Free-agent relief pitcher Jairo Diaz signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. Diaz didn't pitch in the majors in 2021, but the right-hander has some closing experience (nine saves in his last two seasons) and will provide the Mariners with some relief depth this year. The 30-year-old had four saves for the Colorado Rockies in 2020, but he was rough otherwise, sporting a 7.65 ERA, 2.25 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 20 innings over 24 relief appearances. Diaz has a 4.86 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP with 108 strikeouts and 47 walks in 107 1/3 relief innings over five big-league seasons. Expect him to begin the year with Triple-A Tacoma.

Free-agent relief pitcher Jairo Diaz had a pitching session in Miami on Monday. More than a dozen teams attended the pitching session, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. The 30-year-old missed the entirety of the 2021 season due to injury, but he was in the mix for saves as a member of the Colorado Rockies in 2019 and 2020. Over that two-year stretch, he converted nine of his 12 save attempts. Coors Field certainly took its toll on Diaz, as he had a 4.96 ERA and 1.56 WHIP over 105 appearances in a Rockies jersey from 2015 to 2020. We'll see if a change of scenery can enable him to become a trusted bullpen arm.

Free-agent right-hander Jairo Diaz will throw for interested teams on Monday in Miami. The hard-throwing reliever didn't make an appearance in a major league game last year due to injury, and he last appeared out of the bullpen in the big leagues in 2020 with the Colorado Rockies, posting a 7.65 ERA and 2.25 WHIP in 20 relief innings. The 30-year-old Venezuelan began his major league career with the Los Angeles Angels in 2014, and he has a career 4.86 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 9.1 K/9 in 107 1/3 innings over 110 relief appearances over five seasons.

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies brought back Jhoulys Chacín, agreeing to a one-year deal with the right-hander on the eve of opening day. He was added to the active roster before the opener Thursday against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. Chacín spent the first six years of his major league career in Colorado after being signed by the Rockies on Sept. 27, 2004, as a nondrafted international free agent. He's 10th in franchise history with 38 wins. The 33-year-old bounced around after his tenure with the Rockies. He spent time with Arizona, Atlanta, Los Angeles Angels, San Diego, Milwaukee, Boston and had another brief stint with the Braves last season. Over 257 games, including 226 starts, he has a 78-87 record with a 4.04 ERA. Chacín will make $800,000 while in the majors, $150,000 while in the minors. He will receive $25,000 each for 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160 and 180 innings. Chacín spent spring training with the New York Yankees before being released.... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies chose not to offer 2021 contracts Wednesday to oft-injured outfielder David Dahl, catcher Tony Wolters and right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez. The moves came a day after the Rockies agreed to a $1.2 million. one-year deal with catcher Elias Diaz and a $1 million, one-year contract with right-hander Jairo Diaz, two other players who were eligible for salary arbitration. Elias Diaz can earn bonuses of $100,000 each for 80, 90 and 100 starts as a catcher, The 26-year-old Dahl is recovering from right shoulder surgery in September, his latest setback. In 2015, he had his spleen removed after running into an outfield wall in the minors. A rib cage injury sidelined him in 2017. In 2018, he missed two months with a broken right foot. Even his breakout season in 2019 was marred by injury. After making the NL All-Star team, Dahl injured his right ankle and didn’t play after Aug. 2. He appeared in a career-high 100 games that season, hitting .302 with 16 homers and 61... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies chose not to offer 2021 contracts Wednesday to oft-injured outfielder David Dahl, catcher Tony Wolters and right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez. The moves came a day after the Rockies agreed to one-year deals with catcher Elias Diaz and right-hander Jairo Diaz, two other players who were eligible for salary arbitration. The 26-year-old Dahl is recovering from right shoulder surgery in September, his latest setback. In 2015, he had his spleen removed after running into an outfield wall in the minors. A rib cage injury sidelined him in 2017. In 2018, he missed two months with a broken right foot. Even his breakout season in 2019 was marred by injury. After making the NL All-Star team, Dahl injured his right ankle and didn’t play after Aug. 2. He appeared in a career-high 100 games that season, hitting .302 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs. This year, Dahl played in 24 of 60 games during the pandemic-shortened season and had just 99 plate appearances, hitting .183 with... [More]

Rockies tenth. Charlie Blackmon lines out to deep center field to Myles Straw. Trevor Story to third. Nolan Arenado strikes out swinging. Daniel Murphy is intentionally walked. Raimel Tapia singles to center field. Daniel Murphy to third. Trevor Story scores. Ryan McMahon strikes out swinging.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left on. Rockies 1, Astros 0.Astros tenth. Yuli Gurriel singles to left center field. Alex Bregman to third. Kyle Tucker out on a sacrifice fly to center field to Sam Hilliard. Alex Bregman scores. Jose Altuve pops out to shallow infield to Ryan McMahon. Abraham Toro strikes out swinging.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Rockies 1, Astros 1.Astros eleventh. Carlos Correa pinch-hitting for Martin Maldonado. Carlos Correa is intentionally walked. Garrett Stubbs pinch-hitting for Jack Mayfield. Garrett Stubbs out on a sacrifice bunt to shallow infield, Jairo Diaz to Ryan McMahon. Carlos Correa to second. Abraham Toro to third. Myles Straw singles to shallow left field. Carlos Correa to third. Abraham Toro scores.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left on. Astros 2, Rockies 1.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox tied a major league record with four consecutive home runs, all against Roel Ramirez in his major league debut, and went on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday. Ramirez is the first pitcher to allow four straight homers in his debut. Yoán Moncada, Yasmani Grandal, José Abreu and Eloy Jiménez connected during a six-run fifth inning.It was the 10th time in major league history a team hit four straight homers. The only other time the White Sox did it was on Aug. 14, 2008, against Kansas City, when Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez and Juan Uribe connected.The White Sox got another solid start from Dallas Keuchel (3-2) and won for just the third time in 11 home games.St. Louis right-hander Dakota Hudson (0-2) allowed one run in four innings in his first start since July 26.INDIANS 8, TIGERS 5DETROIT (AP) — Franmil Reyes homered twice, and the Indians beat the Tigers for the 20th straight time, nearing the major league record for most consecutive... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox tied a major league record with four consecutive home runs, all against Roel Ramirez in his major league debut, and went on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday. Ramirez is the first pitcher to allow four straight homers in his debut. Yoán Moncada, Yasmani Grandal, José Abreu and Eloy Jiménez connected during a six-run fifth inning.It was the 10th time in major league history a team hit four straight homers. The only other time the White Sox did it was on Aug. 14, 2008, against Kansas City, when Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez and Juan Uribe connected.The White Sox got another solid start from Dallas Keuchel (3-2) and won for just the third time in 11 home games.St. Louis right-hander Dakota Hudson (0-2) allowed one run in four innings in his first start since July 26.INDIANS 8, TIGERS 5DETROIT (AP) — Franmil Reyes homered twice, and the Indians beat the Tigers for the 20th straight time, nearing the major league record for most consecutive... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jonathan Villar hit a first-pitch leadoff homer to spark a robust offensive performance by the Miami Marlins, who beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-7 Thursday night to complete a startling four-game sweep and make Don Mattingly the winningest manager in franchise history.Villar had three hits and Brian Anderson drove in three runs for the upstart Marlins, who emerged from a team-wide coronavirus outbreak to dominate the Orioles and forge the best winning percentage in the big leagues.Miami is 6-1 and in first place in the NL East despite putting 18 players on the injured list before the series opener Tuesday.The Marlins were the “home” team because this was a makeup of a July 28 game that was to be held in Miami but postponed in the wake of the Marlins’ COVID-19 outbreak.Batting in the bottom of the seventh, the Marlins broke a 6-6 tie with a sacrifice fly by Jesús Aguilar off Evan Phillips (1-1) and an RBI triple by Anderson.Mike Morin (1-0) pitched two shutout innings and... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jonathan Villar hit a first-pitch leadoff homer to spark a robust offensive performance by the Miami Marlins, who beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-7 Thursday night to complete a startling four-game sweep and make Don Mattingly the winningest manager in franchise history.Villar had three hits and Brian Anderson drove in three runs for the upstart Marlins, who emerged from a team-wide coronavirus outbreak to dominate the Orioles and forge the best winning percentage in the big leagues.Miami is 6-1 and in first place in the NL East despite putting 18 players on the injured list before the series opener Tuesday.The Marlins were the “home” team because this was a makeup of a July 28 game that was to be held in Miami but postponed in the wake of the Marlins’ COVID-19 outbreak.Batting in the bottom of the seventh, the Marlins broke a 6-6 tie with a sacrifice fly by Jesús Aguilar off Evan Phillips (1-1) and an RBI triple by Anderson.Mike Morin (1-0) pitched two shutout innings and... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Shohei Ohtani homered in his first plate appearance since being shut down as a pitcher, Dylan Bundy struck out 10 in the third complete game of his career and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 6-1 on Thursday. Ohtani drove a 1-0 pitch from Seattle starter Taijuan Walker (1-2) to the opposite field just beyond the leap of left fielder Dee Gordon leading off the second inning.Max Stassi added a two-run homer in the eighth inning, his fourth of the season.Bundy (2-1) has been superb since his offseason arrival from Baltimore via trade. The right-hander has pitched at least six innings in all three of his starts, with 25 strikeouts and two walks in 21 2/3 innings.Bundy allowed four hits and picked up his 10th strikeout getting Kyle Seager leading off the ninth. His only mistake was an elevated changeup that Daniel Vogelbach lined into the right field seats for a solo home run in the fourth inning.PIRATES 6, TWINS 5PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kevin Newman’s two-run pinch-single... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Jacob deGrom struck out a season-high 10 in six innings and the New York Mets snapped a five-game skid Monday night with a 7-2 victory over the Braves that was overshadowed by a season-ending injury to Atlanta ace Mike Soroka. Soroka tore his Achilles tendon in the third inning as he took a step toward first to cover the bag — a huge blow to the two-time defending NL East champions. Robinson Canó had three RBIs before leaving the game himself — one of three New York infielders who went down with injuries. Wilson Ramos added a two-run homer for the Mets, who avoided a four-game sweep and ended Atlanta’s five-game winning streak. Travis d’Arnaud homered off deGrom (1-0) in the fifth.Soroka (0-1) allowed three hits, walked four and wound up being charged with four earned runs in 2 1/3 innings, the second-shortest outing of his career.The Mets had injury concerns, too. Jeff McNeil was scratched just before the first pitch with back tightness, and Canó exited with left groin tightness... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Jacob deGrom struck out a season-high 10 in six innings and the New York Mets snapped a five-game skid Monday night with a 7-2 victory over the Braves that was overshadowed by a season-ending injury to Atlanta ace Mike Soroka. Soroka tore his Achilles tendon in the third inning as he took a step toward first to cover the bag — a huge blow to the two-time defending NL East champions. Robinson Canó had three RBIs before leaving the game himself — one of three New York infielders who went down with injuries. Wilson Ramos added a two-run homer for the Mets, who avoided a four-game sweep and ended Atlanta’s five-game winning streak. Travis d’Arnaud homered off deGrom in the fifth.DeGrom (1-0) turned in another sterling effort. He threw 104 pitches.When Davis grounded the ball toward first baseman Freddie Freeman, Soroka broke in that direction to cover the bag if necessary — only to go down on his first step off the mound. Soroka (0-1) allowed three hits, walked four and wound... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Jacob deGrom struck out a season-high 10 in six innings and the New York Mets snapped a five-game skid Monday night with a 7-2 victory over the Braves that was overshadowed by a season-ending injury to Atlanta ace Mike Soroka. Soroka tore his Achilles tendon in the third inning as he took a step toward first to cover the bag — a huge blow to the two-time defending NL East champions. Robinson Canó had three RBIs before leaving the game himself — one of three New York infielders who went down with injuries. Wilson Ramos added a two-run homer for the Mets, who avoided a four-game sweep and ended Atlanta’s five-game winning streak. Travis d’Arnaud homered off deGrom in the fifth.DeGrom (1-0) turned in another sterling effort. He threw 104 pitches.When Davis grounded the ball toward first baseman Freddie Freeman, Soroka broke in that direction to cover the bag if necessary — only to go down on his first step off the mound. Soroka (0-1) allowed three hits, walked four and wound... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered twice and drove in five runs, connecting for the fifth straight game and breaking an eighth-inning tie with a tape-measure shot that powered the New York Yankees past the Boston Red Sox 9-7 on Sunday night for their sixth consecutive victory. Luke Voit also went deep in a back-and forth slugfest to help the Yankees (7-1) finish a three-game sweep in the first series this season between the longtime rivals. New York has won six in a row and 11 of 12 against Boston since last July.DJ LeMahieu tied it 7 in the eighth with a two-out RBI single off Matt Barnes (0-1) past diving second baseman José Peraza. The clutch hit came after Mike Tauchman, who entered on defense in the seventh, walked and stole second.Judge then launched a no-doubt drive that landed several rows up in the raised bleachers beyond the left-center bullpen for his sixth home run already this year. The big slugger socked a three-run shot in the second, making him the first Yankees player... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Wright and the Atlanta bullpen combined on a 10-hit shutout and the Braves won their fifth in a row, beating the Mets 4-0 Sunday and blanking a New York lineup that found out late that slugger Yoenis Céspedes had opted out of playing any more this season.The Mets released a statement from general manager Brodie Van Wagenen in the early innings that Céspedes wasn’t at the ballpark and the team hadn’t been able to contact him.After the game, Van Wagenen said: “He’s decided to opt out of the remainder of the season for COVID-related reasons.”A two-time All-Star, the 34-year-old Céspedes returned to the lineup this season for the first time since July 20, 2018, after a series of injuries.The Braves sent New York to its fifth straight loss.Wright worked around five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. Relievers Tyler Matzek (1-0), A.J. Minter, Shane Greene and Mark Melancon combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings.New York's David Peterson (1-1) went six innings, striking out... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Wright and the Atlanta bullpen combined on a 10-hit shutout and the Braves won their fifth in a row, beating the Mets 4-0 Sunday and blanking a New York lineup that found out late that slugger Yoenis Céspedes had opted out of playing any more this season.The Mets released a statement from general manager Brodie Van Wagenen in the early innings that Céspedes wasn’t at the ballpark and the team hadn’t been able to contact him.After the game, Van Wagenen said: “He’s decided to opt out of the remainder of the season for COVID-related reasons.”A two-time All-Star, the 34-year-old Céspedes returned to the lineup this season for the first time since July 20, 2018, after a series of injuries.The Braves sent New York to its fifth straight loss.Wright worked around five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. Relievers Tyler Matzek (1-0), A.J. Minter, Shane Greene and Mark Melancon combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings.New York's David Peterson (1-1) went six innings, striking out... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies may be without reliever Scott Oberg for the rest of the season after he developed blood clots in his right arm for a third time in his career.Manager Bud Black said Oberg felt some discomfort in his throwing hand Saturday during a throwing session. He was evaluated by vascular doctors, who discovered the clots. Oberg was already on the 10-day injured list with a strained back.“For lack of a better word, it’s a bummer,” Black said. “It will be a while, if at all, for Scott this season.”Oberg was diagnosed with axillary artery thrombosis (blood clots) in August 2016. He experienced the condition again last August in the middle of a splendid season. He was 6-1 with five saves and had a 2.25 ERA before going on the 60-day injured list on Aug. 19.Colorado was looking at him to possibly take over the closer’s role for a struggling Wade Davis, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. Davis blew a save Friday when he allowed a pair... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Adam Eaton’s bases-loaded chopper broke a scoreless tie in the 10th inning on a close play and Asdrúbal Cabrera followed with a three-run triple, helping the Nationals snap a three-game losing streak by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0 Wednesday night.In a quirky game befitting this pandemic-altered, upside-down season, Toronto’s team played its “home opener” at Washington — batting in the bottom half of each inning, wearing its white uniforms, playing its players’ walk-up music and even blaring the song “OK Blue Jays,” the club’s traditional seventh-inning stretch staple.Toronto’s Nate Pearson, in his big league debut, and Washington’s Max Scherzer, in his 358th start in the majors, put up plenty of zeros. So did the relievers that followed. In the top of the 10th, though, Washington moved ahead on an odd-looking play. After starting with the automatic runner on second base Washington loaded the bags with two walks from Toronto’s sixth pitcher, Shun Yamaguchi (0-2).After... [More]