CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland’s Shane Bieber tied the major league record for strikeouts in a pitcher’s first two starts of the season, punching out 13 Minnesota Twins over eight innings in the Indians’ 2-0 victory on Thursday night.Bieber (2-0) fanned 14 over six scoreless innings on Friday against Kansas City. His 27 strikeouts in the two games matched the record set by Karl Spooner of the Brooklyn Dodgers in September 1954 during the first two starts of his short career.Facing a Twins team that came in with the second-best run differential in baseball, Bieber allowed three singles in his eight innings.Francisco Lindor supplied all the offense Cleveland needed with a two-run homer in the third inning off Jose Berríos (0-1). After Jose Ramirez singled with two outs, Berrios left an 0-2 pitch up over the plate, and Lindor drove it over the fence in right for his second homer of the season.YANKEES 8, ORIOLES 6BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Judge hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning after New York... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League West entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Los Angeles Dodgers Manager: Dave Roberts (fifth season). 2019: 106-56, first place, lost to Nationals in Division Series. Training Town: Glendale, Arizona. Park: Camelback Ranch. First Workout: Feb. 14/18. He's Here: OF Mookie Betts, LHP David Price, LHP Alex Wood, RHP Blake Treinen, RHP Jimmy Nelson, 2B Clayton Daniel.He's Outta Here: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu, RHP Kenta Maeda, LHP Rich Hill, OF Joc Pederson, OF Alex Verdugo, 1B David Freese, RHP Yimi Garcia, 3B Jedd Gyorko, C Russell Martin, RHP JT Chargois, 2B Kristopher Negron.Going campin': In what's become a familiar refrain, the Dodgers arrive at camp still looking for their first World Series championship since 1988. After losing in two straight World Series, they were ousted by Washington in five games in the NL Division Series last fall.... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Reliever Pierce Johnson will get salaries of $2 million in each of the next two seasons as part of his $5 million, two-year contract with the San Diego Padres.The 28-year-old right-hander's contract, announced Dec. 23, includes a $3 million team option for 2022 with a $1 million buyout.He could earn $500,000 annually in performance bonuses based on games pitched: $100,000 each for 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50. Johnson's contract allows him to become a free agent when the deal expires.Johnson spent last season as a setup man for the Hanshin Tigers of Japan's Central League, going 2-3 with a 1.38 ERA and 40 holds in 58 appearances. He had 91 strikeouts and 13 walks, allowing two home runs in 58 2/3 innings.Drafted 43rd overall by the Chicago Cubs in 2012, Johnson has a 3-2 big league record with a 5.44 ERA in 38 relief outings for the Cubs (2017) and San Francisco (2018). ———More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres have added a reliever who excelled in Japan, signing right-hander Pierce Johnson to a two-year contract. Johnson's deal includes a club option for 2022. The move was announced Monday by general manager A.J. Preller.The 28-year-old Johnson spent last season as a setup man for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, where he went 2-3 with a 1.38 ERA and 40 holds in 58 appearances. He racked up 91 strikeouts against 13 walks and allowed only two home runs in 58 2/3 innings.Johnson was drafted 43rd overall by the Chicago Cubs in 2012 out of Missouri State. He is 3-2 with a 5.44 ERA in 38 major league relief outings for the Cubs (2017) and Giants (2018). He has made 74 starts in 147 minor league games, going 29-21 with a 3.26 ERA and 488 strikeouts in 467 innings.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Giants closer Hunter Strickland broke his pitching hand punching a door in frustration after blowing the save and taking the loss in a 5-4 defeat to the Miami Marlins on Monday night.The right-hander had surgery Tuesday and expected to be out six to eight weeks, manager Bruce Bochy said. An X-ray after the game revealed the break of Strickland's pinkie, similar to what sidelined lefty ace Madison Bumgarner to begin the season after he was hurt in his final spring training start."I'm thoroughly disappointed, trust me. I'm crushed because this guy had just grown as a pitcher and a player and a person," Bochy said. "But I know Hunter, he cares. He cares deeply. He let his emotions get away ... he had a temporary snap."Strickland blew his fourth save in 17 chances and second straight, allowing more than two runs for only the fourth time in his career.He posted an apology on Instagram and Twitter."Life has an interesting and sometimes disappointing way of opening up our... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Giants closer Hunter Strickland broke his pitching hand punching a door in frustration after blowing the save and taking the loss in a 5-4 defeat to the Miami Marlins on Monday night.The right-hander was undergoing surgery Tuesday and expected to be out six to eight weeks, manager Bruce Bochy said. An X-ray after the game revealed the break of Strickland's pinkie, similar to what sidelined lefty ace Madison Bumgarner to begin the season after he was hurt in his final spring training start."I'm thoroughly disappointed, trust me. I'm crushed because this guy had just grown as a pitcher and a player and a person," Bochy said. "But I know Hunter, he cares. He cares deeply. He let his emotions get away ... he had a temporary snap."Strickland blew his fourth save in 17 chances and second straight, allowing more than two runs for only the fourth time in his career.Bochy said Strickland had shown maturity and made progress keeping his emotions in check since last year's fight... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Charlie Morton pitched two-hit ball into the eighth inning and struck out 10 as the Houston Astros snapped the New York Yankees' nine-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory Monday night.Carlos Correa had two hits and an RBI for Houston in the first meeting between the teams since Game 7 of last year's AL Championship Series, when Morton allowed two hits over five innings for the win in a 4-0 victory that sent the Astros to the World Series.Houston has won seven straight at home against the Yankees including the postseason, holding them to no more than one run in their past six games here.Morton (4-0) had allowed just one hit when Gleyber Torres chased him with a two-out double in the eighth. Brad Peacock walked pinch-hitter Aaron Judge, who didn't start for the first time this season, and Torres stole third base.Chris Devenski was greeted with an RBI single by Brett Gardner that cut the lead to 2-1. Devenski then fanned AL player of the week Didi Gregorius on three pitches... [More]

