CHICAGO (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers added bullpen help for the final stretch, acquiring veteran Xavier Cedeno from the Chicago White Sox for two minor leaguers on Friday.Cedeno is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 33 appearances after signing with Chicago as a minor league free agent in January. The left-hander is 10-7 with a 3.81 ERA in eight seasons with Houston, Washington, Tampa Bay and the White Sox."We're just trying to fortify the roster as best we can and give ourselves options and depth for whatever happens in this month," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.Later Friday, the Brewers added a lefty to their rotation, acquiring Gio Gonzalez from the Washington Nationals for two minor leaguers and international slot money.Milwaukee entered Friday holding the second NL wild card spot. The Brewers were third in the NL Central behind the Cubs and Cardinals.The White Sox got outfielder Bryan Connell and right-hander Johan Dominguez in the deal. They also purchased promising reliever Ian Hamilton's... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers got a proven left-handed starter for their stretch run, acquiring Gio Gonzalez from the Washington Nationals on Friday night for two minor leaguers and international slot money.The deal was announced after the Brewers beat Washington 4-1.In Gonzalez, Milwaukee gets a durable 32-year-old starter with postseason experience. Gonzalez, who will be a free agent after the season, has a career record of 124-97 with a 3.71 ERA in 308 games (302 starts) with Oakland and Washington. This year, he's 7-11 with a 4.57 ERA in 27 starts.The deal was finalized during the game at Nationals Park and at the end of a busy day for the Brewers, who hold the second NL wild-card spot and trail the Central-leading Chicago Cubs by four games. Milwaukee got left-hander Xavier Cedeno from the Chicago White Sox earlier in the day to give the team more options out of the bullpen.Gonzalez has been a mainstay of Washington's rotation through its run of regular-season success, including... [More]

