March 291973 — Orange baseballs are used in an exhibition game by Oakland owner Charlie Finley. The A's suffered 11-5 exhibition loss to Cleveland. George Hendrick of the Indians hit three home runs in the game.2000 — The Chicago Cubs open the major league season at the Tokyo Dome in Japan by defeating the New York Mets 5-3 in the first big league game ever played outside of North America.2015 — Belmont broke three NCAA Division I records and tied a fourth during a 20-run sixth inning in a 34-10 victory over UT Martin. The Bruins set the marks for most plate appearances (26), total bases (43) and RBIs (20) in an inning. Belmont homered seven times in the sixth to tie the record for most homers in an inning.2017 — New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia was given a 15-game suspension under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy.March 301966 — The Koufax-Drysdale holdout ended. The Los Angeles Dodgers announced the signings. Sandy Koufax got $120,000 and Don Drysdale $105,000, making... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — With no sign of when training camps can resume, Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro says he thinks Major League Baseball would need at least a month of workouts and exhibition games before regular season play can begin.Opening day has been postponed until at least mid-May because of the coronavirus pandemic.“Knowing that so many players are not even having any access to throwing at all or hitting at all, but most importantly just throwing, and probably limited access to just training and exercise, it’s hard to imagine we could get ready in less than four weeks,” Shapiro said in a teleconference with Toronto reporters.Shapiro cautioned that training camps aren’t likely to reopen for some time yet.“I do think that we’re, by and large, waiting for some sort of flattening of the curve and recognition that we have done our best to limit the strain on the healthcare system and the economic system,” he said. “Until that time, the exact outcome and impact on our schedule, and... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge revealed he had a collapsed lung that has healed and said his broken rib is improving.Judge had a CT scan on Friday. The Yankees announced two weeks ago that Judge had a stress fracture to his first right rib. “The bone is still about the same, slight improvement,” Judge said as he left Steinbrenner Field. "The bone is healing the way it should be, so probably another test here in a couple more weeks and go from there."Judge added the scan showed a "pneumothorax came back completely gone.""A little thing on the lung that we were having a little issue with, but that was all healed up." Judge said. “Good to go. Which means I can fly if I needed to go home.”The 27-year-old didn't played in any spring training games because of soreness in his right pectoral muscle and shoulder.With opening day pushed back into mid-May at the earliest due to the new coronovirus, Judge has more time to recover without missing games."That's the silver lining... [More]

Let's play two? Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black would be down for doubleheaders.Maybe even a couple a week.That might be a necessity to make up games once a baseball season delayed by the new coronavirus gets under way."In theory, yeah, I think all of us would be up for some sort of doubleheader situation," Black said during a conference call Thursday. “The thing that's going to be in front of all of us is it's going to be the same for everybody. It's got to make sense for the clubs and the players.”Opening day has been pushed back from March 26 to mid-May at the earliest, and both sides are committed to playing as many games as possible.Translation: Doubleheaders could be on the docket."I know that when we're able to safely play, we're going to have to think of creative ways to get in as many games as possible given all the time that's going to be lost," said Farhan Zaidi, the president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants. “I don't really have any specific thoughts on... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco Giants right-hander Tyler Beede will undergo Tommy John elbow surgery Friday.Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi made the announcement Thursday. Beede's surgery will be performed by Texas Rangers physician Dr. Keith Meister in the Dallas area.Beede joined others having medical procedures, some because of the delay to the season caused by the novel coronavirus. The Red Sox announced Thursday that left-hander Chris Sale will have Tommy John surgery, while Houston's Justin Verlander underwent groin surgery.Beede left an exhibition game after one inning on March 3 with tightness in his elbow, and an MRI exam the following day showed he had a flexor strain and a UCL sprain. The club gathered additional opinions on the injury before Meister determined surgery the best decision.Beede had been competing for a spot in San Francisco’s starting rotation. He went 5-10 with a 5.08 ERA last season for the Giants.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale will have Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, an operation that would keep him out the entire 2020 baseball season if and when it resumes after the coronavirus pandemic.“There’s no real way to sugarcoat this. It's not what anyone wants,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told reporters on Thursday night. “Chris is the type of player that you just can’t replace. He’s an elite player. If he’s unavailable to us, that’s a blow.”The announcement comes two weeks after saying Sale had a flexor strain near the elbow. At the time, the Red Sox hoped Sale would avoid the operation that usually requires at least a full year of rehab. Bloom said it usually takes 14-15 months to recover. “Generally, 12 months is aggressive,” he said. “Some guys go through rehab with absolutely no bumps in the road. Some guys — actually most guys — have bumps along the way. You know he will put everything he has into this.” Opening day, originally scheduled for next... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale will have Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, an operation that would keep him out the entire 2020 baseball season if and when it resumes after the coronavirus pandemic.The team made the announcement on Thursday, two weeks after saying that the left-hander who turns 31 later this month had a flexor strain near the elbow. At the time, the Red Sox hoped Sale would avoid the operation that usually requires a full year of recovery.Opening day, originally scheduled for next week, has been pushed back until at least mid-May due to the coronavirus outbreak. Sale missed the start of spring training with an illness that the team described as a flu that morphed into pneumonia.A Red Sox spokesman did not immediately respond to an email asking if Sale has been tested for COVID-19.Sale is 109-73 in 10 major league seasons is entering the second season of a six-year, $160 million contract. After helping the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, he went 6-11... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale will have Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, an operation that would keep him out the entire 2020 baseball season if and when it resumes after the coronavirus pandemic.The team made the announcement on Thursday, two weeks after saying that the 30-year-old left-hander had a flexor strain near the elbow. At the time, the Red Sox hoped Sale would avoid the operation that usually requires a full year to recover from.Sale is 109-73 in 10 major league seasons is entering the second season of a six-year, $160 million contract. After helping the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, he went 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA in 25 starts last year, his fewest wins and starts and highest ERA in a full season since 2012. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale to have Tommy John surgery, miss season.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers minor leaguer Connor Joe announced Wednesday on social media that he has been diagnosed with testicular cancer.The 27-year-old infielder-outfielder left spring training three weeks ago to visit doctors and have tests. “I unfortunately learned that I have testicular cancer. The good news is that we caught it early, and cases like mine are very curable,” Joe posted on Instagram. “I have started treatment, underwent surgery yesterday and am in my recovery process now.”Joe said he is maintaining a positive outlook for what he hopes is a full recovery. He thanked his family, friends, the Dodgers organization and his teammates for their “incredible love and support during this difficult time.”He said he's sharing his ordeal in the hope of bringing increased awareness to men's health.Joe had 15 plate appearances for the San Francisco Giants last year, with one hit and one run. He batted .067. At Triple-A Oklahoma City, he hit .300 with a .929 OPS, 15 home runs and 68 RBI.Joe was drafted 39th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014 out of the University of San Diego, his hometown.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — Left-hander Joey Wentz, a prospect in the Detroit Tigers' organization, had surgery to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.New York Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek operated on Wentz on Tuesday in West Palm Beach, Florida. Detroit said Wednesday that Wentz is expected to return in 14-16 months. The 22-year-old Wentz was a non-roster invitee at big league spring training this year. He is the No. 8 prospect in the Detroit organization, according to rankings on mlb.com.Detroit acquired him last July 31 in the deal that sent reliever Shane Greene to Atlanta. He was 7-8 with a 4.20 ERA in 25 starts at Double-A last year.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A second New York Yankees minor leaguer has tested positive for the new coronavirus.The player, while in self-quarantine, reported fatigue and an elevated temperature to medical personnel with the Yankees, according to the team. The player was tested Sunday and returned to self-quarantine after the positive result.“We can also report that within the past 48 hours his symptoms have dissipated,” the team said.New York had announced a first positive test on Sunday, and general manager Brian Cashman said the player had been isolated and the Florida Department of Health notified.The two Yankees minor leaguers are the only baseball players known to have tested positive.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus within a few weeks.While... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Catcher Jake Rogers was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday by the The Detroit Tigers.Rogers faced a tough competition for playing time after Detroit acquired catchers Austin Romine and Eric Haase in the offseason. Rogers made his big league debut last season, hitting .125 in 35 games. He was obtained by Detroit in the 2017 deal that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros.Opening day has been delayed to mid-May at the earliest because of the new coronavirus.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander had surgery on his right groin Tuesday and is expected to be out about six weeks. General manager James Click made the announcement. The timing gives Verlander time to heal before opening day, which had been pushed back to mid-May at the earliest because of the new coronavirus.Verlander dealt with the problem early in spring training. His first start was delayed until March 3 because of discomfort in his right groin. He made two starts pitching 4 2/3 innings with a 3.86 ERA. Verlander left his second start on March 8 with a mild strain of a back muscle and said at the time that it would be unlikely that he would be able to start the scheduled March 26 opener against the Los Angeles Angels.Click said the Astros first thought Verlander could recover from the groin injury with physical therapy. “After a recent setback in his rehab, the medical staff recommended that a surgical procedure was necessary," Click said.Verlander, who won the AL Cy Young Award last season, has made each of his scheduled starts for the Astros since he was acquired from Detroit in August 2017. Verlander was 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA last season and led the majors in wins and innings (223). The 37-year-old is entering his 16th season in the major leagues. Verlander, who won his first Cy Young Award in 2011 when he was also was voted AL MVP, is 225-129 with a 3.33 ERA and 3,006 strikeouts. ___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A second New York Yankees minor leaguer has tested positive for the new coronavirus, a person familiar with the diagnosis told The Associated Press.