The defending World Series champion Washington Nationals are happy to have their starting center fielder finally in camp and the Detroit Tigers have named their opening day starter.Teams around the league were beginning to make their final preparations Sunday for the start of the abbreviated baseball season.Washington is counting on having Victor Robles patrolling center field when Max Scherzer throws the first pitch of the season Thursday night against the New York Yankees at Nationals Park.Robles had his first official workout with the team on Sunday after being quarantined for two weeks because he came into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.“It was definitely very difficult, the fact that I really wasn’t able to work much on my swing,” Robles said through an interpreter. “But I appreciate that the team did a good job of taking me a lot of things that I could use within the apartment, even baseballs and whatnot, to try to stay as ready as I could physically.”Robles... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Philadelphia second baseman Neil Walker, Texas pitcher Edinson Vólquez and Pittsburgh pitcher Derek Holland have made opening-day rosters.So have Milwaukee first baseman Logan Morrison, Cincinnati pitcher Nate Jones, Tampa Bay pitcher Aaron Loup and New York Yankees pitcher Luis Avilán.The seven were among the former free agents clubs had to make decisions on by Sunday, five days ahead of opening day.Two players were given $100,000 retention bonuses this weekend, allowing teams to keep them with minor league contracts: New York Mets catcher René Rivera and Colorado catcher Drew Butera.Among those released ahead of the deadline were Philadelphia pitcher Francisco Liriano and infielder Logan Forsythe, Mets first baseman Matt Adams and Washington reliever Fernando Abad.Released players remain eligible to re-sign with the teams.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Before all the self-proclaimed purists forecasting the destruction of baseball strategy and the very sanctity of the sport as we know it go berserk bemoaning the inclusion of a designated hitter in the National League this season, remember this:In a most remarkable October full of huge momentum swings, the pivotal blow that decided last year’s World Series was delivered by, yep, the NL DH.OK, that clang resonating off the right field foul screen at Minute Maid Park — courtesy of Howie Kendrick’s home run in Game 7 for the visiting Washington Nationals — probably won’t drown out the wailing of longtime National League fans over the plan to play this virus-delayed season with a (gasp!) DH in both circuits.And it certainly won’t quell the debate that’s raged since April 6, 1973, when Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees stepped to the plate at Fenway Park as Major League Baseball’s first DH (and drew a bases-loaded walk from Luis Tiant).To many NL fans, the simple scribble of “DH” on the lineup... [More]

Before all the self-proclaimed purists forecasting the destruction of baseball strategy and the very sanctity of the sport as we know it go berserk bemoaning the inclusion of a designated hitter in the National League this season, remember this:In a most remarkable October full of huge momentum swings, the pivotal blow that decided last year’s World Series was delivered by, yep, the NL DH.OK, that clang resonating off the right field foul screen at Minute Maid Park — courtesy of Howie Kendrick’s home run in Game 7 for the visiting Washington Nationals — probably won’t drown out the wailing of longtime National League fans over the plan to play this virus-delayed season with a (gasp!) DH in both circuits.And it certainly won’t quell the debate that’s raged since April 6, 1973, when Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees stepped to the plate at Fenway Park as Major League Baseball’s first DH (and drew a bases-loaded walk from Luis Tiant).To many NL fans, the scribble of “DH” on the lineup card... [More]

Before all the self-proclaimed purists forecasting the destruction of baseball strategy and the very sanctity of the sport as we know it go berserk bemoaning the inclusion of a designated hitter in the National League this season, remember this:In a most remarkable October full of huge momentum swings, the pivotal blow that decided last year’s World Series was delivered by, yep, the NL DH.OK, that clang resonating off the right field foul screen at Minute Maid Park — courtesy of Howie Kendrick’s home run in Game 7 for the visiting Washington Nationals — probably won’t drown out the wailing of longtime National League fans over the plan to play this virus-delayed season with a (gasp!) DH in both circuits.And it certainly won’t quell the debate that’s raged since April 6, 1973, when Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees stepped to the plate at Fenway Park as Major League Baseball’s first DH (and drew a bases-loaded walk from Luis Tiant).To many NL fans, the scribble of “DH” on the lineup card... [More]

