MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins agreed to contract terms with all of their arbitration-eligible players, including third baseman Brian Anderson. Miami also announced deals Friday with catcher Jorge Alfaro and three relievers — Yimi Garcia, Richard Bleier and Adam Cimber. In addition, Miami signed 11 players from four countries, including 18-year-old Cuban infielder Yiddi Cappe, during Major League Baseball's international signing period. Cappe is widely regarded as one of baseball's top 10 international prospects. Anderson led the Marlins last year with 11 homers and 38 RBIs and is considered part of their long-terms plan. He has been remarkably consistent, with an average of .255 to .273 in each of his four major league seasons. Alfaro batted .226 with three home runs last year and lost his starting job in the postseason to Chad Wallach, who is better defensively. Garcia allowed only one run in 15 innings with 19 strikeouts last year, and he’s considered a potential closer in 2021. Bleier had a 2.16 ERA in 21 games last year for the Marlins and Orioles. Cimber had a 3.97 ERA in 14 games for the Indians, and Miami acquired him in a trade in November for $100,000. Cappe is a 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds and has played shortstop in national competition in Cuba since he was 16. The Marlins also signed players from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Mexico. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Jorge Alfaro homered twice before he took a foul ball to his helmet and the Miami Marlins beat the Boston Red Sox 8-4 on Wednesday night. Garrett Cooper also homered and scored twice for Miami, which moved within 2 1/2 games of first-place Atlanta in the NL East. Alfaro, the Marlins’ catcher, was removed in the seventh inning as a precaution after Christian Vázquez’s foul ball beaned him. “Just getting past the baseball and just trying to make sure that he’s good and not let him catch another foul ball," Miami manager Don Mattingly said of the decision to remove Alfaro. Miami chased Boston starter Michael Kickham with a four-run third. Alfaro hit his first of two two-run blasts. Brian Anderson had a run-scoring single and scored from first on Lewis Brinson’s RBI double to make it 6-1. “We just pass the baton, we trust each other with anything,” Brinson said. “There's no selfish player on this team. There's nobody that's here for their numbers.” Alfaro also went deep in the... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor. Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams. Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run. At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988. San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August. Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season. Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Jorge Alfaro homered twice before he took a foul ball to his helmet and the Miami Marlins beat the Boston Red Sox 8-4 on Wednesday night.Garrett Cooper also homered and scored twice for Miami, which moved within 2 1/2 games of first-place Atlanta in the NL East.Alfaro, the Marlins’ catcher, was removed in the seventh inning as a precaution after Christian Vázquez’s foul ball beaned him.“Just getting past the baseball and just trying to make sure that he’s good and not let him catch another foul ball," Miami manager Don Mattingly said of the decision to remove Alfaro. Miami chased Boston starter Michael Kickham with a four-run third. Alfaro hit his first of two two-run blasts. Brian Anderson had a run-scoring single and scored from first on Lewis Brinson’s RBI double to make it 6-1.“We just pass the baton, we trust each other with anything,” Brinson said. “There's no selfish player on this team. There's nobody that's here for their numbers.”Alfaro also went deep in the fifth,... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Jorge Alfaro homered twice before he took a foul ball to his helmet and the Miami Marlins beat the Boston Red Sox 8-4 on Wednesday night.Garrett Cooper also homered and scored twice for Miami, which moved within 2 1/2 games of first-place Atlanta in the NL East.Alfaro, the Marlins’ catcher, was removed in the seventh inning as a precaution after Christian Vázquez’s foul ball beaned him.Miami chased Boston starter Michael Kickham with a four-run third. Alfaro hit his first of two two-run blasts. Brian Anderson had a run-scoring single and scored from first on Lewis Brinson’s RBI double to make it 6-1.Alfaro also went deep in the fifth, a 412-foot shot to left-center off Robinson Leyer.Yimi Garcia (2-0) pitched a perfect eighth and was credited with the win even though he entered with an 8-4 lead. Brandon Kintzler was the sixth Miami reliever and worked a scoreless ninth.Miami starter Trevor Rogers was lifted after three innings and 76 pitches. Rogers allowed one run on three... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nate Lowe hit two homers and drove in four runs as Tampa Bay fielded a lineup of all lefties, Blake Snell worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings and the AL East-leading Rays routed the cellar-dwelling Boston Red Sox 11-1 on Friday night.Tampa Bay became the first major league team since at least 1900 to use a batting order with only left-handed batters, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Snell (4-1) gave up five hits and two walks. He struck out five.Yoshi Tsutsugo also homered for the Rays, who stopped a three-game skid. Boston rookie Bobby Dalbec had his five-game home run streak end but had an RBI double in the ninth.Rays manager Kevin Cash stacked his lineup with lefties against right-hander Andrew Triggs, who made his second start with Boston.Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke quickly countered by removing Triggs after he allowed a hit and walk in a scoreless first. However, Tsutsugo started the second with a homer off lefty Matt Hall (0-3).Kevin Kiermaier had an RBI... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Aaron Nola gives his seven-inning complete game victory an asterisk. As for the doubleheader nightcap, the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen remains a big question mark.Nola struck out 10 and went the distance for the first time in his career as Philadelphia handed the Miami Marlins their worst drubbing in two days, winning Friday's opener 11-0.The Phillies went with a bullpen game in the nightcap, and their struggling relief corps had another rocky night in a 5-3 loss. Jorge Alfaro had his fourth consecutive two-RBI game for the Marlins, who scored on three relievers.Officially, Nola's performance went in the books as a complete game.