NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger has beaten out the Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich to win NL MVP.Bellinger got 19 of 30 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America revealed Thursday night. Yelich got 10 first-place votes, and Washington’s Anthony Rendon got one while finishing third.The 24-year-old Bellinger and his loose, left-handed swing launched 47 home runs with a .305 average, 115 RBIs and a 1.035 OPS.He was the best player on the NL’s top team in the regular season, propelling Los Angeles to 106 wins. He’s the 10th different Dodgers player to win MVP and first since Clayton Kershaw in 2014.Bellinger teared up after learning he’d been chosen, getting emotional especially after hugging his father — former big leaguer Clay Bellinger.The AL prize was set to be awarded later Thursday.___Follow Jake Seiner: https://twitter.com/Jake_Seiner___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander has a second AL Cy Young Award — and a clear path paved toward Cooperstown.Verlander beat out Houston Astros teammate Gerrit Cole in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America revealed Wednesday night. Verlander got 17 first-place votes to 13 for Cole, who became a free agent after the season.Mets ace Jacob deGrom won the NL prize for the second straight year. He received 29 of 30 first-place votes, becoming the 11th pitcher to win Cy Youngs in consecutive years. He and Verlander are the 20th and 21st players to win the award multiple times.The 36-year-old Verlander won his first Cy Young in 2011 with Detroit, when he was also named MVP. Since then, he’d been a runner-up three times.“The adversity I went through puts a new perspective on everything,” he said. “I mean, still would’ve liked to have won a couple of them.”Verlander continued a marvelous second act to his career since a 2017 trade from Detroit to Houston. He led the majors with... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander has a second AL Cy Young Award — and a clear path paved toward Cooperstown.Verlander beat out teammate Gerrit Cole in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America revealed Wednesday night. Verlander got 17 first-place votes to 13 for Cole, who became a free agent after the season.Mets ace Jacob deGrom won the NL prize for the second straight year. He received 29 of 30 first-place votes, becoming the 11th pitcher to win Cy Youngs in consecutive years. He and Verlander are the 20th and 21st players to win the award multiple times.The 36-year-old Verlander won his first Cy Young in 2011 with Detroit, when he was also named MVP. Since then, he’d been a runner-up three times.“The adversity I went through puts a new perspective on everything,” he said. “I mean, still would’ve liked to have won a couple of them.”Verlander continued a marvelous second act to his career since a 2017 trade from Detroit to Houston. He led the majors with 21 victories and... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander has a second AL Cy Young Award — and a clear path paved toward Cooperstown.Verlander beat out teammate Gerrit Cole in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America revealed Wednesday night. Verlander got 17 first-place votes to 13 for Cole, who became a free agent after the season.Mets ace Jacob deGrom won the NL prize for the second straight year. He received 29 of 30 first-place votes, becoming the 11th pitcher to win Cy Youngs in consecutive years. He and Verlander are the 20th and 21st players to win the award multiple times.The 36-year-old Verlander won his first Cy Young in 2011 with Detroit, when he was also named MVP. Since then, he’d been a runner-up three times.“The adversity I went through puts a new perspective on everything,” he said. “I mean, still would’ve liked to have won a couple of them.”Verlander continued a marvelous second act to his career since a 2017 trade from Detroit to Houston. He led the majors with 21 victories and... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander has a second AL Cy Young Award — and a clear path paved toward Cooperstown.Verlander beat out teammate Gerrit Cole in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced Wednesday night. Verlander got 17 first-place votes compared to 13 for Cole, who became a free agent after the season.Mets ace Jacob deGrom won the NL prize for the second straight year. He received 29 of 30 first-place votes, becoming the 11th pitcher to win Cy Youngs in consecutive years. He and Verlander are the 20th and 21st players to win the award multiple times.The previous repeat winner was Washington’s Max Scherzer in 2016 and ’17. Scherzer finished third this season, a slot behind the Dodgers’ Hyun-Jin Ryu.Verlander continued a marvelous second act to his career since a 2017 trade from Detroit to Houston. He led the majors with 21 victories and padded his Hall of Fame resume by getting his 3,000th strikeout in his final start of the regular season. He also reached... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Madison Bumgarner has received a $17.8 million qualifying offer from the San Francisco Giants, a move that likely will decrease demand for him in the free-agent market.San Francisco's decision Monday means a team signing Bumgarner would lose at least one pick in next year's amateur draft as compensation unless a deal is struck after the draft starts in June. Compensation caused pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel to wait until after the draft to sign 2019 contracts.San Francisco also made a qualifying offer to left-handed reliever Will Smith, who went 6-0 with a 2.76 ERA and 34 saves in 63 appearances.Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, all but said his goodbye to San Francisco on the season's final day.He didn't pitch Sept. 29 as originally planned in a 9-0 loss to the Dodgers on the last day of the regular season and manager Bruce Bochy's final game leading into retirement but drew a rousing standing ovation before lining out as a pinch-hitter with two outs... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Madison Bumgarner has received a $17.8 million qualifying offer from the San Francisco Giants, a move that likely will decrease demand for him in the free-agent market.San Francisco's decision Monday means a team signing Bumgarner would lose at least one pick in next year's amateur draft as compensation unless a deal is struck after the draft starts in June. Compensation caused pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel to wait until after the draft to sign 2019 contracts.San Francisco also made a qualifying offer to left-handed reliever Will Smith, who went 6-0 with a 2.76 ERA and 34 saves in 63 appearances.Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, all but said his goodbye to San Francisco on the season's final day.He didn't pitch Sept. 29 as originally planned in a 9-0 loss to the Dodgers on the last day of the regular season and manager Bruce Bochy's final game leading into retirement but drew a rousing standing ovation before lining out as a pinch-hitter with two outs... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — When the Washington Nationals were down, Anthony Rendon made sure they were never out.He was Mr. Clutch all October.Houston starter Zack Greinke was cruising with a one-hit shutout and a 2-0 lead in Game 7 of the World Series on Wednesday night. It would be glib to say that's exactly where Rendon and the Nats wanted to be, but the way their season turned out, why not?Rendon stroked a changeup into the left-field Crawford Boxes for a solo home run with one out in the seventh inning, and Washington set off on its fifth, final and most famous comeback in an elimination game this year, a 6-2 victory over the Astros for its first title in the franchise's 51 seasons."We had nothing else to lose when people had written us off," Rendon said. "We were facing elimination games that people thought that we shouldn't have been there in the first place. So we just kept on fighting and happened to come out on top."Rendon, a free-agent-to-be playing perhaps his final games for Washington,... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — When the Washington Nationals were down, Anthony Rendon made sure they were never out. Just like Mr. Clutch has all October.Houston's Zack Greinke was cruising with a one-hit shutout and a 2-0 lead in Game 7 of the World Series on Wednesday night.It would be glib to say that's exactly where Rendon and the Nats wanted to be, but the way the Nationals' season turned out, why not?"We had nothing else to lose," Rendon said.Rendon stroked a changeup into the left-field Crawford Boxes for a solo home run with one out in the seventh inning, and Washington started its fifth, final and most famous comeback in an elimination game this year, a 6-2 victory for its first title in the franchise's 51 seasons."He had kept us all balance for the first six innings," Rendon said. "Just happened to get a ball over the plate in the air."Rendon, a free-agent-to-be playing perhaps his final games for Washington, hit .276 (8 for 29) in the Series with two homers and eight RBIs.He hit when it mattered... [More]

