ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Baseball returns to the field next week when pitchers, catchers and cheaters report to spring training.Fans await the annual sunny scenes of favorites stretching on bright green grass in Florida and Arizona.This year the players bring along dark clouds of scandal — the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros have been tainted by their sign-stealing scam and the 2018 champion Boston Red Sox have been accused of similar subversion.Teams hope once workouts start, the stain will fade."I think those stories lines will weave in and out, but that spring training is that juncture for individual fan bases to be optimistic about what the season ahead holds and it shifts back to that," Toronto Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro said. "There's a natural kind of rhythm to spring training that diverts to the positive stories."But first, confessions?Some regard baseball's blemish from sign stealing as vivid as the acne on the backs of steroids-swelled sluggers of the 1990s and early... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American League West entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Houston Astros Manager: Dusty Baker (first season). 2019: 107-55, first place, lost to Nationals in World Series. Training Town: West Palm Beach, Florida. Park: Ballpark of Palm Beaches. First Workout: Feb. 13/17. He's Here: Manager Dusty Baker, RHP Austin Pruitt, C Dustin Garneau.He's Outta Here: Manager AJ Hinch, RHP Gerrit Cole, RHP Will Harris, C Robinson Chirinos, OF Tony Kemp. Going campin': The Astros enter the spring reeling from a sign-stealing scandal that cost manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow their jobs. They brought in Baker to steady the team, and it gives the 70-year-old another chance to chase his first World Series title as a manager. He’ll get a crash course learning his new team this spring after being hired less than three weeks before pitchers and catchers... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American League East entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___New York YankeesManager: Aaron Boone (third season). 2019: 103-59, first place, lost to Houston in AL Championship Series. Training Town: Tampa, Florida. Park: George Steinbrenner Field. First Workout: Feb. 13/18. He's Here: RHP Gerrit Cole, C Erik Kratz, C Chris Iannetta, C Josh Thole, RHP Nick Tropeano, LHP Luis Avil�nHe's Outta Here: LHP CC Sabathia, SS Didi Gregorius, 1B Edwin Encarnacion, C Austin Romine, RHP Dellin Betances, OF Cameron Maybin, OF Jacoby Ellsbury, 1B Greg Bird, RHP Chance Adams, LHP Stephen Tarpley, LHP Nestor Cortes Jr., RHP Cory GearrinGoing campin': After a big league-record 30 players went on the injured list a total of 39 times last season, health remains a concern. Left-hander James Paxton had back surgery Feb. 5 and is expected to be sidelined until May or... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Boone is not adding baseball to his recent success in predicting the outcome of a major sporting event.The New York Yankees manager nailed this month's Super Bowl, picking the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the San Francisco 49ers by the exact score of 31-20."How good was that?" a smiling Boone said Thursday. "I'll pick my spot."Boone is upbeat about the Yankees' chances of winning back-to-back AL East titles and their first World Series championship since 2009.New York won 103 games last season, its highest total since 2009, despite sending a record 30 players to the injured list. The Yankees swept Minnesota in the Division Series and lost to Houston in a six-game Championship Series.New York then signed Astros ace Gerrit Cole to a $324 million, nine-year contract after he became a free agent."We don't feel like anyone should be able to get in our way," Boone said after watching a pre-spring training workout at the Yankees minor league complex. “I don't discount anyone... [More]

All during the offseason, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman worried about James Paxton's back pain and kept suggesting: “Let's just get the surgery out of the way. We're losing time.”Paxton was examined by three doctors, who said the issue could resolve itself.“They all came to the same conclusion: No, no, no,” Cashman recalled.But Paxton did not get better and finally had the operation Wednesday. He is expected to be sidelined until May or June.New York said Dr. Andrew Dossett in Dallas performed a microscopic lumbar discectomy, in which a herniated disk is repaired, and removed a peridiscal cyst. The Yankees estimated Paxton will be able to start throwing in about six weeks and could pitch in a major league game in three-to-four months.Paxton left his final regular-season start, at Texas on Sept. 27, after one inning with what the Yankees said was a tight left glute muscle. That ended Paxton's career-best streak of victories in 10 consecutive starts. Paxton was examined then... [More]

