SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles claimed right-handed pitcher Hector Velazquez on waivers from the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. The 31-year-old was 11-7 with a 3.90 ERA in 89 games in the last three seasons with Boston, including 19 starts.Velazquez will compete for a spot on the Orioles' staff. One candidate, right-hander Evan Phillips, will begin the season on the injured list due to right elbow soreness.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Harper has been playing catch-up since his free agency carried over into spring training.With a week left until opening day, the Philadelphia Phillies' big-money addition looks ready to pay off.Harper hit his first two Grapefruit League homers, combining with fellow new additions Andrew McCutchen and J.T. Realmuto to help Philadelphia pound the Toronto Blue Jays 13-6 Thursday.Harper smashed a two-run homer to right off Sam Gaviglio in the fourth inning and had a solo shot against lefty Thomas Pannone in the sixth. McCutchen also took Gaviglio deep in the second, and Realmuto had a three-run shot in the fourth. That trio has been sharp this spring, with Harper posting a 1.192 OPS, Realmuto at 1.285 and McCutchen .830.Gift Ngoepe and Andrew Knapp also went deep, and Vince Velasquez struck out nine but allowed three runs and two homers in 3 1/3 innings. Velasquez has a 12.79 ERA this spring.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered to continue a hot spring with Toronto, and... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:ON THE CUSPJose Ramirez and the Cleveland Indians can clinch their third consecutive AL Central crown with a victory at home over Detroit and a Minnesota loss at last-place Kansas City. Josh Tomlin (1-5) pitches for the Indians against Matthew Boyd (9-12) and the Tigers. All-Star right-hander Jose Berrios (11-11) and the Twins face rookie Jorge Lopez (2-4), who took a perfect game into the ninth inning last Saturday at Minnesota.STROP STOPPEDThe NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs probably won't have their closer when they open a three-game series against Cincinnati. Pedro Strop injured a hamstring while running to first on a double-play grounder Thursday in just his second at-bat of the season. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Strop will have an MRI on Friday. Strop has served as Chicago's closer since Brandon Morrow was placed on the disabled list July 18. Strop has converted 11 of 13 save opportunities in that span and has a 2.26 ERA on the... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:ON THE CUSPJose Ramirez and the Cleveland Indians can clinch their third consecutive AL Central crown with a victory at home over Detroit and a Minnesota loss at last-place Kansas City. Josh Tomlin (1-5) pitches for the Indians against Matthew Boyd (9-12) and the Tigers. All-Star right-hander Jose Berrios (11-11) and the Twins face rookie Jorge Lopez (2-4), who took a perfect game into the ninth inning last Saturday at Minnesota.STROP STOPPEDThe NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs probably won't have their closer when they open a three-game series against Cincinnati. Pedro Strop injured a hamstring while running to first on a double-play grounder Thursday in just his second at-bat of the season. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Strop will have an MRI on Friday. Strop has served as Chicago's closer since Brandon Morrow was placed on the disabled list July 18. Strop has converted 11 of 13 save opportunities in that span and has a 2.26 ERA on the... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price visited a hand specialist on Thursday, and manager Alex Cora said he isn't sure when the left-hander will make his next start.Price was hit on his left wrist by a line drive in the third inning of Wednesday night's 14-6 win against Miami at Fenway Park. Cora said Price is OK, but he doesn't know if he'll take his turn in the rotation next week in Atlanta."We'll see how he feels the next few days and then we'll go from there," Cora said.Price, who turned 33 on Sunday, stayed behind in Boston to see the doctor while the rest of the team hit the road for the opener of a four-game series against the White Sox. But Cora said Price was on his way to Chicago."He texted me last night and was in good spirits," Cora said.Price is 14-6 with a 3.60 ERA in his first 26 starts for the AL East-leading Red Sox.Cora said he isn't sure who will pitch against the Braves if Price is unavailable. He mentioned Hector Velazquez as a possibility, or the Red Sox... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Red Sox manager Alex Cora says he isn't sure when David Price will make his next start after the left-hander was hit by a line drive.Price was struck on his left wrist in the third inning of Wednesday night's 14-6 win against Miami at Fenway Park. Price visited a hand specialist on Thursday morning and Cora says he is fine, but he doesn't know if he'll take his next turn in the rotation next week in Atlanta.Cora says "We'll see how he feels the next few days and then we'll go from there."Price is 14-6 with a 3.60 ERA in his first 26 starts for the AL East-leading Red Sox.Cora says he isn't sure who will pitch against the Braves if Price is unavailable. He mentioned Hector Velazquez as a possibility, or the Red Sox could opt for one of their promotions when major league rosters expand on Saturday.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox starter David Price has left the game against Miami in the top of the fourth inning with a bruised left wrist after taking a line drive back to mound to end the previous inning.Price, who had been Boston's best pitcher since the All-Star break, was hit by the liner from Miami's Austin Dean. The lefty tried to depend himself, raising his arms quickly in self-defense. He scrambled after the ball to the right side of the mound, but ended up covering first when first baseman Steve Pearce picked it up and tossed it over to him for the final out of the top of the third.The team announced the injury before the next inning started.Three innings later, they said "X-Rays were negative and further testing would be done as needed."When the play was over, Price looked at his hand as he walked to the dugout and headed straight down the dugout steps into the clubhouse. He was followed by a team trainer, pitching coach Dana LeVangie and manager Alex Cora.When the top of the fourth... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie David Bote struck again, connecting in the 10th inning for another game-ending home run that sent the Chicago Cubs over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Friday for their third straight victory.Bote got behind 0-2 before driving Raisel Iglesias' next pitch deep to left field with one out. The infielder hit a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-out grand slam that beat Washington 4-3 on Aug. 12.Iglesias (2-2) had made seven straight scoreless appearances. Jesse Chavez (4-2), the sixth Cubs reliever, pitched a scoreless inning.Daniel Murphy hit his first homer since being traded Tuesday from Washington to the NL Central-leading Cubs. Alec Mills pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his first major league start.Cincinnati wasted a terrific start by Matt Harvey in its fourth loss in five games. Harvey struck out six in 5 1/3 innings after reportedly being claimed off waivers by Milwaukee. He stayed with the Reds when they couldn't work out a deal.BREWERS 7, PIRATES 6, 15 inningsMILWAUKEE... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie David Bote struck again, connecting in the 10th inning for another game-ending home run that sent the Chicago Cubs over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Friday for their third straight victory.Bote got behind 0-2 before driving Raisel Iglesias' next pitch deep to left field with one out. The infielder hit a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-out grand slam that beat Washington 4-3 on Aug. 12.Iglesias (2-2) had made seven straight scoreless appearances. Jesse Chavez (4-2), the sixth Cubs reliever, pitched a scoreless inning.Daniel Murphy hit his first homer since being traded Tuesday from Washington to the NL Central-leading Cubs. Alec Mills pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his first major league start.Cincinnati wasted a terrific start by Matt Harvey in its fourth loss in five games. Harvey struck out six in 5 1/3 innings after reportedly being claimed off waivers by Milwaukee. He stayed with the Reds when they couldn't work out a deal.RAYS 10, RED SOX 3ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie David Bote struck again, connecting in the 10th inning for another game-ending home run that sent the Chicago Cubs over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Friday for their third straight victory.Bote got behind 0-2 before driving Raisel Iglesias' next pitch deep to left field with one out. The infielder hit a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-out grand slam that beat Washington 4-3 on Aug. 12.Iglesias (2-2) had made seven straight scoreless appearances. Jesse Chavez (4-2), the sixth Cubs reliever, pitched a scoreless inning.Daniel Murphy hit his first homer since being traded Tuesday from Washington to the NL Central-leading Cubs. Alec Mills pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his first major league start.Cincinnati wasted a terrific start by Matt Harvey in its fourth loss in five games. Harvey struck out six in 5 1/3 innings after reportedly being claimed off waivers by Milwaukee. He stayed with the Reds when they couldn't work out a deal.RAYS 10, RED SOX 3ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie David Bote struck again, connecting in the 10th inning for another game-ending home run that sent the Chicago Cubs over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Friday for their third straight victory.Bote got behind 