A position-by-position look at the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros going into the World Series, starting Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park:___First Base:Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman. The longtime face of the franchise, Zimmerman was Washington's first draft pick in 2005 after the team moved to the nation's capital from Montreal. The fan favorite has been through all of the Nationals' ups and downs, from a string of painful early playoff exits to the feel-good story of his first trip to the World Series this season. A converted third baseman, he's been hampered by injuries much of the past six years — including shoulder problems that affect his throwing. But at age 35, he's become an everyday player again during a solid postseason.Astros: Yuli Gurriel. From a family of baseball royalty in Cuba, the highly touted Gurriel got a $47.5 million contract and has established himself as a productive RBI man during three full years in the majors. He took off in late June and put together a big... [More]

A look at the best-of-seven World Series between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros:___Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Tuesday, at Houston, 8:08 p.m.; Game 2, Wednesday, at Houston, 8:07 p.m.; Game 3, Friday, at Washington, 8:07 p.m.; Game 4, Saturday, at Washington, 8:07 p.m.; x-Game 5, Sunday, Oct. 27, at Washington, 8:07 p.m.; x-Game 6, Tuesday, Oct. 29, at Houston, 8:07 p.m.; x-Game 7, Wednesday, Oct. 30, at Houston, 8:08 p.m. (All games on FOX).x-if necessary.___Season Series: Did not play.___Projected Lineups:Nationals: SS Trea Turner (.298, 19 HRs, 57 RBIs, 37 2Bs, 35 SBs, 96 runs), RF Adam Eaton (.279, 15, 49, 15 SBs, 103 runs), 3B Anthony Rendon (.319, 34, 126, 44 2Bs, 117 runs, 1.010 OPS), LF Juan Soto (.282, 34, 110, 110 runs, .949 OPS), 2B Howie Kendrick (.344, 17, 62), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.257, 6, 27 in 52 games), DH Asdr�bal Cabrera (.260, 18, 91 in 131 games with Texas and Washington) or Matt Adams (.226, 20, 56, 115 Ks, 310 ABs in 111 games), C Kurt Suzuki (.264,... [More]

