ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves four-time All-Star Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith and two teammates have tested positive for the coronavirus, a jarring hit to the NL East champions less than three weeks before the start of the pandemic-delayed season.“It will be a while before we can get him back,” manager Brian Snitker said Saturday about Freeman.Snitker said the four players, including right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma, agreed to have the team disclose their positive tests.Snitker said Freeman had a negative intake test early in the week before having a positive test on Friday. Snitker said the first baseman has a fever and “is not feeling great.”Freeman's wife, Chelsea, posted on Twitter that he had “body aches, headaches, chills and a high fever.”“He is someone who literally never gets sick and this virus hit him like a ton of bricks,” she said."We've been really strict for the last 4 months," she wrote. “Haven't gone to a grocery store, haven't gone... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers veteran Ryan Braun said he's more likely to continue playing beyond 2020 because of the unusual circumstances of this pandemic-shortened season.Braun said in January that he was considering retiring after the season. He was more bullish on his baseball future Saturday as the Brewers held the first full-squad workout of their summer camp ahead of the 60-game season that starts later this month.“I feel like it’s more likely that I play another year than I anticipated a few months back,” Braun said.Braun, the 2011 NL MVP, is entering the final season of a five-year, $105 million contract and will turn 37 in November.Those circumstances help explain why Braun was uncertain in January about whether he would play in 2021.“I don’t take for granted this could be my last year playing baseball,” Braun said at the time. “Obviously, there’s a sense of urgency every year, but for me, knowing that this could be my last chance ever, it’s something that adds to that sense... [More]

Freddie Freeman tests positive for COVID-19. Masahiro Tanaka gets hit in the head by a line drive. David Price announces he won’t play this season.On this Fourth of July, even the return of baseball didn’t offer much cause for celebration.As teams prepared to start their pandemic-shortened season, sobering examples of the game’s potential danger took place at camps across the country. Major League Baseball is getting ready for a 60-game season that won’t include Price, a former Cy Young Award winner who was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers in February.“After considerable thought and discussion with my family and the Dodgers, I have decided it is in the best interest of my health and my family’s health for me to not play this season,” the five-time All-Star tweeted Saturday.“I will miss my teammates and will be cheering for them throughout the season and on to a World Series victory. I’m sorry I won’t be playing for you this year, but look forward to representing... [More]

