TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays won't find out by this weekend whether they will get permission from the federal government to play in Canada soon, a government official familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A team spokeswoman said the club continues to work with the federal government toward playing games at Rogers Centre starting July 30, and expected to receive a response by Friday. But the government official familiar with the talks said the Blue Jays will not learn whether they will get to play in Toronto by the weekend. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no one has been authorized to discuss the talks publicly. The U.S.-Canada border remains closed to nonessential travel. Major League Baseball will require an exemption for vaccinated and non vaccinated players and team staff to play games in Canada. Another official familiar with the talks reiterated the team is expecting an answer Friday based on conversations with the government and... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays won't find out by this weekend whether they will get permission from the federal government to play in Canada soon, a government official familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A team spokeswoman said the club continues to work with the federal government toward playing games at Rogers Centre starting July 30, and expected to receive a response by Friday. But the government official familiar with the talks said the Blue Jays will not learn whether they will get to play in Toronto by the weekend. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no one has been authorized to discuss the talks publicly. The U.S.-Canada border remains closed to nonessential travel. Major League Baseball will require an exemption for vaccinated and non vaccinated players and team staff to play games in Canada. Another official familiar with the talks reiterated the team is expecting an answer Friday based on conversations with the government and... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays won't find out by this weekend whether they will get permission from the federal government to play in Canada soon, a government official familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A team spokeswoman said the club continues to work with the federal government toward playing games at Rogers Centre starting July 30, and expected to receive a response by Friday. But the government official familiar with the talks said the Blue Jays will not learn whether they will get to play in Toronto by the weekend. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no one has been authorized to discuss the talks publicly. The U.S.-Canada border remains closed to nonessential travel. Major League Baseball will require an exemption for vaccinated and non vaccinated players and team staff to play games in Canada. Another official familiar with the talks reiterated the team is expecting an answer Friday based on conversations with the government and... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays won't find out by this weekend whether they will get permission from the federal government to play in Canada soon, a government official familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A team spokeswoman said the club continues to work with the federal government toward playing games at Rogers Centre starting July 30, and expected to receive a response by Friday. But the government official familiar with the talks said the Blue Jays will not learn whether they will get to play in Toronto by the weekend. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no one has been authorized to discuss the talks publicly. The U.S.-Canada border remains closed to nonessential travel. Major League Baseball will require an exemption for vaccinated and non vaccinated players and team staff to play games in Canada. The Blue Jays played home games during the shortened 2020 season in Buffalo and started this season in Dunedin, Florida, before moving... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays won't find out by this weekend whether they will get permission from the federal government to play in Canada soon, a government official familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A team spokeswoman said the club continues to work with the federal government toward playing games at Rogers Centre starting July 30, and expected to receive a response by Friday. But the government official familiar with the talks said the Blue Jays will not learn whether they will get to play in Toronto by the weekend. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no one has been authorized to discuss the talks publicly. The U.S.-Canada border remains closed to nonessential travel. Major League Baseball will require an exemption for vaccinated and non vaccinated players and team staff to play games in Canada. The Blue Jays played home games during the shortened 2020 season in Buffalo and started this season in Dunedin, Florida, before moving to Buffalo. The Canadian government didn’t allow the team to play at home in Toronto because of the risk of spreading COVID-19, citing frequent travel required in the U.S. during a baseball season Toronto last played at 49,000-capacity Rogers Centre on Sept. 29, 2019, an 8-3 win over Tampa Bay. Blue Jays ace Hyun-Jin Ryu signed with the team before the 2020 season and has yet to pitch a game in Toronto.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Wednesday: ___ GRANDAL SIDELINED The Chicago White Sox are going to be without catcher Yasmani Grandal for four to six weeks because of a torn tendon in his left knee. Grandal got hurt during an at-bat in Monday’s loss in Minnesota. Grandal was hitting just .188 as Chicago’s starting catcher, but he had a .388 on-base percentage in 63 games to go with 14 home runs and 38 RBIs. Zack Collins takes over behind the plate with Grandal out. Seby Zavala was brought up from the minors, but the AL Central leaders could look to add a veteran catcher. BREWING The NL Central-leading Brewers added a power-hitting first baseman, acquiring left-handed hitting Rowdy Tellez from the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday for right-handed pitchers Trevor Richards and Bowden Francis. Tellez, 26, had been with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A Buffalo affiliate after struggling in the majors this season with a .209 batting average, four homers and eight RBIs in 50 games. He hit 21... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Zack Collins hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning and the Chicago White Sox scored at least seven runs for the fourth straight game, beating the Minnesota Twins 8-5 on Thursday for a four-game sweep. Chicago got four runs off Minnesota’s bullpen after the Twins erased a 3-0 deficit. The AL Central-leading White Sox won their fourth straight after losing seven of nine. Collins broke a 4-4 tie when he hit a fastball from Jorge Alcala (1-3) into the left-center field bleachers. Jose Abreu drove in another run in the sixth, and Danny Mednick and Collins drove in two more in the seventh. Michael Kopech (3-0) pitched a scoreless sixth and Garrett Crochet struck out Miguel Sano to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. BRAVES 4, METS 3 ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman singled home the winning run with a low line drive that deflected off reliever Seth Lugo in the ninth inning, Atlanta beat New York. Dominic Smith homered twice for the Mets, including a tying solo shot off... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Zack Collins hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning and the Chicago White Sox scored at least seven runs for the fourth straight game, beating the Minnesota Twins 8-5 on Thursday for a four-game sweep. Chicago got four runs off Minnesota’s bullpen after the Twins erased a 3-0 deficit. The AL Central-leading White Sox won their fourth straight after losing seven of nine. Collins broke a 4-4 tie when he hit a fastball from Jorge Alcala (1-3) into the left-center field bleachers. Jose Abreu drove in another run in the sixth, and Danny Mednick and Collins drove in two more in the seventh. Michael Kopech (3-0) pitched a scoreless sixth and Garrett Crochet struck out Miguel Sano to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. BRAVES 4, METS 3 ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman singled home the winning run with a low line drive that deflected off reliever Seth Lugo in the ninth inning, Atlanta beat New York. Dominic Smith homered twice for the Mets, including a tying solo shot off... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Zack Collins hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning and the Chicago White Sox scored at least seven runs for the fourth straight game, beating the Minnesota Twins 8-5 on Thursday for a four-game sweep. Chicago got four runs off Minnesota’s bullpen after the Twins erased a 3-0 deficit. The AL Central-leading White Sox won their fourth straight after losing seven of nine. Collins broke a 4-4 tie when he hit a fastball from Jorge Alcala (1-3) into the left-center field bleachers. Jose Abreu drove in another run in the sixth, and Danny Mednick and Collins drove in two more in the seventh. Michael Kopech (3-0) pitched a scoreless sixth and Garrett Crochet struck out Miguel Sano to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. ASTROS 7, INDIANS 2 CLEVELAND (AP) — José Altuve hit a grand slam to briefly quiet constant booing by Cleveland fans, Yordan Álvarez and Michael Brantley homered, and Houston snapped a four-game losing streak. Jeered from the moment he stepped into the batter’s... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Zack Collins hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning and the Chicago White Sox scored at least seven runs for the fourth straight game, beating the Minnesota Twins 8-5 on Thursday for a four-game sweep. Chicago got four runs off Minnesota’s bullpen after the Twins erased a 3-0 deficit. The AL Central-leading White Sox won their fourth straight after losing seven of nine. Collins broke a 4-4 tie when he hit a fastball from Jorge Alcala (1-3) into the left-center field bleachers. Jose Abreu drove in another run in the sixth, and Danny Mednick and Collins drove in two more in the seventh. Michael Kopech (3-0) pitched a scoreless sixth and Garrett Crochet struck out Miguel Sano to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. RANGERS 8, ATHLETICS 3 OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Joey Gallo homered in his fifth straight game, Nate Lowe went deep twice and Texas pounded Oakland. Gallo's five-game homer streak is the longest in the majors this season and tied for second in Rangers history... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks snapped their record 24-game road losing streak by routing the San Diego Padres 10-1 on Saturday night, getting six scoreless innings from Merrill Kelly and four hits and five RBIs from Eduardo Escobar. Escobar and Christian Walker homered for the Diamondbacks, who hadn’t won away from Chase Field since April 25, when Madison Bumgarner pitched seven no-hit innings at Atlanta. The Diamondbacks had dropped 20 of 21 games and 34 of 37 overall. Escobar connected for a two-run homer, and drove in runs with a double, a single and a groundout. He finished a triple shy of the cycle. Kelly (4-7) allowed five hits, struck out five and walked none. Dinelson Lamet (2-3) took the loss, allowing four runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings. METS 4, PHILLIES 3 NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom gave up two runs for the first time this season and New York rallied after he exited, beating Philadelphia on Michael Conforto’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning. DeGrom’s bid to... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets ace Jacob deGrom gave up two runs for the first time this season and New York rallied after he exited, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 Saturday on Michael Conforto’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning. DeGrom’s bid to set the Mets record for the longest scoreless-inning streak fell just short. His run ended at 31 innings on rookie Nick Maton’s RBI single in the second — R.A. Dickey set the team shutout mark of 32 2/3 innings in 2012. DeGrom allowed three hits in six innings, striking out five and walking one while throwing 88 pitches, his most since tossing 93 against Boston on April 28 in a 1-0 loss. Edwin Diaz (2-1) earned the victory. Héctor Neris (1-5) took the loss. BLUE JAYS 12, ORIOLES 4 BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his major league-leading 26th home run, Teoscar Hernández and Randal Grichuk also connected and Toronto rolled past Baltimore. Guerrero homered during a four-run burst in the third inning that also included Bo Bichette’s RBI... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets ace Jacob deGrom gave up two runs for the first time this season and New York rallied after he exited, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 Saturday on Michael Conforto’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning. DeGrom’s bid to set the Mets record for the longest scoreless-inning streak fell just short. His run ended at 31 innings on rookie Nick Maton’s RBI single in the second — R.A. Dickey set the team shutout mark of 32 2/3 innings in 2012. DeGrom allowed three hits in six innings, striking out five and walking one while throwing 88 pitches, his most since tossing 93 against Boston on April 28 in a 1-0 loss. Edwin Diaz (2-1) earned the victory. Héctor Neris (1-5) took the loss. BLUE JAYS 12, ORIOLES 4 BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his major league-leading 26th home run, Teoscar Hernández and Randal Grichuk also connected and Toronto rolled past Baltimore. Guerrero homered during a four-run burst in the third inning that also included Bo Bichette’s RBI... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees turned their record-tying third triple play this season to strand the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, bailing out closer Aroldis Chapman and closing down a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. Gary Sánchez spoiled Sean Manaea’s gem with a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning, and Jonathan Loaisiga (7-2) and Lucas Luetge turned a 2-1 lead over to Chapman. Jed Lowrie and Chad Pinder walked, and Sean Murphy grounded to Gio Urshela, who stepped on third and threw to DJ LeMahieu. The second baseman relayed the ball to first to get Murphy by a step. New York also turned a triple play Thursday in Buffalo against the Blue Jays and also had one May 21 against the Chicago White Sox. Chapman’s 16th save sent Oakland to its first road series loss this season after eight wins and a split. BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 4 BALTIMORE (AP) — Reese McGuire had three doubles during a four-hit performance. Hyun Jin Ryu (6-4) gave up one run and three hits in seven... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees turned their record-tying third triple play this season to strand the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, bailing out closer Aroldis Chapman and closing down a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. Gary Sánchez spoiled Sean Manaea’s gem with a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning, and Jonathan Loaisiga (7-2) and Lucas Luetge turned a 2-1 lead over to Chapman. Jed Lowrie and Chad Pinder walked, and Sean Murphy grounded to Gio Urshela, who stepped on third and threw to DJ LeMahieu. The second baseman relayed the ball to first to get Murphy by a step. New York also turned a triple play Thursday in Buffalo against the Blue Jays and also had one May 21 against the Chicago White Sox. Chapman’s 16th save sent Oakland to its first road series loss this season after eight wins and a split. BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 4 BALTIMORE (AP) — Reese McGuire had three doubles during a four-hit performance. Hyun Jin Ryu (6-4) gave up one run and three hits in seven... [More]