KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bubba Starling has finally reached his goal of getting to the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals.It was a long, hard trek.The three-sport star from nearby Gardner-Edgerton (Kan.) High School was taken by the Royals in the first round of the 2011 draft. While many people in his hometown expected him to be patrolling the outfield and hitting home runs for the big-league club very quickly, it took 7 1/2 seasons in the minor league system before he was called up and inserted in the starting lineup on Friday night against the Detroit Tigers."It's very special. I dreamed about it as a little guy coming to the ballgames in Kansas City," said Starling, who will turn 27 on Aug. 3. "I've been waiting for this my whole life. Ever since I was a kid coming to the stadium."Starling donned uniform No. 11 and was in center field and batting seventh for his major league debut.The 6-4, 220-pound right-handed hitter has been plagued by subpar performance and injuries throughout... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Tyler Skaggs' jersey hangs in his untouched locker in the Los Angeles Angels' clubhouse, his pristine cleats and gloves ready for a ballgame.The big stereo system in the room's center is silent because the affable left-hander who controlled the Angels' musical choices is no longer here.And on the far wall of the clubhouse, two photos of Skaggs now flank his competitive catchphrase written in foot-high letters: "WE'RE NASTY."The late pitcher's grieving teammates returned to Angel Stadium on Friday night for the first time since Skaggs was found in his hotel room in Texas nearly two weeks ago. His presence will be felt at the stadium for the rest of the Angels' season, from his intact locker to a large likeness of the pitcher now displayed prominently on the center field wall."He's still a part of the team, even though he's not here," Angels manager Brad Ausmus said.A memorial created by fans in front of the Big A's main entrance has grown to the size of a pitcher's... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bubba Starling has finally reached his goal of getting to the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals.It was a long, hard trek.The three-sport star from nearby Gardner-Edgerton (Kan.) High School was taken by the Royals in the first round of the 2011 draft. While many people in his hometown expected him to be patrolling the outfield and hitting home runs for the big-league club very quickly, it took 7 1/2 seasons in the minor league system before he was called up and inserted in the starting lineup on Friday night against the Detroit Tigers."It's very special. I dreamed about it as a little guy coming to the ballgames in Kansas City," said Starling, who will turn 27 on Aug. 3. "I've been waiting for this my whole life. Ever since I was a kid coming to the stadium."Starling donned uniform No. 11 and was in center field and batting seventh for his major league debut.The 6-4, 200-pound right-handed hitter has been plagued by subpar performance and injuries throughout... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — All-Star infielder Alex Bregman is out of Houston's starting lineup a night after a groundball took a nasty hop and hit him in the chin.Astros manager AJ Hinch says Bregman, who needed four stitches, has been evaluated a couple of times since getting hit, is doing OK and begging to play. The manager says Bregman "has not been diagnosed with a concussion at all."Bregman was playing shortstop in the series opener at Texas when a grounder by Shin-Soo Choo popped up and hit Bregman below his mouth in the third inning.Bregman went through much of his normal routine before Friday's game, including some batting practice and taking some groundballs.Myles Straw, who replaced him in the field Thursday, started at shortstop Friday night. Bregman, the team's primary third baseman, has been playing shortstop with Carlos Correa on the injured list.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bubba Starling has finally reached his goal of getting to the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals.It was a long, hard trek.The three-sport star from nearby Gardner-Edgerton (Kan.) High School was taken by the Royals in the first round of the 2011 draft. While many people in his hometown expected him to be patrolling the outfield and hitting home runs for the big-league club very quickly, it took 7 1/2 seasons in the minor league system before he was called up and inserted in the starting lineup on Friday night against the Detroit Tigers."It's very special. I dreamed about it as a little guy coming to the ballgames in Kansas City," said Starling, who will turn 27 on Aug. 3. "I've been waiting for this my whole life. Ever since I was a kid coming to the stadium."Starling donned uniform No. 11 and was in center field and batting seventh for his major league debut.The 6-4, 200-pound switch-hitter has been plagued by subpar performance and injuries throughout his... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers have added to their pitching depth, signing veteran right-hander Shelby Miller to a minor league contract Friday.The 28-year-old Miller signed a one-year, $2 million deal with Rangers last winter. He was released on July 4 after going 1-3 with an 8.59 ERA in 19 appearances, including eight starts. In 44 innings, Miller gave up 58 hits and 29 walks for a 1.977 WHIP."It's another opportunity to see if we can 'unlock' someone who clearly has a lot of talent," Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said. "We'll allow him to go to Triple-A ... get some time in down there, and then we'll see if he can help us at the big league level."Miller was selected with the 19th overall pick by St. louis in the 2009 MLB draft. He made his major league debut a little more than three years later, pitching two scoreless innings in a 6-2 loss to the Mets on Sept. 5, 2012.He went on to appear in 69 games for the Cardinals, starting 63. He had a 26-18 record... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright was scratched his scheduled start against Arizona due to back spasms.Daniel Ponce de Leon replaced the 37-year-old right-hander on Friday night.A three-time All-Star, Wainwright is 5-7 with a 4.31 ERA in 16 starts this season. The Cardinals did not put him on the injured list, and manager Mike Shildt said he could make his next start as early as Sunday.Wainwright has a $2 million base salary and has earned a $500,000 bonus for making five starts and $1 million apiece for making 10 and 15 starts. He would earn $1.5 million for 20 and $2 million apiece for 25 and 30.Ponce de Leon is 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in three starts and three relief appearances this season.Arizona started left-hander Robbie Ray, who is 6-6 with a 3.96 ERA.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians starter Corey Kluber's broken right arm is healing as hoped, and he could begin throwing bullpen sessions soon.Kluber was struck by a line drive on May 1 in Miami. Indians manager Terry Francona said Friday the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner had a "good checkup" and doctors are now determining when the right-hander can pitch off a mound.Asked if it could be within weeks, Francona said: "That's probably a decent guess, estimation."Kluber has been able to run and work on his conditioning, and he has been strengthening his arm by playing long toss. Francona said he stretched and threw from 150 feet this week.The Indians hope Kluber might be able to come back this season. Cleveland also is missing right-hander Carlos Carrasco, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Washington Nationals are pushing back Max Scherzer's next start because the ace right-hander is dealing with back soreness.Manager Dave Martinez says an MRI on Scherzer's back came back negative, and the three-time Cy Young Award winner threw from 75 feet on Friday.Scherzer experienced soreness in his middle back after his last start.Anibal Sanchez will start in his place on Sunday against the Phillies in the final game of a three-game series.Scherzer was 7-0 with a 0.84 ERA in his last nine starts before the All-Star break.__More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:SONNY GRAY VS JON GRAYNo Gray area in this pitching matchup Friday — only shades of Gray.Sonny will take the mound for the Cincinnati Reds in his first visit to Coors Field and first time facing Colorado. Jon will go for the Rockies as both teams return from the All-Star break.Selected as an NL All-Star, Sonny didn't get into the game Tuesday as the AL beat the NL 4-3. The right-hander is 5-5 with a 3.59 ERA in 17 starts this season. Jon is 9-6 with a 3.92 ERA spanning 19 appearances, including 18 starts.BANGED UP CATCHERThe Cardinals placed catcher Yadier Molina on the injured list with a strained right thumb and activated infielder Matt Carpenter as part of a series of roster moves Thursday. St. Louis also brought up left-hander Chasen Shreve from Triple-A Memphis, optioned left-hander Tyler Webb and outfielder Rangel Ravelo to Memphis, and transferred pitcher Jordan Hicks to the 60-day IL update ahead of their series against Arizona... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Carlos Carrasco's smile remains bright, his mood and outlook as positive as ever.Outwardly, the Indians' right-hander doesn't seem different. He's determined not to let cancer change him."I never put anything bad on my mind," Carrasco said. "Everything's good. So I don't feel different. I just push myself to work more and get stronger."Diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia last month, the 32-year-old Carrasco spoke to media members Thursday for the first time since his life took a dramatic, unexpected turn. As he dealt with so many unknowns, Carrasco said he's never once asked "why me" after learning of his condition."I'm not that kind of person," he said. "If it's happened, it's for a reason."Carrasco said he first knew something was wrong after he took his annual physical at the start of spring training in Arizona. But after more blood work was done, doctors at The Cleveland Clinic told him he had a treatable form of leukemia but that he could continue pitching as long... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — All-Star infielder Alex Bregman left Houston's game at Texas on Thursday night after a groundball bounced up and hit him on the chin.Manager A.J. Hinch said during an in-game interview on the ESPN broadcast that it looked like Bregman's chin was split open. Hinch said Bregman wanted to stay in the game, but the team got him out to get checked by a doctor.Bregman was playing shortstop, and shifted toward the middle of the infield in the third inning when he went to field a grounder hit by Shin-Soo Choo. The ball took a late high hop and caught Bregman squarely on the lower half of his face, and there appeared to be blood when he was tended to by a trainer.Bregman is Houston's primary third baseman, but has been playing shortstop with Carlos Correa on the injured list.Myles Straw replaced Bregman at shortstop.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

July 141916 — St. Louis Browns pitcher Ernie Koob went the distance in a 17-inning 0-0 tie with the Boston Red Sox. Carl Mays went the first 15 innings for the Red Sox and Dutch Leonard finished.1946 — Cleveland player-manager Lou Boudreau hit four doubles and a home run in the first game of a doubleheader against Boston, but Ted Williams connected for three home runs and drove in eight runs for an 11-10 Red Sox victory.1956 — Mel Parnell of the Boston Red Sox pitched a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox for a 4-0 victory at Fenway Park.1967 — Eddie Mathews of the Astros hit his 500th home run off San Francisco's Juan Marichal at Candlestick Park. Houston beat the Giants 8-6.1968 — Hank Aaron got his 500th home run off Mike McCormick as the Atlanta Braves beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2.1968 — Don Wilson of the Houston Astros struck out 18 Reds in a 6-1 victory over Cincinnati in the nightcap of a doubleheader.1969 — Oakland's Reggie Jackson knocked in 10 runs in a 21-7 win over... [More]

First the players, now the ball. Home runs are skyrocketing, and once again Major League Baseball officials claim they don't know the reason why.Then again, it might be that they're just not looking hard enough.Unlike the players, the ball still looks the same. Commissioner Rob Manfred said it tests much the same as before, too, though he conceded there might be less drag on the ball than there was in the past.So why are batters teeing off at a rate nearing three home runs a game, a 19 percent increase from a year before? Why are hitters on a pace to hit 1,000 more home runs than the Steroids Era high mark of 5,693 in 2000?Good question, Manfred says, but it's not because anyone juiced the ball."Manipulation of the baseball is a great conspiracy theory," Manfred said Tuesday at the All-Star Game in Cleveland. "How you manipulate a human-dominated handmade manufacturing process in any consistent way, it's a smarter human being than I."Don't tell that to pitchers like Justin Verlander, who... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Carlos Carrasco won't let cancer change him.The Indians right-hander was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia last month, but that has hardly slowed Carrasco, who has been throwing bullpen sessions with the hopes of pitching again for Cleveland this season.Carrasco spoke to media members Thursday for the first time since his diagnosis and said he's thankful for the support he's received from teammates and throughout baseball.The 32-year-old was moved by the ovation he received Tuesday night during the All-Star Game in Cleveland. During the fifth inning, Carrasco was joined on the field during Major League Baseball's "Stand Up To Cancer" salute by his teammates and Indians manager Terry Francona. The Indians' All-Stars held placards that said: "Cookie," Carrasco's nickname.Carrasco did not reveal what type of treatment he's receiving. He said doctors first discovered something wrong during his physical at spring training.As he battles the condition, Carrasco he said "I just push myself to work more and get stronger."___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Houston Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick was suspended for two games by Major League Baseball on Thursday for his violent home plate collision with Los Angeles Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy before the All-Star break.Marisnick said he still felt terrible about the play and had a rough couple of days during the break to digest the situation. He also said he had spoken with Lucroy, who sustained a concussion and a broken nose."I've seen a lot of takes on it, and obviously everybody has their own opinion," Marisnick said before the AL West-leading Astros played their first game after the break. "But I know deep down in my heart that I had no intent to hurt, or make contact, with him."Joe Torre, MLB's chief baseball officer, said he thoroughly reviewed the play from all angles. While acknowledging he didn't believe Marisnick intended to injure Lucroy, Torre said the actions in last Sunday's game warranted discipline because they violated MLB rules designed to protect... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals placed catcher Yadier Molina on the injured list with a strained right thumb and activated infielder Matt Carpenter as part of a series of roster moves Thursday.St. Louis also brought up left-hander Chasen Shreve from Triple-A Memphis, optioned left-hander Tyler Webb and outfielder Rangel Ravelo to Memphis, and transferred pitcher Jordan Hicks to the 60-day IL update ahead of their series against Arizona beginning Friday night.Molina's move to the IL was retroactive to Monday. The nine-time All-Star, who missed 12 games in May and June with a similar injury, pinch hit on Saturday but hasn't started a game since June 3.Carpenter has been sidelined since June 29 with a lower back strain.Shreve appeared in 20 games for the Cardinals last season, and is 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA in 37 games for Memphis this season. Kinzer made his big league debut June 2, going 0 for 7 for St. Louis.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals placed catcher Yadier Molina on the injured list with a strained right thumb and activated infielder Matt Carpenter as part of a series of roster moves Thursday.St. Louis also brought up left-hander Chasen Shreve from Triple-A Memphis, optioned left-hander Tyler Webb and outfielder Rangel Ravelo to Memphis, and transferred pitcher Jordan Hicks from the 60-day IL update ahead of their series against Arizona beginning Friday night.Molina's move to the IL was retroactive to Monday. The nine-time All-Star, who missed 12 games in May and June with a similar injury, pinch hit on Saturday but hasn't started a game since June 3.Carpenter has been sidelined since June 29 with a lower back strain.Shreve appeared in 20 games for the Cardinals last season, and is 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA in 37 games for Memphis this season. Kinzer made his big league debut June 2, going 0 for 7 for St. Louis.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Houston Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick has been suspended for two games by Major League Baseball after his violent home plate collision with Los Angeles Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy.The suspension was announced Thursday before the AL West-leading Astros played a series opener at Texas in their first game after the All-Star break. Marisnick, who also was fined, appealed the suspension and was available to play.Lucroy was carted off the field last Sunday after the collision at the end of the eighth inning of a game at Houston the Astros won 11-10 in 10 innings. The Angels catcher sustained a concussion and broken nose. Marisnick was called out for colliding with Lucroy and the call was upheld after a crew chief review.Marisnick said afterward that it was a "bad play" and that he hoped Lucroy was OK. He also posted on his Twitter later that he "made a split second decision at full speed" and he felt awful that another player got hurt.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joe Maddon didn't let the free time created by a rare ejection go to waste.Shortly after getting tossed by home plate umpire Joe West on July 4 following an outburst in which the Chicago Cubs manager appeared ready to take on any and all comers from the Pittsburgh dugout after taking exception to the way the Pirates kept pitching up and in to his players, Maddon retired to the visiting manager's office at PNC Park. He eased into a chair, opened a bottle of wine, flipped on the television and watched his wildly uneven team put the finishing touches on an 11-3 victory that avoided a four-game sweep.Veteran move. Opportunities to relax over the next two-plus months will be scarce in the most competitive division in the majors.The National League Central enters the second half with the first-place Cubs and last-place Cincinnati separated by just 4½ games, an outlier during an otherwise yawn-inducing first half in which five divisions reached the All-Star break with at least... [More]