Before all the self-proclaimed purists forecasting the destruction of baseball strategy and the very sanctity of the sport as we know it go berserk bemoaning the inclusion of a designated hitter in the National League this season, remember this:In a most remarkable October full of huge momentum swings, the pivotal blow that decided last year’s World Series was delivered by, yep, the NL DH.OK, that clang resonating off the right field foul screen at Minute Maid Park — courtesy of Howie Kendrick’s home run in Game 7 for the visiting Washington Nationals — probably won’t drown out the wailing of longtime National League fans over the plan to play this virus-delayed season (gasp!) with a DH in both circuits.And it certainly won’t quell the debate that’s raged since April 6, 1973, when Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees stepped to the plate at Fenway Park as Major League Baseball’s first DH (and drew a bases-loaded walk from Luis Tiant).To many NL fans, the scribble of “DH” on the lineup card... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League East 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:___Atlanta Braves Manager: Brian Snitker (fifth season). 2019: 97-65, first place, lost to Cardinals in Division Series.Training Town: North Port, Florida.Park: CoolToday Park. First Workout: Feb. 13/18. He's Here: LF Marcell Ozuna, C Travis d'Arnaud, LHP Cole Hamels, LHP Will Smith, RHP F�lix Hern�ndez.He's Outta Here: 3B Josh Donaldson, LHP Dallas Keuchel, RHP Julio Teheran, C Brian McCann, OF Matt Joyce, RHP Anthony Swarzak, RHP Josh Tomlin, LHP Jerry Blevins, OF Billy Hamilton, C Francisco Cervelli. Going campin': The Braves are coming off their second straight NL East title, led by one of baseball's brightest young stars. In his first full season in the big leagues, 22-year-old OF Ronald Acu�a Jr. hit 41 homers, led the league with 127 runs and tallied 37 stolen bases to become the second-youngest... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Adams agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Mets on Friday, hoping to earn a job as a backup and a bat with pop off the bench.He would get a $1.25 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster and would have the chance to earn $1.5 million in performance bonuses for plate appearances: $250,000 for 250 and each additional 50 through 500.The 31-year-old is primarily a first baseman but also has played the outfield. He batted .226 with 20 homers and 56 RBIs in 333 plate appearances last year for the World Series champion Washington Nationals, hitting 12 of his homers in June and July.New York has NL Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso at first.Adams has 11 career homers and 49 RBIs as a pinch hitter, but he was just 3 for 33 in that role last year with two homers and a double.An eight-year big league veteran, Adams also has played for St. Louis (2012-17, 2018) and Atlanta (2017), and had his first stint with the Nationals in 2018.Adams had a $3 million salary last year, and Washington declined his $4 million mutual option, which carried a $1 million buyout.———More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Adams agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Mets on Friday, hoping to earn a job as a backup and a bat with pop off the bench.The 31-year-old is primarily a first baseman but also has played the outfield. He batted .226 with 20 homers and 56 RBIs in 333 plate appearances last year for the World Series champion Washington Nationals, hitting 12 of his homers in June and July.New York has NL Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso at first.Adams has 11 career homers and 49 RBIs as a pinch hitter, but he was just 3 for 33 as a pinch hitter last year — with two homers and a double.An eight-year big league veteran, he also has played for St. Louis (2012-17, 2018) and Atlanta (2017), and he had his first stint with the Nationals in 2018.Adams had a $3 million salary last year, and Washington declined his $4 million mutual option, which carried a $1 million buyout.———More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Adams agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Mets on Friday, hoping to earn a job as a backup and a bat with pop off the bench.The 31-year-old is primarily a first baseman but also has played the outfield. He batted .226 with 20 homers and 56 RBIs in 333 plate appearances last year for the World Series champion Washington Nationals, hitting 12 of his homers in June and July.New York has NL Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso at first.Adams has 11 career homers and 49 RBIs as a pinch hitter, but he was just 3 for 33 as a pinch hitter last year — with two homers and a double.An eight-year big league veteran, he also has played for St. Louis (2012-17, 2018) and Atlanta (2017), and he had his first stint with the Nationals in 2018.Adams had a $3 million salary last year, and Washington declined his $4 million mutual option, which carried a $1 million buyout.———More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — Reliever Daniel Hudson agreed to terms on an $11 million, two-year contract to return to the Washington Nationals, and the World Series champions also added first baseman Eric Thames.Each deal was confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday by people who spoke on condition of anonymity because neither agreement had been announced.Thames, who gets a one-year contract guaranteeing $4 million, moves into the lefty-hitting first baseman role filled by Matt Adams last season. The 33-year-old Thames hit .247 with 25 homers, 61 RBIs and 140 strikeouts for the Milwaukee Brewers last year.Since returning to the majors after playing in South Korea from 2014-16, Thames averaged 24 homers per season in three years with the Brewers. Signed by Milwaukee to a $16 million, three-year contract, he became a free agent after the Brewers declined a $7.5 million option, triggering a $1 million buyout.Hudson was acquired in a trade-deadline swap with the Toronto Blue Jays on July 31 and eventually... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Reliever Daniel Hudson agreed to terms on an $11 million, two-year contract to return to the Washington Nationals, and the World Series champions also added first baseman Eric Thames.Each deal was confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday by people who spoke on condition of anonymity because neither agreement had been announced.Thames, who gets a one-year contract guaranteeing $4 million, moves into the lefty-hitting first baseman role filled by Matt Adams last season. The 33-year-old Thames hit .247 with 25 homers, 61 RBIs and 140 strikeouts for the Milwaukee Brewers last year.Since returning to the majors after playing in South Korea from 2014-16, Thames averaged 24 homers per season in three years with the Brewers. Signed by Milwaukee to a $16 million, three-year contract, he became a free agent after the Brewers declined a $7.5 million option, triggering a $1 million buyout.Hudson was acquired in a trade-deadline swap with the Toronto Blue Jays on July 31 and eventually... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two days after winning their first World Series title, the Washington Nationals declined a $4 million mutual option for 2020 on backup first baseman Matt Adams.Adams gets a $1 million buyout and becomes a free agent following Friday's decision.The 31-year-old hit .226 with 20 homers and 56 RBIs in 111 games during the regular season.He had just four plate appearances in the postseason and his only World Series action was a walk as a pinch hitter in Game 3. His pinch single off Adam Wainwright sparked a two-run rally in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series.Adams, 31, is an eight-year big league veteran with St. Louis (2012-17, '18), Atlanta (2017) and Washington (2018, '19).___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A position-by-position look at the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros going into the World Series, starting Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park:___First Base:Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman. The longtime face of the franchise, Zimmerman was Washington's first draft pick in 2005 after the team moved to the nation's capital from Montreal. The fan favorite has been through all of the Nationals' ups and downs, from a string of painful early playoff exits to the feel-good story of his first trip to the World Series this season. A converted third baseman, he's been hampered by injuries much of the past six years — including shoulder problems that affect his throwing. But at age 35, he's become an everyday player again during a solid postseason.Astros: Yuli Gurriel. From a family of baseball royalty in Cuba, the highly touted Gurriel got a $47.5 million contract and has established himself as a productive RBI man during three full years in the majors. He took off in late June and put together a big... [More]

A look at the best-of-seven World Series between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros:___Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Tuesday, at Houston, 8:08 p.m.; Game 2, Wednesday, at Houston, 8:07 p.m.; Game 3, Friday, at Washington, 8:07 p.m.; Game 4, Saturday, at Washington, 8:07 p.m.; x-Game 5, Sunday, Oct. 27, at Washington, 8:07 p.m.; x-Game 6, Tuesday, Oct. 29, at Houston, 8:07 p.m.; x-Game 7, Wednesday, Oct. 30, at Houston, 8:08 p.m. (All games on FOX).x-if necessary.___Season Series: Did not play.___Projected Lineups:Nationals: SS Trea Turner (.298, 19 HRs, 57 RBIs, 37 2Bs, 35 SBs, 96 runs), RF Adam Eaton (.279, 15, 49, 15 SBs, 103 runs), 3B Anthony Rendon (.319, 34, 126, 44 2Bs, 117 runs, 1.010 OPS), LF Juan Soto (.282, 34, 110, 110 runs, .949 OPS), 2B Howie Kendrick (.344, 17, 62), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.257, 6, 27 in 52 games), DH Asdr�bal Cabrera (.260, 18, 91 in 131 games with Texas and Washington) or Matt Adams (.226, 20, 56, 115 Ks, 310 ABs in 111 games), C Kurt Suzuki (.264,... [More]

Nationals third. Michael A. Taylor homers to left field. Max Scherzer strikes out swinging. Trea Turner lines out to first base to Paul Goldschmidt. Adam Eaton grounds out to shortstop, Paul DeJong to Paul Goldschmidt.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Nationals 1, Cardinals 0.Nationals eighth. Michael A. Taylor called out on strikes. Matt Adams pinch-hitting for Max Scherzer. Matt Adams singles to deep right center field. Trea Turner singles to center field. Matt Adams to second. Adam Eaton doubles to right field. Trea Turner scores. Matt Adams scores. Anthony Rendon is intentionally walked. Juan Soto pops out to shallow center field to Paul DeJong. Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Nationals 3, Cardinals 0.Cardinals eighth. Matt Carpenter strikes out swinging. Tommy Edman lines out to deep right field to Adam Eaton. Paul DeJong singles to center field. Jose Martinez pinch-hitting for Andrew Miller. Jose Martinez doubles to deep center field. Paul DeJong scores. Dexter Fowler flies out to right field to Adam Eaton.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Nationals 3, Cardinals 1.

Oct. 71904 — Jack Chesbro got his 41st victory of the season as New York defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-2.1933 — Mel Ott's home run in the 10th inning to give the New York Giants for a 4-3 victory and the World Championship in five games over the Washington Senators.1935 — Detroit's Goose Goslin drove in Mickey Cochrane with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Tigers a 4-3 win and the World Championship in six games over the Chicago Cubs.1950 — Rookie pitcher Whitey Ford, with ninth-inning help from Allie Reynolds, beat Philadelphia 5-2 to give the Yankees a World Series sweep of the "Whiz Kids."1952 — Billy Martin's running catch on a high infield pop with the bases loaded in the seventh inning snuffed a Dodgers rally and the New York Yankees went on to win Game 7 of the World Series 4-2. It was the fourth consecutive world championship for the Yankees.1969 — The St. Louis Cardinals traded outfielder Curt Flood to the Philadelphia Phillies in a blockbuster deal involving... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers included four rookies on their NL Division Series roster.First baseman Matt Beaty, second baseman Gavin Lux, catcher Will Smith and reliever Dustin May each made impacts during the regular season when the Dodgers won a franchise-record 106 games.“They don’t act like rookies, they don’t play the game like rookies, and we’re going to need them in the postseason,” Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw said Thursday. “We don’t expect their performance to be any different.”Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts added, “We just believe in those guys.”The Dodgers and Washington Nationals announced their rosters for the best-of-five series hours before the start of Game 1.Smith was tabbed to catch starter Walker Buehler on Thursday in a Kentucky-bred battery. Smith is from Louisville and Buehler is from Lexington.Roberts often jokes about Smith’s youthful looks.“Don’t let that fool you because this guy is as tough as they come,” he said.Beaty is the oldest of the quartet... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are starting just one of their four rookies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.Will Smith is catching right-handed starter Walker Buehler on Thursday night against the Washington Nationals.Their other rookies _ first baseman Matt Beaty and second baseman Gavin Lux _ weren’t in the lineup, while reliever Dustin May could be used out of the bullpen.The Dodgers batting order is: Left fielder A.J. Pollock leading off, first baseman David Freese, third baseman Justin Turner, center fielder Cody Bellinger, right fielder Chris Taylor, second baseman Max Muncy, shortstop Corey Seager, Smith and Buehler.The Nationals lineup is: Shortstop Trea Turner leading off, right fielder Adam Eaton, third baseman Anthony Rendon, left fielder Juan Soto, second baseman Asdrúbal Cabrera, first baseman Matt Adams, center fielder Victor Robles, catcher Yan Gomes and left-handed starter Patrick Corbin.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Oct. 61915 _ Philadelphia rookie Elmer Myers made a spectacular debut by striking out 12 Washington batters while allowing just two hits. Myers walked 5 in the 4-0 win his only game this year.1926 _ Babe Ruth hit three homers to lead the Yankees to a 10-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth game of the World Series.1948 _ In the opening game of the World Series, the Boston Braves beat Bob Feller and the Cleveland Indians 1-0 with two hits and the benefit of a disputed call on a pickoff attempt in the eighth by Feller.1963 _ Frank Howard led Los Angeles to a 2-1 win over the New York Yankees with a home run and a single, giving the Dodgers a four-game sweep in the World Series.1966 _ Jim Palmer, 20, became the youngest player to pitch a World Series shutout as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-0. Sandy Koufax was the loser, his last appearance in the major leagues. Dodger outfielder Willie Davis committed three errors on successive plays in the fifth inning.1978... [More]