JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Leaving the clubhouse after his first exhibition game this year, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina got a fist bump from third baseman Matt Carpenter."It's good to have you back," said Carpenter, one All-Star to another.Molina went 1 for 2 as a designated hitter Friday, the 36-year-old's first game since left knee surgery in mid-December. Molina is likely to be behind the plate on Saturday, catching Adam Wainwright against Houston — about a week ahead of the original projection for him to catch."I can't really tell you how happy I am just to be back with Waino," Molina said.A nine-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove, Molina singled through the left side off Washington newcomer Patrick Corbin and scored in a three-run Cardinals' first."Just proves yet again he's a special guy," St. Louis manager Mike Shildt said. "Comes in, first at-bat, gets down 0-2 and battles, battles, battles. It's impressive to see a guy that takes a pro at-bat like that — that can work on getting... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Leaving the clubhouse after his first exhibition game this year, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina got a fist bump from third baseman Matt Carpenter."It's good to have you back," said Carpenter, one All-Star to another.Molina went 1 for 2 as a designated hitter Friday, the 36-year-old's first game since left knee surgery in mid-December. Molina is likely to be behind the plate on Saturday, catching Adam Wainwright against Houston — about a week ahead of the original projection for him to catch."I can't really tell you how happy I am just to be back with Waino," Molina said.A nine-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove, Molina singled through the left side off Washington newcomer Patrick Corbin and scored in a three-run Cardinals' first."Just proves yet again he's a special guy," St. Louis manager Mike Shildt said. "Comes in, first at-bat, gets down 0-2 and battles, battles, battles. It's impressive to see a guy that takes a pro at-bat like that — that can work on getting... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Shawn Kelley was acquired by the Oakland Athletics for international slot money on Sunday from the Nationals, who no longer wanted the reliever after he slammed his glove to the ground and glared into Washington's dugout during a game.The Nationals also sent cash to the A's in the swap.He was designated for assignment by Washington on Wednesday, a day after his mound outburst while pitching in the ninth inning of a 25-4 victory over the New York Mets.Kelley entered the game with Washington ahead 25-1. He was working quickly, and the plate umpire warned him to slow down. After the warning, Kelley gave up a two-run homer, prompting his tantrum.Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo explained the decision to cut ties with Kelley this way: "You're either in or you're in the way. I thought he was in the way. That's something you don't come back from."Rizzo called it "a disrespectful act" and "selfish."Kelley, a 34-year-old righty, was 1-0 with a 3.34 ERA in 35 games for Washington this season.He signed as a free agent with the Nationals in December 2015 and appeared in 135 games with the team.To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, Oakland recalled outfielder Jake Smolinski from Triple-A Nashville and placed him on the 60-day disabled list with a blood clot in his left calf.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics have acquired right-handed reliever Shawn Kelley and cash considerations from the Washington Nationals in exchange for international slot money Sunday.Kelley was 1-0 with a 3.34 ERA in 35 games for Washington. He last pitched on July 31 and was designated for assignment by the Nationals on Wednesday.To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, Oakland recalled outfielder Jake Smolinski from Triple-A Nashville and placed him on the 60-day disabled list with a blood clot in his left calf.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Oakland Athletics have activated outfielder Matt Joyce from the 10-day disabled list and optioned outfielder Jake Smolinski to Triple-A Nashville.Sidelined since June 2 because of a strained lower back, Joyce was not in the lineup for the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. But manager Bob Melvin was planning to have him play in the nightcap.An All-Star with Tampa Bay in 2011, Joyce was batting just .196 through his first 55 games. He hit .243 with 25 homers and 68 RBIs last season, his first with Oakland.Smolinski was batting .128 in 19 games. The Athletics were planning to call up lefty reliever Daniel Coulombe for the second game as the 26th man.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