Freddie Freeman tests positive for COVID-19. Masahiro Tanaka gets hit in the head by a line drive. David Price announces he won’t play this season.On this Fourth of July, even the return of baseball didn’t offer much cause for celebration.As teams prepared to start their pandemic-shortened season, sobering examples of the game’s potential danger took place at camps across the country. Major League Baseball is getting ready for a 60-game season that won’t include Price, a former Cy Young Award winner who was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers in February.“After considerable thought and discussion with my family and the Dodgers, I have decided it is in the best interest of my health and my family’s health for me to not play this season,” the five-time All-Star tweeted Saturday. “I will miss my teammates and will be cheering for them throughout the season and on to a World Series victory. I’m sorry I won’t be playing for you this year, but look forward to representing... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves four-time All-Star Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith and two teammates have tested positive for the coronavirus, a jarring hit to the NL East champions less than three weeks before the start of the pandemic-delayed season.“It will be a while before we can get him back,” manager Brian Snitker said Saturday about Freeman.Snitker said the four players, including right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma, agreed to have the team disclose their positive tests.Snitker said Freeman had a negative intake test early in the week before having a positive test on Friday. Snitker said the first baseman has a fever and “is not feeling great.” Major League Baseball has scheduled the 60-game season to start on July 23. Freeman is the biggest star in the sport so far to have his positive virus test publicly announced by his team.It is too early to know if Freeman's status for the start of the season could be jeopardized.“It’s a serious matter,” Braves... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves four-time All-Star Freddie Freeman, reliever Will Smith and two teammates have tested positive for the coronavirus.Manager Brian Snitker said Saturday the four players, including right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma, agreed to have the team disclose their positive tests.Snitker said Freeman had a negative intake test before having a positive test on Friday. Snitker said the first baseman has a fever and “is not feeling great.” “It will be a while before we can get him back," Snitker said of Freeman.Major League Baseball has scheduled the 60-game season to start on July 23. Freeman is the biggest star in the sport so far to have his positive virus test publicly announced by his team.The 30-year-old Freeman set career highs with 38 home runs and 121 RBIs last season in helping Atlanta win its second straight NL East title.The Braves signed Smith, the former Giants reliever, to a three-year, $39 million deal in the offseason.Snitker said Smith and Toussaint have no symptoms. He said Kozma, who is working with top minor leaguers at the team's Triple-A Gwinnett facilty, has a fever.Snitker also said first base coach Eric Young Sr., 53, has opted out of for the season due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. ___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dave Martinez's mantra of going 1-0 every day followed the Washington Nationals to their first World Series title.When they resumed workouts Friday at summer training camp in the midst of a global pandemic, the manager's mantra remained. Only, it has a different meaning for the defending champions tiptoeing the health and safety protocols that made baseball feel anything but natural.“When you see the guys come in after not seeing them for a while, you want to give them a big hug, a fist bump, high-five,” Martinez said by video conference from the bowels of Nationals Park. "We’re trying to figure out what we can do to emulate some kind of handshake or fist bump or elbow tap or feet tap — whatever. We’ll figure something out.”The team that danced itself from a 24-31 start to a championship in 2019 is off to a relatively positive start in 2020. Martinez learned depth catcher Welington Castillo is joining Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross in opting out of the season, but he said... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw arrived in Los Angeles for the restart of spring training with the Dodgers and was struck by the sight of people wearing masks while walking their dogs.“It was a little unnerving, for sure,” he said Friday when the team gathered at Dodger Stadium for the first official workout leading up to the start of the season later this month.Kershaw, his wife and three children, including a 5-month-old son, traveled from their offseason home in Texas, where they had been since the coronavirus pandemic first shut down much of the U.S. in mid-March, forcing the season to be postponed from its opening day of March 26. Masks are required to be worn in public in California; other states have differing rules.“If these three months taught me anything, I really miss the game. I miss playing, I miss pitching, I miss the guys,” Kershaw said in a video conference from the bowels of the stadium. “It was a great feeling to come back.”Third baseman Justin Turner concurred, saying,... [More]

July 41905 — The Philadelphia Athletics scored two runs in the 20th inning, giving Rube Waddell a 4-2 victory over Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox. Both pitchers went the distance. Young did not allow a walk.1908 — George Wiltse of the New York Giants pitched a 10-inning, 1-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies.1912 — George Mullin of the Detroit Tigers celebrated his 32nd birthday by pitching a no-hitter over the St. Louis Browns.1925 — Two of the great left-handers of their time, Herb Pennock of the Yankees and Lefty Grove of the Athletics, hooked up in a pitchers duel that New York won 1-0 in 15 innings. Pennock gave up four hits and walked none.1939 — Jim Tabor of the Boston Red Sox hit three home runs, including two grand slams, in an 18-12 triumph over the Philadelphia Athletics in the second game of a doubleheader.1945 — Augie Bergamo drove in eight runs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to 19-2 rout of the New York Giants in the second game of a doubleheader.1976 — The Phillies’... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Catcher Patrick Bailey, the 13th overall pick in last month's amateur draft, has agreed to a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants that includes a $3.8 million signing bonus.The 21-year-old hit .296 with six homers, including three grand slams, and 20 RBIs in 17 games in the pandemic-shortened season as a junior at North Carolina State. He earned the Johnny Bench award as the top division one catcher, an honor also won the Giants' Buster Posey in 2008 and Joey Bart in 2018.He signed for well under the pick's slot value of $4,197,300 to the Giants' signing bonus pool.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — An emotional Chicago Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy is recovering from a severe case of COVID-19 that quarantined him for 30 days.The 38-year-old Hottovy broke down as he detailed a harrowing ordeal during a conference call on Wednesday. The Cubs resume workouts Friday for the first time since Major League Baseball shut down camps on March 12.“It's still kind of raw in the fact that we just got through it and to relive it,” said Hottovy, in his second season as the Cubs' pitching coach. “Obviously, it affected us pretty significantly for a month. I felt it was important for me to talk through what I went through because too much of what's out there is the easy stories of what people go through with this.”The former major leaguer learned he had the virus on the third day he felt ill, following a nasal test. He isolated in a spare bedroom with symptoms that got so bad he spent part of one day at the hospital.Hottovy tested negative about two weeks ago and still gets winded... [More]

