PHOENIX (AP) — Robbie Ray already knew 2020 would be a big season for his financial future because it's his last one before becoming a free agent.Now the Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander has less time to make a strong impression.Major League Baseball's coronavirus-delayed 60-game season is much shorter than the usual 162-game grind. That means pitchers like Ray will probably make about 11 or 12 starts instead of the typical 30-plus.Because of the compressed calendar, the 28-year-old Ray made sure he kept in shape during the spring hiatus from baseball. In his first live work off the mound Sunday, he threw nearly 80 pitches and said he's very close to being ready for the regular season, which begins July 24 against the Padres.The motivation is obvious: A bad start to the season could cost him millions of dollars in what's expected to be a tight free-agent market during the offseason. Conversely, two good months might lead to a big payoff this winter.“I had the assumption that once everything... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When the Minnesota Twins signed Rich Hill from the bargain aisle of free agency last winter, they expected the left-hander to be available around midseason after his recovery from elbow surgery. Now the 40-year-old is on track to be ready right away, thanks to the virus outbreak that shoved the schedule back by four months and shrunk it to 60 games. The Twins, who open on the road against the Chicago White Sox on July 24, are setting up a rotation with Hill in it. The 15-year veteran faced hitters at Target Field on Monday, logging four simulated innings in his latest step forward in yet another injury comeback.“There’s a lot of people who put in the time and the effort and gave me their time to make sure that I can be in the best position possible to go out there and perform,” Hill said Tuesday on a video conference call with reporters. "I put in the time and put in the effort, and it’s definitely paid off. I feel great, and yesterday was just one step in the right direction.”Over... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Jake Diekman has serious questions about Major League Baseball's ability to pull off a season given the issues everywhere getting timely test results, forcing delays and cancellations of workouts.For now, Diekman still plans to play. He must be extra careful given he has the autoimmune condition ulcerative colitis.“Once the regular season hits there’s no way I’m opting out, but if they don’t get the testing figured out then this whole thing will get shut down,” Diekman said Tuesday. “During the season there’s no way we can go 72 hours or longer without knowing our result, there’s just no way. There’s no way that can possibly happen and this be safe for all 60, 70 days or whatever it is.”The Oakland lefty said “I'm high risk so I'm going to have to speak out. I don't want to get sick” and represents others who must take added precautions because of an underlying condition.“There's a little part in everyone's mind that thinks this whole thing's going to get shut down,”... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees have scheduled preseason exhibitions against the crosstown Mets and Philadelphia Phillies.The Yankees and Mets will play at Citi Field on Friday, July 18 and then at Yankee Stadium the following night. The Phillies will come to the Bronx and play the Bombers on July 20. All three games announced Tuesday will air locally on the YES Network. The Yankees will open a pandemic-shortened 60-game regular season against the World Series champion Nationals in Washington on July 23 — the first game of the season for any team. The Dodgers and Giants will play later that night, and the rest of the league will open the next day. New York manager Aaron Boone has been quick to get his pitchers and hitters into game situations during their condensed preseason camp. The club held a six-inning intrasquad game Monday night on the third day of official practices at empty Yankee Stadium.The team had another intrasquad set for Tuesday night, with new ace Gerrit Cole set to pitch in pinstripes for the first time at Yankee Stadium after signing a $324 million, nine-year deal in the offseason.___Follow Jake Seiner: https://twitter.com/Jake_Seiner___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Reliever Nick Vincent signed last week with the Miami Marlins and settled in for two days of quarantine in his hotel room while awaiting clearance to join workouts.“That was a little bit different,” he said. “In 48 hours, you're definitely a little stir-crazy."Vincent spent a lot of time watching TV, including the news, which reinforced that it was wise to lay low with the coronavirus crisis worsening in Florida and much of the country.And as Major League Baseball attempts to salvage the 2020 season, behavior away from the ballpark will help determine the outcome. Just like on the field, success will depend on how many players are safe at home.“That’s going to be the biggest challenge for this game to move forward — the off-the-field stuff and what guys do," said Vincent, an eight-year major league veteran. “It's just going to take one team to mess it up for everybody. I hope everybody gets that. It’ll take five guys to get a whole team sick, and then if a whole team is sick,... [More]

July 81912 — Rube Marquard’s 19-game winning streak was stopped when the New York Giants lost 7-2 to the Chicago Cubs.1935 — The AL extended its All-Star winning streak to three with a 4-1 victory at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. New York Yankee Lefty Gomez went six innings, which prompted the NL to have the rules changed so that no pitcher could throw more than three innings, unless extra innings.1941 — Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox hit a three-run, two-out homer in the ninth to give the AL a dramatic 7-5 victory in the All-Star game at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Up to that point Arky Vaughn of the Pittsburgh Pirates was the NL hero with two home runs, the first player to do so in All-Star play. Joe and Dom DiMaggio both played for the AL, marking the first time that brothers appeared in the same All-Star game.1947 — Frank Shea became the first winning rookie pitcher in the first 14 years of All-Star play as the AL nipped the NL 2-1 at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.1952 — The NL edged the... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers pitcher Jimmy Nelson will undergo surgery on his lower back and miss the upcoming shortened season.Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Nelson’s back had been bothering him since the start of spring training in February before camps were shut down in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.