MILWAUKEE (AP) — A.J. Pollock drove in eight runs and Matt Beaty knocked in seven, with both players hitting early grand slams in a startling power show that sent the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Milwaukee Brewers 16-4 on Sunday. Pollock homered twice and doubled while Beaty went 4 for 6 and scored three times. Their slams came against Alec Bettinger (0-1), who gave up 11 runs in his big league debut after never pitching above Double-A. This was the first time in franchise history that the Dodgers had two players with at least seven RBIs in the same game. The last time it happened for any major league team was on Aug. 22, 2007, when Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez each had seven RBIs for the Texas Rangers in a 30-3 blowout of Baltimore. The last time two Dodgers hit grand slams in the same game came when Adrian Beltre and Shawn Green did it in a 12-3 victory over the Marlins on May 21, 2000. Pollock’s eight RBIs matched the highest single-game total by any player in the history... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A.J. Pollock drove in eight runs and Matt Beatty knocked in seven, with both players hitting early grand slams in a startling power show that sent the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Milwaukee Brewers 16-4 on Sunday. Pollock homered twice and doubled while Beaty went 4 for 6 and scored three times. Their slams came against Alec Bettinger (0-1), who gave up 11 runs in his big league debut after never pitching above Double-A. This was the first time in franchise history that the Dodgers had two players with at least seven RBIs in the same game. The last time it happened for any major league team was on Aug. 22, 2007, when Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez each had seven RBIs for the Texas Rangers in a 30-3 blowout of Baltimore. The last time two Dodgers hit grand slams in the same game came when Adrian Beltre and Shawn Green did it in a 12-3 victory over the Marlins on May 21, 2000. Pollock’s eight RBIs matched the highest single-game total by any player in the history... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A.J. Pollock drove in eight runs and Matt Beatty knocked in seven, with both players hitting early grand slams in a startling power show that sent the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Milwaukee Brewers 16-4 on Sunday. Pollock homered twice and doubled while Beaty went 4 for 6 and scored three times. Their slams came against Alec Bettinger (0-1), who gave up 11 runs in his big league debut after never pitching above Double-A. This was the first time in franchise history that the Dodgers had two players with at least seven RBIs in the same game. The last time it happened for any major league team was on Aug. 22, 2007, when Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez each had seven RBIs for the Texas Rangers in a 30-3 blowout of Baltimore. The last time two Dodgers hit grand slams in the same game came when Adrian Beltre and Shawn Green did it in a 12-3 victory over the Marlins on May 21, 2000. Pollock’s eight RBIs matched the highest single-game total by any player in the history... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A.J. Pollock drove in eight runs and Matt Beatty knocked in seven, with both players hitting early grand slams in a startling power show that sent the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Milwaukee Brewers 16-4 on Sunday. Pollock homered twice and doubled while Beaty went 4 for 6 and scored three times. Their slams came against Alec Bettinger (0-1), who gave up 11 runs in his big league debut after never pitching above Double-A. This was the first time in franchise history that the Dodgers had two players with at least seven RBIs in the same game. The last time it happened for any major league team was on Aug. 22, 2007, when Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez each had seven RBIs for the Texas Rangers in a 30-3 blowout of Baltimore. The last time two Dodgers hit grand slams in the same game came when Adrian Beltre and Shawn Green did it in a 12-3 victory over the Marlins on May 21, 2000. Pollock’s eight RBIs matched the highest single-game total by any player in the history... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The sputtering Minnesota Twins shelved another regular on Friday, placing first baseman Miguel Sanó on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring. Sanó is batting .111 with two home runs and 20 strikeouts in 45 at-bats. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons, right fielder Max Kepler and left fielder Kyle Garlick are three of the five players currently on Minnesota's COVID-19 injured list. Infielder Travis Blankenhorn and catcher Tomás Telis were also returned to the team's alternate training site. Outfielders Alex Kirilloff and Tzu-Wei Lin and infielder Nick Gordon were promoted to fill the open roster spots. Kirilloff, one of baseball's top prospects who made his debut in the playoffs last year, can also play first base. Lin signed with the organization before this season. He has played in 101 career games, all with Boston. He’ll be the first Taiwan-born player in Twins history. Gordon was another one of the club's past first-round draft picks, going fifth overall... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The sputtering Minnesota Twins shelved another regular on Friday, placing first baseman Miguel Sanó on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring. Sanó is batting .111 with two home runs and 20 strikeouts in 45 at-bats. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons, right fielder Max Kepler and left fielder Kyle Garlick are three of the five players currently on Minnesota's COVID-19 injured list. Infielder Travis Blankenhorn and catcher Tomás Telis were also returned to the team's alternate training site. Outfielders Alex Kirilloff and Tzu-Wei Lin and infielder Nick Gordon were promoted to fill the open roster spots. Kirilloff, one of baseball's top prospects who made his debut in the playoffs last year, can also play first base. Gordon, another one of the club's past first-round draft picks, has yet to appear in the major leagues. Lin signed with the organization before this season. He has played in 101 career games, all with Boston. He'll be the first Taiwan-born player in Twins history. ___ More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Minnesota Twins right fielder Max Kepler is among the club's positive cases for the coronavirus. Manager Rocco Baldelli announced Kepler's absence with COVID-19 ahead of a doubleheader Tuesday against the Athletics. The scheduled opener of the series Monday was postponed, as were the Twins' final two games against the Angels in Anaheim over the weekend, because of the outbreak on the team. Left-hander Caleb Thielbar is also in quarantine because of contact tracing. Baldelli said Thielbar spent a significant amount of time around one of the positive players, but he expects the reliever may not miss as much time and “his specifics are a little bit different than the other guys.” Everyone who has tested positive is experiencing only mild symptoms, according to Baldelli. “All of them are quarantined in Anaheim at the hotel still and we’ll be keeping close contact with them and giving them everything they need,” Baldelli said. The Twins have had at least four positive... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The game between Minnesota and the Oakland Athletics scheduled for Monday night at the Coliseum has been postponed because of the Twins’ continued COVID-19 problems. Major League Baseball made the announcement Sunday and said the delay will allow for continued virus testing and contact tracing. MLB said the Twins and A’s are tentatively scheduled for a straight doubleheader Tuesday as a makeup. Games between the Twins and the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim were postponed Saturday and Sunday. The Twins have had at least four positive coronavirus tests in the past week. Kyle Garlick, another unnamed Twins player and a team staff member tested positive in the two days before the postponements against the Angels, manager Rocco Baldelli said this weekend. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons already hadn’t made the trip to Anaheim after testing positive early in the week. Garlick played in the Twins’ 10-3 loss to the Angels on Friday night. The Twins aren’t scheduled to visit Angel... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Sunday: ___ WAITING GAME The Minnesota Twins will see when they can next play after their COVID-19 problems wiped the rest of a series in Anaheim against the Angels. Games on Saturday night and Sunday were called off. Outfielder Kyle Garlick, another undisclosed Twins player and a team staff member tested positive in the two days before the postponements, manager Rocco Baldelli said. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons already hadn’t made the trip after testing positive early in the week, and he hadn’t been around the team since Tuesday. “There’s not one person in our group who’s not frustrated,” Baldelli said. “Does everyone have that general frustration just having to deal with this in a grander sense? Absolutely. And then there are probably people who are frustrated about particular aspects of that.” The Twins are scheduled to play Monday night at Oakland. There have now been five games postponed this season because of the virus, including three... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Twins' games against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night and Sunday have been postponed due to Minnesota's COVID-19 problems, including at least four positive tests in the past week. Kyle Garlick, another unnamed Twins player and a team staff member tested positive in the two days before the postponements, manager Rocco Baldelli said Saturday. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons already hadn’t made the trip to Anaheim after testing positive early in the week, and he hadn’t been around the team since Tuesday. “There’s not one person in our group who’s not frustrated,” Baldelli said. “Does everyone have that general frustration just having to deal with this in a grander sense? Absolutely. And then there are probably people who are frustrated about particular aspects of that.” Saturday’s game was “postponed to allow for continued testing and contact tracing involving members of the Twins organization,” the league said in a statement. The Twins are undergoing more testing... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Twins' game against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night has been postponed due to Minnesota's COVID-19 problems. Major League Baseball didn't immediately announce when the game will be made up, or what will happen with the Twins' series finale at Angel Stadium on Sunday. Saturday's game was “postponed to allow for continued testing and contact tracing involving members of the Twins organization,” the league said in a statement. After the Angels' 10-3 win Friday night, Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said the team had a second positive test discovered Friday morning. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons already hadn't made the trip to Anaheim after testing positive early in the week, and he hadn't been around the team since Tuesday. Some Twins personnel isolated themselves at the team hotel Friday, according to Baldelli, who said he had a false positive himself Thursday morning. Baldelli said the Twins intended to stay outside as much as possible Saturday to minimize the possibility of transmission. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins shortstop Andrelton Simmons tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Wednesday before the doubleheader against Boston. Simmons has said he doesn't plan to take the vaccine, which was made available in a single-shot dosage to the team at Target Field last Thursday. Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said Simmons was experiencing “very mild” symptoms and resting at his home. The positive test result was received late Tuesday, after the Twins lost 4-2 to the Red Sox. After the initial phase of contact tracing, the Twins determined no additional players needed to be quarantined. If he is asymptomatic, Simmons can return 10 days after the original test as long as he comes back negative at the end of the waiting period. Simmons was replaced on the roster by infielder J.T. Riddle, who was summoned from the taxi squad. Third baseman Josh Donaldson, out since the season opener with a strained hamstring, was expected... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff McNeil launched a tying homer in the bottom of the ninth inning on his 29th birthday and the New York Mets were handed the winning run on a disputed hit by pitch for a bizarre 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins in their home opener Thursday. With the bases loaded and one out, a scuffling Michael Conforto appeared to stick out his right elbow pad just enough to get it grazed by a 1-2 breaking ball from closer Anthony Bass that looked to be in the strike zone. Plate umpire and crew chief Ron Kulpa at first signaled strike, then quickly ruled Conforto was hit by the pitch. Conforto headed toward first base as Luis Guillorme scored and the Mets celebrated a comeback win in front of the first crowd at Citi Field in 557 days. Marlins players and manager Don Mattingly argued with Kulpa before a replay review was initiated. The review lasted 58 seconds, and the call was upheld. According to baseball rules, if a batter is hit by a pitch in the strike zone, the pitch should be... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff McNeil launched a tying homer in the bottom of the ninth inning on his 29th birthday and the New York Mets were handed the winning run on a disputed hit by pitch for a bizarre 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins in their home opener Thursday. With the bases loaded and one out, a scuffling Michael Conforto appeared to stick out his right elbow pad just enough to get it grazed by a 1-2 breaking ball from closer Anthony Bass that looked to be in the strike zone. Plate umpire and crew chief Ron Kulpa at first signaled strike, then quickly ruled Conforto was hit by the pitch. Conforto headed toward first base as Luis Guillorme scored and the Mets celebrated a comeback win in front of the first crowd at Citi Field in 557 days. Marlins players and manager Don Mattingly argued with Kulpa before a replay review was initiated. The review lasted 58 seconds, and the call was upheld. According to baseball rules, if a batter is hit by a pitch in the strike zone, the pitch should be... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff McNeil launched a tying homer in the bottom of the ninth inning on his 29th birthday and the New York Mets were handed the winning run on a disputed hit by pitch for a bizarre 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins in their home opener Thursday. With the bases loaded and one out, a scuffling Michael Conforto appeared to stick out his right elbow pad just enough to get it grazed by a 1-2 breaking ball from closer Anthony Bass that looked to be in the strike zone. Plate umpire and crew chief Ron Kulpa at first signaled strike, then quickly ruled Conforto was hit by the pitch. Conforto headed toward first base as Luis Guillorme scored and the Mets celebrated a comeback win in front of the first crowd at Citi Field in 557 days. Marlins players and manager Don Mattingly argued with Kulpa before a replay review was initiated. The review lasted 58 seconds, and the call was upheld. According to baseball rules, if a batter is hit by a pitch in the strike zone, the pitch should be... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Randy Dobnak's road to the major leagues was so far off the traditional path he even chauffeured some ride-share customers along the way. The Minnesota Twins delivered the overachieving right-hander another big-time moment on Monday, in the form of a $9.25 million, five-year contract that includes three club options and could be worth $29.75 million over eight seasons. “I always believed in myself, even since I was a little kid. You have career days and stuff when you’re in elementary school and whatnot, and I was always like, ‘I want to be a baseball player,'” said Dobnak, whose place as the swingman of the 13-pitcher staff was secured last week. He'll be the team’s primary long reliever for now, essentially the sixth starter behind José Berríos, Kenta Maeda, Matt Shoemaker, Michael Pineda and J.A. Happ. This is a lot of money to guarantee a pitcher with 75 career major league innings, but the Twins saw enough improvement in his fastball and his slider this spring to... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have been eagerly anticipating the addition of Andrelton Simmons to their infield this season. Getting him and his renowned glove in camp was even worth an extra wait. “It’s enjoyable to see a guy out there who can do things. He has his own style of playing shortstop, his own actions really that are unique to him, and he looked like he was doing great,” manager Rocco Baldelli said after observing Simmons in his first on-field workout with the team on Sunday. The Twins were off on Monday from the Grapefruit League exhibition circuit, but not Simmons. He was slated for some catchup time at the spring training complex in Fort Myers, Florida. The native of Curaçao had been unable to leave the Caribbean island country until his travel documentation — the recent wave of extreme wintry weather delayed the paperwork — was fully processed. Then, of course, he had to clear COVID-19 protocols upon arrival at camp. “I wouldn’t say stuck like that, because I was... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After having surgery on his right ankle for the second straight offseason, Jorge Polanco has enjoyed a pain-free start to spring training with the Minnesota Twins. Camp came with a position switch for Polanco, too, which won't hinder his goal to put those injury problems in the past. “I feel more comfortable, getting my at-bats, getting my feet down,” Polanco said after his move from shortstop to second base was essentially certified in the team's exhibition opener. “It feels great to be back after the surgery and having had a couple of at-bats.” After making the All-Star team in 2019 while hitting .295 with 40 doubles, seven triples, 22 home runs and a .356 on-base percentage, Polanco had a cleanup procedure — called a debridement — to address a chronic impingement that stemmed from repetitive stress on the joint. Then after playing through further discomfort in the ankle during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Polanco had an operation to remove a mild bone spur and... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Minnesota Twins shortstop Royce Lewis, considered the organization's top prospect, has a torn ACL in his right knee that will sideline him for the 2021 season. President of baseball operations Derek Falvey said Wednesday that Lewis was diagnosed with the injury during physical exams upon reporting to spring training. The 21-year-old Lewis, the first overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft, will have reconstructive surgery Friday in Minnesota before returning to camp to begin a rehabilitation process of nine-to-12 months. Lewis, the 17th-best prospect in Major League Baseball's 2021 pipeline rankings, finished the 2019 season at Double-A. Because the pandemic wiped out all minor league action in 2020, Lewis will go more than two full years without a game. The Twins signed Andrelton Simmons to play shortstop this season, and Lewis was not expected to be in the majors in 2021. Lewis told the team he first noticed discomfort in the knee after lateral running drills this... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The year-ago buzz around the Minnesota Twins created by signing Josh Donaldson to the franchise's richest free agent contract was quickly quelled by the global pandemic that pared down the schedule and emptied ballparks. Then, just one week into the abbreviated season, the third baseman's problematic right calf flared up. Donaldson missed a full month, returned for the stretch run and aggravated the muscle right before the postseason. His debut with the Twins was all of 28 games. This spring training, the 35-year-old has a fresh start for what he and the team are optimistic about being a complete season of power hitting, patient at-bats and superb defense at the hot corner. Donaldson, in a video conference call Tuesday with reporters after the team's first full-squad workout in Fort Myers, Florida, said he felt like his limited action was a “fluke ordeal” attributable to the four-month coronavirus pause prior to the midsummer restart. “As tough as it is for me to kind... [More]