0-2 before driving Raisel Iglesias' next pitch deep to left field with one out. The infielder hit a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-out grand slam that beat Washington 4-3 on Aug. 12.Iglesias (2-2) had made seven straight scoreless appearances. Jesse Chavez (4-2), the sixth Cubs reliever, pitched a scoreless inning.Daniel Murphy hit his first homer since being traded Tuesday from Washington to the NL Central-leading Cubs. Alec Mills pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his first major league start.Cincinnati wasted a terrific start by Matt Harvey in its fourth loss in five games. Harvey struck out six in 5 1/3 innings after reportedly being claimed off waivers by Milwaukee. He stayed with the Reds when they couldn't work out a deal.RAYS 10, RED SOX 3ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched just well enough to earn his 200th career win and the Houston Astros hit five home runs, beating the Oakland Athletics 9-4 Sunday to avoid a sweep and retake sole possession of the AL West lead.The surging A's had won the first two games at the Coliseum to tie shaky Houston atop the division. But Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Evan Gattis, Alex Bergman, Marwin Gonzalez and Martin Maldonado later homered for the defending World Series champions. Maldonado also tripled and doubled.Verlander (12-8) gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings while becoming the 114th pitcher with at least 200 career wins.Oakland's Sean Manaea (11-9) was charged with six runs and nine hits in four-plus innings.DODGERS 12, MARINERS 1SEATTLE (AP) — Clayton Kershaw pitched seven sharp innings for his 150th career win, Justin Turner homered and drove in five runs, and Los Angeles routed Seattle.Kershaw (6-5) gave up four hits, struck out seven and... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched just well enough to earn his 200th career win and the Houston Astros hit five home runs, beating the Oakland Athletics 9-4 Sunday to avoid a sweep and retake sole possession of the AL West lead.The surging A's had won the first two games at the Coliseum to tie shaky Houston atop the division. But Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Evan Gattis, Alex Bergman, Marwin Gonzalez and Martin Maldonado later homered for the defending World Series champions. Maldonado also tripled and doubled.Verlander (12-8) gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings while becoming the 114th pitcher with at least 200 career wins.Oakland's Sean Manaea (11-9) was charged with six runs and nine hits in four-plus innings.DODGERS 12, MARINERS 1SEATTLE (AP) — Clayton Kershaw pitched seven sharp innings for his 150th career win, Justin Turner homered and drove in five runs, and Los Angeles routed Seattle.Kershaw (6-5) gave up four hits, struck out seven and... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Blake Swihart doubled into the Red Sox bullpen to score Eduardo Nunez in the 13th inning and Boston beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Monday night to move a season-high six games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East.Boston announced after the game it had acquired Ian Kinsler from the Angels to fill in for injured second baseman Dustin Pedroia.Hector Velazquez (7-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win and Austin Davis (1-1) took the loss after pitching a perfect 12th before allowing Nunez's leadoff single in the next inning. Luis Garcia, the 12th pitcher of the night, struck out Brock Holt but allowed Nunez to steal second.Swihart lined the first pitch he saw toward the gap and into the bullpen on one hop for his first career walk-off RBI.The Red Sox have won 19 of their last 23 games and matched their biggest lead in the division of the season. At 75-33, they have the best record in baseball and are 42 games above .500 for the first time since the end of the... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Blake Swihart doubled into the Red Sox bullpen to score Eduardo Nunez in the 13th inning and Boston beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Monday night to move a season-high six games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East.Boston announced after the game it had acquired Ian Kinsler from the Angels to fill in for injured second baseman Dustin Pedroia.Hector Velazquez (7-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win and Austin Davis (1-1) took the loss after pitching a perfect 12th before allowing Nunez's leadoff single in the next inning. Luis Garcia, the 12th pitcher of the night, struck out Brock Holt but allowed Nunez to steal second.Swihart lined the first pitch he saw toward the gap and into the bullpen on one hop for his first career walk-off RBI.The Red Sox have won 19 of their last 23 games and matched their biggest lead in the division of the season. At 75-33, they have the best record in baseball and are 42 games above .500 for the first time since the end of the... [More]