BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox starter Chris Sale had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on Monday, his 31st birthday, and the team said it was successful.The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles.Sale is expected to miss 14-15 months, which would bring him back in the middle of the 2021 season.Sale missed the start of spring training with an illness that the team described as a flu that morphed into pneumonia. The Red Sox then said he had a flexor strain near the elbow, but the team hoped he would avoid ligament replacement surgery. A seven-time All-Star, Sale is 109-73 in 10 major league seasons and entering the second season of a six-year, $160 million contract. After helping the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, he went 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA in 25 starts last year — his fewest wins and starts, highest ERA, and the first time he failed to finish in the top six in Cy Young voting in any full season as a starter. “Tommy John's been a factor in my life for 20 years now," Sale said earlier this month. “It's on the table, but it's always been on the table. So, that's not something I'm going to worry myself with. I can't go out there with that in the back of my mind. I have to have the confidence that what we're doing is going to work.” ___

As Major League Baseball and the players' union contemplate various ways to create a schedule for whenever the coronavirus pandemic subsides, Cincinnati Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart raised a concern that is surely shared by others around the sport: Could trying to cram in games, and maybe extend the season into late November or December, lead to injuries? "The player safety piece is a big thing," Barnhart, a union representative, said Monday on a conference call with reporters.That involves how many off-days are salvaged in 2020, how many times teams are told to play in any given week and how 2021 could be affected if there is a shorter-than-usual offseason."Moving forward, I don't think you can do things that are going to compromise the integrity of next season, as well. What I mean by that is forcing the issue of getting so many games in that you risk injury, and you risk major injury to players, because you are trying to get in as many games as you can," Barnhart said. "This is all assumptions... [More]

March 291973 - Orange baseballs are used in an exhibition game by Oakland owner Charlie Finley. The A's suffered 11-5 exhibition loss to Cleveland. George Hendrick of the Indians hit three home runs in the game.2000 — The Chicago Cubs open the major league season at the Tokyo Dome in Japan by defeating the New York Mets 5-3 in the first big league game ever played outside of North America.2015 — Belmont broke three NCAA Division I records and tied a fourth during a 20-run sixth inning in a 34-10 victory over UT Martin. The Bruins set the marks for most plate appearances (26), total bases (43) and RBIs (20) in an inning. Belmont homered seven times in the sixth to tie the record for most homers in an inning.2017 — New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia was given a 15-game suspension under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy.

NEW YORK (AP) — Players agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball that would preserve service time in the event this season is canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but left open details of what a reconfigured schedule would look like.As part of the agreement approved by the union Thursday night, players will not challenge the loss of their salaries if no games are played. Management will advance $170 million in salary payments over the first 60 days of the original schedule, and that money does not have to be returned if the season is canceled. Player salaries this year are expected to total roughly $4 billion.Management was given the right to cut the amateur draft in both 2020 and 2021, and to freeze the values of signing bonus money at 2019 levels.Details were divulged to The Associated Press by people familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.Teams approved the 17-page agreement Friday, the person said.Opening day was... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — If the final pitch of the 2020 baseball season comes closer to Christmas than Halloween, that's fine with the players.Major League Baseball owners ratified a 17-page agreement with the union on Friday in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with players willing to extend the season as long as needed to cover as close to a full schedule as possible.Even if it involves neutral sites in warm-weather cities and domes. Even if it involves playing in empty ballparks. Even if it involves lots of day-night doubleheaders.And if it means expanding the playoffs from 10 teams, fine.“Players want to play. That's what we do,” said union head Tony Clark, a former All-Star first baseman. “Being able to get back on the field and being able to play, even if that means their fans are watching at home, but being able to play for their fans is something they've all expressed a desire and an interest to do, and to do so as soon as possible."The deal provides for $170 million in advances from... [More]

March 281970 — Commissioner Bowie Kuhn announced the return of the All-Star selection to the fans.1977 — Lenny Randle of the Texas Rangers, angry about having been benched during spring training, attacked 50-year-old manager Frank Lucchesi and sent him to the hospital with a shattered cheekbone.1999 — Harold Baines singled in the tiebreaking run in the top of the 11th inning as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Cuban all-star team 3-2 in Havana. It was the first time in 40 years a major league team had played in Cuba.1991 — Methodist College beat Maryville 43-0 to set an NCAA record for runs in a game. The previous record of 42 had been set by King College in 1902. Methodist scored 15 runs in the first inning and Brandon Bridgers had seven of his team's 34 hits.March 291973 — Orange baseballs are used in an exhibition game by Oakland owner Charlie Finley. The A's suffered 11-5 exhibition loss to Cleveland. George Hendrick of the Indians hit three home runs in the game.2000 — The Chicago Cubs... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Players agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball that would preserve service time in the event this season is canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but left open details of what a configured schedule would look like.As part of the agreement approved by the union Thursday night, players will not challenge the loss of their salaries if no games are played. Management will advance $170 million in salary payments over the first 60 days of the original schedule, and that money does not have to be returned if the season is canceled. Player salaries this year are expected to total roughly $4 billion.Management was given the right to cut the amateur draft in both 2020 and 2021, and to freeze the values of signing bonus money at 2019 levels.Details were divulged to The Associated Press by people familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.Teams approved the 17-page agreement Friday, the person said.Opening day was to... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Players agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball that would preserve service time in the event this season is canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but left open details of what a configured schedule would look like.As part of the agreement approved by the union Thursday night, players will not challenge the loss of their salaries if no games are played. Management will advance $170 million in salary payments over the first 60 days of the original schedule, and that money does not have to be returned if the season is canceled. Player salaries this year are expected to total roughly $4 billion.Management was given the right to cut the amateur draft in both 2020 and 2021, and to freeze the values of signing bonus money at 2019 levels.Details were divulged to The Associated Press by people familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.Teams approved the 17-page agreement Friday, the person said.Opening day was to... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Players agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball that would preserve service time in the event this season is canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but left open details of what a configured schedule would look like.As part of the agreement approved by the union Thursday night, players will not challenge the loss of their salaries if no games are played. Management will advance $170 million in salary payments over two stages, and that money does not have to be returned if the season is canceled. Player salaries this year are expected to total roughly $4 billion.Management was given the right to cut the amateur draft in both 2020 and 2021, and to freeze the values of signing bonus money at 2019 levels.Details were divulged to The Associated Press by people familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.Teams approved the roughly 17-page agreement Friday, the person said.Opening day was to have been Thursday, but... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Players agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball that would preserve service time in the event this season is canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but left open details of what a configured schedule would look like.As part of the agreement approved by the union Thursday night, players will not challenge the loss of their salaries if no games are played. Management will advance $170 million in salary payments over two stages, and that money does not have to be returned if the season is canceled. Player salaries this year are expected to total roughly $4 billion.Management was given the right to cut the amateur draft in both 2020 and 2021, and to freeze the values of signing bonus money at 2019 levels.Details were divulged to The Associated Press by people familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.Teams approved the roughly 17-page agreement Friday, the person said.Opening day was to have been Thursday, but... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Players agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball that would preserve service time in the event this season is canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but left open details of what a configured schedule would look like.As part of the agreement approved by the union Thursday night, players will not challenge the loss of their salaries if no games are played. Management will advance $170 million in salary payments over two stages, and that money does not have to be returned if the season is canceled. Player salaries this year are expected to total roughly $4 billion.Management was given the right to cut the amateur draft in both 2020 and 2021, and to freeze the values of signing bonus money at 2019 levels.Details were divulged to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.Teams approved the roughly 17-page agreement Friday, the person said.Opening day was to have been Thursday, but... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Players agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball that would preserve service time in the event this season is canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but left open details of what a configured schedule would look like.As part of the agreement approved by the union Thursday night, players will not challenge the loss of their salaries if no games are played. Management will advance $170 million in salary payments over two stages, and that money does not have to be returned if the season is canceled. Player salaries this year are expected to total roughly $4 billion.Management was given the right to cut the amateur draft in both 2020 and 2021, and to freeze the values of signing bonus money at 2019 levels.Details were divulged to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.Teams are set to approve the roughly 17-page agreement Friday, the person said.Opening day was to have been Thursday,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Players agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball that would preserve service time in the event this season is canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but left open details of what a configured schedule would look like.As part of the agreement approved by the union Thursday night, players agreed not to challenge giving up up their salaries if no games are played, except for $170 million payment management will advance in two stages. Player salary this year is expected to be in the $4 billion range.Management was given the right to cut the amateur draft in both 2020 and 2021, and to freeze the values of signing bonus money at 2019 levelsDetails were divulged to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.Teams are set to approve the roughly 17-page agreement Friday, the person said.Opening day was to have been Thursday, but was pushed back to mid-May at the earliest because of the... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Bryce Harper jersey that could have been worn this baseball season by the biggest Philadelphia Phillies fan is now a protective mask in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.Fanatics, the company that manufactures uniforms for Major League Baseball, has suspended production on jerseys and is instead using the polyester mesh fabric to make masks and gowns for hospitals in Pennsylvania and nearby states.New York Yankees and Phillies pinstripes were still in vogue on baseball's scheduled opening day -- only stitched on the protective wear made by the apparel company.Michael Rubin, the founder and executive chairman of Fanatics, was watching TV last week when he was struck by the idea to turn the 360,000-square foot facility in Easton, Pennsylvania, into a factory for the COVID-19 virus fight. While Rubin considered how he could make it happen, St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem reached out to Fanatics late last week about the possibility of the company manufacturing... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Bryce Harper jersey that could have been worn this baseball season by the biggest Philadelphia Phillies fan is now a protective mask in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.Fanatics, the company that manufactures uniforms for Major League Baseball, has suspended production on jerseys and is instead using the polyester mesh fabric to make masks and gowns for hospitals in Pennsylvania and nearby states.New York Yankees and Phillies pinstripes were still in vogue on baseball's scheduled opening day -- only stitched on the protective wear made by the apparel company.Michael Rubin, the founder and executive chairman of Fanatics, was watching TV last week when he was struck by the idea to turn the 360,000-square foot facility in Easton, Pennsylvania, into a factory for the COVID-19 virus fight. While Rubin considered how he could make it happen, St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem reached out to Fanatics late last week about the possibility of the company manufacturing... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rangers left fielder Willie Calhoun says he has been cleared to resume workouts in his recovery from a broken jaw. Calhoun tweeted Thursday that he was ready to start his daily workouts and baseball activities again. The Texas outfielder had surgery March 9, a day after he was hit in the face by a fastball during a spring training game and suffered a broken jaw. A plate was inserted to stabilize the jaw. His tweet came on the same day that was scheduled to be opening day before the coronavirus pandemic indefinitely pushed back the start the MLB season. “Willie being healthy is going to help us a lot,” manager Chris Woodward said earlier this week. “That was going to be a big black eye for us to start the season, and now it won't be because he will be healthy. He can't wait to get started."Calhoun hit .269 with 21 homers in 83 games last season. He became the starting left fielder after the Rangers traded outfielders Delino DeShields and Nomar Mazara over the winter. ___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Mike Trout hit two home runs off Zack Greinke and scored four times to help the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros 9-6 on opening day. Alas, the game was played on a computer, not on the field. But as fans of the popular sports game Strat-O-Matic can attest, make-believe boxscores can be fun too.Fifteen of them were generated Thursday by Strat-O-Matic — one for every real game postponed on opening day because of the coronavirus. The results came via computer simulations, which the New York-based company will continue to run daily while the real thing is on hiatus.“People miss baseball, us included,” said Adam Richman, whose father created Strat-O-Matic as an 11-year-old in 1948. “This is a way to bring a little bit of baseball to everyone in their homes. We know baseball will be back, but until then there’s Strat-O-Matic.”Howie Kendrick hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the ninth inning to help the World Series champion Nationals beat the Mets 4-3. Pinch hitter Brock Holt's three-run... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Right-hander Michael Kopech was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte by the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.The 23-year-old is among the top pitching prospects. He missed last season after he had Tommy John surgery in September 2018, but he hit triple-digits on the radar gun during his first spring training appearance on March 10.Kopech was acquired by Chicago in the December 2016 trade that sent Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox. Kopech made his big league debut in 2018, going 1-1 with a 5.02 ERA in four starts.His salary in the minors is $277,500, down from the minimum $563,500 in the majors.Chicago was scheduled to host the Kansas City Royals on Thursday on opening day, but the start of the season has been pushed back until mid-May at the earliest because of the new coronavirus pandemic.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

March 311961 — The Pacific Coast League's proposal to use a designated hitter for the pitcher was rejected by the Professional Baseball Rules Committee by a vote of 8-1.1968 — Seattle, the American League's second new team, announced its nickname — the Pilots.1995 — Major league baseball players end their strike when Federal judge Sonia Sotomayor of U.S. District Court in Manhattan rules against the owners in the labor dispute.1996 — The Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 in 12 innings in major league baseball's season opener, the first major league game played in March.1998 — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks looked like expansion teams in their first games. The Devil Rays fell behind 11-0 in an 11-6 loss to Detroit at Tropicana Field, and the Diamondbacks dropped a 9-2 decision to the Colorado Rockies at Bank One Ballpark. Milwaukee dropped a 2-1 decision at Atlanta in the Brewers' first game since becoming the only team to switch leagues this century.2003... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — It's been another ideal week of March weather in central Arizona, with highs in the 70s and plenty of sunshine.Perfect for an opening day baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves that isn't happening as planned because of the coronavirus pandemic. That reality was starkly apparent on Thursday, as a nearly deserted Chase Field sat in strange silence.But the pleasant weather was also a reminder of what could happen when and if the games resume. After all, it's a lot like what November or even December baseball would feel like in this part of the world. In the upside-down universe of Major League Baseball — which is on hold until at least mid-May and quite possibly longer as the world fights the coronavirus spread — just about anything is possible if the 2020 season ever begins.“Every year, you hope to host the World Series,” Arizona owner Ken Kendrick said earlier this month when discussing options for a pushed back season, including neutral sites in... [More]