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]

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]

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]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson has been activated after nearly one month on the disabled list because of a shoulder injury.The 2015 AL MVP had been out with a sore right shoulder since April 13. He's in the lineup and batting second in Game 1 as the Jays make up a previous postponement with back-to-back games of a doubleheader with the Indians on Thursday.Donaldson went to the team's facility in Dunedin, Florida, for rehab that included a throwing program. He completed a minor league rehab assignment this week.He's was batting .239 with three home runs and nine RBIs in 12 games before going on the DL.The Blue Jays made several moves before the doubleheader. First baseman Justin Smoak was placed on the paternity list while outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. and left-hander Tim Mayza were recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. Infielder Gift Ngoepe was optioned to Buffalo.___

Gift Ngoepe is another step closer to becoming the first African-born player to compete in Major League Baseball after the Pittsburgh Pirates recalled the infielder from Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.Right-hander Dovydas Neverauskas was sent to Indianapolis to open a roster spot for the 27-year-old Ngoepe, who is from Pietersburg, South Africa. Ngoepe is being called up on the heels of David Freese sustaining a hamstring injury.Ngoepe, who was signed as a non-drafted free agent as an 18-year-old on Sept. 29, 2008, is batting .241 with four RBIs in 15 games this season with Indianapolis.Ngoepe was rated by Baseball America as the "Best Defensive Infielder" in the Pirates minor league system each of the last five seasons (2013-2017). He led all qualifying International League shortstops in fielding percentage (.984) while playing with Indianapolis last year.The 24-year-old Neverauskas became the second Lithuanian-born player to compete in the majors in 74 years after allowing one earned run in two innings against the Chicago Cubs on Monday night