A look at what's happening around the majors today:___CY VS. CYThe marquee pitching matchup of the young season takes place in Los Angeles, where Nationals ace Max Scherzer faces Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. It will be the 13th time in history, 10th in the regular season and first since 2006, with two three-time Cy Young Award winners on the mound. Seven of the past eight involved Roger Clemens, whose Houston Astros beat Greg Maddux and the Chicago Cubs on July 19, 2006, in the most recent such game. Scherzer won the AL Cy Young Award in 2013 with Detroit and picked up his next two in 2016 and 2017 with Washington. Kershaw won the NL prize in 2011, 2013 and 2014. This season, Kershaw is 1-2 with a 1.73 ERA in four starts. Scherzer is 3-1 with a 1.33 ERA, also in four starts.HE KNOWS THE DRILLThe Reds play their first game with Jim Riggleman as interim manager, a situation Riggleman is familiar with. This is the fourth time in his career he's been promoted during a season. Cincinnati... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:___CY VS. CYThe marquee pitching matchup of the young season takes place in Los Angeles, where Nationals ace Max Scherzer faces Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. It will be the 13th time in history, 10th in the regular season and first since 2006, with two three-time Cy Young Award winners on the mound. Seven of the past eight involved Roger Clemens, whose Houston Astros beat Greg Maddux and the Chicago Cubs on July 19, 2006, in the most recent such game. Scherzer won the AL Cy Young Award in 2013 with Detroit and picked up his next two in 2016 and 2017 with Washington. Kershaw won the NL prize in 2011, 2013 and 2014. This season, Kershaw is 1-2 with a 1.73 ERA in four starts. Scherzer is 3-1 with a 1.33 ERA, also in four starts.HE KNOWS THE DRILLThe Reds play their first game with Jim Riggleman as interim manager, a situation Riggleman is familiar with. This is the fourth time in his career he's been promoted during a season. Cincinnati... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer stole the first base of his professional career and allowed only two singles in his fifth big league shutout, and the Washington Nationals ended a five-game losing skid while getting back to .500 with a 2-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Scherzer (2-1), the winner of the past two NL Cy Young Awards, did not let the Braves push a runner beyond first base. Kurt Suzuki got a hit in the second, and Nick Markakis did in the fifth, but neither advanced.Scherzer managed to get farther than that: He swiped second after singling off reliever Peter Moylan in the seventh.Howie Kendrick delivered all the offense Washington needed with a two-run double.Scherzer struck out 10 and walked none in his ninth complete game in 299 major league starts. And he needed only 102 pitches, a far more efficient outing than his previous time on the mound: He threw 110 over five innings in a 7-1 loss at Atlanta on April 4.Julio Teheran (0-1) went six innings for the Braves,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer stole the first base of his professional career and allowed only two singles in his fifth big league shutout, and the Washington Nationals ended a five-game losing skid while getting back to .500 with a 2-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Scherzer (2-1), the winner of the past two NL Cy Young Awards, did not let the Braves push a runner beyond first base. Kurt Suzuki got a hit in the second, and Nick Markakis did in the fifth, but neither advanced.Scherzer managed to get farther than that: He swiped second after singling off reliever Peter Moylan in the seventh.Howie Kendrick delivered all the offense Washington needed with a two-run double.Scherzer struck out 10 and walked none in his ninth complete game in 299 major league starts. And he needed only 102 pitches, a far more efficient outing than his previous time on the mound: He threw 110 over five innings in a 7-1 loss at Atlanta on April 4.Julio Teheran (0-1) went six innings for the Braves,... [More]

A look at what's happening all around baseball today:___AT LASTWeather-permitting, the Chicago Cubs finally get to play their home opener when they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. The Cubs closed out a 5-4 trip with a 3-0 win at Milwaukee on Sunday. It was the franchise's longest road trip to open the season since a 12-game jaunt in 1899. There is a chance for snow for the team's return to Chicago, and first baseman Anthony Rizzo also is questionable. The slugger has been sidelined by back tightness.HEALTH CONCERNSThe Boston Red Sox should know more about Xander Bogaerts after the shortstop injured his left ankle in the seventh inning of Sunday's 8-7 victory over Tampa Bay. Bogaerts got hurt while sliding down into the Tampa Bay dugout. He is hitting .368 (14 of 38) this season with two homers and nine RBIs. Boston has won eight in a row heading into Tuesday's series opener against the New York Yankees. Brock Holt could fill in if Bogaerts misses any time.CY YOUNGSReigning... [More]

A look at what's happening all around baseball Monday:___AT LASTWeather-permitting, the Chicago Cubs finally get to play their home opener when they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. The Cubs closed out a 5-4 trip with a 3-0 win at Milwaukee on Sunday. It was the franchise's longest road trip to open the season since a 12-game jaunt in 1899. There is a chance for snow for the team's return to Chicago, and first baseman Anthony Rizzo also is questionable. The slugger has been sidelined by back tightness.HEALTH CONCERNSThe Boston Red Sox should know more about Xander Bogaerts after the shortstop injured his left ankle in the seventh inning of Sunday's 8-7 victory over Tampa Bay. Bogaerts got hurt while sliding down into the Tampa Bay dugout. He is hitting .368 (14 of 38) this season with two homers and nine RBIs. Boston has won eight in a row heading into Tuesday's series opener against the New York Yankees. Brock Holt could fill in if Bogaerts misses any time.CY YOUNGSReigning... [More]

