SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners bolstered their bullpen on Tuesday by acquiring right-handed reliever Rafael Montero from the Texas Rangers. The 30-year-old Montero was the Rangers closer for most of last season after Jose Leclerc was sidelined for the season due to a right shoulder injury after just two appearances. Montero appeared in 17 games and was 8-for-8 in save situations. Montero was 0-1 with a 4.08 ERA. Montero should be a significant boost to Seattle’s bullpen that was among the worst in the American League last season. “Rafael is a solid addition to our ongoing efforts to fortify the bullpen,” Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. “We see his outstanding stuff and quality performance since converting to a full-time reliever as impactful in our bullpen.” Seattle sent 17-year-old right-handed pitching prospect José Corniell and a player to be named to the Rangers for Montero. Montero spent two seasons in Texas, entirely as a reliever. Prior to his time in Texas, Montero spent parts of four seasons with the New York Mets as a starter and reliever. Montero appeared in 58 games with the Mets and had 30 starts. He 6-16 with a 5.38 ERA during his time in New York. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners bolstered their bullpen on Tuesday by acquiring right-handed reliever Rafael Montero from the Texas Rangers. The 30-year-old Montero was the Rangers closer for most of last season after Jose Leclerc was sidelined for the season due to a right shoulder injury after just two appearances. Montero appeared in 17 games and was 8-for-8 in save situations. Montero was 0-1 with a 4.08 ERA. Montero should be a significant boost to Seattle’s bullpen that was among the worst in the American League last season. “Rafael is a solid addition to our ongoing efforts to fortify the bullpen,” Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. “We see his outstanding stuff and quality performance since converting to a full-time reliever as impactful in our bullpen.” Seattle sent 17-year-old right-handed pitching prospect José Corniell and a player to be named to the Rangers for Montero. Montero spent two seasons in Texas, entirely as a reliever. Prior to his time in Texas, Montero spent parts of four seasons with the New York Mets as a starter and reliever. Montero appeared in 58 games with the Mets and had 30 starts. He 6-16 with a 5.38 ERA during his time in New York. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:SLOW STARTSTwo-time defending NL batting champion Christian Yelich has a long way to go if he wants a three-peat. The Milwaukee star is 1 for 27 to start the season, an .037 average that’s worst among qualified hitters.Yelich also has struck out 12 times going into the series opener at home against Jack Flaherty and the Cardinals.A trio of top Houston hitters also has been slow out of the batter’s box this season. Former World Series MVP George Springer (.048), two-time batting champ Jose Altuve (.174) and former All-Star Game MVP Alex Bregman (.174) will look to break loose when the Astros visit the Angels.TORONTO’S TRAVELSVladimir Guerrero Jr. and the wandering Blue Jays will figure out where to spend this weekend after a three-game series in Philadelphia was called off because two Phillies staffers tested positive for the virus.Shut out of playing in Toronto this year because of health concerns by the Canadian government, the Blue Jays... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors on Friday:SLOW STARTSTwo-time defending NL batting champion Christian Yelich has a long way to go if he wants a three-peat. The Milwaukee star is 1 for 27 to start the season, an .037 average that’s worst among qualified hitters.Yelich also has struck out 12 times going into the series opener at home against Jack Flaherty and the Cardinals.A trio of top Houston hitters also has been slow out of the batter’s box this season. Former World Series MVP George Springer (.048), two-time batting champ Jose Altuve (.174) and former All-Star Game MVP Alex Bregman (.174) will look to break loose when the Astros visit the Angels.TORONTO’S TRAVELSVladimir Guerrero Jr. and the wandering Blue Jays will figure out where to spend this weekend after a three-game series in Philadelphia was called off because two Phillies staffers tested positive for the virus.Shut out of playing in Toronto this year because of health concerns by the Canadian government, the Blue... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors on Friday:SLOW STARTSTwo-time defending NL batting champion Christian Yelich has a long way to go if he wants a three-peat. The Milwaukee star is 1 for 27 to start the season, an .037 average that’s worst among qualified hitters.Yelich also has struck out 12 times going into the series opener at home against Jack Flaherty and the Cardinals.A trio of top Houston hitters also has been slow out of the batter’s box this season. Former World Series MVP George Springer (.048), two-time batting champ Jose Altuve (.174) and former All-Star Game MVP Alex Bregman (.174) will look to break loose when the Astros visit the Angels.TORONTO’S TRAVELSVladimir Guerrero Jr. and the wandering Blue Jays will figure out where to spend this weekend after a three-game series in Philadelphia was called off because two Phillies staffers tested positive for the virus.Shut out of playing in Toronto this year because of health concerns by the Canadian government, the Blue... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers will be without closer Jose Leclerc for most of the pandemic-shortened season with a shoulder injury similar to the one that sidelined starter Corey Kluber earlier this week.Leclerc's muscle tear in his right shoulder is not as severe as Kluber's, but he will have the same injection and be out the same four weeks before any plan for throwing is considered, general manager Jon Daniels said Thursday.Kluber pitched just one inning in his Texas debut Sunday before reporting tightness in his shoulder and leaving the game. Leclerc stopped warming up for a save situation in a 7-4 win over Arizona on Wednesday because of shoulder tightness.Neither player is expected to have surgery. Both are on the 45-day injured list.“You just can’t replace guys like with that kind of ability,” Daniels said. “Corey was obviously going to be a big part of our rotation, and we still feel good about the rotation. Jose hadn’t thrown early like we believed he’s capable of, but we were counting on him to pitch high-leverage innings.”Leclerc earned the save on opening day in a 1-0 win over Colorado. The 26-year-old pitched another inning in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Rockies, giving up two hits and a run.Daniels said the Rangers plan to add right-hander Jimmy Herget to replace Leclerc while swapping first basemen by calling up Greg Bird from the taxi squad and sending down Ronald Guzman. ___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today:ROBERTS RETURNSLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will be back from a one-game suspension when the defending NL West champions visit Arizona for the Diamondbacks’ home opener.Major League Baseball suspended Roberts one game and Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly eight games on Wednesday, the day after benches cleared in the sixth inning of Los Angeles’ 5-2 victory at Houston.During that sixth inning, Kelly threw a 3-0 fastball behind Alex Bregman’s head and tossed a breaking ball over Carlos Correa’s head. After striking out the Astros star, Kelly made a mocking face toward him and the players exchanged words.Kelly is appealing his penalty and can play until the process is complete. Astros manager Dusty Baker drew an undisclosed fine.This marked the first time the Dodgers and Astros had faced each other since MLB penalized the Astros for stealing signs during the 2017 season, which ended with Houston beating the Dodgers in a seven-game World... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Thursday:ROBERTS RETURNSLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will be back from a one-game suspension when the defending NL West champions visit Arizona for the Diamondbacks’ home opener.Major League Baseball suspended Roberts one game and Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly eight games on Wednesday, the day after benches cleared in the sixth inning of Los Angeles’ 5-2 victory at Houston.During that sixth inning, Kelly threw a 3-0 fastball behind Alex Bregman’s head and tossed a breaking ball over Carlos Correa’s head. After striking out the Astros star, Kelly made a mocking face toward him and the players exchanged words.Kelly is appealing his penalty and can play until the process is complete. Astros manager Dusty Baker drew an undisclosed fine.This marked the first time the Dodgers and Astros had faced each other since MLB penalized the Astros for stealing signs during the 2017 season, which ended with Houston beating the Dodgers in a seven-game... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — In the first major league game with the new, unpopular extra-inning rule, automatic runner Marcus Semien began the bottom of the 10th on second base and scored on Matt Olson’s grand slam, sending the Oakland Athletics over the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 Friday night.Olson, whose alert throw from first base nailed Angels free runner Shohei Ohtani in the top of the 10th, connected with one out. Major League Baseball instituted the controversial extra-inning runner rule for this season to keep games from dragging on amid a compressed, 60-game schedule that started late because of the virus outbreak.After Semien took second, the A’s loaded the bases against Hansel Robles (0-1) on a hit by pitch, wild pitch and a walk.New Angels manager Joe Maddon brought in reliever Hoby Milner and, with a five-man infield in place, Olson hit the first pitch far over the right-field wall.According to STATS, Olson became the third player to hit a walkoff grand slam on opening day. He joined... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Hendricks convinced new manager David Ross to let him finish a three-hitter, Anthony Rizzo homered and dished out hand sanitizer, and the Chicago Cubs started the season by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 on Friday night.Ian Happ also had a two-run drive and Ross got his first victory as a big league manager as the Cubs opened this pandemic-shortened 60-game season without fans at Wrigley Field. Hendricks struck out nine and walked none in his first career opening-day start and fourth career shutout.Orlando Arcia had each of Milwaukee’s hits off Hendricks (1-0). After he singled with two out in the third for the Brewers’ first baserunner, he accepted a splash of sanitizer from a smiling Rizzo at first and cleaned off his hands.Ross came out to check on Hendricks with two out and a runner on first in the ninth. He decided to leave him in, and Keston Hiura bounced into a game-ending fielder’s choice on Hendricks’ 103rd pitch.Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff allowed... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Hendricks convinced new manager David Ross to let him finish a three-hitter, Anthony Rizzo homered and dished out hand sanitizer, and the Chicago Cubs started the season by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 on Friday night.Ian Happ also had a two-run drive and Ross got his first victory as a big league manager as the Cubs opened this pandemic-shortened 60-game season without fans at Wrigley Field. Hendricks struck out nine and walked none in his first career opening-day start and fourth career shutout.Orlando Arcia had each of Milwaukee’s hits off Hendricks (1-0). After he singled with two out in the third for the Brewers’ first baserunner, he accepted a splash of sanitizer from a smiling Rizzo at first and cleaned off his hands.Ross came out to check on Hendricks with two out and a runner on first in the ninth. He decided to leave him in, and Keston Hiura bounced into a game-ending fielder’s choice on Hendricks’ 103rd pitch.Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff allowed... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Rangers now get to play inside deep in the heart — and heat — of Texas. They're 1-0 under their new roof. Lance Lynn struck out nine over six solid innings and the Texas Rangers inaugurated their retractable-roof stadium with a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. “Feels pretty good right now, haven’t lost a game in our new ballpark,” second-year manager Chris Woodward said. After 48 seasons of playing home games outside, it was a pleasant 72 degrees at first pitch in the air-conditioned $1.2 billion Globe Life Field — and 94 outside. The Rangers didn't get their first hit off Rockies starter German Marquez until after Lynn (1-0) had thrown the last of his 108 pitches in his first opening day start.“The first three innings of the game was probably the most uncomfortable I’ve ever felt on a mound,” Lynn said, later adding that he was just jacked up wanting to win the opener of a shortened season starting four months later. "I told everybody when... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Hendricks convinced new manager David Ross to let him finish a three-hitter, Anthony Rizzo homered and dished out hand sanitizer, and the Chicago Cubs started the season by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 on Friday night.Ian Happ also had a two-run drive and Ross got his first victory as a big league manager as the Cubs opened this pandemic-shortened 60-game season without fans at Wrigley Field. Hendricks struck out nine and walked none in his first career opening-day start and fourth career shutout.Orlando Arcia had each of Milwaukee’s hits off Hendricks (1-0). After he singled with two out in the third for the Brewers’ first baserunner, he accepted a splash of sanitizer from a smiling Rizzo at first and cleaned off his hands.Ross came out to check on Hendricks with two out and a runner on first in the ninth. He decided to leave him in, and Keston Hiura bounced into a game-ending fielder’s choice on Hendricks’ 103rd pitch.Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff allowed... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Lance Lynn struck out nine in six sharp innings and the Texas Rangers inaugurated their new retractable-roof stadium with a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. After 48 seasons of playing home games outside in the Texas heat, the Rangers had the roof closed for their first game at $1.2 billion Globe Life Field. It was a pleasant 72 degrees at first pitch inside the air-conditioned building — and 94 outside. The Rangers didn't get their first hit off Rockies starter German Marquez until after Lynn (1-0) had thrown the last of his 108 pitches in his first opening day start.Danny Santana had a one-out double in the sixth, and scored on a two-out double by Rougned Odor that chased Marquez (0-1). The Rockies right-hander, who retired the first 12 batters, struck out six and walked three. Even with no fans allowed in the sparkling new 40,000-seat park, longtime PA guy Chuck Morgan gave his emphatic “It’s Baseball Time in Texas!” that echoed through the stadium... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers were supposed to be all settled in and fully acquainted with their new stadium by now, ready to spend the July 4 holiday weekend playing games at home. But instead of preparing Friday to play their 44th home game of the season, and 89th overall, they opened an unprecedented summer camp. Their first official workout in the new $1.2 billion Globe Life Field, and under the closed retractable roof, came nearly four months after they were in Arizona when MLB shut down spring training because of the coronavirus pandemic, and three weeks before they expect to finally play the home opener. “I’m kind of expecting weird, expecting things to be different,” manager Chris Woodward said after the workout. “I just think the whole situation is different. And that’s kind of our theme ... we’ve got to stay positive and just kind of like roll with the punches, take things head on, deal with it."While four other relievers took the mound for a simulated game, left-hander... [More]

Yankees first. DJ LeMahieu flies out to center field to Danny Santana. Aaron Judge triples to deep center field. Brett Gardner out on a sacrifice fly to deep right field to Scott Heineman. Aaron Judge scores. Giancarlo Stanton grounds out to shortstop, Elvis Andrus to Ronald Guzman.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Yankees 1, Rangers 0.Rangers first. Shin-Soo Choo walks. Elvis Andrus strikes out swinging. Willie Calhoun pops out to shallow infield to Didi Gregorius. Danny Santana walks. Rougned Odor doubles to deep right center field. Danny Santana scores. Shin-Soo Choo scores. Scott Heineman walks. Ronald Guzman grounds out to second base, DJ LeMahieu to Mike Ford.2 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 left on. Rangers 2, Yankees 1.Rangers fourth. Scott Heineman doubles to deep left field. Ronald Guzman walks. Jose Trevino doubles to deep left field. Ronald Guzman to third. Scott Heineman scores. Isiah Kiner-Falefa strikes out swinging. Shin-Soo Choo strikes out swinging. Elvis Andrus is intentionally... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Aaron Sanchez looked like a reinvented pitcher in his Houston debut, throwing six stellar innings to start the Astros on a combined no-hitter Saturday night in their 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.Sanchez was an All-Star in 2016 and led the American League in ERA, but he's struggled badly this season and had lost 13 straight decisions to lead the majors with 14 losses. Three days after he was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old right-hander teamed with Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski to shut down Seattle.It was the second time in less than a month the last-place Mariners were no-hit by multiple pitchers. The Los Angeles Angels used two pitchers in a combined no-hitter July 12 against Seattle on a night when they honored late left-hander Tyler Skaggs by all wearing his No. 45 in their first home game since his death.Sanchez (4-14) struck out six, walked two and hit a batter in his first victory since April 27 for Toronto.Seattle's... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Aaron Sanchez looked like a reinvented pitcher in his Houston debut, throwing six stellar innings to start the Astros on a combined no-hitter Saturday night in their 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.Sanchez was an All-Star in 2016 and led the American League in ERA, but he's struggled badly this season and had lost 13 straight decisions to lead the majors with 14 losses. Three days after he was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old right-hander teamed with Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski to shut down Seattle.It was the second time in less than a month the last-place Mariners were no-hit by multiple pitchers. The Los Angeles Angels used two pitchers in a combined no-hitter July 12 against Seattle on a night when they honored late left-hander Tyler Skaggs by all wearing his No. 45 in their first home game since his death.Sanchez (4-14) struck out six, walked two and hit a batter in his first victory since April 27 for Toronto.Seattle's... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — The Texas Rangers have placed closer Shawn Kelley on the 10-day injured list with biceps soreness in his right arm, but manager Chris Woodward said the injury appears far less severe than first believed.The Rangers made the move with Kelley on Monday before opening a three-game series in Seattle. Texas selected the contract of reliever Rafael Montero from Triple-A Nashville to take Kelley's roster spot and designated for assignment outfielder Carlos Tocci to clear a 40-man roster spot.Kelley left Sunday's game in Houston in the bottom of the eighth after throwing several warmup pitches. Woodward said he immediately thought the injury was serious enough Kelley's season could be over.An MRI showed no acute injury and Woodward said it was "way better than we all thought." Woodward expects Jose Leclerc and Chris Martin to handle the late-inning duties with Kelley out.Kelley, 35, is 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 33 appearances, including 11 saves.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Los Angeles Angels second baseman Tommy La Stella will miss the All-Star game because of a broken bone after he fouled a 97 mph fastball off his lower right leg.La Stella had a CT scan Wednesday that revealed a broken right tibia. The Angels said La Stella likely will be out 8-10 weeks.Texas Rangers outfielder Hunter Pence, who had been selected by fans to be the AL starting designated hitter, and Minnesota right-hander Jake Odorizzi will also miss the All-Star Game in Cleveland next Tuesday because of injuries.La Stella fouled off a pitch by hard-throwing reliever Jose Leclerc in Tuesday's night's game at Texas. La Stella immediately dropped to the ground and was putting no weight on his right leg when being helped off the field.A first-time All-Star selected as a reserve, La Stella was to be replaced by Tampa Bay's Brandon Lowe on the AL squad. But Lowe's status also is questionable because of a right leg injury. Lowe also fouled a ball off a leg and left a game Tuesday night.Jos� Berr�os will fill in for fellow Minnesota right-hander Odorizzi, who left Tuesday's game in Oakland with a blister on his right middle finger and was headed for the injured list.Pence was replaced by Boston's Xander Bogaerts. Pence has been out since June 16 with a right groin strain and was pulled off his rehab assignment Tuesday after re-aggravating the injury during a minor league game.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports