OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels catcher Francisco Arcia began the day behind the plate, did a brief stint on the mound and ended up in the major league record books.Arcia pitched two innings of relief and hit his sixth home run in the Angels' 21-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.In doing so, Arcia became the first player to catch, pitch and homer in the same game according to the Angels."They just told me that," Arcia said. "I'm pretty happy, I guess."The 29-year-old Arcia was already in the record books after driving in 10 runs in his first two games after being called up from the minors on July 26.Arcia also became the first Angels position player to pitch since 1993, when he threw one scoreless frame against the A's on Aug. 11, but hadn't done much since.That changed Thursday when the Angels fell behind by double digits early. Manager Mike Scioscia felt no need to tax his bullpen, so turned to Arcia.Arcia needed only five pitches to retire the first two batters before... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired catcher Chris Stewart from the Atlanta Braves.Friday's move bolsters Arizona's catching depth and gives the team a fourth player at the position.The deal calls for the Braves to receive cash or a player to be named later.Stewart appeared in just five games for the Braves, all early in the season. He played in 47 games with Triple-A Gwinnett, batting .219 in 156 plate appearances. Atlanta acquired Rene Rivera from the Angels on Wednesday to serve as a backup catcher.Stewart joins catchers John Ryan Murphy, Jeff Mathis and Alex Avila."The more depth you have inside your system is going to give you maneuverability," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today:PRICE CHECKThe major league-leading Red Sox hope for good news on David Price. The left-hander exited Wednesday night's start against Miami with a bruised left wrist after getting hit by a line drive. The team said X-rays were negative and further testing would be done as necessary. Price has been Boston's best pitcher since the All-Star break. "I think it'll be all right," said Price, wearing a wrap and a brace on his wrist in the clubhouse. "Been hit a couple of times this year. I knew it hit me flush and caught bone."PLAYOFF PREVIEW?In a matchup of NL division leaders, Cubs left-hander Mike Montgomery (4-4, 3.62 ERA) is expected to come off the disabled list when Chicago visits Atlanta for a makeup game. Montgomery has been sidelined by shoulder inflammation. All-Star righty Mike Foltynewicz (10-8, 2.67) pitches for the Braves, who expect first baseman Lucas Duda to join the team. Duda was acquired Wednesday in a trade with Kansas City.... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Slugging rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. was hit by a pitch before he could take the Marlins deep again, but Dansby Swanson filled the power void for Atlanta, hitting a two-run homer that led the Braves to a 5-2 win over Miami on Wednesday night.Acuna, who had hit leadoff homers in the last three games and homered in five straight overall, didn't get a chance to extend the streak. Jose Urena plunked him on the left elbow with a fastball on his first pitch of the day, triggering a melee. Benches and bullpens for both teams emptied onto the field twice after the pitch. No punches were thrown. Urena and Braves manager Brian Snitker were ejected.Acuna instead became the 11th batter to be hit by a pitch from Urena this season, tied for the most in the National League. Trainer George Poulis hovered over Acuna, who sat on the ground near the batter's box while players swarmed near the mound. Acuna left the game in the second inning. He took his position in left field and then walked off... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Slugging rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. was hit by a pitch before he could take the Marlins deep again, but Dansby Swanson filled the power void for Atlanta, hitting a two-run homer that led the Braves to a 5-2 win over Miami on Wednesday night.Acuna, who had hit leadoff homers in the last three games and homered in five straight overall, didn't get a chance to extend the streak. Jose Urena plunked him on the left elbow with a fastball on his first pitch of the day, triggering a melee. Benches and bullpens for both teams emptied onto the field twice after the pitch. No punches were thrown. Urena and Braves manager Brian Snitker were ejected.Acuna instead became the 11th batter to be hit by a pitch from Urena this season, tied for the most in the National League. Trainer George Poulis hovered over Acuna, who sat on the ground near the batter's box while players swarmed near the mound. Acuna left the game in the second inning. He took his position in left field and then walked off... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Angels catcher Rene Rivera had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee and likely will be sidelined for 4-to-6 weeks.Dr. Brian Schultz operated on Friday in Los Angeles following an MRI."It's obviously a tough break for Rene right now, a tough break for us," manager Mike Scioscia said.A 10-year major league veteran, Rivera is hitting .259 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 59 plate appearances over 22 games as backup to Martin Maldonado. Rivera was placed on the 10-day disabled list May 20, a move retroactive to May 17.The Angels said right-hander Matt Shoemaker had mild fluid in his pitching forearm, according to an MRI on Thursday in Los Angeles. He also was examined in St. Louis this week by Dr. Susan Mackinnon, who ruled out peripheral nerve involvement.Shoemaker also had a bone scan. He made his only appearance of the season March 31 at Oakland, pitching 5 2/3 innings to beat the Athletics. He was moved to the 60-day disabled list on May 19.Outfielder Michael Hermosillo was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake after Friday's 2-1 loss to the Yankees. That opened a roster spot for right-hander, Jaime Barria who is to be recalled and start Saturday.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Angels catcher Rene Rivera had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee and likely will be sidelined for 4-to-6 weeks.Dr. Brian Schultz operated on Friday in Los Angeles following an MRI."It's obviously a tough break for Rene right now, a tough break for us," manager Mike Scioscia said.A 10-year major league veteran, Rivera is hitting .259 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 59 plate appearances over 22 games as backup to Martin Maldonado. Rivera was placed on the 10-day disabled list May 20, a move retroactive to May 17.The Angels said right-hander Matt Shoemaker had mild fluid in his pitching forearm, according to an MRI on Thursday in Los Angeles. He also was examined in St. Louis this week by Dr. Susan Mackinnon, who ruled out peripheral nerve involvement.Shoemaker also had a bone scan. He made his only appearance of the season March 31 at Oakland, pitching 5 2/3 innings to beat the Athletics. He was moved to the 60-day disabled list on May 19.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MIAMI (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position against Wei-Yin Chen and four relievers and were beaten by a last-place team for the fifth straight game, losing to the Miami Marlins 4-2 Tuesday night.The NL champions managed only five hits after being swept in a four-game series at home by woeful Cincinnati. Alex Wood (0-4) lost despite allowing only one earned run in six innings for the Dodgers (16-25), who are off to their worst start in 60 years. Miami (15-26) could pass them by sweeping the three-game series.Nick Wittgren (2-0) entered in the fifth and worked 1 2/3 perfect innings to lower his ERA to 0.69. Brad Ziegler gave up a home run to Cody Bellinger in the ninth but earned his sixth save.Dodgers infielders Justin Turner and Logan Forsythe were activated from the disabled list but couldn't spark the defending NL champions, who have scored 11 runs during their skid.ASTROS 5, ANGELS 3ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead, three-run double... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out a career-high 14 in seven innings and Evan Gattis, Brian McCann and Carlos Correa homered, leading the Houston Astros to a 6-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.Morton (5-0) yielded four hits and a run while lowering his ERA to 2.03. He also extended his career-long winning streak to eight games dating to last season.McCann made it 2-1 Astros with a solo drive in the fourth. Gattis added another solo shot in the fifth, and Correa's two-run homer extended Houston's lead to 5-1 in the eighth.Texas starter Doug Fister (1-4) allowed four hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings for his fourth straight loss.YANKEES 7, ATHLETICS 6, 11 INNINGSNEW YORK (AP) — Left fielder Brett Gardner threw out Matt Olson at the plate with the help of a replay reversal, and the Yankees beat the Athletics on Neil Walker's run-scoring single in the 11th inning.Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman walked three straight batters around a wild pitch starting the ninth. After... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out a career-high 14 in seven innings and Evan Gattis, Brian McCann and Carlos Correa homered, leading the Houston Astros to a 6-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.Morton (5-0) yielded four hits and a run while lowering his ERA to 2.03. He also extended his career-long winning streak to eight games dating to last season.McCann made it 2-1 Astros with a solo drive in the fourth. Gattis added another solo shot in the fifth, and Correa's two-run homer extended Houston's lead to 5-1 in the eighth.Texas starter Doug Fister (1-4) allowed four hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings for his fourth straight loss.YANKEES 7, ATHLETICS 6, 11 INNINGSNEW YORK (AP) — Left fielder Brett Gardner threw out Matt Olson at the plate with the help of a replay reversal, and the Yankees beat the Athletics on Neil Walker's run-scoring single in the 11th inning.Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman walked three straight batters around a wild pitch starting the ninth. After... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kenta Maeda struck out 10 over five innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers finally found their offense to beat the San Francisco Giants 5-0 on Saturday night for their first win of the season.After striking out 18 times in a pair of 1-0 defeats to open the season, the Dodgers got the loudest cheers in the first inning for a sacrifice fly by Yasiel Puig that scored their first run off Derek Holland (0-1). Matt Kemp followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.Maeda (1-0) allowed five hits and walked one. He faced baserunners in every inning except the fifth.Joe Panik, whose solo homers beat the Dodgers in the first two games, hit into a game-ending double play in the ninth.BREWERS 7, PADRES 3SAN DIEGO (AP) — Christian Yelich tied his career high with five hits, leading the Brewers to a sweep of their season-opening series.Yelich scored three times and drove in two runs as Milwaukee improved to 3-0 for the first time since it won its first five games in 2006. Lorenzo Cain had... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Adam Eaton had solo homer among his career-high five hits and Brian Goodwin hit his first career grand slam on Saturday, powering the Washington Nationals to a 13-7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.The Nationals have won their first two games under new manager Dave Martinez, hired after Dusty Baker was fired last season following another quick exit in the playoffs. The last time they opened a season 3-0 was 2013, when they swept the Marlins.Matt Adams and Trea Turner also homered for Washington.Stephen Strasburg (1-0) gave up three runs — only one earned — in 6 1/3 innings while improving to 5-1 career against Cincinnati. Scott Schebler's homer in the fourth inning provided Cincinnati's first run of the season after 12 scoreless innings.The Nationals piled up six runs in six innings off Luis Castillo (0-1), the Reds' top young starter last season.BLUE JAYS 5, YANKEES 3TORONTO (AP) — Yangervis Solarte hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning of Toronto's first win of... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Adam Eaton had solo homer among his career-high five hits and Brian Goodwin hit his first career grand slam on Saturday, powering the Washington Nationals to a 13-7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.The Nationals have won their first two games under new manager Dave Martinez, hired after Dusty Baker was fired last season following another quick exit in the playoffs. The last time they opened a season 3-0 was 2013, when they swept the Marlins.Matt Adams and Trea Turner also homered for Washington.Stephen Strasburg (1-0) gave up three runs — only one earned — in 6 1/3 innings while improving to 5-1 career against Cincinnati. Scott Schebler's homer in the fourth inning provided Cincinnati's first run of the season after 12 scoreless innings.The Nationals piled up six runs in six innings off Luis Castillo (0-1), the Reds' top young starter last season.BLUE JAYS 5, YANKEES 3TORONTO (AP) — Yangervis Solarte hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning of Toronto's first win of... [More]

Capsules of National League Central teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Chicago Cubs2017: 92-70, first place, lost to Dodgers in NLCS.Manager: Joe Maddon (fourth season).He's Here: RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Steve Cishek, LHP Drew Smyly, C Chris Gimenez.He's Outta Here: RHP Wade Davis, C Alex Avila, C Rene Rivera.Projected Lineup: CF Ian Happ (.253, 24 HRs, 68 RBIs, .842 OPS) or Albert Almora Jr. (.298, 8, 46), 3B Kris Bryant (.295, 29, 73, 38 2Bs, 111 runs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.273, 32, 109, 91 BBs), C Willson Contreras (.276, 21, 74), LF Kyle Schwarber (.211, 30, 59), SS Addison Russell (.239, 12, 43), RF Jason Heyward (.259, 11, 59), 2B Javier Baez (.273, 23, 75, .796 OPS).Rotation: LH Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33 ERA, 180 Ks), RH Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03), RH Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86, 209 Ks with Rangers and Dodgers), LH Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15, 207 Ks with White Sox and Cubs), RH Tyler Chatwood (8-15, 4.69 with Rockies).Key Relievers: RH Brandon... [More]