July 21903 — Washington outfielder Ed Delahanty went over a railroad bridge at Niagara Falls and drowned. The exact circumstances of his death never were determined.1909 — The Chicago White Sox stole 12 bases, including home plate three times, in a 15-3 rout of the St. Louis Browns.1930 — Chicago outfielder Carl Reynolds homered in the first, second and third innings, leading the White Sox to a 15-4 win over the New York Yankees. Reynolds, the second player in history to hit home runs in three consecutive innings, had two inside-the-park homers.1933 — Carl Hubbell of the New York Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 in an 18-inning game. He allowed six hits and no walks. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Cardinals were blanked 1-0, with Roy Parmelee outdueling Dizzy Dean.1941 — Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees hit a home run to extend his consecutive game hitting streak to 45 games, surpassing Willie Keeler’s record of 44 straight games for the Orioles in 1897.1963 — Juan... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich says he supports Ian Desmond’s decision to sit out the 2020 season to focus on his young family and help rejuvenate youth baseball in his hometown in Florida.Bridich says he had a pair of recent conversations with the 34-year-old outfielder who announced his decision in a lengthy and heartfelt Instagram post Monday night.Desmond wrote that the “COVID-19 pandemic has made this baseball season one that is a risk I am not comfortable taking.” The biracial slugger also mentioned a myriad of issues within baseball, including sexism, homophobia and socioeconomic concerns, as well as the racial reckoning that emerged after George Floyd’s death while in police custody in Minneapolis sparked protests around the world.“The conversations with Ian felt the exact same that his written words feel to me,” Bridich said, “which is from the heart and honest. ... I did not know that he was going to write something as thoughtful and as comprehensive... [More]