Andrew McCutchen is shaving his beard for a possible World Series run. Ryan Madson is switching bullpens, trying to help another team win a title.And Gio Gonzalez? He might be moving across the diamond at Nationals Park.A bunch of contenders got busy Friday, making trades to bolster potential playoff rosters. A player must be on a club by Aug. 31 to be eligible for the postseason.Relievers are always in demand, and the Milwaukee Brewers fortified themselves by acquiring veteran left-hander Xavier Cedeno from the Chicago White Sox for two minor leaguers.The Brewers also seemed to be close to getting Gonzalez from Washington to boost their rotation. Milwaukee was playing at Washington, so a trade would mean simply swapping dugouts."I think what happens in September is that the whole calculus of this thing changes," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.Clubs can start calling up reinforcements from the minors on Saturday. But it's who they added before September that could really count in... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers added bullpen help for the final stretch, acquiring veteran Xavier Cedeno from the Chicago White Sox for two minor leaguers on Friday.Cedeno is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 33 appearances after signing with Chicago as a minor league free agent in January. The left-hander is 10-7 with a 3.81 ERA in eight seasons with Houston, Washington, Tampa Bay and the White Sox."We're just trying to fortify the roster as best we can and give ourselves options and depth for whatever happens in this month," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.Milwaukee entered Friday holding the second NL wild card spot. The Brewers were third in the NL Central behind the Cubs and Cardinals.The White Sox got outfielder Bryan Connell and right-hander Johan Dominguez in the deal. They also purchased promising reliever Ian Hamilton's contract from Triple-A Charlotte.The 23-year-old Hamilton had never pitched in the majors. He was a combined 3-2 with a 1.74 ERA in 43 appearances with Double-A Birmingham and Charlotte this season.The 19-year-old Connell batted .239 with seven home runs and 24 RBIs over 48 games with the between the Dominican Summer League Brewers and Advanced Rookie Helena. The 22-year-old Domínguez was 3-0 with a 0.82 ERA in 23 relief appearances with the Brewers' Dominican summer and Arizona League teams as well as Helena.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. became the youngest player in major league history to homer in five straight games, hitting a leadoff shot on the first pitch and later adding a three-run drive to help the surging Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 10-6 on Tuesday night.The 20-year-old Acuna homered on Miami's first pitch for the second straight night and became the first player to hit a leadoff homer in three consecutive games since Baltimore's Brady Anderson went deep in four straight in 1996. On Monday, he became the fourth player in major league history to hit leadoff homers in both games of a doubleheader.Acuna connected in the first off Trevor Richards and homered to right-center, his 19th of the year, off Adam Conley (3-3) to give the Braves a 10-6 lead in the seventh.Freddie Freeman hit his 20th homer to tie it in the sixth, and Dansby Swanson had a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh as the NL East-leading Braves won for the 13th time in 17 games.Acuna, who has homered in seven... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. became the youngest player in major league history to homer in five straight games, hitting a leadoff shot on the first pitch and later adding a three-run drive to help the surging Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 10-6 on Tuesday night.The 20-year-old Acuna homered on Miami's first pitch for the second straight night and became the first player to hit a leadoff homer in three consecutive games since Baltimore's Brady Anderson went deep in four straight in 1996. On Monday, he became the fourth player in major league history to hit leadoff homers in both games of a doubleheader.Acuna connected in the first off Trevor Richards and homered to right-center, his 19th of the year, off Adam Conley (3-3) to give the Braves a 10-6 lead in the seventh.Freddie Freeman hit his 20th homer to tie it in the sixth, and Dansby Swanson had a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh as the NL East-leading Braves won for the 13th time in 17 games.Acuna, who has homered in seven... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Kluber pitched a three-hitter for his first shutout this season and new arrival Leonys Martin homered again as the Cleveland Indians beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-0 Saturday night.After the game, there was a report that Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia is expected to step down at the end of this season. The report by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic cited unidentified major league sources.The 59-year-old Scioscia is the longest-tenured manager in the majors and has guided the Angels since 2000. They are 55-57 this year.Kluber (14-6) matched zeros for five innings with Felix Pena (1-3), who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Martin led off with a homer. Martin has two homers in three games since coming to Cleveland in a trade with Detroit.The Angels were again without All-Star outfielder Mike Trout, who missed his third straight game with a sore right wrist.ASTROS 14, DODGERS 0LOS ANGELES (AP) — Josh Reddick's three-run homer highlighted Houston's... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Kluber pitched a three-hitter for his first shutout this season and new arrival Leonys Martin homered again as the Cleveland Indians beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-0 Saturday night.After the game, there was a report that Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia is expected to step down at the end of this season. The report by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic cited unidentified major league sources.The 59-year-old Scioscia is the longest-tenured manager in the majors and has guided the Angels since 2000. They are 55-57 this year.Kluber (14-6) matched zeros for five innings with Felix Pena (1-3), who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Martin led off with a homer. Martin has two homers in three games since coming to Cleveland in a trade with Detroit.The Angels were again without All-Star outfielder Mike Trout, who missed his third straight game with a sore right wrist.REDS 7, NATIONALS 1, 1ST GAMENATIONALS 6, REDS 2, 2ND GAMEWASHINGTON (AP) — Nationals slugger... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Steve Pearce homered three times, the second a three-run drive in an eight-run fourth inning as the Boston Red Sox rallied from an early deficit to beat the New York Yankees 15-7 on Thursday night and take a season-high 6½-game lead in the AL East.In the opener of a four-game series that gave New York the potential to erase most of its division deficit, the Red Sox instead opened a bigger gap, taking advantage of manager Aaron Boone's decision to pull starter CC Sabathia after three innings with a 4-2 lead. Jonathan Holder (1-2) faced seven batters and did not record an out.Mookie Betts had four hits and two walks, reaching safely all six times he came to the plate. Pearce, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Andrew Benintendi had three hits apiece for Boston.Didi Grigorius homered twice, Aaron Hicks hit one and Giancarlo Stanton got his 25th of the season for the Yankees, who have lost just twice in the past week but dropped two games in the division.Brian Johnson (2-3), making... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Steve Pearce homered three times, the second a three-run drive in an eight-run fourth inning as the Boston Red Sox rallied from an early deficit to beat the New York Yankees 15-7 on Thursday night and take a season-high 6½-game lead in the AL East.In the opener of a four-game series that gave New York the potential to erase most of its division deficit, the Red Sox instead opened a bigger gap, taking advantage of manager Aaron Boone's decision to pull starter CC Sabathia after three innings with a 4-2 lead. Jonathan Holder (1-2) faced seven batters and did not record an out.Mookie Betts had four hits and two walks, reaching safely all six times he came to the plate. Pearce, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Andrew Benintendi had three hits apiece for Boston.Didi Grigorius homered twice, Aaron Hicks hit one and Giancarlo Stanton got his 25th of the season for the Yankees, who have lost just twice in the past week but dropped two games in the division.Brian Johnson (2-3), making... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a grand slam to break a scoreless tie in the sixth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the sinking New York Mets 5-2 on Friday night behind Alex Wood's effective pitching.Yasiel Puig added a solo home run in the ninth, and the defending NL champions won their 10th straight against the Mets dating to May 2016. Los Angeles has outscored New York 75-20 in those games, winning each of the past eight by at least three runs — a first in Dodgers history against any opponent, according to STATS.Wood (3-5) outdueled Zack Wheeler (2-6), allowing two runs and six hits in six innings to win his second consecutive start. The left-hander with the funky delivery struck out seven and walked one.Kenley Jansen fanned two in a perfect ninth for his 19th save.New York wasted a dazzling catch by center fielder Michael Conforto that saved a run in the third. After starting the season 11-1, the Mets lost for the 21st time in 27 games to fall a season-worst 11 games under... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a grand slam to break a scoreless tie in the sixth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the sinking New York Mets 5-2 on Friday night behind Alex Wood's effective pitching.Yasiel Puig added a solo home run in the ninth, and the defending NL champions won their 10th straight against the Mets dating to May 2016. Los Angeles has outscored New York 75-20 in those games, winning each of the past eight by at least three runs — a first in Dodgers history against any opponent, according to STATS.Wood (3-5) outdueled Zack Wheeler (2-6), allowing two runs and six hits in six innings to win his second consecutive start. The left-hander with the funky delivery struck out seven and walked one.Kenley Jansen fanned two in a perfect ninth for his 19th save.New York wasted a dazzling catch by center fielder Michael Conforto that saved a run in the third. After starting the season 11-1, the Mets lost for the 21st time in 27 games to fall a season-worst 11 games under... [More]