“I don’t feel like it counts,” he said. “Nine innings is a complete game. But I felt good today. I’m glad I finished it out.”With the split, the second-place Phillies remained half a game ahead of the third-place Marlins in the NL East. Miami's split came two days after they got routed 29-9 in Atlanta.GAME 1Nola (5-3) didn't allow a hit until Brian... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nate Lowe hit two homers and drove in four runs as Tampa Bay fielded a lineup of all lefties, Blake Snell worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings and the AL East-leading Rays routed the cellar-dwelling Boston Red Sox 11-1 on Friday night.Tampa Bay became the first major league team since at least 1900 to use a batting order with only left-handed batters, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Snell (4-1) gave up five hits and two walks. He struck out five.Yoshi Tsutsugo also homered for the Rays, who stopped a three-game skid. Boston rookie Bobby Dalbec had his five-game home run streak end but had an RBI double in the ninth.Rays manager Kevin Cash stacked his lineup with lefties against right-hander Andrew Triggs, who made his second start with Boston.Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke quickly countered by removing Triggs after he allowed a hit and walk in a scoreless first. However, Tsutsugo started the second with a homer off lefty Matt Hall (0-3).Kevin Kiermaier had an RBI... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Jorge Alfaro had his fourth consecutive two-RBI game, and the Miami Marlins salvaged a split of their doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies by winning 5-3 Friday night.Alfaro's two-run single capped a three-run fourth for the Marlins. Yimi Garcia gave up a run for the first time this season but earned his first save since 2015.In the opener, Aaron Nola struck out 10 and went the distance for the first time in his career as the Phillies handed the Marlins their worst drubbing in two days, winning 11-0. Officially, the performance went in the books as a complete game.“I don’t feel like it counts,” Nola said. “Nine innings is a complete game. But I felt good today. I'm glad I finished it out.”While Nola cruised, Game 1 was another rough outing for Marlins pitchers, who gave up a National League record 29 runs against Atlanta on Wednesday.With the split, third-place Miami remained half a game behind the second-place Phillies in the NL East.GAME 1Nola (5-3) didn't allow... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Rays veteran Ryan Yarbrough and top Marlins prospect Sixto Sanchez matched zeroes into the seventh inning Friday night, with one difference.“He was throwing 100, and I wasn’t,” Yarbrough said. “A nice little contrast there.”There was also a contrast in bullpen performances. Yarbrough and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, and AL East leader Tampa Bay won its third game in a row by scratching out runs in the eighth and ninth to beat Miami 2-0. The 22-year-old Sanchez struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings in his second major league start, but the Rays broke through in the eighth when Yandy Diaz delivered a two-out RBI single. Michael Perez, a late addition to the Rays lineup, added a two-out run-scoring single in the ninth.Both teams were back on the field to start the series on Jackie Robinson Day after declining to play games Thursday in protest against racial injustice.The crafty Yarbrough threw mostly in the 80s, but blanked Miami for 6 2/3 innings before leaving... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Ryan Yarbrough and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, and AL East leader Tampa Bay won its third game in a row by beating the Miami Marlins 2-0 Friday night. Top Marlins prospect Sixto Sanchez struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings in his second major league start, but the Rays broke through against Miami's bullpen when Yandy Diaz delivered a two-out RBI single in the eighth. Michael Perez, a late addition to the Rays lineup, added a two-out RBI single in the ninth.Both teams were back on the field to start the series on Jackie Robinson Day after declining to play games Thursday in protest against racial injustice.Yarbrough pitched 6 2/3 innings before leaving the game with a tight left groin. The left-hander lowered his ERA to 3.65 but remained winless in his past 15 starts, including seven this year.Pete Fairbanks (4-1) didn't allow a hit in 1 1/3 innings, and Diego Castillo pitched around a two-out double and a walk in the ninth for his second save. The Rays (22-11)... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Marlins never considered sitting out a game as health concerns rattled the clubhouse. Brian Anderson and Miguel Rojas eased the lineup pain for a day -- and they’ll have an extra night in Philadelphia to think about any potential scares ahead.Anderson and Rojas each hit three-run homers and Miami overcame the late scratch of its starting pitcher and looming coronavirus scares to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-6 on Sunday.“We’re taking risks every day,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “That’s what the players all around the league are doing. You travel all the time .. it’s a risk that we take. We’re going to have to be adjustable, we’re going to have to be flexible, we’re going to have to be patient.”Jose Urena, Miami’s opening day starter in 2018 and 2019, was bumped from his start about 90 minutes before the first pitch. The Marlins did not disclose the reason. Miami’s good vibes from winning two of three were dampened by the potential health scare that could... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Brian Anderson and Miguel Rojas each hit three-run homers and the Miami Marlins overcame the late scratch of their starting pitcher and a looming health scare to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-6 on Sunday.Jose Urena, Miami’s opening day starter in 2018 and 2019, was bumped from his start about 90 minutes before the first pitch. The Marlins did not disclose the reason. Miami had other players unavailable: Garrett Cooper and Harold Ramirez also were out of the lineup after playing in the first two games of the season-opening, three-game set against the Phillies. Again, the Marlins did not immediately say why the players were not in the lineup. Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro was placed on the injury list with an undisclosed ailment at the start of the series.With the specter of the coronavirus hanging over the franchise, the Marlins refused to wilt and helped turn a steamy Sunday in front of another empty ballpark into a wild one and take two of three in Philly.Yelling... [More]