Capsules of American League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Boston Red Sox2017: 93-69, first place, lost to Houston in ALDS.Manager: Alex Cora (first season).He's Here: DH J.D. Martinez.He's Outta Here: Manager John Farrell, RHP Doug Fister, OF Chris Young, RHP Addison Reed, OF Rajai Davis, LHP Henry Owens, LHP Fernando Abad.Projected Lineup: RF Mookie Betts (.264, 24 HRs, 102 RBIs), LF Andrew Benintendi (.271, 20, 90), 1B Hanley Ramirez (.242, 23, 62) or Mitch Moreland (.246, 22, 79), DH J.D. Martinez (.303, 45, 104 with Tigers and Diamondbacks), 3B Rafael Devers (.284, 10, 30 in 58 games), SS Xander Bogaerts (.273, 10, 62), CF Jackie Bradley Jr. (.245, 17, 63), C Christian Vazquez (.290, 5, 32) or Sandy Leon (.225, 7, 39), 2B Eduardo Nunez (.313, 12, 58, 24 SBs with Giants and Red Sox) or Dustin Pedroia (.293, 7, 62, .369 OBP in 105 games, expected to be out until late May following knee surgery).Rotation: LH Chris Sale (17-8, 2.90 ERA, MLB-best 308 Ks, MLB-high 214... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona ace Zack Greinke's start against Cincinnati was cut short Wednesday after one inning because of right groin tightness.Greinke had been scheduled to throw five innings. The 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner retired Ben Revere on a groundout, allowed Jesse Winkler's single, then struck out Joey Votto and Scooter Gennett.Albert Suarez relieved to start the second.Greinke was making his just second big league exhibition appearance this year. The 34-year-old right-hander pitched 1 2/3 innings against Milwaukee on Feb. 25, then made a pair of appearances in "B'' games.RED SOX 2, TWINS 1Chris Sale pitched five shutout innings of two-hit ball and struck out seven, lowering his ERA to 1.00. Mitch Moreland homered in the third off Tyler Duffey, who gave up two runs — one earned — and four hits in three innings. Mookie Betts, batting .130, singled and drove in a run. Miguel Sano doubled.CARDINALS 3, ASTROS 1Adam Wainwright allowed one run and four hits in five innings... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona ace Zack Greinke's start against Cincinnati was cut short Wednesday after one inning because of right groin tightness.Greinke had been scheduled to throw five innings. The 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner retired Ben Revere on a groundout, allowed Jesse Winkler's single, then struck out Joey Votto and Scooter Gennett.Albert Suarez relieved to start the second.Greinke was making his just second big league exhibition appearance this year. The 34-year-old right-hander pitched 1 2/3 innings against Milwaukee on Feb. 25, then made a pair of appearances in "B'' games.RED SOX 2, TWINS 1Chris Sale pitched five shutout innings of two-hit ball and struck out seven, lowering his ERA to 1.00. Mitch Moreland homered in the third off Tyler Duffey, who gave up two runs — one earned — and four hits in three innings. Mookie Betts, batting .130, singled and drove in a run. Miguel Sano doubled.CARDINALS 3, ASTROS 1Adam Wainwright allowed one run and four hits in five innings... [More]

On the day the Kansas City Royals welcomed back Mike Moustakas, they found out Jorge Bonifacio will miss half the season.Bonifacio was suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball on Saturday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.The outfielder was banned after a positive test for Boldenone. The ban will begin on opening day."It really kind of made me sick to my stomach," Royals manager Ned Yost said.The 24-year-old Bonifacio made his major league debut last season, hitting .255 with 17 home runs and 40 RBIs in 113 games.Bonifacio's suspension cleared a roster spot for Moustakas, who re-signed with the Royals this week after becoming a free agent last fall.Moustakas set a Royals record with 38 home runs last season, then rejected a $17.4 million offer from the team. But the third baseman never received the multiyear, mega-million dollar contract he and his agent Scott Boras anticipated.The Royals signed Moustakas to a one-year $6.5 million contract with a mutual option... [More]