“We just couldn’t get him on track physically,” Roberts said on a video call. “He was frustrated throughout the spring. After quarantining and giving him time off, it just never came around.”The surgery will be performed Tuesday in Los Angeles by Dr. Robert Watkins.Nelson signed a $1.25 million, one-year contract in January, an incentive-laden deal that could be worth $13.25 million over two seasons. The 31-year-old right-hander spent the last six seasons with Milwaukee, compiling a career mark of 33-46 with a 4.22 ERA and 578 strikeouts against 240 walks.Nelson had his best season in 2017, going 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA. However, he ended the season on the injured list with a rotator cuff strain. He missed all of 2018 with a partially torn labrum in his right shoulder.He returned last season and appeared in 10 games for the Brewers, making two starts. He was 0-2 with a 6.95 ERA and the team didn’t offer him a contract by Dec. 2, making him a free agent.Nelson has a $750,000 salary this year, and the Dodgers have a $2 million option for 2021 with a $500,000 buyout. ___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis opted out of the 2020 season on Monday due to increased concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.Markakis is the second Atlanta veteran in two days to announce plans to sit out the 60-game season. He follows right-hander Félix Hernández, the former Cy Young winner with Seattle who was competing for a rotation spot before opting out on Sunday. The 36-year-old Markakis said Monday he was uneasy about playing the season without fans and then was swayed by his telephone conversation with teammate Freddie Freeman, who has tested positive for COVID-19 and has fever and other symptoms.“Just hearing him, the way he sounded on the phone, it was tough,” Markakis said. “It was kind of eye-opening. What everything that’s going on, not just with baseball but all over the world, it makes you open your eyes.”Freeman, top setup man Will Smith, right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma tested positive for the coronavirus. Manager Brian Snitker... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Baseball's two World Series finalists canceled workouts Monday because of COVID-19 testing delays that one executive worried could endanger the baseball season.The defending champion Washington Nationals and reigning American League champion Houston Astros each called off training camp practices after not receiving test results from Friday. The cancellations come amid delays around Major League Baseball, with some players opting out, and in the aftermath of Nationals reliever Sean Doolittle criticizing slow test results and a lack of some personal protective equipment.“We will not sacrifice the health and safety of our players, staff and their families,” Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said. "Without accurate and timely testing, it is simply not safe for us to continue with summer camp. Major League Baseball needs to work quickly to resolve issues with their process and their lab. Otherwise, summer camp and the 2020 season are at risk.”Astros general manager James... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The defending World Series champion Nationals canceled their workout Monday because of COVID-19 testing delays that general manager Mike Rizzo worried could endanger the baseball season.All players and staff were tested Friday, and Rizzo said the team still hasn't received those results. The cancellation came a day after All-Star reliever Sean Doolittle voiced concerns about the slow turnaround on coronavirus tests and the Nationals not receiving some kinds of personal protective equipment.“We cannot have our players and staff work at risk,” Rizzo said. “We will not sacrifice the health and safety of our players, staff and their families. Without accurate and timely testing it is simply not safe for us to continue with summer camp.”Rizzo added that Major League Baseball “needs to work quickly to resolve issues with their process and their lab” or the season is at risk.Two Nationals players who took part in in-take testing last week tested positive. Manager Dave Martinez... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pablo Sandoval's size and round middle have ignited the internet and brought out the body critics as baseball begins again.Manager Gabe Kapler said Sunday the San Francisco Giants fully expect their “Kung Fu Panda” to be ready and in game shape to contribute by opening day later this month even though he is noticeably heavier than during spring training nearly five months ago in Scottsdale, Arizona.“Pablo's role on this team is to do what he has done over the course of the last couple days, and what he has done for this city and this community in the past, and that is to bring positive energy, get big hits, drive the baseball, and those are still the things we believe he is capable of doing,” Kapler said.“Already in this short period of time he's demonstrated it. I have a lot of empathy for Pablo and what it must be like to be dealing with this kind of scrutiny, and I wouldn't wish it on anybody.”Sandoval underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on his right elbow... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees had their Sunday brightened by Masahiro Tanaka, who came to the ballpark and seemed well a day after being hit in the head by Giancarlo Stanton’s line drive.They’re hoping Yankee Stadium’s lights will do the same this week.Encouraged by Tanaka’s progress after Saturday’s scare, the Yankees are planning to hold intrasquad night games Monday and Tuesday in the Bronx as they prepare for the July 23 start of a 60-game regular season condensed by the coronavirus pandemic.The 7 p.m. scrimmages will both air on YES Network, giving fans at least a couple of live looks at the defending AL East champions this summer. Left-hander J.A. Happ is expected to start against young righty Clarke Schmidt on Monday, and new ace Gerrit Cole — signed to a $324 million, nine-year free agent deal last winter — is set to pitch Tuesday.New York has also been working to schedule exhibition games in the next 2 1/2 weeks with other clubs, possibly the Mets, but nothing has been formalized.“We’re... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona's new pitching addition Madison Bumgarner was having a little fun on the mound during his first summer workout on Saturday, dropping down sidearm and firing a fastball that buzzed catcher Stephen Vogt, who quickly spun out of harm's way.Both players were laughing. For a few moments, the carefree vibe of baseball was apparent.But just like everyone in baseball's delicate restart, the Diamondbacks are ramping up for a strange season while trying their best to stay healthy. The team previously revealed that three players on the 40-man roster had tested positive for COVID-19. Manager Torey Lovullo said Saturday another player on the 60-man roster tested positive. The team hasn't released any names of the affected players.“If you're not worried about your health, you're not taking care of yourself like you should and taking precautions like you should,” Bumgarner said. “It's going to be interesting. I'm just going to worry about what I can control right now.”Bumgarner... [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.”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]