JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Leaving the clubhouse after his first exhibition game this year, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina got a fist bump from third baseman Matt Carpenter."It's good to have you back," said Carpenter, one All-Star to another.Molina went 1 for 2 as a designated hitter Friday, the 36-year-old's first game since left knee surgery in mid-December. Molina is likely to be behind the plate on Saturday, catching Adam Wainwright against Houston — about a week ahead of the original projection for him to catch."I can't really tell you how happy I am just to be back with Waino," Molina said.A nine-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove, Molina singled through the left side off Washington newcomer Patrick Corbin and scored in a three-run Cardinals' first."Just proves yet again he's a special guy," St. Louis manager Mike Shildt said. "Comes in, first at-bat, gets down 0-2 and battles, battles, battles. It's impressive to see a guy that takes a pro at-bat like that — that can work on getting... [More]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Boston expects second baseman Dustin Pedroia to make his exhibition debut on Thursday against Minnesota.Coming off knee surgery, the 35-year-old Pedroia crossed his last major pre-competition hurdle on Tuesday when he completed a workout at the Red Sox complex in Fort Myers."The way the texts sounded, he's ready to play now," Cora said after receiving an update from Pedroia.A four-time All-Star and the 2008 AL MVP, Pedroia had left knee surgery on Oct. 25, 2017. He played in five injury rehabilitation games at Triple-A Pawtucket from May 14-24 and three games for the Red Sox from May 26-29, then went back on the disabled list for the rest of the season.Boston has not expressed firm expectations."Right now I think it's more hope," Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. "So far he's been very healthy under his situation coming back. He's passed all the tests from the medical team and from himself."Pedrioa played in more than 105 games only once in the past four seasons because of injuries.Eduardo Nunez and Brock Holt have been the primary second basemen in Pedroia's absence.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — The last time Dave Dombrowski built a World Series champion, he had to start dismantling it before the celebratory champagne had a chance to dry.He's hoping to defend the title for real next year."It is significantly different than the last time," he said on Thursday, four days after the Red Sox won their fourth title in 15 years and Dombrowski earned a ring to go with the one he won with the binge-and-purge Florida Marlins of the late 1990s."This will be the first time in my career that we will be going to spring training as the defending champions," said Dombrowski, who avoided the term after selling off the stars that won it all in Miami in 1997. "Sometimes when guys become free agents they receive offers they can't refuse. But we'd like to keep this team together."After winning the Series in five games on Sunday night, flying back to Boston on Monday and then holding their increasingly routine duck boat parade through the city on Wednesday, the Red Sox are the last team... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Red Sox have exercised their $15 million option for next season on ace left-hander Chris Sale.Sale will earn $15 million in the final season of a five-year contract he signed with the Chicago White Sox before the 2013 season that guaranteed $32.5 million, including a 2017 option buyout. He had a $12.5 million salary this season in the first of two option years and will wind up earning $59 million over seven seasons plus award bonuses.Sale can become a free agent after the 2019 World Series.In addition, infielder Eduardo Nunez exercised his $5 million player option rather than become a free agent.The 2017 AL Cy Young Award runner-up and a seven-time All-Star, Sale struck out the side in the ninth inning of World Series Game 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers to close out Boston's fourth championship in 15 seasons. Boston announced its decision Tuesday, two days after the finale.The 29-year-old earned his first playoff victory in Game 1 of the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees. Sale went 12-4 with a 2.11 ERA and 237 strikeouts in 27 regular-season starts in his second season in Boston.He was among the favorites to win the Cy Young this season before shoulder issues during the season's second half.Nunez hit .265 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs in 502 plate appearances, playing second base and third.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):8:17 p.m.The Boston Red Sox won their fourth World Series championship in 15 years, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 5 Sunday night behind David Price's pitching and Steve Pearce's power.Alex Cora became the first manager from Puerto Rico to guide a team to the title. He's just the fifth rookie skipper to do it overall.After posting a team-record 108 wins in the regular season and romping through the AL playoffs, the Red Sox finished off a one-sided Series.Price threw three-hit ball into the eighth inning. Pearce hit two home runs, a night after his homer and double spurred a late rally.Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez also connected as the Red Sox hit three homers off Clayton Kershaw.Los Angeles lost Game 7 of the World Series last year to Houston, also at Dodger Stadium by the same 5-1 score.___8 p.m.David Price is out of the game for Boston.Price was stellar in staking the Red Sox to a 5-1 lead over the Los... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):8:17 p.m.The Boston Red Sox won their fourth World Series championship in 15 years, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 5 Sunday night behind David Price's pitching and Steve Pearce's power.Alex Cora became the first manager from Puerto Rico to guide a team to the title. He's just the fifth rookie skipper to do it overall.After posting a team-record 108 wins in the regular season and romping through the AL playoffs, the Red Sox finished off a one-sided Series.Price threw three-hit ball into the eighth inning. Pearce hit two home runs, a night after his homer and double spurred a late rally.Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez also connected as the Red Sox hit three homers off Clayton Kershaw.Los Angeles lost Game 7 of the World Series last year to Houston, also at Dodger Stadium by the same 5-1 score.___8 p.m.David Price is out of the game for Boston.Price was stellar in staking the Red Sox to a 5-1 lead over the Los... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):8 p.m.David Price is out of the game for Boston.Price was stellar in staking the Red Sox to a 5-1 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers after eight innings.The left-hander allowed one run and three hits in seven innings. Price struck out five and walked two.Joe Kelly took over and struck out pinch-hitters Matt Kemp, Joc Pederson and Cody Bellinger to end the inning.Boston's Steve Pearce homered for the second time, getting a solo shot off Pedro Baez with two outs in the top of the inning.___7:27 p.m.Those Boston Red Sox bats are getting loud. So are their fans.J.D. Martinez hit his first World Series home run, a line drive over the center-field fence in the seventh inning that put the Red Sox ahead 4-1.Martinez hit Boston's third homer of the game off Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw. Dodger Stadium is dotted with fans wearing red, and those Red Sox rooters began chanting as the ball sailed out.Boston starter David Price is... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:27 p.m.Those Boston Red Sox bats are getting loud. So are their fans.J.D. Martinez hit his first World Series home run, a line drive over the center-field fence in the seventh inning that put the Red Sox ahead 4-1.Martinez hit Boston's third homer of the game off Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw. Dodger Stadium is dotted with fans wearing red, and those Red Sox rooters began chanting as the ball sailed out.Boston starter David Price is in total control. He's retired 14 straight batters and got a big cheer from the Boston fans when he retired Yasiel Puig on a soft comebacker to end the seventh.___7:06 p.m.Mookie Betts homered on a Clayton Kershaw slider in the sixth inning, giving the Boston Red Sox a 3-1 lead in Game 5 as they close in on their fourth World Series title in 15 years.Betts had been 0 for 13 with four strikeouts and a pair of intentional walks during the weekend in Los Angeles before his drive into the... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:06 p.m.Mookie Betts homered on a Clayton Kershaw slider in the sixth inning, giving the Boston Red Sox a 3-1 lead in Game 5 as they close in on their fourth World Series title in 15 years.Betts had been 0 for 13 with four strikeouts and a pair of intentional walks during the weekend in Los Angeles before his drive into the left-field pavilion.David Price has allowed just two hits since David Freese's leadoff homer, retiring 11 in a row through the sixth. He struck out five, walked one and threw 76 pitches.Kershaw gave up three runs and four hits with four strikeouts and no walks. He threw 73 pitches.___6:51 p.m.The pitching duel continues in Game 5 of the World Series.Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw set down the Red Sox in order in the top of the fifth.Brock Holt lined out, Rafael Devers took a called third strike and Christian Vazquez lined out to left.Kershaw has retired 13 of his last 14 batters since giving up a two-run... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):6:23 p.m.J.D. Martinez almost cost Boston in right field, losing David Freese's one-out fly ball in the twilight sky above Dodger Stadium and allowing the drive to fall behind him for a triple.Martinez usually is a designated hitter for the Red Sox, but Boston wanted to keep the big league RBIs leader in the lineup in the National League city.Freese, who homered leading off the bottom of the first, was stranded. Justin Turner grounded to third with the infield playing halfway and Enrique Hernandez fouled out to Martinez.Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw retired eight in a row after Steve Pearce's two-run homer in the first. Kershaw threw 41 pitches in the first three innings and Boston starter Clayton Kershaw threw 47___6:20 p.m.The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw retired the side in the top of the second. Boston's David Price gave up only a single to Yasiel Puig while retiring three other batters.Boston leads 2-1.Brock Holt, Christian... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):5:40 p.m.David Freese hit a leadoff home run for the Dodgers to cut Boston's lead to 2-1 in the first inning of Game 5.Boston's Steve Pearce had connected on the sixth pitch of the game from Clayton Kershaw for a two-run homer at the top of the first.That made it two homers and a three-run double for Pearce in his last three at-bats.Kershaw took off his glove and showed little emotion as Pearce finished his trot.___5:23 p.m.That was quick! Steve Pearce tags Clayton Kershaw for a home run and it's already 2-0 Boston.Pearce connected on the sixth pitch of the game from the LA ace, and raised his right arm as he rounded first base. Several Red Sox players spilled from the dugout to greet him.That made it two homers and a three-run double for Pearce in his last three at-bats.Kershaw took off his glove and showed little emotion as Pearce finished his trot.___5:18 p.m.The chants of "Let's go, Red Sox!" have already started at... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):5:23 p.m.That was quick! Steve Pearce tags Clayton Kershaw for a home run and it's already 2-0 Boston.Pearce connected on the sixth pitch of the game from the LA ace, and raised his right arm as he rounded first base. Several Red Sox players spilled from the dugout to greet him.That made it two homers and a three-run double for Pearce in his last three at-bats.Kershaw took off his glove and showed little emotion as Pearce finished his trot.___5:18 p.m.The chants of "Let's go, Red Sox!" have already started at Dodger Stadium.A good-sized pocket of Boston fans in right field began cheering 15 minutes before the first pitch and got louder when David Price strolled from the bullpen to the dugout.They're here, wanting to see the Red Sox win the World Series with a victory in Game 5. Boston leads 3-1 and is hoping to head home for a parade.Former Dodgers star Orel Hershiser threw out the first ball, then told the crowd that while... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):3:55 p.m.Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he talked to his players and coaching staff about President Donald Trump's tweet criticizing Roberts for taking Rich Hill out of Saturday's Game 4 but that he hasn't thought much about it beyond that.Los Angeles trails 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and is trying to avoid seeing another team celebrate a championship at its own park. Houston won last year's World Series here in seven games."I'm focused on winning today. So I really don't have too much bandwidth to kind of really take in all the criticism," Roberts said. "I think that there's a lot of thoughts and opinions that people don't have all the information, which is commonplace these days and cultivate opinions and give out there. So I think for me it's noise."___2:53 p.m.Cody Bellinger is on the bench for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series.His left-handed bat has been replaced in the lineup by Enrique... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cody Bellinger is on the bench for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series.His left-handed bat has been replaced in the lineup by Enrique Hernandez, who will hit third and play center field on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox.First baseman David Freese leads off again for the Dodgers, who face elimination trailing 3-1 in the best-of-seven Series.Third baseman Justin Turner hits second, followed by Hernandez, shortstop Manny Machado in the cleanup spot and left-handed-hitting second baseman Max Muncy.Right fielder Yasiel Puig, who hit a three-run homer in Game 4, bats sixth. Left fielder Chris Taylor hits seventh, catcher Austin Barnes is eighth and left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw bats ninth.The Red Sox made one change to their lineup: Rafael Devers starts at third base instead of Eduardo Nunez.Center fielder Mookie Betts leads off, followed by left-handed-hitting Andrew Benintendi in left field, first baseman Steve Pearce and right fielder J.D. Martinez in the cleanup spot.Shortstop Xander Bogaerts bats fifth, second baseman Brock Holt brings his left-handed bat to the sixth spot, with Devers seventh, catcher Christian Vazquez eighth and left-handed starter David Price in the ninth spot.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Working on a one-hitter with a 4-0 lead, Rich Hill had just set down Eduardo Nunez swinging for the first out of the seventh inning.Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had seen enough. Walking to the mound, he signaled to the bullpen and Hill was gone."Big mistake!" President Donald Trump tweeted.It was the beginning of another troubled outing for Los Angeles' bullpen in the World Series.Six relievers combined to give up eight of Boston's nine runs over the final three innings in a 9-6 loss Saturday night that sent the Dodgers to the brink of elimination for the second straight year."Watching the Dodgers/Red Sox final innings," Trump tweeted. "It is amazing how a manager takes out a pitcher who is loose & dominating through almost 7 innings, Rich Hill of Dodgers, and brings in nervous reliever(s) who get shellacked. 