Seattle Mariners left-handed pitcher Nick Margevicius cleared waivers on Monday and was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma. The 25-year-old had been designated for assignment by the franchise last week. The southpaw has had a rough year in the minors, pitching to a 12.75 ERA and a 2.58 WHIP over 12 innings at Triple-A. Last year, he pitched in five games for the Mariners, making three starts, while posting an 8.25 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP.

SEATTLE (AP) — Jerry Dipoto couldn't help but chuckle when Jarred Kelenic went deep in his first at-bat at the Triple-A level. It was yet more evidence Kelenic was ready for the big leagues. “I laughed out loud when he had a homer in his first Triple-A at-bat off a lefty, because that’s about as appropriate to how Jared Kelenic accepts challenges as you can imagine,” Dipoto said Thursday. “And I’m sure he’s going to be up for this next one, which is facing the best pitchers in the world night after night.” Kelenic and right-handed pitcher Logan Gilbert are making their debuts for the Mariners on Thursday night as Seattle takes the next step in its rebuilding project. Kelenic is expected to start in left field, while Gilbert will start on the mound as Seattle opens a four-game series with Cleveland. “Players, sometimes they hit the ground running, and sometimes they don’t. The major leagues are difficult,” Dipoto said. “But there’s never any more excitement than with the anticipation of... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Seattle Mariners' future arrives Thursday. Two major parts of it, anyway. The Mariners will call up touted outfield prospect Jarred Kelenic and promising right-hander Logan Gilbert before Seattle's home series opener against Cleveland, manager Scott Servais confirmed Wednesday night after a 7-1 loss to the Dodgers. Gilbert will be on the mound at T-Mobile Park on Thursday to make his major league debut. “It’ll be an exciting day for those young players tomorrow,” Servais said. “Looking forward to having them on our roster and see what they can do. They’ve both got bright futures.” The Mariners didn't immediately announce all of their transactions, but Servais said they are optioning outfielder Taylor Trammell back to the minors, and the club is likely to add a third player as well. After AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis, Evan White and Justin Dunn led a wave of young talent reaching Seattle last season, Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto decided the time is right... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Madison Bumgarner threw a seven-inning no-hitter, an achievement that won’t count in the Major League Baseball record book but completed a dominant day of Arizona Diamondbacks pitching for a 7-0 win over the Atlanta Braves and a doubleheader sweep Sunday. Bumgarner (2-2) struck out seven and walked none. The only Braves batter who reached base against him came on shortstop Nick Ahmed’s throwing error in the second inning. Officially, Bumgarner’s gem won’t count in the list of no-hitters. MLB’s eight-man committee on statistical accuracy decided in 1991 that a no-hitter was a game of nine or more innings that ended with no hits. In the opener, Zac Gallen (1-0) pitched a one-hitter, allowing Freddie Freeman’s sharp single to right-center field with one out in the sixth of a 5-0 win. This was the first time a team pitched two complete-game shutouts in a doubleheader since Boston’s Reggie Cleveland and Don Aase at Toronto on Sept. 5 1977 Arizona has won six of seven. Stephen... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Madison Bumgarner threw a seven-inning no-hitter, an achievement that won’t count in the Major League Baseball record book but completed a dominant day of Arizona Diamondbacks pitching for a 7-0 win over the Atlanta Braves and a doubleheader sweep Sunday. Bumgarner (2-2) struck out seven and walked none. The only Braves batter who reached base against him came on shortstop Nick Ahmed’s throwing error in the second inning. Officially, Bumgarner’s gem won’t count in the list of no-hitters. MLB’s eight-man committee on statistical accuracy decided in 1991 that a no-hitter was a game of nine or more innings that ended with no hits. In the opener, Zac Gallen (1-0) pitched a one-hitter, allowing Freddie Freeman’s sharp single to right-center field with one out in the sixth of a 5-0 win. This was the first time a team pitched two complete-game shutouts in a doubleheader since Boston’s Reggie Cleveland and Don Aase at Toronto on Sept. 5 1977 Arizona has won six of seven. Stephen... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The last-place New York Yankees lost their fifth straight game as Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a tiebreaking double off Gerrit Cole in the seventh inning that lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-2 win Sunday and a three-game sweep. Four pitchers combined on the Rays’ second three-hitter of a series in which New York managed 11 hits in all. Cole (2-1) was hurt by slipshod defense that made three mistakes in the third inning alone, two by center fielder Aaron Hicks and one by left fielder Clint Frazier. Joey Wendle added a ninth-inning home run off Darren O’Day. Tampa Bay has won 18 of its last 23 against the Yankees, including in last year’s Division Series. Ryan Yarbrough (2-1) followed opener Andrew Kittredge and allowed one run and two hits in five innings. Diego Castillo got four outs, and Jeffrey Springs pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first big league save. PADRES 5, DODGERS 2 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eric Hosmer delivered the tying and go-ahead RBIs in the seventh and eighth innings, helping... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The last-place New York Yankees lost their fifth straight game as Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a tiebreaking double off Gerrit Cole in the seventh inning that lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-2 win Sunday and a three-game sweep. Four pitchers combined on the Rays’ second three-hitter of a series in which New York managed 11 hits in all. Cole (2-1) was hurt by slipshod defense that made three mistakes in the third inning alone, two by center fielder Aaron Hicks and one by left fielder Clint Frazier. Joey Wendle added a ninth-inning home run off Darren O’Day. Tampa Bay has won 18 of its last 23 against the Yankees, including in last year’s Division Series. Ryan Yarbrough (2-1) followed opener Andrew Kittredge and allowed one run and two hits in five innings. Diego Castillo got four outs, and Jeffrey Springs pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first big league save. PADRES 5, DODGERS 2 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eric Hosmer delivered the tying and go-ahead RBIs in the seventh and eighth innings, helping... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners placed left-handed starter James Paxton on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a forearm strain in his pitching arm. Seattle also put starting left fielder Jake Fraley on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain he suffered while making a diving catch in Tuesday’s loss to the Chicago White Sox. Manager Scott Servais said both players underwent MRIs on Wednesday morning and the team was still awaiting results. Paxton left in the second inning after just 24 pitches, grimacing after throwing a 92 mph fastball to Andrew Vaughn. It was the first start of his second stint with Seattle. “Leaving last night he was a little bit more optimistic that it wasn’t anything too serious. I know he woke up today and it’s stiff as expected,” Servais said of Paxton. “Really, it’s hard to speculate until you know exactly what’s going on there and the only way you’re going to know is you get the reading on the MRI.” Seattle recalled outfielder Braden Bishop and right-hander... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Soto drove in the winning run with a single on a 3-0 pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, lifting the coronavirus-depleted Washington Nationals to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves after waiting five days to start their season. Lefty reliever Will Smith (0-1) entered for the ninth and promptly gave up a single to new leadoff hitter Victor Robles, and then hit Trea Turner with a pitch. That brought up Soto, the 2020 NL batting champion, and he delivered a line drive to center field. Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson homered against Washington ace Max Scherzer. Acuña drove Scherzer's first pitch of the game deep to left-center, and led off the third with his second homer. Turner hit a two-run shot for the Nationals. Daniel Hudson (1-0) got the win. Because of a COVID-19 outbreak — four players tested positive; seven were forced into quarantine after potentially being exposed — Washington’s first four scheduled games were scrapped.... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Left-hander James Paxton exited the first start of his second stint with Seattle due to a forearm strain in his pitching arm after throwing just 24 pitches against the White Sox on Tuesday night. The Mariners initially said Paxton had elbow discomfort but after the 10-4 loss to Chicago both manager Scott Servais and Paxton described it as a forearm injury. Paxton, who remained in the dugout to watch after he left the mound, will undergo an MRI on Wednesday. “It's just frustrating. I feel like for me it’s kind of been one thing after another,” Paxton said. “I work really hard and doing everything I can to be out there and I’ll continue to do so. And hopefully I can catch a break and stay healthy.” Paxton grimaced after throwing a 92 mph fastball to Chicago's Andrew Vaughn with one out in the second inning. Mariners manager Scott Servais and a trainer immediately came to the mound while Paxton bent over with his hands on his knees. After some discussion, Paxton walked off and... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Soto drove in the winning run with a single on a 3-0 pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, lifting the coronavirus-depleted Washington Nationals to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves after waiting five days to start their season. Lefty reliever Will Smith (0-1) entered for the ninth and promptly gave up a single to new leadoff hitter Victor Robles, and then hit Trea Turner with a pitch. That brought up Soto, the 2020 NL batting champion, and he delivered a line drive to center field. Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson homered against Washington ace Max Scherzer. Acuña drove Scherzer's first pitch of the game deep to left-center, and led off the third with his second homer. Turner hit a two-run shot for the Nationals. Daniel Hudson (1-0) got the win. Because of a COVID-19 outbreak — four players tested positive; seven were forced into quarantine after potentially being exposed — Washington’s first four scheduled games were scrapped.... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Left-hander James Paxton departed the first start of his second stint with Seattle due to discomfort in his pitching elbow after throwing just 24 pitches against the White Sox on Tuesday night. The Mariners announced the initial diagnosis on Paxton two innings after he left the game. Paxton remained in the dugout to watch after he left the mound. Paxton grimaced after throwing a 92 mph fastball to Chicago's Andrew Vaughn with one out in the second inning. Mariners manager Scott Servais and a trainer immediately came to the mound while Paxton bent over with his hands on his knees. After some discussion, Paxton walked off and was replaced by Nick Margevicius. Paxton, who spent the last two seasons with the New York Yankees after playing his first six years for Seattle, returned to the Mariners in February on a one-year deal worth $8.5 million. He had surgery in February 2020 to repair a herniated disk and remove a cyst from his back. He went 2-3 with a 6.64 ERA in five starts for New York last year before being shut down with a left forearm strain. Paxton can earn an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses for games started: $150,000 each for six to 10 and $750,000 more over starts 11-22. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SEATTLE (AP) — Left-hander James Paxton departed the first start of his second stint with Seattle after throwing just 24 pitches against the White Sox on Tuesday night. Paxton grimaced after throwing a 92 mph fastball to Chicago's Andrew Vaughn with one out in the second inning. Mariners manager Scott Servais and a trainer immediately came to the mound while Paxton bent over with his hands on his knees. After some discussion, Paxton walked off and was replaced by Nick Margevicius. There was no immediate detail on Paxton's injury, but he appeared to be bothered by his left hip area before his final pitch. Paxton, who spent the last two seasons with the New York Yankees after playing his first six years for Seattle, returned to the Mariners in February on a one-year deal worth $8.5 million. He had surgery in February 2020 to repair a herniated disk and remove a cyst from his back. He went 2-3 with a 6.64 ERA in five starts for New York last year before being shut down with a left forearm strain. Paxton can earn an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses for games started: $150,000 each for six to 10 and $750,000 more over starts 11-22. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Left-hander James Paxton is returning to the Seattle Mariners after an injury filled second season with the New York Yankees. The 32-year-old left-hander and the Mariners agreed Saturday to an $8.5 million, one-year contract, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. Paxton can earn an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses for starts: $150,000 each for six to 10 and $750,000 more over starts 11-22. He earned $4,629,630 in prorated pay from a $12.5 million salary last year with New York. Paxton was 41-26 with a 3.42 ERA for the Mariners from 2013-18, striking out 617 and walking 168 in 582 1/3 innings. He was traded to the Yankees in November 2018 for a top prospect, left-hander Justus Sheffield, along with outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams and right-hander Erik Swanson. The Mariners held out hope when Paxton was traded there could be... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Randy Arozarena homered twice and the Tampa Bay Rays clinched their first AL East title in 10 years Wednesday night with an 8-5 victory over the New York Mets. Joey Wendle and Brandon Lowe also went deep to help Tyler Glasnow (5-1) win his fifth straight decision. Tampa Bay will be home at quirky Tropicana Field for a best-of-three first-round playoff series beginning next Tuesday. It is the third division crown for the thrifty Rays, who also won the AL East in 2008 and 2010. Their inaugural season was 1998. After missing a chance to clinch Tuesday, the Rays went into Wednesday again needing just a win or a New York Yankees loss against Toronto to lock up the division championship. The Rays (37-20) broke a 2-all tie in the sixth on Arozarena’s two-run homer off Michael Wacha (1-4) and pulled away. As has become customary during this pandemic-shortened season, the celebration was muted. After Nick Anderson fanned Andres Gimenez for the final out, the closer exchanged a hug... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Adam Duvall drove in nine runs with three homers, including a grand slam, and the Atlanta Braves set a National League scoring record while obliterating their franchise mark in a 29-9 romp over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Atlanta broke loose for 11 runs in the second inning and nearly matched the modern scoring mark since 1900, set by the Texas Rangers in a 30-3 rout of Baltimore in 2007.The Braves had 23 hits, including seven homers, to score the most runs in their history in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. They topped their old record by six runs.The outburst came a day after the Braves were shut out by the Marlins on four hits. Freddie Freeman drove in six runs with three hits, including a two-run homer.Duvall hit one of the team’s three homers during an 11-run second inning, knocking Pablo López (3-4) out of the game. Duvall hit another homer, his 12th, in a six-run fifth and added the slam in the seventh off Josh Smith.Grant Dayton (2-0) won in relief.YANKEES... [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]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Isaac Paredes hit a grand slam for his first major league homer and the Detroit Tigers snapped a 20-game losing streak against Cleveland by beating the Indians 10-5 on Friday night.The Tigers also ended a nine-game slide that included being swept at home last weekend by the Indians.The 21-year-old Paredes connected in the fourth inning when the Tigers scored seven times off Adam Plutko (1-2). Jonathan Schoop hit a two-run homer as the Tigers topped the Indians for the first time since April 10, 2019.Cleveland’s 20-game dominance of Detroit was the second-longest streak against one opponent since division play began in 1969. Baltimore holds the record with 23 consecutive wins over Kansas City in 1969-70.Rony Garcia (1-0) picked up the win for the Tigers, who got off to a surprising 9-4 start before staggering.Franmil Reyes hit a two-run homer as the Indians had their winning streak stopped at six. They were again without manager Terry Francona. He underwent a medical... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Isaac Paredes hit a grand slam for his first major league homer and the Detroit Tigers snapped a 20-game losing streak against Cleveland by beating the Indians 10-5 on Friday night.The Tigers also ended a nine-game slide that included being swept at home last weekend by the Indians.The 21-year-old Paredes connected in the fourth inning when the Tigers scored seven times off Adam Plutko (1-2). Jonathan Schoop hit a two-run homer as the Tigers topped the Indians for the first time since April 10, 2019.Cleveland’s 20-game dominance of Detroit was the second-longest streak against one opponent since division play began in 1969. Baltimore holds the record with 23 consecutive wins over Kansas City in 1969-70.Rony Garcia (1-0) picked up the win for the Tigers, who got off to a surprising 9-4 start before staggering.Franmil Reyes hit a two-run homer as the Indians had their winning streak stopped at six. They were again without manager Terry Francona. He underwent a medical... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Adam Duvall hit a tiebreaking home run off the foul pole with one out in the ninth inning, and the Atlanta Braves broke a four-game losing streak by beating the first-place Miami Marlins 2-1 Saturday.Atlanta’s Max Fried pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings and was in line for his fourth victory until Monte Harrison hit his first major league homer leading off the eighth against Will Smith for a 1-all tie.The Braves regained the lead when Duvall lunged at an outside pitch from Brandon Kintzler (1-1) and pulled it down the left field line.Marcell Ozuna produced the game’s first run when he led off the seventh with his fifth homer off Daniel Castano, making only his second major league start.Fried allowed four hits, struck out seven and lowered his ERA to 1.24, but he remained winless in five career starts against Miami.Smith (1-0) worked the eighth. Mark Melancon pitched around a two-out single in the ninth for his fourth save to complete a six-hitter.INDIANS 3, TIGERS 1DETROIT (AP)... [More]