HOUSTON (AP) — Yuli Gurriel was thrown out at third base by catcher Martin Maldonado to end the game after an original safe call was reversed on replay, giving the Los Angeles Angels a 2-0 win over Houston on Monday night that ended the Astros' six-game winning streak.Third base umpire Cory Blaser signaled safe. Blaser also called Colorado's Nolan Arenado safe at home plate Sunday trying to advance on a ball in the dirt. That call was then reversed on replay for the final out in the Chicago Cubs' 9-7 win.Tyler Skaggs (3-1) allowed four hits in seven innings for the Angels, and Keynan Middleton earned his sixth save. The Astros outscored the White Sox 27-2 during a three-game sweep last weekend.Kole Calhoun had an RBI single and Justin Upton added an RBI double. Los Angeles had lost five of six following a seven-game winning streak. The Angels are 10-1 on the road, but 5-7 at home.Gerrit Cole (2-1) retired his first 13 hitters, striking out five. He gave up two runs and four hits in seven... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Yuli Gurriel was thrown out at third base by catcher Martin Maldonado to end the game after an original safe call was reversed on replay, giving the Los Angeles Angels a 2-0 win over Houston on Monday night that ended the Astros' six-game winning streak.Third base umpire Cory Blaser signaled safe. Blaser also called Colorado's Nolan Arenado safe at home plate Sunday trying to advance on a ball in the dirt. That call was then reversed on replay for the final out in the Chicago Cubs' 9-7 win.Tyler Skaggs (3-1) allowed four hits in seven innings for the Angels, and Keynan Middleton earned his sixth save. The Astros outscored the White Sox 27-2 during a three-game sweep last weekend.Kole Calhoun had an RBI single and Justin Upton added an RBI double. Los Angeles had lost five of six following a seven-game winning streak. The Angels are 10-1 on the road, but 5-7 at home.Gerrit Cole (2-1) retired his first 13 hitters, striking out five. He gave up two runs and four hits in seven... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Yuli Gurriel was thrown out at third base by catcher Martin Maldonado to end the game after an original safe call was reversed on replay, giving the Los Angeles Angels a 2-0 win over Houston on Monday night that ended the Astros' six-game winning streak.Third base umpire Cory Blaser signaled safe. Blaser also called Colorado's Nolan Arenado safe at home plate Sunday trying to advance on a ball in the dirt. That call was then reversed on replay for the final out in the Chicago Cubs' 9-7 win.Tyler Skaggs (3-1) allowed four hits in seven innings for the Angels, and Keynan Middleton earned his sixth save. The Astros outscored the White Sox 27-2 during a three-game sweep last weekend.Kole Calhoun had an RBI single and Justin Upton added an RBI double. Los Angeles had lost five of six following a seven-game winning streak. The Angels are 10-1 on the road, but 5-7 at home.Gerrit Cole (2-1) retired his first 13 hitters, striking out five. He gave up two runs and four hits in seven... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Yuli Gurriel was thrown out at third base by catcher Martin Maldonado to end the game after an original safe call was reversed on replay, giving the Los Angeles Angels a 2-0 win over Houston on Monday night that ended the Astros' six-game winning streak.Third base umpire Cory Blaser signaled safe. Blaser also called Colorado's Nolan Arenado safe at home plate Sunday trying to advance on a ball in the dirt. That call was then reversed on replay for the final out in the Chicago Cubs' 9-7 win.Tyler Skaggs (3-1) allowed four hits in seven innings for the Angels, and Keynan Middleton earned his sixth save. The Astros outscored the White Sox 27-2 during a three-game sweep last weekend.Kole Calhoun had an RBI single and Justin Upton added an RBI double. Los Angeles had lost five of six following a seven-game winning streak. The Angels are 10-1 on the road, but 5-7 at home.Gerrit Cole (2-1) retired his first 13 hitters, striking out five. He gave up two runs and four hits in seven... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — For the second consecutive season, the San Francisco Giants will be without injured ace Madison Bumgarner for a while.Bumgarner broke a bone in his pitching hand Friday when it was hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game.The Giants said X-rays showed the 28-year-old fractured the fifth metacarpal on the outside of his left hand. Bumgarner said the timeline for recovery is four to six weeks and he will have a pin inserted into his pinkie Saturday."It's tough. But I can handle it," Bumgarner said. "These guys can handle it. This obviously was not what I was expecting out of my last start. But it happened and I can deal with it."Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, missed nearly three months with a shoulder injury last season after a dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado.His latest setback is a huge blow to the Giants as they try to rebound from a surprising last-place finish in the NL West... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — For the second consecutive season, the San Francisco Giants will be without injured ace Madison Bumgarner for a while.Bumgarner broke a bone in his pitching hand Friday when it was hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game.The Giants said X-rays showed the 28-year-old fractured the fifth metacarpal on the outside of his left hand. Bumgarner said the timeline for recovery is four to six weeks and he will have a pin inserted into his pinkie Saturday."It's tough. But I can handle it," Bumgarner said. "These guys can handle it. This obviously was not what I was expecting out of my last start. But it happened and I can deal with it."Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, missed nearly three months with a shoulder injury last season after a dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado.His latest setback is a huge blow to the Giants as they try to rebound from a surprising last-place finish in the NL West... [More]

On the day the Kansas City Royals welcomed back Mike Moustakas, they found out Jorge Bonifacio will miss half the season.Bonifacio was suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball on Saturday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.The outfielder was banned after a positive test for Boldenone. The ban will begin on opening day."It really kind of made me sick to my stomach," Royals manager Ned Yost said.The 24-year-old Bonifacio made his major league debut last season, hitting .255 with 17 home runs and 40 RBIs in 113 games.Bonifacio's suspension cleared a roster spot for Moustakas, who re-signed with the Royals this week after becoming a free agent last fall.Moustakas set a Royals record with 38 home runs last season, then rejected a $17.4 million offer from the team. But the third baseman never received the multiyear, mega-million dollar contract he and his agent Scott Boras anticipated.The Royals signed Moustakas to a one-year $6.5 million contract with a mutual option... [More]

Now that Ichiro Suzuki is back with the Seattle Mariners, he hopes to stick around a while."I think everybody hears that I want to play until I'm 50," he said through a translator. "But I want to make sure everybody understands that I always say at least 50."The 44-year-old outfielder rejoined his former team Wednesday with a $750,000, one-year contract."Even in the offseason when I would go back to Japan, I always came back to Seattle. This was my home ... has always been my home," he said. "Somewhere deep inside, I wanted to return and wear this uniform again."Suzuki was the AL MVP and Rookie of the Year with Seattle in 2001. He was traded to the New York Yankees during the 2012 season and spent three years in Miami.Suzuki has a .312 career average and 3,080 hits, not including the 1,278 hits he totaled in Japan. He played 136 games last year for the Marlins and hit .255 with a .318 on-base percentage.Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said discussions about Suzuki's return intensified... [More]

OF Jake Smolinski, who missed the first 133 games of the season after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder, made his first start Sunday, playing center field against Texas. Smolinski went 2-for-4 with a run in an 8-1 victory against the Rangers. He had seven putouts. Smolinski came off the bench and played in the field in four games before Sunday.

OF Jake Smolinski took a another big step before Friday's game against Houston in his recovery from surgery on his right shoulder. Smolinski threw to bases and threw from as far as 135 feet for the first time since his surgery on March 16. Smolinski was limited to work as a designated hitter during his minor league rehab assignment. Since being activated from the disabled list Sept. 1, he has pinch hit and pinch run. The A's have targeted the middle of this month for Smolinski to return to the outfield. "Hopefully that is the case," A's manager Bob Melvin said.

OF Jake Smolinski made his season debut in the ninth inning and commemorated the occasion with a one-out single. Smolinski missed the first five months of the season following shoulder surgery and was activated from the disabled list on Friday.

CF Jake Smolinski was activated from the 60-day DL on Friday after undergoing shoulder surgery on March 16. Smolinski started a rehab assignment on Aug. 12 and posted a combined .182 average in Class A Stockton and Triple-A Nashville.

OF Jake Smolinski (right shoulder surgery), on the disabled list since March 30,was sent on a rehab assignment to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds.

OF Jake Smolinski (right shoulder surgery) began a rehab assignment with Class A Stockton on Saturday and served as the designated hitter. He went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout and scored a run. Smolinski's throwing shoulder is still not healthy enough for game action. But A's manager Bob Melvin said he might be able to play in the outfield sometime in September if he's among the A's call-ups. He has been on the disabled list since March 30.

OF Jake Smolinski (surgery on right shoulder) had the procedure performed on March 16. His projected recovery time is at least six weeks.