Capsules of National League Central teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Chicago Cubs2017: 92-70, first place, lost to Dodgers in NLCS.Manager: Joe Maddon (fourth season).He's Here: RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Steve Cishek, LHP Drew Smyly, C Chris Gimenez.He's Outta Here: RHP Wade Davis, C Alex Avila, C Rene Rivera.Projected Lineup: CF Ian Happ (.253, 24 HRs, 68 RBIs, .842 OPS) or Albert Almora Jr. (.298, 8, 46), 3B Kris Bryant (.295, 29, 73, 38 2Bs, 111 runs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.273, 32, 109, 91 BBs), C Willson Contreras (.276, 21, 74), LF Kyle Schwarber (.211, 30, 59), SS Addison Russell (.239, 12, 43), RF Jason Heyward (.259, 11, 59), 2B Javier Baez (.273, 23, 75, .796 OPS).Rotation: LH Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33 ERA, 180 Ks), RH Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03), RH Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86, 209 Ks with Rangers and Dodgers), LH Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15, 207 Ks with White Sox and Cubs), RH Tyler Chatwood (8-15, 4.69 with Rockies).Key Relievers: RH Brandon... [More]

Capsules of American League West teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Houston Astros2017: 101-61, first place, won World Series.Manager: A.J. Hinch (fourth season).He's Here: RHP Gerrit Cole, RHP Joe Smith, RHP Hector Rondon.He's Outta Here: DH Carlos Beltran, RHP Luke Gregerson, RHP Joe Musgrove, RHP Mike Fiers, RHP Michael Feliz, INF Colin Moran.Projected Lineup: CF George Springer (.283, 34 HRs, 85 RBIs), 3B Alex Bregman (.284, 19, 71, 39 2Bs), 2B Jose Altuve (MLB-best .346, 24, 81, 39 2Bs, 32 SBs, AL MVP), SS Carlos Correa (.315, 24, 84), 1B Yuli Gurriel (.299, 18, 75, 43 2Bs), LF Marwin Gonzalez (.303, 23, 90, 34 2Bs), DH Evan Gattis (.263, 12, 55), RF Josh Reddick (.314, 13, 82, 34 2Bs), C Brian McCann (.241, 18, 62).Rotation: LH Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90 ERA, 251 Ks), RH Justin Verlander (15-8, 3.36, 219 Ks with Tigers and Astros), RH Gerrit Cole (12-12, 4.26, 196 Ks with Pirates), RH Lance McCullers Jr. (7-4, 4.25), RH Charlie Morton (14-7, 3.62).Key Relievers: RH Ken... [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 AstrosManager: A.J. Hinch (fourth season).2017: 101-61, first place, won World Series.Training Town: West Palm Beach, Florida.Park: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: RHP Gerrit Cole, RHP Joe Smith, RHP Hector Rondon.He's Outta Here: DH Carlos Beltran, RHP Luke Gregerson, RHP Joe Musgrove, RHP Mike Fiers, RHP Michael Feliz, INF Colin Moran.Going campin': This team is basically set after retaining almost every key player from last season's championship squad. The two strongest areas are the middle infield, where shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve, last year's AL MVP, return to anchor the middle of the order. Correa hit .315 with 24 homers — both career highs — and Altuve had his finest season, hitting a career-best and major... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League Central 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:___Chicago CubsManager: Joe Maddon (fourth season).2017: 92-70, first place, lost to Dodgers in NLCS.Training Town: Mesa, Arizona.Park: Sloan Park.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Steve Cishek, LHP Drew Smyly.He's Outta Here: RHP Wade Davis, C Alex Avila, C Rene Rivera.Going campin': Chicago is coming off three consecutive NLCS appearances, and it looked a little tired when its title defense came to an end with a lopsided playoff loss to Los Angeles last year. The bullpen was hit hard by the Dodgers in the NLCS, and the Cubs batted just .168 in 10 postseason games. The roster returns mostly intact, but the bullpen and coaching staff each has a new look. Morrow replaces Davis at closer after agreeing to a $21 million, two-year contract. Jim... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Free-agent catcher Rene Rivera and the Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a $2.8 million, one-year contract.Rivera has played for six teams over nine seasons in a major league career that began with Seattle. He split last season between the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs, batting .252 with 10 homers and 35 RBIs in 74 games.The 34-year-old Rivera has a strong arm behind the plate, throwing out 36.8 percent of attempted base-stealers.He is likely to compete for the Angels' backup job behind Gold Glove winner Martin Maldonado, who is eligible for arbitration after appearing in 138 games last season.Rivera's base salary is guaranteed, and he can earn $200,000 in performance bonuses for games started at catcher: $50,000 each for 45, 50, 55 and 60.In another move Tuesday night, Angels left-hander Nate Smith was designated for assignment. Smith is a longtime Angels prospect. He won't pitch in 2018 after having shoulder surgery last month.___More AP baseball: www.apnews.com/tags/MLBbaseball

C Rene Rivera hit his 10th home run Saturday. He has hit .340 with 12 RBIs in 20 games since he joined the Cubs on Aug. 20.