Oct. 221910 — After three straight losses and trailing Philadelphia 3-2 in the ninth, the Chicago Cubs tied the score and won 4-3 in 10 innings for their only victory in a World Series won by the A's in five games.1972 — The Oakland A's won their first World Series with a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in Game 7. It was the first championship since 1930 for the franchise, then located in Philadelphia.1975 — A ninth-inning RBI single by Joe Morgan gave the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox and the World Series title in seven games. It was the first title for the Reds in 35 years.1986 — Gary Carter's two home runs at Fenway Park gave New York a 6-2 victory and pulled the Mets even with Boston Red Sox in the World Series after four games.1987 — The St. Louis Cardinals won their third straight home game to take a 3-2 lead in the World Series with a 4-2 victory against the Minnesota Twins.2000 — In their first matchup since Roger Clemens beaned Mike Piazza in July,... [More]

Oct. 211959 — The Major League Players Association approved two All-Star Games in 1960, to be held at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium and New York's Yankee Stadium.1973 — Bert Campaneris and Reggie Jackson hit two-run homers in the third inning as the Oakland A's defeated the New York Mets 5-2 in Game 7 of the World Series. It was the second straight World Championship for the A's.1975 — Carlton Fisk broke up one of the best games in World Series history with a homer in the 12th inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 7-6 victory against the Cincinnati Reds, forcing a seventh game.1976 — The Cincinnati Reds won the World Series in four games with a 7-2 victory over the New York Yankees. Johnny Bench had two home runs for five RBIs. It was the Reds' second straight championship and marked the first time a team had swept the playoffs and World Series.1980 — The Philadelphia Phillies became World Series champions for the first time in their 98-year history with a 4-1 triumph over the Kansas City... [More]

Oct. 201910 — Philadelphia's Jack Coombs pitched a complete game on one day's rest to beat the Chicago Cubs 12-5 and give the Athletics a 3-0 lead in the World Series. Coombs also had three hits and drove in three runs.1947 — The radio rights for the World Series sold for $475,000 for three years.1972 — In the fifth game of the World Series, Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds homered on the first pitch of the game from Oakland's Catfish Hunter. The Reds went on to win 5-4.1973 — Reggie Jackson of Oakland had RBI doubles in the first and third innings to lead the A's to a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets and set up a seventh game in the World Series.1982 — The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 in Game 7 to win the World Series.1988 — Orel Hershiser pitched a four-hitter and Mickey Hatcher and Mike Davis hit two-run homers to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics and the World Series title in five games. Hershiser became the third player to... [More]

Oct. 201910 — Philadelphia's Jack Coombs, on one day of rest, had a complete-game victory to beat the Chicago Cubs 12-5 and give the Athletics a 3-0 lead in the World Series. Coombs also had three hits and drove in three runs in the game.1947 — The radio rights for the World Series sold for $475,000 for three years.1972 — In the fifth game of the World Series, Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds homered on the first pitch of the game from Oakland's Catfish Hunter, and the Reds went on to win 5-4.1973 — Reggie Jackson of Oakland had RBI doubles in the first and third innings to lead the A's to a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets and set up a seventh game in the World Series.1982 — The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 in Game 7 to win the World Series.1988 — Orel Hershiser pitched a four-hitter and Mickey Hatcher and Mike Davis hit two-run homers to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics and the World Series title in five games. Hershiser became... [More]

Oct. 181910 — The Philadelphia Athletics pounded the Chicago Cubs 9-3 for a 2-0 lead in the World Series. Eddie Collins had three hits, including two doubles, and two stolen bases.1950 — Connie Mack, at age 87, retired as manager of the Philadelphia Athletics after 50 years, and Jimmy Dykes was named to replace him. Mack, together with Ben Shibe, founded the Athletics in 1901.1973 — The Mets' Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw combined to three-hit the Oakland A's and take 3-2 lead in the World Series.1977 — Reggie Jackson hit three consecutive home runs to lead New York to an 8-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and give the Yankees the World Series title in six games. Jackson drove in five runs, and all three shots came on the first pitch.1992 — Backup catcher Ed Sprague's pinch-hit home run gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves and evened up the World Series at one game apiece. Sprague hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning — the 17th pinch-hit... [More]

Oct. 171911 — The Philadelphia Athletics scored twice in the 11th to beat the New York Giants 3-2 in Game 3 of the World Series. Frank Baker hit a home run in the ninth inning off Christy Mathewson to tie the score 1-1. Baker was tagged with the nickname "Home Run" for his exploits.1960 — The National League formally awarded franchises to the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc., headed by Joan Payson and a Houston group headed by Judge Roy Hofheinz, Craig Cullinan and R.E. Smith.1979 — Willie Stargell's two-run homer gave the Pirates a 4-1 triumph over the Baltimore Orioles and the World Series in seven games.1987 — The Minnesota Twins overpowered St. Louis 10-1 in the opening game of the first indoor World Series game.1989 — Minutes before Game 3 of the World Series between Oakland and San Francisco, an earthquake hit the Bay Area. The game was postponed and the series resumed 11 days later.1991 — Powered by John Smoltz's shutout pitching, the Atlanta Braves shed their loser's image... [More]

Oct. 141905 — Christy Mathewson blanked the Philadelphia Athletics 2-0 to give the New York Giants the World Series in five games. All were shutouts, with Mathewson getting three, Joe McGinnity one, and Chief Bender of Philadelphia one.1929 — The Philadelphia A's rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2 and take the World Series in five games. Mule Haas' two-run homer tied the game and Bing Miller's RBI double won it.1965 — Sandy Koufax tossed his second shutout to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 2-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins and the world championship in seven games.1969 — New York's Tommie Agee made two spectacular catches to save five runs and secure a 5-0 victory over Baltimore as the Mets took a 2-1 lead in the World Series.1971 — Pittsburgh's Nelson Briles threw a two-hitter against the Orioles for a 4-0 victory to give the Pirates a 3-2 edge in the World Series.1972 — Oakland catcher Gene Tenace became the first player to hit home runs in each... [More]

A look at the best-of-seven National League Championship Series between the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals:___Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Friday, at St. Louis, 8:08 p.m.; Game 2, Saturday, at St. Louis, 4:08 p.m.; Game 3, Monday, at Washington, TBA; Game 4, Tuesday, at Washington, TBA; x-Game 5, Wednesday, at Washington, TBA; x-Game 6, Friday, Oct. 18, at St. Louis, TBA; x-Game 7, Saturday, Oct. 19, at St. Louis, TBA. (All games on TBS).x-if necessary.___Season Series: Cardinals won 5-2.___Projected Lineups:Nationals: SS Trea Turner (.298, 19 HRs, 57 RBIs, 37 2Bs, 35 SBs, 96 runs), RF Adam Eaton (.279, 15, 49, 15 SBs, 103 runs), 3B Anthony Rendon (.319, 34, 126, 44 2Bs, 117 runs, 1.010 OPS), LF Juan Soto (.282, 34, 110, 110 runs, .949 OPS), 2B Howie Kendrick (.344, 17, 62), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.257, 6, 27 in 52 games), C Kurt Suzuki (.264, 17, 63) or Yan Gomes (.223, 12, 43 in 97 games), CF Victor Robles (.255, 17, 65, 28 SBs) or Michael A. Taylor (.250, 1, 3 in 53 games).Cardinals:... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's back to the drawing board — again — for the Los Angeles Dodgers, whose World Series title drought now extends to 31 years.This time, they didn't even make it that far.The Dodgers' postseason fell apart in the NL Division Series with a 7-3 defeat to the Washington Nationals in Game 5, an inglorious ending for a team coming off back-to-back World Series appearances."This is not anything we were prepared for," said reliever Joe Kelly, who gave up the tiebreaking grand slam to former Dodger Howie Kendrick in the 10th inning Wednesday night.Indeed, the Dodgers made no secret that winning a record seventh straight NL West title while piling up 106 victories — second-most in the majors — was just a prelude to fulfilling their ultimate goal of earning the franchise's first World Series title since 1988."We all knew we were better than what we showed out there," said Max Muncy, whose two-run homer in the first provided an early lead. "Sometimes it's not meant to be."The Dodgers... [More]