All during the offseason, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman worried about James Paxton's back pain and kept suggesting: “Let's just get the surgery out of the way. We're losing time.”Paxton was examined by three doctors, who said the issue could resolve itself.“They all came to the same conclusion: No, no, no,” Cashman recalled.But Paxton did not get better and finally had the operation Wednesday. He is expected to be sidelined until May or June.New York said Dr. Andrew Dossett in Dallas performed a microscopic lumbar discectomy, in which a herniated disk is repaired, and removed a peridiscal cyst. The Yankees estimated Paxton will be able to start throwing in about six weeks and could pitch in a major league game in three-to-four months.Paxton left his final regular-season start, at Texas on Sept. 27, after one inning with what the Yankees said was a tight left glute muscle. That ended Paxton's career-best streak of victories in 10 consecutive starts. Paxton was examined then... [More]

New York Yankees left-hander James Paxton had back surgery Wednesday and is expected to be sidelined until May or June.New York said Dr. Andrew Dossett in Dallas performed a microscopic lumbar discectomy, in which a herniated disk is repaired, and removed a peridiscal cyst. The Yankees estimated Paxton's timeline to pitch in a major league game is three to four months.Paxton left his final regular-season start, at Texas in Sept. 27, after one inning with what the Yankees said was a tight left glute muscle. That ended Paxton's career-best streak of victories in 10 consecutive starts. He was 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA in three postseason starts, allowing five runs in 13 innings.Paxton had attempted to deal with the nerve pain by having injections of pain blockers.“This was a minor procedure to allow him to pitch pain-free for the remainder of his career,” said his agent, Scott Boras.Paxton's injury weakens a Yankees rotation already missing right-hander Domingo Germán, who must serve the final 63... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees left-hander James Paxton had back surgery Wednesday and is expected to be sidelined until May or June.New York said Dr. Andrew Dossett in Dallas performed a microscopic lumbar discectomy, in which a herniated disk is repaired, and removed a peridiscal cyst. The Yankees estimated Paxton's timeline to pitch in a major league game is three to four months.Paxton left his final regular-season start, at Texas in Sept. 27, after one inning with what the Yankees said was a tight left glute muscle. That ended Paxton's career-best streak of victories in 10 consecutive starts. He was 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA in three postseason starts, allowing five runs in 13 innings.Paxton's injury weakens a Yankees rotation already missing right-hander Domingo Germán, who must serve the final 63 games of an 81-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. He is eligible to return June 5, barring any postponements.After agreeing to a $324 million, nine-year contract.... [More]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner understands why his players feel cheated by the Houston Astros.If Houston had not been using a video camera to steal opposing catcher's signs in 2017, maybe the Yankees would have won the AL Championship Series instead of losing to the Astros in seven games.“When the report came out, I was as upset as anyone,” Steinbrenner said Wednesday at the baseball owners meeting. “Clearly, there were direct implications to my organization, our team, our 2017 team. But at some point I think we all for the sake of the game and the good of the game, need to move on.”Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred issued a report on Jan. 13 that concluded the Astros broke rules against electronic sign stealing in 2017, including during the postseason. Houston won all four home games against the Yankees in the playoffs, when Astros players had the advantage of the sign-stealing system, and lost all three in the Bronx. The scores of the first two games were... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Banking on Mookie Betts to be the missing piece in their World Series pursuit, the Los Angeles Dodgers finally pulled off a blockbluster deal with the cost-cutting Red Sox.Boston agreed to trade the 2018 AL MVP to the Dodgers on Tuesday night, according to two people with knowledge of the deal, packaging Betts with left-hander David Price in a salary dump designed to save the Red Sox tens of millions of dollars and help them dip below baseball's luxury tax threshold.The Dodgers, eager for a World Series title after losing in the 2017 and '18 Fall Classics, are sending outfielder Alex Verdugo back to the Red Sox. The deal also involves the Minnesota Twins, who are getting right-hander Kenta Maeda from the Dodgers and sending pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol to Boston. Los Angeles will also get cash from Boston to offset some of the $123 million owed to Betts and Price, but the exact amount was not yet known.The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Banking on Mookie Betts to be the missing piece in their World Series pursuit, the Los Angeles Dodgers finally pulled off a blockbluster deal