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Colby Rasmus is making a new start with the Baltimore Orioles after taking an eight-month break from baseball.Rasmus signed a minor league contract with the Orioles this week, after abruptly leaving the Tampa Bay Rays in midseason. The contract is for $3 million if he makes the Orioles and contains up to $2 million in incentives.The 31-year-old outfielder, who had a lingering hip injury last season, discussed some of the reasons for his departure."I started working out at 8 or 9 years old to play in the big leagues, and I just kind of hit a point to where I was like, 'man, I need to take a little break and enjoy some time with my family'" Rasmus said Thursday. "My 8-year-old girl was in school, just had a boy who was 10 weeks old, so being able to spend time with them and keeping my wife feeling good through her pregnancy was important to me."Rasmus has a .242 lifetime average in nine seasons with St. Louis, Toronto, Houston and Tampa Bay. He hit .281 with nine home... [More]

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Colby Rasmus is making a new start with the Baltimore Orioles after taking an eight-month break from baseball.Rasmus signed a minor league contract with the Orioles this week, after abruptly leaving the Tampa Bay Rays in midseason. The contract is for $3 million if he makes the Orioles and contains up to $2 million in incentives.The 31-year-old outfielder, who had a lingering hip injury last season, discussed some of the reasons for his departure."I started working out at 8 or 9 years old to play in the big leagues, and I just kind of hit a point to where I was like, 'man, I need to take a little break and enjoy some time with my family'" Rasmus said. "My 8-year-old girl was in school, just had a boy who was 10 weeks old, so being able to spend time with them and keeping my wife feeling good through her pregnancy was important to me."Rasmus has a .242 lifetime average in nine seasons with St. Louis, Toronto, Houston and Tampa Bay. He hit .281 with nine home runs and... [More]

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Outfielder Colby Rasmus has decided to return to baseball after walking away last summer, and has signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles.Rasmus was in camp Wednesday to finish up his physical. He got an invitation to big league spring training.The 31-year-old Rasmus was with Tampa Bay in mid-July when the Rays said he was going to "step away from baseball." Neither the team nor Rasmus offered an explanation, though he had been slowed by hip trouble.Rasmus was hitting .281 with nine home runs and 23 RBIs in 37 games for the Rays when he left. He has hit 165 home runs and batted .242 in nine seasons with St. Louis, Toronto, Houston and Tampa Bay. He has hit more than 20 home runs in a season four times in his career.The left-handed hitting Rasmus is expected to compete with Alex Presley, another left-handed hitting outfielder, for a spot on the Orioles.Orioles general manager Dan Duquette said in a text that "Rasmus is a proven veteran player in the AL East, who is a versatile outfielder with good power and speed to make a meaningful contribution."

OF Colby Rasmus was placed on the restricted list this week as the nine-year veteran informed the team he was "taking a step back" from baseball. He has struggled with injuries but no other details for his decision have been reported. Rasmus was hitting .281 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs. He underwent hip surgery earlier this season and was put on the DL a second time with hip tendonitis. His teammates expressed support for his decision and whatever off-the-field issues he's been dealing with. "Obviously you knew he was going through some stuff, not being around the clubhouse," Evan Longoria said. "It's best for him to sort the family stuff out, the personal, whatever it is that he's dealing with is more important than baseball. I'm sure it's a tough decision, but I respect it. And I respect that he wants his privacy and that he wants to make it a non-issue."

OF Colby Rasmus was placed on the restricted list by the Rays on Thursday and isn't expected to return to the club this season because of personal reasons. "The Rays fully support Colby's decision to step away from baseball. We are thankful for his contributions to our team, and we wish him and his family the best as they move forward," the Rays said in a statement. "Respecting the privacy of Colby and his family, the Rays will have no further comment." Rasmus was on the disabled list since June 23 because of a hip injury. He was hitting .281 with nine homers and 23 RBIs in 37 games this season.