4 run lead gone. Managers do it all the time, big mistake!"Roberts responded, saying, "I don't know how many Dodger games he's watched. I don't think he's privy... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Boston's bench is a big reason why the Red Sox are one win from their fourth World Series title since 2004.With the Red Sox regulars being held in check by the Los Angeles Dodgers, it was pinch-hitters Mitch Moreland and Rafael Devers who came up with huge at-bats as Boston rallied for a 9-6 victory Saturday to take a 3-1 lead in the Series.Moreland hit a three-run homer off Ryan Madson in the seventh inning and Devers singled home Brock Holt with the tiebreaking run in the ninth.Boston's pinch-hitters have come up big all Series. Through the first four games, they are 6 for 18 (.333) with two home runs and seven RBIs. The Red Sox are batting .218 overall."The bench has been the key to our entire playoffs," slugger J.D. Martinez said. "The guys that no one expects are the ones who are delivering. It is unreal."Moreland's homer to right field on a first-pitch changeup from Ryan Madson was Boston's second pinch-hit homer in the World Series. The 1959 Dodgers and 1975 Red... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Working on a one-hitter with a 4-0 lead, Rich Hill had just set down Eduardo Nunez swinging for the first out of the seventh inning.Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had seen enough. Walking to the mound, he signaled to the bullpen and Hill was gone."Big mistake!" President Donald Trump tweeted.It was the beginning of another troubled outing for Los Angeles' bullpen in the World Series.Six relievers combined to give up eight of Boston's nine runs over the final three innings in a 9-6 loss Saturday night that sent the Dodgers to the brink of elimination for the second straight year."Watching the Dodgers/Red Sox final innings," Trump tweeted. "It is amazing how a manager takes out a pitcher who is loose & dominating through almost 7 innings, Rich Hill of Dodgers, and brings in nervous reliever(s) who get shellacked. 4 run lead gone. Managers do it all the time, big mistake!"Roberts responded, saying, "I don't know how many Dodger games he's watched. I don't think he's privy... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local):10:20 p.m.Steve Pearce hit a tying homer in the eighth and a three-run double in the ninth, and the Boston Red Sox rallied from a four-run deficit in the seventh inning for a 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night and a 3-1 World Series lead.The improbable surge all started with pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland's three-run homer in the seventh, shortly after Yasiel Puig's three-run homer in the sixth had put the Dodgers up 4-0.Pinch-hitter Rafael Devers singled in Brock Holt with the tiebreaking run in the ninth, with also included Xander Bogaert's RBI single.Craig Kimbrel gave up Enrique Hernandez's two-run homer in the bottom half before getting the final three outs.David Price starts for the Red Sox on Sunday against Clayton Kershaw, tying to close out Boston's fourth title in 15 seasons.___8:19 p.m.Thanks to Steve Pearce, we're tied again in the late innings at Dodger Stadium. Anyone up to play... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Working on a one-hitter with a 4-0 lead, Rich Hill had just sent Eduardo Nunez down swinging for the first out of the seventh inning.Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had seen enough. Walking to the mound, he signaled to the bullpen and Hill was gone.On came Scott Alexander and the beginning of another troubled outing for Los Angeles' bullpen in the World Series.The relievers combined to give up eight of Boston's nine runs over the final three innings in a 9-6 loss Saturday that sent the Dodgers to the brink of elimination for the second straight year.Even President Donald Trump questioned Roberts' moves ."Watching the Dodgers/Red Sox final innings," he tweeted. "It is amazing how a manager takes out a pitcher who is loose & dominating through almost 7 innings, Rich Hill of Dodgers, and brings in nervous reliever(s) who get shellacked. 4 run lead gone. Managers do it all the time, big mistake!"Los Angeles trails 3-1 in the best-of-seven Series. Game 5 is Sunday at Dodger... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Boston's bench is a big reason why the Red Sox are one win away from their fourth World Series title since 2004.With the Red Sox regulars being held in check by the Los Angeles Dodgers, it was Mitch Moreland and Rafael Devers who came up with huge at-bats as Boston rallied for a 9-6 win on Saturday night to take a 3-1 lead in the series.Moreland hit a three-run home run off Ryan Madson in the seventh inning and Devers singled home Brock Holt with the go-ahead run in the ninth.Boston's pinch-hitters have come up big all series. Through the first four games, they are 6 for 18 (.333) with two home runs and seven RBIs. The Red Sox are batting .218 overall for the series.Moreland's homer to right on a first-pitch changeup was Boston's second pinch-hit home run in the World Series. The 1959 Dodgers and 1975 Red Sox are the only other teams with multiple pinch-hit homers in the same Fall Classic.He joins Bernie Carbo (who had two in 1975), Bobby Kielty (2007) and Eduardo Nunez... [More]