ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels reliever Ty Buttrey has retired from baseball, saying he's lost his affection for the game. “I just wanted to prove everyone wrong," the 28-year-old posted on social media Saturday. “As time went on baseball became more of a business and less of a game. I couldn’t help but notice my love and passion for this game started to diminish. I always thought baseball was a cool job. I also knew that same job paid extremely well. What young kid doesn’t want a cool job that pays well?” The right-hander was one of the key pieces of the Angels' bullpen the past three seasons, but he struggled with control problems during spring training and was optioned to the team's alternate training site. His 115 appearances from 2018-20 were fourth on the team among pitchers, and he was 8-11 with a 4.30 ERA. Buttrey said he informed the Angels of his decision to leave baseball, and the organization asked him to take some more time to think about it. He did not outline his... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels reliever Ty Buttrey has retired from baseball, saying he's lost his affection for the game. “I just wanted to prove everyone wrong," the 28-year-old posted on social media Saturday. “As time went on baseball became more of a business and less of a game. I couldn’t help but notice my love and passion for this game started to diminish. I always thought baseball was a cool job. I also knew that same job paid extremely well. What young kid doesn’t want a cool job that pays well?” The right-hander was one of the key pieces of the Angels' bullpen the past three seasons, but he struggled with control problems during spring training and was optioned to the team's alternate training site. His 115 appearances from 2018-20 were fourth on the team among pitchers, and he was 8-11 with a 4.30 ERA. Buttrey said he informed the Angels of his decision to leave baseball, and the organization asked him to take some more time to think about it. He did not outline his... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels reliever Ty Buttrey has retired from baseball, saying he's lost his affection for the game. “I just wanted to prove everyone wrong," the 28-year-old posted on social media Saturday. “As time went on baseball became more of a business and less of a game. I couldn’t help but notice my love and passion for this game started to diminish. I always thought baseball was a cool job. I also knew that same job paid extremely well. What young kid doesn’t want a cool job that pays well?” The right-hander was one of the key pieces of the Angels' bullpen the past three seasons, but he struggled with control problems during spring training and was optioned to the team's alternate training site. His 115 appearances from 2018-20 were fourth on the team among pitchers, and he was 8-11 with a 4.30 ERA. Buttrey said he informed the Angels of his decision to leave baseball, and the organization asked him to take some more time to think about it. He did not outline his... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels have acquired right-hander Aaron Slegers from Tampa Bay for cash or a player to be named. The clubs announced the deal Monday night. The 6-foot-10 Slegers mostly pitched in long relief for the AL champion Rays last season, going at least two innings in nine of his 11 appearances while compiling a 3.46 ERA. He allowed just five earned runs over 24 innings in his final 10 appearances, and kept up the strong work with a 1.80 ERA in three playoff outings covering five innings. Slegers, born in Long Beach, has a solid chance to earn an important job in the Angels' bullpen, which is undergoing a major overhaul by new general manager Perry Minasian. Los Angeles had the fifth-worst ERA in the majors last season and missed the playoffs for the sixth straight year. Mike Mayers, Ty Buttrey and Félix Peña were the Angels’ three most-used relievers last season, and they’re all still with the club. The next eight busiest relievers from the 2020 roster are gone, and Minasian has traded for closer Raisel Iglesias and signed left-hander Alex Claudio. Slegers was waived or designated for assignment by Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay in 2019, but he re-signed with the Rays and pitched his way back into the majors last August. The Angels designated left-hander Dillon Peters for assignment to make room for Slegers. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Left-hander Alex Claudio agreed to a one-year, $1,125,000 contract Wednesday with the Los Angeles Angels, adding the sidearm reliever to their bullpen makeover. Claudio has appeared in 239 games over the past four seasons with Texas and Milwaukee, third most by a pitcher in the majors during that stretch. He led the sport in 2019 with 83 appearances for the Brewers, tying their franchise record. “Having a quality lefty is important, especially in our ballpark with a shorter right field,” new Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. “He has the ability to keep the ball in the ballpark against the opposite side, which is really important. From a mentality and a makeup side, one of the things we’re looking for is competitive guys, and this is as competitive a guy as you’ll see.” Claudio is 15-8 with 13 saves and a 3.44 ERA in his major league career, which began with the Rangers in 2014. He is particularly effective against left-handed batters, who have a .202 career... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Left-hander Alex Claudio agreed to a one-year, $1.125 million contract Wednesday with the Los Angeles Angels, adding the sidearm reliever to their bullpen makeover. Claudio has appeared in 239 games over the past four seasons with Texas and Milwaukee, third most by a pitcher in the majors during that stretch. He led the sport in 2019 with 83 appearances for the Brewers, tying their franchise record. “Having a quality lefty is important, especially in our ballpark with a shorter right field,” new Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. “He has the ability to keep the ball in the ballpark against the opposite side, which is really important. From a mentality and a makeup side, one of the things we’re looking for is competitive guys, and this is as competitive a guy as you’ll see.” Claudio is 15-8 with 13 saves and a 3.44 ERA in his major league career, which began with the Rangers in 2014. He is particularly effective against left-handed batters, who have a .202... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels acquired closer Raisel Iglesias from the Cincinnati Reds for right-hander Noé Ramirez and a player to be named or cash Monday in the first trade of the week of baseball's winter meetings. Iglesias has been the Reds' closer for the past four seasons, racking up 100 saves in 114 opportunities over that stretch with a career 3.15 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Iglesias will make $9,125,000 next season in the final year of his contract. The trade allows the Reds to save money while putting a cornerstone in the Angels’ bullpen, which is being rebuilt by rookie general manager Perry Minasian this offseason. “Bullpen is an area we’d like to improve, and we feel like he’s a positive addition in that area,” Minasian said. “He has a history of pitching late in games, a history of pitching in big games. Not only did he fit from a talent standpoint, but a makeup standpoint. He loves to pitch and loves to compete. He’s not scared of the big moment, and we’re very... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Bregman singled in the go-ahead run during a five-run ninth inning, and the Astros rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 under smoky skies Saturday night in Houston’s first visit since the infamous 2017 World Series.The Dodgers blew a three-run lead in the ninth when Kenley Jansen (3-1) got knocked around, giving up four consecutive hits without an out.Josh James (1-0) got the victory with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Ryan Pressly earned his ninth save.The game lacked the fiery emotion of the teams’ matchup on July 29. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago.A plane towed a banner reading “Houston Cheats Bang Bang” over the stadium.WHITE SOX 14, TIGERS 0CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu hit two three-run homers and matched a career high with seven RBIs, and the White Sox earned their eighth straight win against the Tigers.Abreu went 4 for 4 a day after his career-best 22-game... [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]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning, Albert Pujols drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros to sweep Saturday’s doubleheader.It was not a walk-off win for the Angels, though. They were the visiting team in the nightcap because it was a makeup of the Aug. 26 game in Houston that was postponed due to Tropical Storm Laura.Mike Trout became the Angels’ home run leader in the first game with No. 300 of his career and Jo Adell celebrated with a game-winning, two-run single in the seventh to give Los Angeles a 10-9 win.Rendon hitting homers to sink the Astros is nothing new. He had a three-run shot for Washington in Game 6 of last year’s World Series and then a solo drive in the deciding game to start the Nationals’ comeback.Noe Ramirez (1-0) worked a scoreless sixth and Ty Buttrey earned his fifth save.Los Angeles trailed 6-4 in the seventh. Justin Upton singled and Trout walked before Rendon... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles ended their 19-game losing streak against the New York Yankees, using a strong offensive performance by rookie Ryan Mountcastle in a 6-3 victory Friday night for a doubleheader split. In the opener, Miguel Andújar singled in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and Clint Frazier added an RBI single to give New York a 6-5 win. Gary Sanchez homered and Brett Gardner drove in two runs for the Yankees.Mountcastle hit a two-run homer off 21-year-old Deivi García in second inning of the nightcap and sparked a four-run fifth inning with an RBI single off Clarke Schmidt, who was making his major league debut. Rio Ruiz followed with a run-scoring single and Pat Valaika capped the uprising with a two-run double.That helped Baltimore secure its first win over New York since March 31, 2019. It also snapped the Yankees’ 18-game winning streak at Camden Yards.García (0-1) allowed four runs and five hits with six strikeouts in his second big league appearance.... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Adam Duvall hit three home runs a night after teammate Marcell Ozuna become the first NL player ever to hit three homers in Fenway Park, and the East-leading Atlanta Braves beat the stumbling Boston Red Sox 7-5 Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep. Duvall hit a pair of two-run shots over the Green Monster and a solo blast to center for his five RBIs. Ozuna added a long, tiebreaking solo drive for the Braves, who entered the three-game set 0-12-3 in their last 15 series against the Red Sox.It was Atlanta’s first sweep in Boston since capturing a three-game set in 2002. Freddie Freeman had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 16 games.Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a solo homer and J.D. Martinez had two hits and two RBIs for the Red Sox.Ozuna’s drive also cleared the Monster, sailing over a billboard and completely out of Fenway against Andrew Triggs (0-2) in the seventh. Duvall’s third homer hit off a back wall near the bleachers after his second homer had tied it at... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Dominic Smith hit the go-ahead home run in his first game since tearfully pleading for help combating racial inequality, Pete Alonso also connected and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 6-4 in the opener of a doubleheader Friday.Amed Rosario hit a walkoff, two-run homer to lift the Mets to a 4-3 victory in the nightcap — a bizarre scene in the Bronx, where the Yankees batted first as the visiting team in the makeup of a game postponed last weekend.The sweep sent the Yankees to their seventh straight loss.Rosario connected off closer Aroldis Chapman (0-1) with pinch-runner Billy Hamilton at second base. Chapman walked Jeff McNeil to open the inning, and Hamilton promptly stole second despite being picked off by the All-Star left-hander.Rosario then cranked his third home run of the season into the left field seats, setting off the second big celebration in the visiting dugout as the Mets swept the Yankees in a doubleheader for the first time.Jared Hughes (1-1)... [More]

Angels first. Mike Trout lines out to deep center field to Myles Straw. Tommy La Stella walks. David Fletcher singles to shortstop. Shohei Ohtani flies out to left center field to Kyle Tucker. Andrelton Simmons walks. David Fletcher to second. Tommy La Stella to third. Brian Goodwin singles to second base, advances to 3rd. Andrelton Simmons scores. David Fletcher scores. Tommy La Stella scores. Fielding error by Josh Reddick. Jo Adell doubles to right field. Brian Goodwin scores. Anthony Bemboom walks. Luis Rengifo lines out to left field to Kyle Tucker.4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 left on. Angels 4, Astros 0.Angels fourth. Luis Rengifo homers to left field. Mike Trout called out on strikes. Tommy La Stella lines out to deep left field to Kyle Tucker. David Fletcher grounds out to shallow infield, Andre Scrubb to Carlos Correa to Yuli Gurriel.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Angels 5, Astros 0.Angels fifth. Shohei Ohtani walks. Andrelton Simmons singles to shallow right field. Shohei Ohtani... [More]

Angels first. Mike Trout lines out to deep center field to Myles Straw. Tommy La Stella walks. David Fletcher singles to shortstop. Shohei Ohtani flies out to left center field to Kyle Tucker. Andrelton Simmons walks. David Fletcher to second. Tommy La Stella to third. Brian Goodwin singles to second base, advances to 3rd. Andrelton Simmons scores. David Fletcher scores. Tommy La Stella scores. Fielding error by Josh Reddick. Jo Adell doubles to right field. Brian Goodwin scores. Anthony Bemboom walks. Luis Rengifo lines out to left field to Kyle Tucker.4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 2 left on. Angels 4, Astros 0.Angels fourth. Luis Rengifo homers to left field. Mike Trout called out on strikes. Tommy La Stella lines out to deep left field to Kyle Tucker. David Fletcher grounds out to shallow infield, Andre Scrubb to Carlos Correa to Yuli Gurriel.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Angels 5, Astros 0.Angels fifth. Shohei Ohtani walks. Andrelton Simmons singles to shallow right field. Shohei Ohtani... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kiké Hernández hit a three-run drive and Mookie Betts went deep twice in the Dodgers’ seven-homer attack, powering Los Angeles past the Colorado Rockies 11-3 on Sunday for a three-game sweep.The Dodgers are the only team in the majors yet to lose a series, unbeaten in 11. They have won 11 of 12 games overall and own the best record in baseball at 22-8 at the halfway point of this abbreviated season.Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Will Smith and Max Muncy also homered for Los Angeles. Victor Gonzalez (1-0) earned his first major league victory.Trevor Story, Ryan McMahon and Sam Hilliard went deep for Colorado in its season-high seventh consecutive loss. Antonio Senzatela (3-1) allowed six runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.PADRES 5, ASTROS 3SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. made two spectacular plays at shortstop, Manny Machado hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and San Diego completed a three-game series sweep. The Padres have won seven straight, all against... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kiké Hernández hit a three-run drive and Mookie Betts went deep twice in the Dodgers’ seven-homer attack, powering Los Angeles past the Colorado Rockies 11-3 on Sunday for a three-game sweep.The Dodgers are the only team in the majors yet to lose a series, unbeaten in 11. They have won 11 of 12 games overall and own the best record in baseball at 22-8 at the halfway point of this abbreviated season.Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Will Smith and Max Muncy also homered for Los Angeles. Victor Gonzalez (1-0) earned his first major league victory.Trevor Story, Ryan McMahon and Sam Hilliard went deep for Colorado in its season-high seventh consecutive loss. Antonio Senzatela (3-1) allowed six runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.PADRES 5, ASTROS 3SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. made two spectacular plays at shortstop, Manny Machado hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and San Diego completed a three-game series sweep. The Padres have won seven straight, all against... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout drove in three early runs, then made a key catch late as the Los Angeles Angels beat Oakland 4-3 Saturday to snap the Athletics’ nine-game home winning streak.The three-time MVP made a diving catch on Matt Olson’s sinking liner to center field to start the eighth inning, which had Angels reliever Ty Buttrey clapping his glove in gratitude. Buttrey got six outs for his second save.Anthony Rendon extended his hitting streak to 12 games for the Angels, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Matt Andriese (1-1) relieved Griffin Canning in the fifth and pitched 2 1/3 innings for his first win with Los Angeles.Matt Chapman homered for AL West-leading Oakland. Chris Bassitt (2-1) permitted four runs, two earned, and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.DODGERS 4, ROCKIES 3LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cody Bellinger’s home run leading off the ninth inning gave Los Angeles a win over slumping Colorado.Bellinger drove a slider from Daniel Bard (1-2) just over the glove of Rockies right... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout drove in three early runs, then made a key catch late as the Los Angeles Angels beat Oakland 4-3 Saturday to snap the Athletics’ nine-game home winning streak.The three-time MVP made a diving catch on Matt Olson’s sinking liner to center field to start the eighth inning, which had Angels reliever Ty Buttrey clapping his glove in gratitude. Buttrey got six outs for his second save.Anthony Rendon extended his hitting streak to 12 games for the Angels, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Matt Andriese (1-1) relieved Griffin Canning in the fifth and pitched 2 1/3 innings for his first win with Los Angeles.Matt Chapman homered for AL West-leading Oakland. Chris Bassitt (2-1) permitted four runs, two earned, and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.RAYS 2, BLUE JAYS 1, 10 INNINGSST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch hitter Kevin Kiermaier singled in the 10th inning, and Tampa Bay ended Toronto’s six-game winning streak.Both teams scored a run in the fifth and it stayed 1-all... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout drove in three early runs, then made a key catch late as the Los Angeles Angels beat Oakland 4-3 Saturday to snap the Athletics’ nine-game home winning streak.The three-time MVP made a diving catch on Matt Olson’s sinking liner to center field to start the eighth inning, which had Angels reliever Ty Buttrey clapping his glove in gratitude. Buttrey got six outs for his second save.Anthony Rendon extended his hitting streak to 12 games for the Angels, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Matt Andriese (1-1) relieved Griffin Canning in the fifth and pitched 2 1/3 innings for his first win with Los Angeles.Matt Chapman homered for AL West-leading Oakland. Chris Bassitt (2-1) permitted four runs, two earned, and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.RAYS 2, BLUE JAYS 1, 10 INNINGSST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch hitter Kevin Kiermaier singled in the 10th inning, and Tampa Bay ended Toronto’s six-game winning streak.Both teams scored a run in the fifth and it stayed 1-all... [More]