With teams more than a quarter of the way through their season, sample sizes are becoming larger and more reliable. That makes it more clear which players to buy into and those that are showing signs of turning their seasons around.PLAYERS TO PICK UPErvin Santana, SP, Minnesota (20 percent owned in Yahoo) - Santana is eyeing an early June return to the Twins, which means now is the time that you should pick him up. He doesn't have high upside, but he's an innings-eating pitcher who will provide a stabilizing floor to your pitching staff.Brandon Nimmo, OF, New York Mets (2 percent) - The Mets always have too many outfielders, it seems, and this year it's Nimmo who is being left out of the fun. With Yoenis Cespedes on the disabled list, Nimmo will have his shot to play regularly for the Mets. In limited at-bats, Nimmo has shown the ability to get on base with his high walk rate.Nick Pivetta, SP, Philadelphia (33 percent) -What else does Pivetta have to do to be owned in 80 percent of leagues?... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto felt disappointment first when he learned of Robinson Cano's 80-game suspension for violating baseball's drug agreement.Then he thought about the opportunities."I think you all have figured out that I'm an optimistic person by nature," Dipoto said Tuesday. "And it turned into, 'All right, how do we turn this into as positive as we can and solve the problem?'"Seattle has rarely fielded the starting lineup it envisioned this season and yet it has stuck around a competitive AL West race. But none of its previous absences will be impactful as the loss of Cano, an All-Star second baseman suspended Tuesday after testing positive for Furosemide, a diuretic that can be used to mask performance-enhancing drugs.Dipoto said Cano's loss "really leaves an impression." It also ups the pressure on the GM to make a move to keep the Mariners' playoff aspirations alive. Lucky for him, he has a couple of assets working in his favor — a Gold Glove Award-winning... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz was pulled from a game with a bruised right foot after being hit by a pitch in the fourth inning Tuesday night.Cruz was struck by a changeup from Texas' Brandon Mann and limped to the dugout with the help of two staff members. Seattle says X-rays were negative and that Cruz will be re-evaluated Wednesday.It was the second time Cruz was hit by a pitch in the game. Starter Mike Minor plunked him in the third inning.Cruz was making his 358th start at designated hitter for Seattle, which broke a tie with Ken Phelps for most in franchise history.His seven home runs this season are third-most on the team behind Mitch Haniger (10) and Ryon Healy (eight).Seattle lost star Robinson Cano to an 80-game suspension for a violation of baseball's drug agreement earlier in the day.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano has joined a lengthy list of players who have been suspended for violating baseball's drug agreement.Cano was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for Furosemide, a diuretic. The 35-year-old was the 87th player suspended since 2005, when testing with penalties for first violations began. He said the substance was given to him by a licensed doctor in the Dominican Republic to treat a medical problem.What stands out about Cano's place on the list is his place among baseball's biggest names. After nine seasons and five All-Star appearances with the New York Yankees, Cano signed a $240 million, 10-year contract with the Mariners following the 2013 season.The contract was the fourth-largest in major league history at the time, signaling Cano's place as one of the game's elite. Since then, the second baseman has earned three more All-Star appearances and hit a career-high 39 home runs in 2016.Now, Cano has to sit and wait while his immediate... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols had a two-run double for his 2,999th career hit, and Luis Valbuena and Andrelton Simmons drove in three runs apiece in the Los Angeles Angels' 12-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.Pujols did not get a hit in his final three plate appearances after moving to the brink of the 3,000-hit club in the second inning. He gets another chance Friday in Seattle.Angels rookie right-hander Jaime Barria (2-1) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his third career start, finishing with six innings of four-hit ball.Manny Machado drove in two runs for the last-place Orioles, who have lost 15 of 18. Chris Tillman (1-5) recorded just three outs and was charged with seven runs.MARINERS 4, ATHLETICS 1SEATTLE (AP) — Dee Gordon had a big night on the bases, Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer and the Mariners won their first game since Ichiro Suzuki was moved from the roster to the front office.Hours after the Mariners announced Suzuki's new role for the... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Slumping Bryce Harper was moved to the leadoff spot for the first time since 2013 and responded with a three-run homer that helped Max Scherzer win his fifth straight start as the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-4 Wednesday night.Harper entered in a 5-for-35 slump and had not gotten an extra-base hit since April 16. He grounded out in the first inning against Chad Kuhl (3-2), followed Wilmer Difo's go-ahead homer in the third with a flyout, then gave the Nationals a 5-0 lead in the fifth with his ninth homer this season.Scherzer (6-1) allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walked one.YANKEES 4, ASTROS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Ken Giles (0-1), who punched himself on the face and chin when he walked to the dugout after he was knocked out later in the inning, then threw a bat in the dugout and kicked it. New York won for the ninth time in 10 games.Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.ASTROS 11, ATHLETICS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Lance McCullers threw seven sharp innings, Jose Altuve had four hits and Houston beat Oakland.Altuve hit a towering home run that left the ballpark and doubled.... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.ASTROS 11, ATHLETICS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Lance McCullers threw seven sharp innings, Jose Altuve had four hits and Houston beat Oakland.Altuve hit a towering home run that left the ballpark and doubled.... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.DIAMONDBACKS 4, NATIONALS 3, 10 INNINGSWASHINGTON (AP) — David Peralta homered twice for Arizona, and Nick Ahmed scored the winning run on a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning.The NL West-leading... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.DIAMONDBACKS 4, NATIONALS 3, 10 INNINGSWASHINGTON (AP) — David Peralta homered twice for Arizona, and Nick Ahmed scored the winning run on a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning.The NL West-leading... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched seven sharp innings, AL MVP Jose Altuve hit his first home run of the season and the Houston Astros beat the Angels 5-2 on Wednesday, ending Los Angeles' road winning streak at a team record-tying 11.Albert Pujols connected off Verlander for his 619th career homer. Pujols has 2,994 hits.Alex Bregman hit a three-run double and Jake Marisnick homered as Houston avoided a three-game sweep. The Angels also won 11 straight road games in 1988.Verlander (4-0) held the Angels hitless into the fifth inning. He gave up two runs and four hits, striking out nine without a walk. Verlander won his 11th regular-season decision in a row.Ken Giles pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save. Nick Tropeano (1-2) retired the first 11 batters he faced, striking out six.INDIANS 4, CUBS 1CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians reliever Andrew Miller exited with tightness in his hamstring in the win over Chicago and could miss a few days.Miller grabbed the back of his leg after throwing... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched seven sharp innings, AL MVP Jose Altuve hit his first home run of the season and the Houston Astros beat the Angels 5-2 on Wednesday, ending Los Angeles' road winning streak at a team record-tying 11.Albert Pujols connected off Verlander for his 619th career homer. Pujols has 2,994 hits.Alex Bregman hit a three-run double and Jake Marisnick homered as Houston avoided a three-game sweep. The Angels also won 11 straight road games in 1988.Verlander (4-0) held the Angels hitless into the fifth inning before Zack Cozart singled with two outs. Verlander gave up two runs and four hits, striking out nine without a walk. Verlander won his 11th regular-season decision in a row, dating to mid-August last year, before the Detroit traded him to Houston. Ken Giles pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save.Nick Tropeano (1-2) retired the first 11 batters he faced, striking out six.NATIONALS 15, GIANTS 2SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Trea Turner got five hits, Matt Adams... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A's lefty Sean Manaea pitched the first no-hitter against Boston in 25 years, with an overturned call preserving the gem Saturday night in Oakland's 3-0 win over the sizzling Red Sox.Manaea struck out 10, walked two and threw 108 pitches to finish off Oakland's first no-no since Dallas Braden tossed a perfect game against Tampa Bay in 2010.Manaea got Hanley Ramirez to ground out to complete the first no-hitter versus the Red Sox since Seattle's Chris Bosio did it in 1993.Boston looked as if it had a hit with two outs in the sixth at the Oakland Coliseum. Andrew Benintendi hit a grounder to the right side, slid around first baseman Matt Olson and was ruled safe.After the umpires conferred, Benintendi was ruled out for going wide of the baseline.Sandy Leon reached in the Red Sox fifth when A's shortstop Marcus Semien dropped a popup. The play was scored as an error.Manaea (3-2) had been battered by Boston in three previous starts. But the 26-year-old cooled off a hard-hitting... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Didi Gregorius homered twice for the second time this season, Gary Sanchez had three hits and three RBIs, and the New York Yankees romped to a 12-1 victory over Derek Jeter's Miami Marlins on Monday night.The only Yankees bopper who didn't join the hit parade was Giancarlo Stanton, who went hitless and got booed again by the hometown fans in his first game against his former team.Aaron Judge became the fastest major leaguer to hit 60 career homers, and Gregorius finished with three RBIs. New York scored in each of the first five innings and built an 11-0 lead for Luis Severino (3-1), who allowed one hit in six scoreless innings and struck out eight.Judge hit his fourth home run this season and reached 60 in 197 games, five fewer than Mark McGwire.Jeter did not attend the game, the first between the teams since the former Yankees captain became Marlins CEO last October.Stanton went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts, a bases-loaded foulout, a walk and was hit by a pitch. The four-time... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Slugger Nelson Cruz has been activated from the 10-day disabled list by the Seattle Mariners after being out since the opening weekend of the season due to an ankle injury.Seattle put its power hitting designated hitter back in the lineup on Saturday. Cruz was hopeful of being activated for the series opener against Oakland on Friday but the Mariners held off one more day before bringing him back.Relief pitcher Casey Lawrence was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to clear the roster spot.Cruz has been sidelined since being hurt slipping on the dugout steps and spraining his right ankle during the Mariners' opening homestand. Cruz hit two home runs in his first six at-bats of the season before the injury forced him to miss the past nine games.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Mariners placed first baseman Ryon Healy on the disabled list with an ankle injury and recalled right-hander Chasen Bradford from Triple-A Tacoma before Monday night's game in Kansas City.Seattle starters Nelson Cruz, Mike Zunino and Ben Gamel already had gone on the 10-day disabled list. Daniel Vogelbach was in the lineup at first base for the series opener against the Royals.Healy broke out of a 1-for-21 slump with a three-run double in the eighth inning against the Twins on Saturday. He hurt his right ankle during a postgame workout and showed up at the ballpark with a walking boot and using crutches the next day.Bradford was claimed off waivers from the Mets, where he was 2-0 with a 3.74 ERA last season.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Seattle Mariners first baseman Ryon Healy injured his right ankle during a postgame workout Saturday and likely will miss at least a few games this week.Healy was injured following an 11-4 win over Minnesota and showed up on crutches and in a walking boot Sunday, when the series finale was postponed due to poor weather. Manager Scott Servais tells MLB.com that Healy will have an MRI and likely miss the upcoming three-game series against Kansas City.Healy opened the season with a 1-for-21 slump before hitting a three-run double in the eighth inning Saturday.Seattle could have Daniel Vogelbach, Andrew Romine or Taylor Motter handle first base in Healy's absence.Starting position players Nelson Cruz, Mike Zunino and Ben Gamel are already on the 10-day disabled list.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Seattle Mariners have placed designated hitter Nelson Cruz on the 10-day disabled list after he suffered a sprained right ankle in the season-opening series against Cleveland.Seattle made the move Tuesday before beginning a two-game series in San Francisco where Cruz was unlikely to play. The move was retroactive to April 1. The Mariners recalled utility player Taylor Motter to take Cruz's spot on the roster. Daniel Vogelbach is likely to get the majority of at-bats at designated hitter while Cruz is out.Cruz started the season with two homers in his first six at-bats, but slipped on the dugout steps following a two-run homer in the sixth inning of Saturday's game against Cleveland. X-rays were negative.Cruz is the fourth Seattle starter on the disabled list, joining catcher Mike Zunino, outfielder Ben Gamel and pitcher Erasmo Ramirez.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

A look at what's happening all around the majors Sunday:___NO FOOLIN'If Sunday's schedule looks a little odd, well, it is. Six teams are idle — Milwaukee-San Diego, Colorado-Arizona and Philadelphia-Atlanta played their series finales on Saturday.The Braves opted to have Easter Sunday off, rather than Friday. The Braves said it will be the franchise's first scheduled Sunday off-day in a season since May 21, 1933, when the Boston Braves were in Pittsburgh but didn't play because of Pennsylvania's religious-based "blue laws" that dated to 1794.The Padres said they requested Easter Sunday off because it traditionally has been a tough ticket. Manager Andy Green said he planned to spend it with his family."I can't think of a time I had Easter off," he said.SHO TIMEShohei Ohtani makes his much-anticipated debut as a big league pitcher when the Los Angeles Angels visit Oakland. The two-way star from Japan went 1 for 5 at the plate as a designated hitter during his first game in the majors. The... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton homered twice, doubled and had four RBIs in his New York Yankees debut, a 6-1 win Thursday over the Toronto Blue Jays that gave Aaron Boone in a win in his first game as a professional manager.Luis Severino (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the Yankees, who won their opener for the first time since 2011.Acquired from Miami after leading the majors with 59 homers, Stanton hit a two-run homer in the first off J.A. Happ (0-1), an RBI double in the fifth and hit a solo homer in the ninth off Tyler Clippard.WHITE SOX 14, ROYALS 7KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Matt Davidson became the fourth player in major league history to homer three times on opening day, Tim Anderson homered twice and Jose Abreu went deep for the White Sox.James Shields (1-0) surrendered four runs in the first inning but wound up lasting six innings, holding his former team without a hit after that shaky first.Davidson became the fourth player with a three-homer performance on opening day,... [More]