NEW YORK (AP) — The Houston Astros acquired ace Zack Greinke on Wednesday, adding another All-Star to a formidable rotation that already included Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole.The AL West leaders got Greinke in a startling trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks for four minor leaguers. It came right before the deadline to complete deals to have players eligible for the postseason."We are just really shocked and ecstatic," Cole said before Houston played at Cleveland, adding, "I'm really proud to be an Astro right now."Cole said when the players learned of the deal there was "a lot of hooting and hollering at 4:07. We are ecstatic. We're getting a Hall of Fame pitcher, a craftsman."Greinke pitched five innings earlier in the day at Yankee Stadium, giving up two runs to New York. He is 10-4 with a 2.90 ERA this season.Greinke left the ballpark without commenting to reporters.The Astros won the 2017 World Series and lost the 2018 ALCS to eventual champion Boston. They loaded up again with... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — If Madison Bumgarner, Noah Syndergaard, Trevor Bauer, Mike Minor or Robbie Ray is going to get dealt to contenders desperate for arms, it will happen this week or not at all.Baseball's trade window shuts Wednesday afternoon — completely, not like in years past.Marcus Stroman, Jason Vargas, Andrew Cashner, Jordan Lyles, Drew Smyly, Homer Bailey, Jake Diekman and Derek Holland are among the pitchers dealt as the deadline approached. Most of the big names fans envisioned changing jerseys have stayed put in this new era of baseball economics, where prospects and youth are more prized than ever."Teams are doing a better and better job of understanding younger and younger players, and that's why you see the value in teams trying to keep prospects," Toronto general manager Ross Atkins said Monday after dealing Stroman, a first-time All-Star, to the New York Mets for a pair of pitching prospects. "The younger players seem to be really increasing in value."Major League Baseball's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — If Madison Bumgarner, Noah Syndergaard, Trevor Bauer, Mike Minor or Robbie Ray are going to get dealt to contenders desperate for arms, it will happen this week or not at all.Baseball's trade window shuts Wednesday afternoon — completely, not like in years past.Marcus Stroman, Jason Vargas, Andrew Cashner, Jordan Lyles, Drew Smyly, Homer Bailey, Jake Diekman and Derek Holland are among the pitchers dealt as the deadline approached. Most of the big names fans envisioned changing jerseys have stayed put in this new era of baseball economics, where prospects and youth are more prized than ever."Teams are doing a better and better job of understanding younger and younger players, and that's why you see the value in teams trying to keep prospects," Toronto general manager Ross Atkins said Monday after dealing Stroman, a first-time All-Star, to the New York Mets for a pair of pitching prospects. "The younger players seem to be really increasing in value."Major League Baseball's... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:DRIVE FOR FIVEFour days in a row, a player has hit three home runs. Who can make it five? AL MVP Mookie Betts had his fifth career three-homer game — one shy of the big league record — in Boston's 10-5 victory Friday night over the rival Yankees. Betts followed Mets second baseman Robinson Canó on Tuesday night, Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong on Wednesday and Minnesota slugger Nelson Cruz on Thursday. Before this stretch, there had never even been three consecutive days with a three-homer game in the majors. "It's crazy just to see it once," Betts said. "But I guess to see it four straight days, there's a lot of good hitters out there, and they're showing it."HALF A DOZENA pair of big boppers will try to go deep for the sixth consecutive game.Paul Goldschmidt has homered in a career-best five straight to help the streaking Cardinals take over sole possession of first place in the NL Central for the first time since May 7. He'll face Astros... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:PAYING RESPECTSRyan Braun will miss Milwaukee's home game against the Cincinnati Reds to attend the funeral of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who was found dead in a Texas hotel room on July 1. Braun and Skaggs were workout buddies. Mike Trout and the Angels have an off day between road series at Seattle and the Los Angeles Dodgers.NET GAINSThe Chicago White Sox are set to become the first team to have protective netting in place entirely from foul pole to foul pole when they host Miami. Washington also has extended its netting in midseason — nearly as far as the White Sox.The new netting at Guaranteed Rate Field and Nationals Park will debut a day after another fan was injured by a foul ball. Cleveland star Francisco Lindor said he was told his liner at Progressive Field sent a 3-year-old boy to the hospital.Several fans, some of them young children, have been hurt all around the majors this season by foul balls. Some teams have... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Monday:PAYING RESPECTSRyan Braun will miss Milwaukee's home game against the Cincinnati Reds to attend the funeral of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who was found dead in a Texas hotel room on July 1. Braun and Skaggs were workout buddies. Mike Trout and the Angels have an off day between road series at Seattle and the Los Angeles Dodgers.NET GAINSThe Chicago White Sox are set to become the first team to have protective netting in place entirely from foul pole to foul pole when they host Miami. Washington also has extended its netting in midseason — nearly as far as the White Sox.The new netting at Guaranteed Rate Field and Nationals Park will debut a day after another fan was injured by a foul ball. Cleveland star Francisco Lindor said he was told his liner at Progressive Field sent a 3-year-old boy to the hospital.Several fans, some of them young children, have been hurt all around the majors this season by foul balls. Some teams... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Faced with a record onslaught of home runs that has convinced many pitchers that baseballs are juiced, Commissioner Rob Manfred says the sport has been unable to find any changes in the manufacturing process.A May 2018 report to Major League Baseball by professors specializing in physics, mechanical engineering, statistics and mathematics concluded there was less drag on the ball, causing more home runs. MLB still has not figured out why, and Manfred denied accusations by AL All-Star starter Justin Verlander and other pitchers that baseballs deliberately had been altered."Baseball has done nothing, given no direction for an alteration in the baseball," Manfred told the Baseball Writers' Association of America on Tuesday. "The biggest flaw in that logic is that baseball somehow wants more home runs. If you sat in an owner's meeting and listened to people talk about the way our game is being played, that is not the sentiment among the owners for whom I work. There is no desire... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — His free agency delayed a year because the Chicago Cubs kept him in the minor leagues for one extra day, Kris Bryant is the shining example of why players are agitating for change in their labor contract.Baseball has had labor peace following eight work stoppages from 1972-95, but the relationship between Major League Baseball and the union is strained as the current deal approaches its expiration in December 2021."I think people are prepared. I think we've very well educated," Bryant said Monday as NL All-Stars gathered in a room. "The problems are out on the board and I think the sides are kind of working towards not getting to that point. But I think everyone here in this room knows what's going on. There has to be change, and I think there will be."Bryant debuted on April 17, 2015, leaving him one day shy of the service time needed to become a free agent after the 2020 season, The players' association filed a grievance in 2015, but the case has not been argued.Houston... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:___CALENDAR CLUBNationals ace Max Scherzer, the NL pitcher of the month for June, and Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole, who took the American League prize, make their final starts before heading to the All-Star Game. Scherzer (8-5, 2.43 ERA) was 6-0 with a 1.00 ERA in six June outings and is scheduled to come off the paternity list to face Kansas City. Cole (8-5, 3.28) takes the ball against Mike Trout and the Angels having won four straight decisions.THE CHICAGO WAYFollowing a rare Friday off for both teams, Windy City rivals meet on the South Side in the opener of a two-game interleague series. All-Star pitcher Lucas Giolito (11-2, 2.72 ERA) starts for the Chicago White Sox against Jon Lester and (7-6, 3.89) and the Cubs, who are 9-15 in their last 24 games.THE REPLACEMENTSShane Bieber (7-3, 3.54 ERA) pitches for Cleveland at Cincinnati, one day after being added to the American League roster for Tuesday night's All-Star Game. The right-hander... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:___CALENDAR CLUBNationals ace Max Scherzer, the NL pitcher of the month for June, and Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole, who took the American League prize, make their final starts before heading to the All-Star Game. Scherzer (8-5, 2.43 ERA) was 6-0 with a 1.00 ERA in six June outings and is scheduled to come off the paternity list to face Kansas City. Cole (8-5, 3.28) takes the ball against Mike Trout and the Angels having won four straight decisions.THE CHICAGO WAYFollowing a rare Friday off for both teams, Windy City rivals meet on the South Side in the opener of a two-game interleague series. All-Star pitcher Lucas Giolito (11-2, 2.72 ERA) starts for the Chicago White Sox against Jon Lester and (7-6, 3.89) and the Cubs, who are 9-15 in their last 24 games.THE REPLACEMENTSShane Bieber (7-3, 3.54 ERA) pitches for Cleveland at Cincinnati, one day after being added to the American League roster for Tuesday night's All-Star Game. The right-hander... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:___CALENDAR CLUBNationals ace Max Scherzer, the NL pitcher of the month for June, and Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole, who took the American League prize, make their final starts before heading to the All-Star Game. Scherzer (8-5, 2.43 ERA) was 6-0 with a 1.00 ERA in six June outings and is scheduled to come off the paternity list to face Kansas City. Cole (8-5, 3.28) takes the ball against Mike Trout and the Angels having won four straight decisions.THE CHICAGO WAYFollowing a rare Friday off for both teams, Windy City rivals meet on the South Side in the opener of a two-game interleague series. All-Star pitcher Lucas Giolito (11-2, 2.72 ERA) starts for the Chicago White Sox against Jon Lester and (7-6, 3.89) and the Cubs, who are 9-15 in their last 24 games.THE REPLACEMENTSShane Bieber (7-3, 3.54 ERA) pitches for Cleveland at Cincinnati, one day after being added to the American League roster for Tuesday night's All-Star Game. The right-hander... [More]

LONDON (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a nine-run seventh inning, and the New York Yankees overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 12-8 Sunday for a two-game sweep of the groundbreaking, high-scoring trip across the pond.DJ LeMahieu doubled off Marcus Walden (6-1) leading off the seventh and hit a two-run double against Josh Taylor later in the inning as the Yankees opened an 11-4 lead, sending 14 batters to the plate in their highest-scoring inning in four years.Didi Gregorius went deep against Ryan Brasier in the eighth, extending New York's record streak of games with home runs to 31. Combined with the Yankees' 17-13 win Saturday, the teams scored 50 runs on the weekend, four more than their previous scoring mark in consecutive games against each other.Adam Ottavino (3-2), the second of six New York relievers, got the win.Before a sellout crowd of 59,059 at Olympic Stadium, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vázquez became the first... [More]

LONDON (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a nine-run seventh inning, and the New York Yankees overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 12-8 Sunday for a two-game sweep of the groundbreaking, high-scoring trip across the pond.DJ LeMahieu doubled off Marcus Walden (6-1) leading off the seventh and hit a two-run double against Josh Taylor later in the inning as the Yankees opened an 11-4 lead, sending 14 batters to the plate in their highest-scoring inning in four years.Didi Gregorius went deep against Ryan Brasier in the eighth, extending New York's record streak of games with home runs to 31. Combined with the Yankees' 17-13 win Saturday, the teams scored 50 runs on the weekend, four more than their previous scoring mark in consecutive games against each other.Adam Ottavino (3-2), the second of six New York relievers, got the win.Before a sellout crowd of 59,059 at Olympic Stadium, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vázquez became the first... [More]

LONDON (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a nine-run seventh inning, and the New York Yankees overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 12-8 Sunday for a two-game sweep of the groundbreaking, high-scoring trip across the pond.DJ LeMahieu doubled off Marcus Walden (6-1) leading off the seventh and hit a two-run double against Josh Taylor later in the inning as the Yankees opened an 11-4 lead, sending 14 batters to the plate in their highest-scoring inning in four years.Didi Gregorius went deep against Ryan Brasier in the eighth, extending New York's record streak of games with home runs to 31. Combined with the Yankees' 17-13 win Saturday, the teams scored 50 runs on the weekend, four more than their previous scoring mark in consecutive games against each other.Adam Ottavino (3-2), the second of six New York relievers, got the win.Before a sellout crowd of 59,059 at Olympic Stadium, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vázquez became the first... [More]

LONDON (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a nine-run seventh inning, and the New York Yankees overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 12-8 Sunday for a two-game sweep of the groundbreaking, high-scoring trip across the pond.DJ LeMahieu doubled off Marcus Walden (6-1) leading off the seventh and hit a two-run double against Josh Taylor later in the inning as the Yankees opened an 11-4 lead, sending 14 batters to the plate in their highest-scoring inning in four years.Didi Gregorius went deep against Ryan Brasier in the eighth, extending New York's record streak of games with home runs to 31. Combined with the Yankees' 17-13 win Saturday, the teams scored 50 runs on the weekend, four more than their previous scoring mark in consecutive games against each other.Adam Ottavino (3-2), the second of six New York relievers, got the win.Before a sellout crowd of 59,059 at Olympic Stadium, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vázquez became the first... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Last time the Houston Astros went to Cleveland, they made a boozy, bubbly mess in the visiting locker room.Now they're invading the home clubhouse, too.Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and four of their Astros teammates will lead the American League squad at the All-Star Game in Cleveland on July 9. Major League Baseball unveiled full rosters for the midsummer showcase Sunday, and Houston topped all big league clubs with six players. No other AL team has more than three."Impressive," Verlander said. "I mean, I think we could have a lot more."Alex Bregman, George Springer and Michael Brantley will be in the starting lineup, and Verlander, Cole and Ryan Pressly are on the pitching staff. It will be the first trip to Cleveland for those Astros since Game 3 of last year's AL Division Series, when Houston won 11-3 to complete a sweep.The Dodgers, Brewers and Rockies lead the NL with four players each. The Los Angeles contingent includes Cody Bellinger, Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Last time the Houston Astros went to Cleveland, they made a boozy, bubbly mess in the visiting locker room.Now they're invading the home clubhouse, too.Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and four of their Astros teammates will lead the American League squad at the All-Star Game in Cleveland on July 9. Major League Baseball unveiled full rosters for the midsummer showcase Sunday, and Houston topped all big league clubs with six players. No other AL club has more than three.Alex Bregman, George Springer and Michael Brantley will be in the starting lineup, and Verlander, Cole and Ryan Pressly are on the pitching staff. It will be the first trip to Cleveland for those Astros since Game 3 of last year's AL Division Series, when Houston won 11-3 to complete a sweep.The Dodgers, Brewers and Rockies lead the NL with four players each. The Los Angeles contingent includes Cody Bellinger, Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Walker Buehler — plenty of familiar faces for manager Dave Roberts.Milwaukee... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and four of their Houston Astros teammates will lead the American League squad at the All-Star Game in Cleveland on July 9.Major League Baseball unveiled full rosters for the midsummer showcase Sunday, and the Astros top all big league clubs with six players. No other AL club has more than three.Alex Bregman, George Springer and Michael Brantley will be in the starting lineup for the AL, and Verlander, Cole and Ryan Pressly are on the pitching staff. It will be the first trip to Cleveland for those Astros since Game 3 of last year's AL Division Series, when Houston won 11-3 to complete a sweep.The Dodgers, Brewers and Rockies lead the NL with four players each. The Los Angeles contingent includes Cody Bellinger, Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Walker Buehler — plenty of familiar faces for manager Dave Roberts.Milwaukee will be represented by Christian Yelich, Mike Moustakas, Yasmani Grandal and Josh Hader. It's the second appearance for Hader,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Looking to spice up the All-Star Game election, Major League Baseball essentially introduced a primary this year.Candidates were narrowed down in fan voting to three finalists per position, including nine outfielders for three starting spots in each league. Fans then had 28 hours beginning Wednesday at noon EDT to go online and choose from those finalists the starters for the July 9 showcase in Cleveland.Results will be announced Thursday night, with pitchers and reserves revealed Sunday.So, with that in mind, let's take a look at who belongs.Each roster has 32 slots, with 12 going to pitchers. Perhaps the most difficult part is that every club must be represented — although Miami is really the only team without a worthy All-Star this season.Alex Cora of the World Series champion Boston Red Sox will manage the American League, which has won six times in a row and is 18-3-1 in the last 22 years.After capturing consecutive pennants, Dave Roberts from the Los Angeles Dodgers... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Looking to spice up the All-Star Game election, Major League Baseball essentially introduced a primary this year.Candidates were narrowed down in fan voting to three finalists per position, including nine outfielders for three starting spots in each league. Fans then had 28 hours beginning Wednesday at noon EDT to go online and choose from those finalists the starters for the July 9 showcase in Cleveland.Results will be announced Thursday night, with pitchers and reserves revealed Sunday.So, with that in mind, let's take a look at who belongs.Each roster has 32 slots, with 12 going to pitchers. Perhaps the most difficult part is every club must be represented — although Miami is really the only team without a worthy All-Star this season.Alex Cora of the World Series champion Boston Red Sox will manage the American League, which has won six times in a row and is 18-3-1 in the last 22 years.After capturing consecutive pennants, Dave Roberts from the Los Angeles Dodgers pilots... [More]