LHP Xavier Cedeno (left forearm tightness) was activated from the 60-day disabled list on Thursday. Cedeno has not pitched for the Rays since April 16. He will likely provide long relief out of the bullpen.

LHP Xavier Cedeno (left forearm tightness) had his rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday but struggled in the seventh inning of a playoff game against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Cedeno allowed a run and two hits while getting two outs and throwing 27 pitches to five hitters. Cedeno pitched in a rehab game Saturday for Double-A Montgomery and he threw 14 pitches in the second inning. Cedeno was 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in seven outings before going on the disabled list April 21.

LHP Xavier Cedeno pitched a perfect inning for Double-A Montgomery as he works his way back from a forearm injury. Cedeno (1-1, 3.86 in seven relief appearances) last pitched for Tampa Bay on April 16.

LHP Xavier Cedeno (left forearm) threw a live batting practice session earlier Wednesday. Cedeno has been on the 60-day disabled list since mid-April and is 1-1 with three blown saves and a 3.86 ERA in seven appearances with the Rays.

LHP Xavier Cedeno (left forearm tightness) was transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL on Thursday. The Rays hope that he will return in the second half of the season.

LHP Xavier Cedeno (forearm tightness) received a PRP/stem cell injection Friday from Dr. James Andrews. The procedure means Cedeno will be sidelined for a month. The Rays hope that he will return in the second half of the season.

LHP Xavier Cedeno (forearm) is expected to be examined Dr. James Andrews later in the week. Rays manager Kevin Cash said the team has not been able to put together a timeline for his potential return. "He's going to be out for a while," Cash said. "We're continuing to go through the rehab process."

LHP Xavier Cedeno was placed on the 10-day disabled list after the game with forearm tightness. He's struggled in the opening weeks of the season, with a 3.86 ERA and allowing opponents to hit .364 against him in 2.1 innings.