Trying to find out the status of a baseball player coming back from an ankle injury definitely will be easier than learning whether someone tested positive for the coronavirus.Major League Baseball said Tuesday that a team will not specifically announce a COVID-19 injured list placement for a player who is removed from the club after testing positive, just an IL trip.MLB's operations manual says a positive test, exhibiting symptoms that require isolation for additional assessment or exposure to someone who has had the virus are cause for placement on the new COVID-19 IL.“It would be a speculating circumstance," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told media during a conference call.Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement states that for any medical condition not related to employment “a club may disclose only the fact that a medical condition is preventing the player from rendering services to the club and the anticipated length of the player’s absence from the club.” Cashman noted... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich says he supports Ian Desmond’s decision to sit out the 2020 season to focus on his young family and help rejuvenate youth baseball in his hometown in Florida.Bridich says he had a pair of recent conversations with the 34-year-old outfielder who announced his decision in a lengthy and heartfelt Instagram post Monday night.Desmond wrote that the “COVID-19 pandemic has made this baseball season one that is a risk I am not comfortable taking.” The biracial slugger also mentioned a myriad of issues within baseball, including sexism, homophobia and socioeconomic concerns, as well as the racial reckoning that emerged after George Floyd’s death while in police custody in Minneapolis sparked protests around the world.“The conversations with Ian felt the exact same that his written words feel to me,” Bridich said, “which is from the heart and honest. ... I did not know that he was going to write something as thoughtful and as comprehensive... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Sinkerballing reliever Jared Hughes and the New York Mets agreed Tuesday to a $700,000, one-year contract, a deal that amounts to $259,259 in prorated pay over the 60-game season.Hughes can earn an additional $300,000 for days on the active roster: $50,000 each for 10 and 30, and $100,000 apiece for 45 and 60. The roster bonuses would not be prorated.He had a 6.35 ERA over five appearances and 5 2/3 innings during spring training with Houston and was released March 19, a week after the exhibition season was stopped by the coronavirus pandemic. If he had been added to Houston’s 40-man roster, he would have received a one-year contract with a salary of $1.5 million while in the majors and $150,000 in the minors.A right-hander who turns 35 on July 4, Hughes was 5-5 with a 4.04 ERA last season for Cincinnati and Philadelphia, which claimed him off waivers on Aug. 15. He struck out 54 and walked 27 in 71 1/3 innings, throwing his sinker on about 75% of his pitches. He also throws... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Sinkerballing reliever Jared Hughes and the New York Mets agreed Tuesday to a $700,000, one-year contract, a deal that amounts to $259,259 in prorated pay over the 60-game season.Hughes can earn an additional $300,000 for days on the active roster: $50,000 each for 10 and 30, and $100,000 apiece for 45 and 60. The roster bonuses would not be prorated.He had a 6.35 ERA over five appearances and 5 2/3 innings during spring training with Houston and was released March 19, a week after the exhibition season was stopped by the coronavirus pandemic. If he had been added to Houston’s 40-man roster, he would have received a one-year contract with a salary of $1.5 million while in the majors and $150,000 in the minors.A right-hander who turns 35 on July 4, Hughes was 5-5 with a 4.04 ERA last season for Cincinnati and Philadelphia, which claimed him off waivers on Aug. 15. He struck out 54 and walked 27 in 71 1/3 innings, throwing his sinker on about 75% of his pitches. He also throws... [More]

Trying to find out the status of a baseball player coming back from an ankle injury will definitely be easier than learning whether someone tested positive for the coronavirus.New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said during a conference call Tuesday that teams have not been given clearance to announce which players end up on the injured list due to COVID-19. A positive test, exhibiting symptoms that require isolation for additional assessment or exposure to someone who has had the virus are cause for placement on the COVID-19 IL.“I believe the information I’ve been given is that you’ll be left to try to figure that out because we would not be (able to disclose)," Cashman said. “It would be a speculating circumstance."Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement states that for any medical condition not related to employment “a club may disclose only the fact that a medical condition is preventing the player from rendering services to the club and the anticipated length of the player’s... [More]

Trying to find out the status of a baseball player coming back from an ankle injury will definitely be easier than learning whether someone tested positive for the coronavirus.New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said during a conference call Tuesday that teams have not been given clearance to announce which players end up on the injured list due to COVID-19. A positive test, medical recommendation or exposure to someone who has had the virus could all put players out of action.“I believe the information I’ve been given is that you’ll be left to try to figure that out because we would not be (able to disclose)," Cashman said. “It would be a speculating circumstance."Non-baseball related injuries do not have be explained in detail under terms of the collective bargaining agreement.Cashman noted the situation continues to evolve as Major League Baseball and the players' union continue discussions. Testing of players and staff will begin Wednesday as they report to their teams to... [More]

Colorado Rockies outfielder Ian Desmond plans to sit out this season to be with his family and help grow youth baseball in his hometown in Florida.The 34-year-old Desmond wrote Monday night on Instagram that the “COVID-19 pandemic has made this baseball season one that is a risk I am not comfortable taking.” But the biracial slugger also mentioned a myriad of issues within baseball, including racism, sexism, homophobia and socioeconomic concerns.“With a pregnant wife and four young children who have lots of questions about what’s going on in the world, home is where I need to be right now,” Desmond wrote on Instagram. “Home for my wife, Chelsey. Home to help. Home to guide. Home to answer my older three boys’ questions about Coronavirus and Civil Rights and life. Home to be their Dad.”Desmond, who hit .255 with 20 homers in 140 games last season, had been due $5,555,556 for the prorated share of his $15 million salary, part of a $70 million, five-year contract. He is owed $8 million next... [More]