting for the second straight year.Cleveland lost to Texas 5-4 on Tuesday in its final spring training game. Mike Clevinger allowed four runs (two earned) in three innings. He walked two, struck... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Reliever Junichi Tazawa has finalized a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs and will report to big league spring training.If added to the 40-man roster, Tazawa would receive a one-year contract paying $800,000 while in the major leagues. He could earn $450,000 in performance bonuses for games pitched and $750,000 for games finished.The 32-year-old right-hander was 1-1 with a 7.07 ERA in 31 games last season for Miami and the Los Angeles Angels. He was released by Miami on May 21, signed a minor league deal with Detroit on June 3, was released July 9 after seven games with Triple-A Toledo and signed with the Angels four days later.Tazawa is 21-26 with a 4.12 ERA in nine big league seasons that began with Boston (2009-16) before he joined the Marlins in 2017.He would get $50,000 each for 40 and 45 games, $75,000 apiece for 50 and 55 and $100,000 each for 60 and 65. He would get $75,000 each for 40 and 45 games finished, $100,000 for 50, $200,000 for 55 and $300,000 for 60.Chicago also announced minor league deals Wednesday with right-handers George Kontos, Christian Bergman, Carlos Ramirez, Colin Rea and Rob Scahill; left-hander Mike Zagurski; catcher Francisco Arcia; infielders Cristhian Adames and Phillip Evans; and outfielders Jim Adduci and Evan Marzilli.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Reliever Junichi Tazawa has finalized a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs and will report to big league spring training.If added to the 40-man roster, Tazawa would receive a one-year contract paying $800,000 while in the major leagues. He could earn $450,000 in performance bonuses for games pitched and $750,000 for games finished.The 32-year-old right-hander was with a 7.07 ERA in 31 games last season for Miami and the Los Angeles Angels. He was released by Miami on May 21, signed a minor league deal with Detroit on June 3, was released July 9 after seven games with Triple-A Toledo and signed with the Angels four days later.Tazawa is 21-26 with a 4.12 ERA in nine big league seasons that began with Boston (2009-16) before he joined the Marlins in 2017.He would get $50,000 each for 40 and 45 games, $75,000 apiece for 50 and 55 and $100,000 each for 60 and 65. He would get $75,000 each for 40 and 45 games finished, $100,000 for 50, $200,000 for 55 and $300,000 for 60.Chicago also announced minor league deals Wednesday with right-handers George Kontos, Christian Bergman, Carlos Ramirez, Colin Rea and Rob Scahill; left-hander Mike Zagurski; catcher Francisco Arcia; infielders Cristhian Adames and Phillip Evans; and outfielders Jim Adduci and Evan Marzilli.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets activated third baseman Todd Frazier from the disabled list before Thursday's game with the Atlanta Braves.Frazier had been sidelined since July 9 with a left rib cage strain and appeared in two rehab games for Class A Brooklyn this week."We're glad to have Todd back," manager Mickey Callaway said. "We're glad to have his leadership in the clubhouse. It's always more fun with Todd around on the bench in the clubhouse, during the game. A guy you can plug into the middle of the lineup and he's got a chance to go hit you a homer. So we're glad that he's back."In the first season of a two-year deal, Frazier is hitting .217 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs in 61 games. Frazier also was sidelined from May 8 to June 2 with a strained left hamstring.The DL stints were the first of Frazier's career, and he said he might need occasional days off."You appreciate what Cal Ripken Jr. did," Frazier said. "It's one of those things where, don't be shy to ask for a day off every... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The swooning New York Mets took two more hits to their already bang-up pitching staff when closer Jeurys Familia was put on the disabled list Friday because of a sore right shoulder and ace Noah Syndergaard was scratched from a weekend start against the Yankees because of a strained ligament in his right index finger.New York had lost six straight entering the Subway Series, tying its season high, and 11 of 13. The Mets are 16-33 following an 11-1 start and had dropped eight consecutive home games."It can't be an excuse. You don't want to write the season off because you're having injuries," manager Mickey Callaway said. "We still have major league players out there that need to go out there and get the job done."A 28-year-old right-hander, Familia is 2-3 with 14 saves in 18 chances and a 2.48 ERA. The DL stint is retroactive to Thursday, and Callaway hopes Familia can be activated when first eligible on June 17.Familia first reported the issue after Wednesday's game, when... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Closer Jeurys Familia is the latest New York Mets player to get hurt.Familia was placed on the 10-day disabled list before Friday's Subway Series opener against the Yankees because of a sore right shoulder. The move was retroactive to Thursday.Familia is 2-3 with 14 saves and a 2.48 ERA.Right-hander Jacob Rhame was recalled from Las Vegas of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Left-hander Buddy Baumann and infielder Phillip Evans cleared waivers and are being assigned outright to Las Vegas.The Mets also said outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was scheduled to play for Binghamton of the Double-A Eastern League at Trenton on Friday night in an injury rehabilitation assignment.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Bautista was sitting on his couch at home in Florida when the call came Tuesday afternoon. He had a new job, with the New York Mets.So the former home run champ hustled to the airport in Tampa, hurried to Citi Field and was in such a rush, he didn't meet his manager until he came off the grass from stretching."I said, 'You're in left field,' and he said, 'I got it,'" skipper Mickey Callaway said.And an hour after joining the Mets, he swung into action.The six-time All-Star hit a double in his first at-bat in a 5-1 loss to Miami on Tuesday night. Bautista drew a nice cheer from the sparse crowd on a rainy evening and plenty of high-fives from his new teammates in the dugout after scoring their only run.The 37-year-old Bautista finished 1 for 3 and called it "one of the wildest days" in his career.Needing an extra outfielder, and preferably one who can tag left-handed pitchers, the Mets signed Bautista two days after he was cut by Atlanta."When I'm ready to call it quits,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — An hour after joining the New York Mets, Jose Bautista swung into action.The former home run champ hit a double in his first at-bat for the Mets and scored a run Tuesday night against Miami. He drew a nice cheer from the sparse crowd on a rainy evening and plenty of high-fives from his new teammates in the dugout.Needing an extra outfielder, and preferably one who can tag left-handed pitchers, the Mets signed Bautista two days after he was cut by Atlanta. He caught a late afternoon flight from Tampa, Florida, shortly after completing the deal and arrived at Citi Field about a half-hour before gametime.The Mets reworked their starting lineup and had the 37-year-old Bautista batting fifth and playing left field. Bautista quickly lived up to his nickname of Joey Bats by doubling down the left-field line in the second inning off lefty Caleb Smith, and he scored on Tomas Nido's sacrifice fly.Bautista's hit came against a familiar opponent. Of the 12 games he played this month... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Former home run champ Jose Bautista is getting another chance to show he still has pop, this time with the New York Mets.Needing an extra outfielder, and preferably one who can tag left-handed pitchers, the Mets signed Bautista and immediately put him in the starting lineup Tuesday night against Miami.Bautista was set to bat fifth against Marlins lefty Caleb Smith and play left field. Two days after being cut by Atlanta, Bautista caught a late afternoon flight from Tampa, Florida, and arrived shortly before gametime.Bautista wasn't in the original starting lineup posted by the Mets. That changed once the 37-year-old nicknamed Joey Bats made it to Citi Field."This is something we felt we should try to do," general manager Sandy Alderson said.The Mets recently lost former Gold Glove center fielder Juan Lagares to a season-ending toe injury. Slugger Yoenis Cespedes is out with a strained right hip flexor, with no timetable for his return."The outfield position has been thin... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Mets have signed free agent Jose Bautista, getting the former home run champion two days after he was cut by the Atlanta Braves.They made the move before playing Miami on Tuesday night. The team said he was available for the game, but he was not in the starting lineup they posted.New York listed Bautista as an outfielder. He played only third base in his short stint with Atlanta, starting at the spot eight times. He hit .143 (5 for 35) with two home runs and five RBIs, and fared well against left-handed pitchers.The 37-year-old Bautista signed for the $545,000 major league minimum. He hit .203 with 23 homers and 65 RBIs in 157 games last season with Toronto, and went unsigned as a free agent during the winter.Bautista is a six-time All-Star, and led the AL with 54 homers in 2010 and 43 in 2011. He has hit at least 20 home runs in each of the past eight seasons.The Mets optioned infielder-outfielder Phillip Evans to Triple-A Las Vegas.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball