Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (forearm) will pitch in another simulated game on Sunday and could return the following weekend against the Angels, MLB.com reported, citing manager Dave Roberts. The veteran has been sidelined since July 7 with left forearm inflammation. The Dodgers could use Kershaw with Trevor Bauer (administrative leave) having an unknown timeline to return. David Price has been filling in admirably for Kershaw and rookie Josiah Gray has also entered the rotation. Both Price and Gray are worth rostering in mixed leagues for now, but one of them would probably be bumped from the rotation when Kershaw is back.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers waited 32 years to win the World Series again. The road to a repeat championship is never easy, and they head into the second half of the season hoping the worst of the bumps along the way are behind them. A suspended starting pitcher, injuries and offensive struggles have conspired against them. It’s the first time since 2016 the Dodgers haven’t been in first place at the All-Star break. But they're close. At 56-35, they have the second-most wins in the majors behind the rival San Francisco Giants (57-32). LA trails the first-place Giants by two games in the NL West, a division the Dodgers have won eight consecutive years. “Considering what all we’ve been through, I’d say it’s pretty good,” All-Star first baseman Max Muncy said. “We haven’t played anywhere near the caliber that we are capable of playing.” During one stretch, the Dodgers went 5-15. Injuries have knocked out starters Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May and shortstop Corey Seager, among... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ OUT AT THE PLATE Giants catcher Buster Posey has been put on the 10-day injured list with a bruised left thumb, costing him his starting spot in next week’s All-Star Game. Posey has been out since July 4, when he was hurt by a foul tip. The 34-year-old Posey was chosen for his seventh All-Star team. After opting out of playing last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the former NL MVP has been in top form this season, batting .328 with 12 home runs and a .968 OPS for the NL West leaders. NEW STARS The Mets' Taijuan Walker and Brewers' Freddy Peralta have been added to the National League All-Star team and will make their first Midsummer Classic appearances. Walker (7-3, 2.50) started New York's 13-4 win over Pittsburgh on Friday night and was informed after the game by manager Luis Rojas that he'd be replacing teammate Jacob deGrom, who is skipping the All-Star Game in Denver. Peralta is pitching Saturday against the Cincinnati... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday: ___ OUT AT THE PLATE Giants catcher Buster Posey has been put on the 10-day injured list with a bruised left thumb, costing him his starting spot in next week’s All-Star Game. Posey has been out since July 4, when he was hurt by a foul tip. The 34-year-old Posey was chosen for his seventh All-Star team. After opting out of playing last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the former NL MVP has been in top form this season, batting .328 with 12 home runs and a .968 OPS for the NL West leaders. NEW STARS The Mets' Taijuan Walker and Brewers' Freddy Peralta have been added to the National League All-Star team and will make their first Midsummer Classic appearances. Walker (7-3, 2.50) started New York's 13-4 win over Pittsburgh on Friday night and was informed after the game by manager Luis Rojas that he'd be replacing teammate Jacob deGrom, who is skipping the All-Star Game in Denver. Peralta is pitching Saturday against the Cincinnati... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday: ___ OUT AT THE PLATE Giants catcher Buster Posey has been put on the 10-day injured list with a bruised left thumb, costing him his starting spot in next week’s All-Star Game. Posey has been out since July 4, when he was hurt by a foul tip. The 34-year-old Posey was chosen for his seventh All-Star team. After opting out of playing last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the former NL MVP has been in top form this season, batting .328 with 12 home runs and a .968 OPS for the NL West leaders. BUMP BUDDIES Former teammates Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke will square off when the Yankees face the Astros. The pair overlapped in Houston in 2019, when Greinke was acquired at the trade deadline for a club that lost Game 7 of that fall’s World Series. Cole (8-4, 2.91) has a 5.24 ERA for New York since it became clear in early June that Major League Baseball planned to crack down on pitchers’ use of illegal foreign substances. He had a 1.78... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ KERSHAW TO INJURED LIST Three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday by the Los Angeles Dodgers because of left elbow inflammation. Kershaw is 9-7 with a 3.39 ERA in 106 innings this season. The 33-year-old left-hander is tied for the NL lead in starts with 18. In his last start, Kershaw allowed three runs in four innings at Washington on July 3, throwing 54 pitches in a rain-shortened game. He had been scheduled to start against Arizona on Friday. ___ ARRIETA SIDELINED The Cubs placed struggling right-hander Jake Arrieta on the 10-day injured list with right hamstring tightness and recalled righty Cory Abbott from Triple-A Iowa. In a 15-10 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday, Arrieta matched the second-shortest start of his big league career, lasting just 1 2/3 innings for his second straight outing. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner is 0-5 with a 9.67 ERA in eight starts since winning... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday by the Los Angeles Dodgers because of left elbow inflammation. Kershaw is 9-7 with a 3.39 ERA in 106 innings this season. The 33-year-old left-hander is tied for the NL lead in starts with 18. In his previous start, allowed three runs in four innings at Washington on July 3, throwing 54 pitches in a rain-shortened game. He had been scheduled to start against Arizona on Friday. Los Angeles recalled right-hander Mitch White from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday by the Los Angeles Dodgers because of left elbow inflammation. Kershaw is 9-7 with a 3.39 ERA in 106 innings this season. The 33-year-old left-hander is tied for the NL lead in starts with 18. In his previous start, allowed three runs in four innings at Washington on July 3, throwing 54 pitches in a rain-shortened game. He had been scheduled to start against Arizona on Friday. Los Angeles recalled right-hander Mitch White from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Taijuan Walker took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Brandon Nimmo provided a spark in his return from the injured list and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 8-3 Saturday to open a three-game Subway Series. The Mets already led 8-0 when Aaron Judge homered with one out in the sixth to end Walker’s bid for the record-tying eighth no-hitter in the majors this season. Walker (7-3) was lifted after 5 2/3 innings and got a standing ovation from Mets fans among the season-high crowd of 40,047 at Yankee Stadium. Jordan Montgomery (3-3) stranded five Mets baserunners over the first three innings to keep it scoreless, but the visitors broke through in the fifth. Nimmo led off with a single, one of his three hits, and scored the first run. TIGERS 11, WHITE SOX 5 DETROIT (AP) — Eric Haase hit a three-run, inside-the-park homer and later cleared the fence for another three-run drive, and Detroit snapped Chicago's five-game winning streak. The Tigers trailed 2-0 in the fourth... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Taijuan Walker took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Brandon Nimmo provided a spark in his return from the injured list and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 8-3 Saturday to open a three-game Subway Series. The Mets already led 8-0 when Aaron Judge homered with one out in the sixth to end Walker’s bid for the record-tying eighth no-hitter in the majors this season. Walker (7-3) was lifted after 5 2/3 innings and got a standing ovation from Mets fans among the season-high crowd of 40,047 at Yankee Stadium. Jordan Montgomery (3-3) stranded five Mets baserunners over the first three innings to keep it scoreless, but the visitors broke through in the fifth. Nimmo led off with a single, one of his three hits, and scored the first run. TIGERS 11, WHITE SOX 5 DETROIT (AP) — Eric Haase hit a three-run, inside-the-park homer and later cleared the fence for another three-run drive, and Detroit snapped Chicago's five-game winning streak. The Tigers trailed 2-0 in the fourth... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Taijuan Walker took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Brandon Nimmo provided a spark in his return from the injured list and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 8-3 Saturday to open a three-game Subway Series. The Mets already led 8-0 when Aaron Judge homered with one out in the sixth to end Walker’s bid for the record-tying eighth no-hitter in the majors this season. Walker (7-3) was lifted after 5 2/3 innings and got a standing ovation from Mets fans among the season-high crowd of 40,047 at Yankee Stadium. Jordan Montgomery (3-3) stranded five Mets baserunners over the first three innings to keep it scoreless, but the visitors broke through in the fifth. Nimmo led off with a single, one of his three hits, and scored the first run. TIGERS 11, WHITE SOX 5 DETROIT (AP) — Eric Haase hit a three-run, inside-the-park homer and later cleared the fence for another three-run drive, and Detroit snapped Chicago's five-game winning streak. The Tigers trailed 2-0 in the fourth... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Seattle reliever Hector Santiago became the first player to be ejected as part of Major League Baseball’s new foreign substance protocols when he was thrown out of Sunday’s 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Santiago was checked by the umpires as he exited in the fifth inning. His glove was confiscated, and it was later announced that Santiago had been ejected. Crew chief Tom Hallion told a pool reporter that Santiago was ejected for “having a foreign substance that was sticky on the inside palm of his glove.” The 33-year-old left-hander said what the umpires found was a combination of rosin and sweat. Taylor Trammell homered twice for Seattle in the resumption of Saturday’s suspended game. Paul Sewald (5-2) got one out for the win, and Kendall Graveman worked the ninth for his seventh save. The White Sox rebounded in the scheduled series finale, winning 7-5 behind Zack Collins’ four RBIs. Aaron Bummer (1-4) pitched an inning for the win, and Liam Hendriks got two outs... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo has left Chicago's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers with tightness on the left side of his lower back. Rizzo came out in the fourth inning Sunday night. The slugger struck out and grounded out in his first two at-bats against Clayton Kershaw. Rizzo also couldn't make a difficult scoop on a low throw from shortstop Javier Báez, prolonging the second inning. Báez was charged with an error, and Cody Bellinger hit a two-run homer moments later to put the Dodgers up 6-0. Rizzo is batting .248 with 32 RBIs in 70 games this season. He hit his 10th homer of the year Saturday night, making him just the seventh Cubs player with 10 homers in 10 different seasons. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors on Sunday: IT’S NOT EASY Wander Franco got off to a smashing start this week, hitting a home run and double in his major league debut for Tampa Bay. Since then, the 20-year-old rookie infielder has struggled. Franco is hitless in 16 at-bats since his first game, dropping his batting average to .105. He went 0 for 4 with a bases-loaded walk in a 13-3 win over the Angels on Saturday. “Nothing that we’re concerned about,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “Yesterday he just misses a ball. He smoked a ball that the right fielder made a nice play on. If he keeps hitting balls like that, they’re going to find holes.” CHECK HIM The Phillies will see how slugger Bryce Harper is feeling, a day after he was hit by a pitch from Mets ace Jacob deGrom. Harper was plunked with a changeup, ran the bases and exited after the inning ended Saturday. “Got him, like, at the lower part of the calf,” manager Joe Girardi said. “I’m not sure what I’ll have tomorrow.... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Max Scherzer threw his glove and hat to the grass, then stared down Phillies manager Joe Girardi after getting checked for a third time by umpires for sticky stuff as the Washington Nationals beat Philadelphia 3-2 Tuesday night. Scherzer (6-4) looked sharp in his return to the rotation after missing a start due to a groin injury, striking out eight in five innings. Girardi apparently didn’t like what he saw. In the fourth, Scherzer threw high and inside to Alec Bohm, sending him sprawling to the ground before striking him out. Prior to the next batter, Girardi asked the umpires to check Scherzer. Scherzer already had been checked by second-base umpire Alfonso Marquez after the first and third inning. So, when he was approached for a third time, this time at Girardi’s request, Scherzer threw his glove and hat to the ground, unbuckled his belt and appeared ready to take his pants off. Yan Gomes had a pair of RBI singles for the Nationals, who have won three straight and... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: DEBUT DAY Wander Franco, a 20-year-old infielder considered the best prospect in the minor leagues, is set to make his major league debut for the Tampa Bay Rays against the visiting Boston Red Sox. Franco hit .315 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 39 games this season at Triple-A Durham. He was 5 for 17 with a long home run in seven spring training games for Tampa Bay this year. Tampa Bay has lost six straight, dropping a half-game back of the first-place Red Sox in the AL East. FAMILIAR FACES Clayton Kershaw will be facing San Diego for the third time this season when the Los Angeles Dodgers play at the Padres. Kershaw (8-6, 3.36 ERA) is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA against the Padres this season and 22-8 with a 2.04 mark versus San Diego in 42 career starts. Blake Snell (2-3, 5.72) goes for the Padres in a marquee matchup of Cy Young Award winners. Snell has two no-decisions against the Dodgers this season. He was pulled from Game 6 of the World... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: DEBUT DAY Wander Franco, a 20-year-old infielder considered the best prospect in the minor leagues, was set to make his major league debut for the Tampa Bay Rays against the visiting Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. Franco hit .315 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 39 games this season at Triple-A Durham. He was 5 for 17 with a long home run in seven spring training games for Tampa Bay this year. Tampa Bay has lost six straight, dropping behind a half-game back of the first-place Red Sox in the AL East. STICKY STUFF FOCUS Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (8-3, 2.31 ERA) makes his first start since Major League Baseball started mandatory checks by umpires on all pitchers for banned grip-enhancing substances. The right-hander will be pitching on five days' rest when he faces the visiting Kansas City Royals. SLOW BALL Right-hander Kyle Hendricks (9-4, 4.13) has won a career-best seven straight starts for the Chicago Cubs going into an outing Tuesday... [More]

June 19 1927 — Jack Scott of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched two complete games in a doubleheader. Scott beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-1 and lost 3-0 in the second game. Scott was the last pitcher in major league history to complete two games on the same day. 1938 - Cincinnati pitcher Johnny Vander Meer coming off two straight no-hitters, extended his string of hitless innings to 21 2/3 against the Boston Bees. Vander Meer gave up a single to Debs Garms in the fourth inning. The Red won 14-1 behind Vander Meer’s four-hitter. 1941 — En route to 56, Joe DiMaggio hit in his 32nd consecutive game, going 3-for-3, including a home run, against the Chicago White Sox. 1942 — Paul Waner got hit number 3,000 — a single off Rip Sewell — but the Boston Braves lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6. 1952 — Brooklyn Dodger Carl Erskine pitched a 5-0 no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs at Ebbets Field. 1961 — Roger Maris’ ninth-inning homer off Kansas City’s Jim Archer was his 25th of the year, putting him... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom was pulled from a second straight start with an arm injury, this time leaving after three perfect innings with right shoulder soreness, but the New York Mets bullpen stepped up to finish a three-hitter in a 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night. One start after being pulled from a gem against San Diego with flexor tendinitis in his right arm, deGrom went directly down the clubhouse tunnel after finishing the third against the Cubs. DeGrom said initial tests ruled out a serious issue, but he planned to get imaging and more observation Thursday. The right-hander struck out eight of the nine batters he faced and lowered his ERA to 0.54. Sean Reid-Foley (2-0) relieved deGrom and allowed one run over two innings. Anthony Rizzo ended the bid for a combined perfect game or no-hitter by homering with one out in the fourth. Kevin Pillar opened the scoring with an RBI double off Robert Stock (0-1) in the second and homered in the fifth. GIANTS 13, DIAMONDBACKS... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom was pulled from a do-it-all gem with right flexor tendinitis, a troubling diagnosis for the New York Mets that clouded a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night. DeGrom (6-2) faced the minimum over six innings and ripped a two-run single, giving him five RBIs this season — compared to four earned runs allowed. He struck out 10 in the abbreviated outing. DeGrom left after 80 pitches and extending his scoreless streak to 22 innings. He had a no-hit bid until Wil Myers beat the shift with a weak grounder in the fifth. Billy McKinney drove in a run with the first of his two doubles in the fifth, and deGrom followed with his two-run hit. San Diego dropped its third straight. Blake Snell (2-3) allowed three runs in four-plus innings, and the Padres couldn’t do enough damage against New York’s bullpen. CUBS 8, CARDINALS 5 CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Rizzo hit a tying home run in the sixth inning on the 14th pitch of his at-bat against Daniel Ponce de Leon.... [More]