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team had not yet made the announcement.New York had announced a first positive test on Sunday, and general manager Brian Cashman said the player had been isolated and the Florida Department of Health notified.The two Yankees minor leaguers are the only baseball players known to have tested positive.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus within a few weeks.While Major League Baseball canceled the rest of the spring training schedule last week and has delayed opening day until mid-May at the earliest, Yankees... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Second baseman Joe Panik was added to the 40-man major league roster by the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.Toronto selected the contract of the 29-year-old from Triple-A Buffalo and placed right-hander Yennsy Diaz on the 60-day injured list with a right lat strain.Panik gets a one-year contract paying a $2.85 million salary while in the major leagues and a $195,000 salary in the minors. He can earn $150,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $50,000 each for 400, 450 and 500 plate appearances.Panik hit .381 with a triple, two home runs and five RBIs in 21 at-bats over 10 spring training games. The left-handed hitter batted .244 with five homers and 39 RBIs in 438 at-bats last year for the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets. Panik became a free agent after the season and agreed to a minor league deal with the Blue Jays in January.He has a .271 average with 38 homers and 233 RBIs in six seasons with the Giants and Mets. He was an All-Star in 2015.Diaz, 23, was 11-9 with a 3.74 ERA last year in 24 starts and two relief appearances for Double-A New Hampshire. He pitched two-thirds of an inning for Toronto at Baltimore on Aug. 4 in his big league debut, his only major league appearance.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) — Second baseman Joe Panik was added to the 40-man major league roster by the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.Toronto selected the contract of the 29-year-old from Triple-A Buffalo and placed right-hander Yennsy Diaz on the 60-day injured list with a right lat strain.Panik gets a one-year contract paying a $2.85 million salary while in the major leagues and a $195,000 salary in the minors. He can earn $150,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $50,000 each for 400, 450 and 500 plate appearances.Panik hit .381 with a triple, two home runs and five RBIs in 21 at-bats over 10 spring training games. The left-handed hitter batted .244 with five homers and 39 RBIs in 438 at-bats last year for the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets. Panik became a free agent after the season and agreed to a minor league deal with the Blue Jays in January.He has a .271 average with 38 homers and 233 RBIs in six seasons with the Giants and Mets. He was an All-Star in 2015.Diaz, 23, was 11-9 with a 3.74 ERA last year in 24 starts and two relief appearances for Double-A New Hampshire. He pitched two-thirds of an inning for Toronto at Baltimore on Aug. 4 in his big league debut, his only major league appearance.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball pushed back opening day until mid-May at the earliest on Monday because of the new coronavirus after the federal government recommended restricting events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks.Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement following a conference call with executives of the 30 teams.“The clubs remain committed to playing as many games as possible when the season begins,” the commissioner's office said in a statement.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Sunday that gatherings of 50 people or more be canceled or postponed across the country for the next eight weeks. “The opening of the 2020 regular season will be pushed back in accordance with that guidance,” Manfred said.No telling at this point when games will start. The All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 14 could be in jeopardy.“We're not going to announce an alternate opening day at this point. We're going to have to see... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball pushed back opening day until mid-May at the earliest on Monday because of the new coronavirus after the federal government recommended restricting events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks.Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement following a conference call with executives of the 30 teams.“The clubs remain committed to playing as many games as possible when the season begins,” the commissioner's office said in a statement.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Sunday that gatherings of 50 people or more be canceled or postponed across the country for the next eight weeks. “The opening of the 2020 regular season will be pushed back in accordance with that guidance,” Manfred said.No telling at this point when games will start. The All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 14 could be in jeopardy.“We're not going to announce an alternate opening day at this point. We're going to have to see... [More]

A New York Yankees minor leaguer tested positive for the coronavirus, the Miami Marlins shut their spring training complex and baseball began bracing for the possibility that opening day could be delayed into May or longer.On Sunday night, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended gatherings of 50 people or more be canceled or postponed across the country for the next eight weeks. Major League Baseball planned to update teams Monday on its health policy.On Sunday, a Yankees prospect became the first known player affiliated with MLB to contract COVID-19. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said a “younger player” was affected in Tampa, Florida, without identifying him. Cashman said the player “feels much better” and his symptoms had subsided, but he was still isolated.“He did not have any interactions with our major league players,” Cashman said on a conference call.The Marlins, meanwhile, became the first organization to completely close their complex, sending players... [More]