RHP Pierce Johnson was added to the major league roster Friday. Johnson was designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 13 and claimed off waivers by the Giants on Wednesday. Johnson made his major league debut with the Cubs on May 19, giving up two runs in one inning, but neither were earned. It is his only major league inning thus far.

RHP Pierce Johnson was claimed off waivers from the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. The 26-year-old was the Cubs' first-round draft pick in 2012. He made his major-league debut on May 19 this season with one inning against Milwaukee, allowing two hits and two unearned runs. The reliever was 3-2 with a 4.31 ERA for Triple-A Iowa this season.

RHP Pierce Johnson was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for RHP Jen-Ho Tseng. A former first-round pick, Johnson tallied a 5.29 ERA and 1.55 WHIP at Triple-A Iowa over the past two seasons.

RHP Pierce Johnson was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday. The 26-year-old made his major league debut Friday, allowing two unearned runs in one inning of relief. He is 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 12 games with Iowa this season.

RHP Pierce Johnson was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Saturday. He made his major league debut on Friday vs. Milwaukee, allowing two runs (both unearned) in one inning.

RHP Pierce Johnson made his major league debut in relief, allowing two unearned runs in one inning against the Brewers. He walked a batter, one of 10 bases on balls issued by Cubs pitchers on Friday.

RHP Pierce Johnson was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday for his first major league roster appearance. Johnson was 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 12 outings with Iowa this season. He has struck out 21 batters in 14.0 innings pitched, an average of 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Since moving to the Iowa bullpen in late July of 2016, Johnson has gone 5-0 with a 3.22 ERA.

Johnson gave up just one run on three hits in seven strong innings for Double-A Tennessee on Saturday.

Johnson, who struck out seven in the win, is 6-0 with a 1.61 ERA in 11 starts for the Smokies. Though his 49:23 K:BB ratio in 61.2 innings isn't so great, it's still been a good year for Johnson, who might have reestablished himself as the Cubs' best pitching prospect.

Johnson gave up one run on six hits in five innings for Double-A Tennessee on Thursday.

In four appearances with the Smokies, Johnson has a sparkling 0.54 ERA, but he has just a 12:7 K:BB in 16.2 innings and his WHIP is less-than-inspiring 1.36. He might be the best pitching prospect the Cubs have in their organization, but he still has a lot of work to do, and he got off to a late start this year due to a back injury.

Johnson (back) has joined the Cubs' Double-A affiliate at Tennessee and will start Thursday.

Johnson is yet to appear in a minor league game this season due to a back injury suffered early in spring training. The right-handed prospect has missed time in the past due to leg injuries in addition to this year's back issues, but Thursday's start will be his first real test of the season.

Johnson is expected to return from a back injury and join the Double-A Tennessee team by the first week of June, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

The Cubs' No. 2 pitching prospect (according to Baseball America) has missed significant chunks of last season with leg injuries before dealing with a back problem this season since early in spring training.

Johnson still has not pitched in a minor league game this season as he recovers from a strained lat muscle, CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney reports.

He was not assigned to a minor league affiliate following spring training as the club decided to keep him in Arizona to rehab the injury. Johnson will presumably be assigned to Double-A Tennessee when he is deemed fully healthy, but his status is cloudy at the moment. Given the information available, he should still be considered a top-200 prospect for dynasty leagues and one of the top pitching prospects in the Cubs' organization.