The Tampa Bay Rays placed outfielder Colby Rasmus on the restricted list, and he is not expected to play again this season, the Tampa Bay Times reported Thursday.Rasmus has had physical problems recently, and the Times reported Rasmus has decided to "step away" from baseball.Rasmus, 30, had surgery to repair his left hip labrum and his core muscle last offseason. However, the hip still bothered him in spring training and he began the season on the disabled list.He played his first game of the season on May 2, but went back on the disabled list on June 23.Rasmus is hitting .281 with nine homers while playing in 37 games this season. Last season he hit .206 with 15 homers.The Rays issued a statement, which read, "The Rays fully support Colby's decision to step away from baseball. We are thankful for his contributions to our team and we wish him and his family the best as they move forward. Respecting the privacy of Colby and his family, the Rays will have no further comment."

Jose Quintana is headed across town after a trade Thursday sent the left-handed starter from the Chicago White Sox to the Cubs in exchange for four prospects.Quintana is under team control until 2020 at a team-friendly contract that includes $8.85 million in 2018, and team options in 2019 ($10.5 million) and 2020 ($11.5 million).In return for Quintana, a steady frontline starter who should bring consistency to a shaky Cubs' rotation, the White Sox landed outfielder Eloy Jimenez, the No. 5 prospect in baseball according to Baseball America's midseason rankings, right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease, first baseman Matt Rose and infielder Bryant Flete.The deal between Chicago teams is the 15th in the teams' history and first since 2006, when the White Sox sent left-handed reliever Neal Cotts to the North Side.Quintana, 28, is 4-8 with a 4.49 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 18 starts this season, his sixth with the White Sox. Quintana has gone 50-54 with a 3.51 ERA and 890 strikeouts in 172 career games... [More]

OF Colby Rasmus was placed on the restricted list by the Tampa Bay Rays, and he is not expected to play again this season, the Tampa Bay Times reported Thursday. Rasmus has had physical problems recently, and the Times reported Rasmus has decided to "step away" from baseball. Rasmus, 30, had surgery to repair his left hip labrum and his core muscle last offseason. However, the hip still bothered him in spring training and he began the season on the disabled list. Rasmus is hitting .281 with nine homers while playing in 37 games this season. Last season he hit .206 with 15 homers.

OF Colby Rasmus was placed on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to June 19, with left hip tendinitis. Rasmus had been held out for several days, but the hope is the extended rest will keep the injury from impacting the rest of the season. Shane Peterson was called up from Triple-A Durham to replace him.

OF Colby Rasmus singled as a pinch hitter in a 7-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays to extend his hitting streak to six games. He is hitting .444 (8-for-18) during that span.

LF Colby Rasmus went 2-for-4 with his ninth home run of the season. Rasmus has five home runs over his past 15 games (11 starts) and has proven to be a power bat with 14 of his 27 hits going for extra bases.

OF Colby Rasmus entered the game in the sixth inning as an injury replacement for Kevin Kiermaier and hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. "That's what he does, he hits homers and he hits them far," Kiermaier said. "He's always ready and he was able to turn on a 96-97-mile heater."

LF Colby Rasmus entered Saturday's game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning. He grounded out in his first at-bat but stayed in the game and hit his sixth homer of the season in the ninth. Rasmus was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game as Minnesota used two left-handed starters in the first two contests of the series. The homer was only the second of the season for Rasmus away from Tropicana Field. Only two of his 15 RBIs have come on the road.

DH Colby Rasmus was 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs -- his second four RBI game this season. Rasmus has 14 RBIs this month, second on the Rays to Logan Morrison's 18.

OF Colby Rasmus hit a solo home run, giving him five since he came off the disabled list May 2, third on the team in that span. He also had three strikeouts, giving him 20 in his last 36 at-bats.

OF Colby Rasmus went 3-for-5 with a grand slam on Wednesday, continuing a strong week as he settles in after missing the first month of the season with injury. He's 6-for-12 in the series against the Royals with three walks and two home runs.