A look at what's happening all around baseball today:___WELCOME TO THE SHOShohei Ohtani isn't scheduled to be in the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Angels, a day after the two-way sensation from Japan hit a home run for the third straight game. He is set to make his second major league start on Sunday vs. the Athletics — he pitched against them last weekend and earned the win.Ohtani homered at home Friday night against Oakland, launching a shot estimated at 449 feet. The 23-year-old connected his first time up, batting eighth as the designated hitter.BUNDLE UPIn a season already full of frigid weather, the gametime temperature at Target Field was supposed to be around 26 degrees when Minnesota hosted Seattle. And the forecast called for snow on Sunday.The coldest record temperature for the first pitch of a major league game was 23 degrees in 2013 when Atlanta played at Colorado. Those same teams met Friday at Coors Field and, after a one-hour delay because of snow and sleet, it was... [More]

A look at what's happening all around baseball Saturday:___WELCOME TO THE SHOShohei Ohtani could aim to hit a home run in his fourth straight game, if he's in the lineup when the Los Angeles Angels host Oakland. The two-way star from Japan is scheduled to make his second major league start on Sunday vs. the Athletics — he pitched against them last weekend and earned a win.Ohtani homered again Friday night, launching a shot estimated at nearly 450 feet. The 23-year-old connected his first time up, batting eighth as the designated hitter.BUNDLE UPIn a season already full of frigid weather, the gametime temperature at Target Field was supposed to be around 26 degrees when Minnesota hosted Seattle. And the forecast called for snow on Sunday.The coldest record temperature for the first pitch of a major league game was 23 degrees in 2013 when Atlanta played at Colorado. Those same teams met Friday at Coors Field and, after a one-hour delay because of snow and sleet, it was 27 degrees at the start.Ozzie... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — They've dropped three games in a row by a combined score of 28-9 and their aces, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, took the losses in the last two.Their hot-as-can-be leadoff man, Adam Eaton, hurt his left ankle on an awkward slide. Their cleanup hitter, Ryan Zimmerman, is 3 for 22. Another middle-of-the-lineup batter, Daniel Murphy, is sidelined after offseason knee surgery.If ever a team needed a day off just a week into the season, the Washington Nationals sure seemed to fit the bill on Friday."Last three games, not so good. First four games, really good," rookie manager Dave Martinez said. "They get a day off, they get refreshed, and then there's a whole lot more baseball left."After opening 4-0, the two-time defending NL East champions are 4-3. First, the Nationals were beaten in Atlanta by scores of 13-6 and 7-1 (the latter with two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Scherzer on the mound). Then came an 8-2 drubbing against the New York Mets in Washington's home opener... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — In nearly a decade as general manager of the Washington Nationals, Mike Rizzo has proved adept at wheeling and dealing, at drafting and developing, to the tune of four NL East titles in the past six years.When it came time to discuss his own contract — talks that resulted in a two-year extension through 2020, announced hours before Thursday's home opener against the New York Mets — Rizzo joked that he wasn't quite as tough at the table as usual."My negotiating skills are much better when I'm negotiating for a trade or with free agents than I was for myself; you don't usually buy a house when you're negotiating a contract. But like I do a lot of times, I made no bones about where I wanted to be and wanted to do," Rizzo said, wearing a three-piece gray suit to mark the occasion. "I came to a deal that I'm very happy with, very satisfied with."And then, lapsing into GM-speak, appropriately, he referred to the average annual value of his own contract the way he would a player's,... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Gregory Polanco hit a three-run homer in the 13th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 13-10 victory over Detroit on Friday — about an hour after the Tigers spilled onto the field to celebrate what they thought was a game-winning hit of their own.Nicholas Castellanos was initially called safe at home in the bottom of the 10th for the Tigers, but a replay review took the run away and the teams played on. Polanco's drive to right-center on a 3-0 pitch from Alex Wilson (0-1) finally gave the Pirates a comfortable lead — or as comfortable as could be on a wacky day in which both teams scored four runs in the ninth.Detroit put two men on base in the 13th, but Steven Brault (1-0) was able to hold on and finish his third scoreless inning of relief.By the time the 5-hour, 27-minute game was over, there were only three umpires and one manager left. Plate umpire Mike Everitt exited in the eighth with a concussion after being hit in the mask by a pitch. And Ron Gardenhire — in... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Gregory Polanco hit a three-run homer in the 13th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 13-10 victory over Detroit on Friday — about an hour after the Tigers spilled onto the field to celebrate what they thought was a game-winning hit of their own.Nicholas Castellanos was initially called safe at home in the bottom of the 10th for the Tigers, but a replay review took the run away and the teams played on. Polanco's drive to right-center on a 3-0 pitch from Alex Wilson (0-1) finally gave the Pirates a comfortable lead — or as comfortable as could be on a wacky day in which both teams scored four runs in the ninth.Detroit put two men on base in the 13th, but Steven Brault (1-0) was able to hold on and finish his third scoreless inning of relief.By the time the 5-hour, 27-minute game was over, there were only three umpires and one manager left. Plate umpire Mike Everitt exited in the eighth with a concussion after being hit in the mask by a pitch. And Ron Gardenhire — in... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Gregory Polanco hit a three-run homer in the 13th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 13-10 victory over Detroit on Friday — about an hour after the Tigers spilled onto the field to celebrate what they thought was a game-winning hit of their own.Nicholas Castellanos was initially called safe at home in the bottom of the 10th for the Tigers, but a replay review took the run away and the teams played on. Polanco's drive to right-center on a 3-0 pitch from Alex Wilson (0-1) finally gave the Pirates a comfortable lead — or as comfortable as could be on a wacky day in which both teams scored four runs in the ninth.Detroit put two men on base in the 13th, but Steven Brault (1-0) was able to hold on and finish his third scoreless inning of relief.By the time the 5-hour, 27-minute game was over, there were only three umpires and one manager left. Plate umpire Mike Everitt exited in the eighth with a concussion after being hit in the mask by a pitch. And Ron Gardenhire — in... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Closer Raisel Iglesias skirted the tarp-covered infield along with the rest of the Cincinnati Reds pitchers, heading for the outfield and a quick game of catch before the rains returned.That's as good at it would get on this opening day in Cincinnati.The Reds and Nationals dodged raindrops at Great American Ball Park on Thursday instead of facing off to open the season. Their first game was pushed back to Friday because of the weather. While most other major league teams got after it, they wound up watching."Disappointed," Reds leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton said. "It's not opening day."The Reds had to call off an opener because of weather for the first time since 1966. It's already an unusual start to the season in the place where professional baseball began in 1869. The traditional opening day parade was pushed back to Monday because the sponsors are busy with their Easter weekend business.So the celebration of baseball's return will last a weekend instead of only one... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — The 2018 baseball season already has its first rain delay.The Cincinnati Reds pushed back their opener against the Washington Nationals by a day because unrelenting rain is forecast for Thursday. The teams will open on Friday afternoon instead, taking advantage of what was a scheduled dayIt is the first time since 1966 that Cincinnati called off its opener because of the weather.The pitching matchups remain the same: NL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (16-6) faces Homer Bailey (6-9), who is making his first opening day start for the Reds.The forecast calls for steady and sometimes heavy rain Thursday, meaning the game likely would have faced long delays if it could be played at all, Reds President Phil Castellini said."Trust me, we do not cancel games here lightly," Castellini said. "No scenario in the forecast has it opening up at all to get in a game tomorrow without rain."Before the game was rescheduled, it already had become a different sort of opener in Cincinnati,... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds have pushed back their season opener against the Washington Nationals by a day because rain is forecast for all day Thursday.They'll open on Friday afternoon instead, taking advantage of what was a scheduled day off for both teams. It's the first time since 1966 that Cincinnati has rescheduled its season opener because of the weather.The pitching matchups remain the same. Max Scherzer (16-6) faces Homer Bailey (6-9), who is making his first opening day start for the Reds.It was already a different sort of opener in Cincinnati, which by tradition gets to play its first game of the season at home. The annual pregame parade downtown won't be held until Monday because the sponsoring market association is busy with Easter.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ryan Zimmerman fielded his position in a drizzle before the Washington Nationals' last exhibition game. Then he joined teammates for batting practice. Even took some trips around the basepaths, expending enough energy in the chill to redden his face.And then, when it was time for what became reigning NL East champion Washington's 3-1 loss against the Minnesota Twins to begin Tuesday, Zimmerman did what he so often did during spring training this year: He sat out.Taking an unusual approach to February and March, Zimmerman hit on back fields and faced pitchers destined for the minor leagues instead of playing in Grapefruit League games. He finished with two official at-bats. The 33-year-old first baseman insists he's healthy, insists he's ready for the regular season and insists — as does Nationals manager Dave Martinez — that he will play on opening day."I practiced. I did BP every day with the team. It's not like I was sitting in the clubhouse watching TV. I did all the... [More]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Ryan Madson likes listening for championship talk."All the World Series teams I've played on, in spring training they were talking about winning the World Series," said the Washington Nationals reliever, who won World Series titles with Philadelphia in 2008 and Kansas City in 2015.In his first spring training with the Nationals, the 37-year-old right-hander wanted to see if the title talk among player developed organically."We don't go out of our way to talk about it," closer Sean Doolittle said. "Guys will be watching a game during spring training from the dugout or from the bullpen or something — something will happen during the course of the game and you kind of just look at each other and you'll be like, we could be really good."Washington won the NL East in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017 but the franchise has not won a postseason since the Montreal Expos defeated Philadelphia in the 1981 Division Series."Why run away from it?" said new manager Dave Martinez,... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs; expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs; expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]