with the cost-cutting Red Sox.Boston agreed to trade the 2018 AL MVP to the Dodgers on Tuesday night, according to two people with knowledge of the deal, packaging Betts with left-hander David Price in a salary dump designed to save the Red Sox tens of millions of dollars and help them dip below baseball's luxury tax threshold.The Dodgers, eager for a World Series title after losing in the 2017 and '18 Fall Classics, are sending outfielder Alex Verdugo back to the Red Sox. The deal also involves the Minnesota Twins, who are getting right-hander Kenta Maeda from the Dodgers and sending pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol to Boston. Los Angeles will also get cash from Boston to offset some of the $123 million owed to Betts and Price, but the exact amount was not yet known.The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Red Sox have agreed to trade 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers, packaging the star outfielder with left-hander David Price in a salary dump that is expected to save Boston tens of millions of dollars, according to two people with knowledge of the deal.The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the trade had not been announced.The Dodgers are sending outfielder Alex Verdugo back to the Red Sox. The deal also involves the Minnesota Twins, who are getting right-hander Kenta Maeda from the Dodgers and sending pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol to Boston.Los Angeles will also get cash from Boston to offset some of the $123 million owed to Betts and Price, but the exact amount was not yet known.Unable to sign Betts to a long-term deal, Boston decided to move him now rather than let the four-time All-Star leave as a free agent after the 2020 season. He will earn $27 million this season and has expressed eagerness... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ryan Zimmerman and the World Series champion Washington Nationals finalized a $2 million, one-year contract on Wednesday.The 35-year-old first baseman, who has spent his entire 15-year big league career with the Nationals, can earn $3 million in performance bonuses. He can earn $1.5 million based on games: $250,000 each for 65, 80, 95, 110, 125 and 140. He also can get $1.5 million for plate appearances: $250,000 apiece for 250, 300, 350, 500, 450 and 500.Zimmerman also gets a full no-trade provision. Since he already has the right to block trades as a 10-year veteran who has spent five years with his current club, the provision would matter only if he accepts a trade, then wants to block a deal to a different team.He had become a free agent last fall after the Nationals declined an $18 million option, choosing to pay a $2 million buyout.Injuries limited Zimmerman to 52 games and a .257 average with six homers and 27 RBIs last year, but he was a key contributor in the... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Free agent outfielder Nick Castellanos signed a $64 million, four-year deal Monday with the Reds, Cincinnati's latest big-money move to emerge from years of losing.The deal allows Castellanos to opt out and become a free agent after the 2020 or 2021 seasons. He gets salaries of $16 million in 2020, $14 million in 2021, and $16 million in 2022 and 2023. There's a mutual option for 2024 at $20 million with a buyout of $2 million.It was the fourth significant move by the Reds, among the most active teams in free agency since their sixth consecutive losing season.“This is an off-season where we have prioritized adding to the offensive side of the club,” said Dick Williams, president of baseball operations. “Nick was one of the most attractive options on the market. He has been a consistently elite producer offensively and that complements our existing team well.”The Reds have has committed $164 million to new players, including the two biggest free agent deals in club history.Cincinnati... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Free agent outfielder Nicholas Castellanos agreed to a $64 million, four-year deal in the Cincinnati Reds' latest big-money move to emerge from years of losing, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the club hadn't announced the deal, which would allow Castellanos to opt out and become a free agent after the 2020 or 2021 seasons. If he cuts the deal short after one year, he would receive $16 million.It was the fourth significant move by the Reds, among the most active teams in free agency since their sixth consecutive losing season. The Reds have has committed $174 million to new players, including the two biggest free agent deals in club history.Cincinnati signed second baseman Mike Moustakas to a $64 million, four-year contract and added left-handed starter Wade Miley on a $15 million, two-year deal. Japanese All-Star outfielder Shogo Akiyama got a $21 million, three-year deal.Castellanos'... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Free agent outfielder Nicholas Castellanos agreed to a $64 million, four-year deal in the Cincinnati Reds' latest big-money move to emerge from years of losing, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the club hadn't announced the deal, which would allow Castellanos to opt out and become a free agent after the 2020 season.It was the fourth significant move by the Reds, among the most active teams in free agency since their sixth consecutive losing season. The Reds have has committed $174 million to new players, including the two biggest free agent deals in club history.Cincinnati signed second baseman Mike Moustakas to a $64 million, four-year contract and added left-handed starter Wade Miley on a $15 million, two-year deal. Japanese All-Star outfielder Shogo Akiyama got a $21 million, three-year deal.Castellanos' deal raised the offseason total of contracts negotiated by agent Scott... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have formally reunited with catcher Robinson Chirinos and added third baseman Todd Frazier after completing one-year deals with the free agents.Chirinos and Frazier both got contracts that included club options for 2021. The deals were announced by the team Wednesday. Left-handed pitchers Kyle Bird and Jeffrey Springs were designated for assignment to clear spots on the 40-man roster. The Rangers have seven days to trade, release, or outright the players to the minor leagues. The 35-year-old Chirinos gets a $5.5 million salary this season, and his deal includes a $6.5 million club option for 2021 that includes a $1 million buyout. Frazier will make $3.5 million, and the Rangers have a $5.75 million option on the two-time All-Star for 2021 with a $1.5 million buyout. After Chirinos played 442 games with the Rangers from 2013-18, the team declined a $4.5 million option and he became a free agent. He spent last season on a $5.75 million deal with AL... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have formally reunited with catcher Robinson Chirinos and added third baseman Todd Frazier after completing one-year deals with the free agents.Chirinos and Frazier both got contracts that included club options for 2021. The deals were announced by the team Wednesday. Left-handed pitchers Kyle Bird and Jeffrey Springs were designated for assignment to clear spots on the 40-man roster. The Rangers have seven days to trade, release, or outright the players to the minor leagues. The 35-year-old Chirinos gets a $5.5 million salary this season, with a $6.5 million club option for 2021 that includes a $1 million buyout. Frazier will make $3.5 million, and the two-time All-Star's 2021 club option has a $1.5 million buyout. After Chirinos played 442 games with the Rangers from 2013-18, the team declined a $4.5 million option and he became a free agent. He spent last season on a $5.75 million deal with AL West rival Houston, where he caught AL Cy Young winner... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros suddenly have a couple more holes to fill.Less than a month before the start of spring training, the American League champions are without a manager and general manager after AJ Hinch and Jeff Luhnow were suspended by Major League Baseball and subsequently fired by team owner Jim Crane for the club's sign-stealing scheme.The penalties announced by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Monday came after he found illicit use of electronics to steal signs in Houston’s run to the 2017 World Series championship and again in the 2018 season. The Astros were also fined $5 million, which is the maximum allowed under the Major League Constitution, and must forfeit their next two first- and second-round amateur draft picks.Now that the punishment has been handed out and Hinch and Luhnow, the architects of Houston’s unprecedented success, the franchise must find a way to move forward. First the Astros must hire a manager and general manager who will try and continue the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Outfielder Brett Gardner and the New York Yankees finalized his $12.5 million, one-year contract on Saturday.New York agreed to the deal Dec. 13 during the winter meetings, and the 36-year-old took a physical on Tuesday. His addition, following last month's $324 million, nine-year contract with pitcher Gerrit Cole, raised the Yankees' projected luxury tax payroll to about $248 million — the threshold where the highest luxury tax rate starts.Gardner gets a $2 million signing bonus payable Jan. 30 and an $8 million salary for next season. The Yankees have a $10 million option for 2021 with a $2.5 million buyout.New York opened a roster spot by designating left-hander Stephen Tarpley for assignment.Gardner earned $7.5 million last season plus a $2 million buyout after New York declined his $12.5 million option for 2019 under his previous contract. He hit .251 and set career highs with 28 homers and 74 RBIs, a rare left-handed bat in a Yankees lineup dominated by right-handed hitters.Gardner is the senior member of the Yankees, having spent his entire 12-year big league career in the Bronx. He has a .260 average, 124 homers and 524 RBIs.He is expected to see time in center field during the first half of the season while Aaron Hicks recovers from offseason Tommy John surgery, then shift back to left when Hicks returns.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports