CHICAGO (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Dustin May will have Tommy John surgery next week, sidelining one of baseball's top young pitchers for the rest of the season. The 23-year-old May was put on the 10-day injured list Sunday, a day after he winced in pain on the mound and was forced to leave a start at Milwaukee. The World Series champion Dodgers, already beset by several injuries to their pitching staff, said May will have ligament reconstruction surgery on May 11 in Los Angeles. “It's a big blow, but we've got a lot of talented players,” manager Dave Roberts said Monday before the team's series opener at the Chicago Cubs. May threw just 27 pitches before leaving Saturday's 11-inning loss to Milwaukee. After his final pitch, May reacted with obvious discomfort, took a few steps and called for attention. May is 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA in five starts this season. He has a career mark of 6-5 with a 2.93 ERA in 31 appearances, including 19 starts, since making his debut in August 2019.... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Dustin May was put on the 10-day injured list Sunday with an arm ailment, the latest setback for the pitching staff of the World Series champions. May threw just 27 pitches Saturday before leaving a game the Dodgers eventually lost 6-5 to Milwaukee in 11 innings. After his final pitch, May reacted with obvious pain, took a few steps and called for attention. After the game, manager Dave Roberts said May felt “kind of a shooting sensation” through his arm on a curveball he threw. Roberts said Sunday the 23-year-old May would get an MRI when the team arrives in Chicago on Monday to begin a series against the Cubs. The Dodgers purchased the contract of left-hander Mike Kickham and transferred right-handed reliever Corey Knebel to the 60-day injured list. May is 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA in five starts this season. He has a career mark of 6-5 with a 2.93 ERA in 31 appearances, including 19 starts. May joins a crowd of Dodgers pitchers on the injured... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed promising rookie Zach McKinstry on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique muscle. The major league-leading Dodgers made the move Friday, adding a fifth player to their IL. Los Angeles recalled outfielder DJ Peters from its alternate training site to make his major league debut. McKinstry is batting .296 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 17 games while playing second base, third base, right field and left field for the Dodgers. The former 33rd-round draft pick made the opening day roster for the first time in his career as a utilityman in the role previously filled by the departed Enrique Hernandez, but McKinstry quickly played his way into starts at three positions. McKinstry joins star outfielder Cody Bellinger, second baseman Gavin Lux and pitchers Tony Gonsolin and Joe Kelly on Los Angeles' IL. The Dodgers also were without outfielder Chris Taylor, who has lower back stiffness, for the second straight game Friday night against the San Diego Padres. Peters was a fourth-round pick in the 2016 draft. The native of nearby Glendora, California, had 23 homers and 81 RBIs in 2019 between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — For three seasons the Boston Red Sox have entered spring training hoping that Dustin Pedroia would be able to make a return to second base on a full-time basis after the franchise stalwart had his career disrupted by a knee injury in 2017. Those hopes ended on Monday when the four-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner announced his retirement, concluding what had been a merry-go-round of surgeries, rehab attempts and setbacks for the longest-tenured player on Boston’s roster and the only holdover from the 2007 championship team. The Red Sox took another step in moving on Tuesday when they officially announced the signing of infielder Enrique Hernández to a two-year contract for a reported $14 million. “The team has a lot of really good players ... probably the reason I wanted a two-year deal instead of one is I get invested in teams and my teammates," he said. Speaking of the expectations Boston fans have for their teams, he added: “I know that they're not going to... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 2 of the World Series (all times local): 10:50 p.m. Brandon Lowe hit two home runs to break out of an extended postseason slump and the Tampa Bay Rays held off the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4, tying the World Series at one game apiece. Down 5-0, the Dodgers closed within 6-4 on Corey Seager’s solo homer in the eighth. Aaron Loup relieved and struck out Cody Bellinger with a runner on base to prevent further damage. Joey Wendle also drove in three runs for Tampa Bay. Will Smith and Chris Taylor homered to help the Dodgers rally. After a day off, Game 3 will be Friday night at neutral site Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. Charlie Morton starts for the Rays against Walker Buehler in a matchup of pitchers who have both excelled in October outings. ___ 10:33 p.m. Corey Seager hit a leadoff drive in the eighth inning for his seventh homer this postseason, and the Los Angeles Dodgers trimmed Tampa Bay’s lead to 6-4 heading to the ninth in Game... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — More was not merrier for Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts went with an opener against the team that invented the concept, sending Tony Gonsolin to start Game 2 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays as the first of seven pitchers -- one shy of the record for a nine-inning Series game. By the end of the Dodgers’ 6-4 defeat Wednesday night, which evened the Series at one game apiece, it appeared the Dodgers are down to essentially a two-man rotation of Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw. Coming off games on seven straight days against Atlanta in the NL Championship Series under this year's unique postseason schedule, with just Monday's off-day, Roberts felt he had no rested alternative. “We didn’t have anybody that was on regular,” he explained. Seems like a throwback to the Boston Braves of Spahn and Sain and pray for rain, as Gerald V. Hern of the Boston Post poetically memorialized the pitching tandem of Warren Spahn and Johnny... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — More was not merrier for Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts went with an opener against the team that invented the concept, sending Tony Gonsolin to start Game 2 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays as the first of seven pitchers -- one shy of the record for a nine-inning Series game. By the end of the Dodgers’ 6-4 defeat Wednesday night, which evened the Series at one game apiece, it appeared the Dodgers are down to a two-man rotation of Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw. Seems like a throwback to the Boston Braves of Spahn and Sain and pray for rain, as Gerald V. Hern of the Boston Post poetically memorialized the pitching tandem of Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain in 1948. Of the 125 innings pitched by the Dodgers in the postseason, Buehler is 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA in 19 innings and Kershaw is 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 25 innings, a combined a 2.45 ERA . The rest of the staff is 6-3 with a 4.11 ERA. Gonsolin lasted just four outs, leaving... [More]

Cody Bellinger bashed a home run in the World Series opener, and celebrated with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates. Foot taps — not forearm knocks. Much easier on his delicate right shoulder that popped out of its socket during a home run celebration in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Bellinger’s two-run shot gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning and they went on to an 8-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. Instead of jumping up and banging elbows, a grinning Bellinger ran up to teammate Max Muncy and exchanged foot taps before making his way down a line of Dodgers doing the same thing. Bellinger and Mookie Betts traded taps with their right feet as Justin Turner laughed, Will Smith clapped and manager Dave Roberts appeared to be smiling behind his face mask. There had been concern about Bellinger's shoulder after the Dodgers wrapped up the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves. He said it felt sore going into the World Series. His shoulder took another hit in... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-seven World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers in Arlington, Texas, beginning Tuesday night: ___ Season Series: Did not play. ___ TAMPA BAY RAYS Record: 40-20. Playoff Entry: AL East champions. Playoff Seed: No. 1. Manager: Kevin Cash (sixth season). Projected Rotation: RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-1, 4.08 ERA, 91 Ks in 57 1/3 IP), LHP Blake Snell (4-2, 3.24, 63 Ks in 50 IP), RHP Charlie Morton (2-2, 4.74, 42 Ks in 38 IP), LHP Ryan Yarbrough (1-4, 3.56). Top Hitters: 2B Brandon Lowe (.269, 14 HRs, 37 RBIs, 36 runs, .916 OPS), LF Randy Arozarena (.281, 7, 11, 1.022 OPS in 23 games), SS Willy Adames (.259, 8, 23, .813 OPS). Top Relievers: RHP Nick Anderson (2-1, 0.55 ERA, 6 saves), RHP Diego Castillo (3-0, 1.66, 4 saves), RHP Pete Fairbanks (6-3, 2.70). Series Summary: It's the second American League pennant for the Rays, who began play as an expansion team in 1998. They lost the 2008 World Series to Philadelphia in five games. ... Tampa Bay opened... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have added left-hander Alex Wood as an extra pitcher for the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves, while also bringing back infielder Edwin Rios after he missed the last round with a groin injury. Wood missed a month of the shortened season because of a shoulder injury in his first start, though he returned in September when seven of his eight appearances were in relief. Los Angeles is going with 15 pitchers, after having 14 on its roster in the three-game NL Division Series sweep of San Diego, and 13 in the wild-card round against Milwaukee. Terrance Gore was left off the NLCS roster after the speedy outfielder didn't appear in either series. Rios replaced Gavin Lux, who got only one at-bat against the Padres. The Dodgers' 28-player roster for the best-of-seven NLCS against the Braves that starts Monday night: LOS ANGELES Pitchers (15): RH Pedro Baéz, RH Walker Buehler, RH Dylan Floro, RH Tony Gonsolin, LH Victor... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-seven NL Championship Series between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers in Arlington, Texas, beginning Monday night: ___ Season Series: Did not play. ___ ATLANTA BRAVES Record: 35-25. Playoff Entry: NL East champions. Playoff Seed: No. 2. Manager: Brian Snitker (fifth season). Projected Rotation: LHP Max Fried (7-0, 2.25 ERA, 50 Ks), RHP Ian Anderson (3-2, 1.95, 41 Ks, 32 1/3 IP, 6 starts), RHP Kyle Wright (2-4, 5.21, 30 Ks), RHP Josh Tomlin (2-2, 4.76), RHP Bryse Wilson (1-0, 4.02, 1 save in 15 2/3 IP) or RHP Huascar Ynoa (0-0, 5.82). Top Hitters: 1B Freddie Freeman (.341, 13 HRs, 53 RBIs, 51 runs, 1.102 OPS), DH Marcell Ozuna (.338, 18, 56, 77 hits, 1.067 OPS), OF Ronald Acu�a Jr. (.250, 14, 29), C Travis d'Arnaud (.321, 9, 34). Top Relievers: RHP Mark Melancon (2-1, 2.78 ERA, 11 saves), LHP Will Smith (2-2, 4.50), LHP Tyler Matzek (4-3, 2.79, 43 Ks in 29 IP), RHP Chris Martin (1-1, 1.00, 1 save), RHP Shane Greene (1-0, 2.60). Series Summary: Winners... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — In a season that's gone exceedingly well for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a late problem that popped up is causing a lot of concern: Can they still count on Kenley Jansen as their closer? That has become an uncomfortable question for manager Dave Roberts and the Dodgers as they prepare for another NL Championship Series. Especially with something seemingly not right with the reliever who for so long was the obvious answer when it came to finishing playoff games. “I’m very sensitive to what he has accomplished on the baseball field, as a closer and as a perennial All-Star, but we also have to look in real time, and do what’s best for the Dodgers,” said Roberts, though the manager hasn't been ready to make a definitive declaration about Jansen's role. The best-of-seven NLCS against the Atlanta Braves starts Monday night in the Texas Rangers' new $1.2 billion stadium with a retractable roof. That is where the Dodgers, whose last World Series title was in 1988, swept San... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. bent backward from his knees and stared skyward after his wild throw became San Diego's playoff-high fifth error and gave the Los Angeles Dodgers the tying run. The 21-year-old budding superstar and the rest of the Padres will have to wait at least another year for the club's first trip past the National League Division Series since 1998. Tatis' throwing error from his knees after a diving stop on an infield single by Corey Seager came early in a five-run third inning that propelled the Dodgers to a 12-3 victory Thursday night and a sweep of the neutral-site best-of-five NLDS. No matter how many pitchers the Padres threw at their NL West rivals — 11 in a postseason record for a nine-inning game — they never really were in the series except for one bases-loaded chance for Slam Diego at the end of Game 2. The Padres couldn't add to their majors-leading seven grand slams from the regular season, although Jake Cronenworth's walk and Trent Grisham's... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: OCTOBER OCTANE Maybe it’s the Southern California air or the atmosphere indoors in Texas, but the ball is really flying this postseason. With Randy Arozarena, Chad Pinder, Travis d’Arnaud and others powering up, there have been 82 home runs in 28 playoff games this year through Wednesday. That average of 2.93 homers per postseason game tops the regular-season mark of 2.57. Teams outhomering their opponents are 19-1 in the postseason. The Athletics and Astros combined to connect seven times as the A’s avoided a sweep with a 9-7 win. Houston will make another attempt to advance to its fourth consecutive ALCS in Game 4 on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. ATLANTA ARMS The Atlanta Braves try to reach the NL Championship Series for the first time since the days of Chipper Jones, the Big Three and Bobby Cox when they face the Marlins in Game 3. Kyle Wright will make his postseason debut when he starts against Miami rookie Sixto Sanchez as Atlanta... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Manny Machado tried to awaken a slumbering San Diego offense by screaming at his teammates after connecting for a homer against Clayton Kershaw. While it almost worked, the Padres fell into a 2-0 deficit in their best-of-five National League Division Series when Eric Hosmer stranded the bases loaded with a game-ending groundout off Joe Kelly in a 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night. Machado's solo shot in the sixth inning was followed immediately by another from Hosmer, closing the Padres to 4-3 in their first NLDS since 2006. Fernando Tatís Jr. hit a long drive off reliever Brusdar Graterol that would have put the Padres up by a run in the seventh, but Cody Bellinger robbed the 21-year-old phenom with a leaping grab at the wall in center field. Machado's outburst, starting when he threw his bat at his own dugout after lifting a low pitch from Kershaw to left, was aimed at a San Diego offense that had been mostly silent for the first 14 innings... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-five playoff series between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in Arlington, Texas, beginning Tuesday: ___ Season Series: Dodgers won 6-4. ___ SAN DIEGO PADRES Record: 37-23. Playoff Entry: second place, NL West. Playoff Seed: No. 4. Manager: Jayce Tingler (first season). Projected Rotation: RHP Chris Paddack (4-5, 4.73 ERA, 58 Ks in 59 IP), RHP Zach Davies (7-4, 2.73), RHP Dinelson Lamet (3-1, 2.09), RHP Mike Clevinger (3-2, 3.02 with Indians and Padres; 2-1, 2.84 in 4 starts for San Diego after trade). Top Hitters: SS Fernando Tatis Jr. (.277, 17 HRs, 45 RBIs, 11 SBs), 3B Manny Machado (.304, 16, 47), RF Wil Myers (.288, 15, 40). Top Relievers: RHP Trevor Rosenthal (1-0, 1.90 ERA, 4 saves), LHP Drew Pomeranz (1-0, 1.45, 4 saves, 29 Ks, 10 BBs). Series Summary: The Padres are in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, and they overcame an old nemesis in the first round by rallying past St. Louis 2-1 in a best-of-three set to win a postseason... [More]

Now, baseball really has a 1981 feel to it. There were already some similarities between the pandemic-shortened season of 2020 and the strike-interrupted version 39 years earlier, but the resemblance is even stronger now that the four division series are about to start. In 1981, the season was split into two halves, so each division champion from the first half played the second-half champ to start the playoffs. That meant two AL East teams facing each other, two AL West teams, two NL East teams and two NL West teams. That’s also what we have this season in the AL and NL Division Series: Rays-Yankees, Astros-Athletics, Braves-Marlins and Dodgers-Padres. It wasn’t planned that way. It’s just how the bracket worked out. The teams from the AL Central and NL Central — divisions that didn’t exist in ’81 — happened to be knocked out. With only four teams left in each league, there are now 16 possible World Series matchups for this year. Here’s a look at each one — and what would make it interesting.... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-three playoff series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers beginning Wednesday. All games in Los Angeles: ___ MILWAUKEE BREWERS Record: 29-31. Playoff Entry: NL wild card. Playoff Seed: No. 8. Manager: Craig Counsell (sixth season). Projected Rotation: LHP Brent Suter (2-0, 3.13 ERA), RHP Brandon Woodruff (3-5, 3.05), LHP Brett Anderson (4-4, 4.21) Top Hitters: LF Christian Yelich (.205, 12 HRs, 22 RBIs, .356 OBP), 2B Keston Hiura (.212, 13, 32), OF/DH Ryan Braun (.233, 8, 26), 1B Jedd Gyorko (.248, 9, 17, .838 OPS). Top Relievers: RHP Devin Williams (4-1, 0.33 ERA, 53 Ks in 27 IP), LHP Josh Hader (1-2, 3.79, 13 saves, 31 Ks in 19 IP), RHP Eric Yardley (2-0, 1.54). Series Summary: The Brewers are making their third straight playoff appearance, something they’d never accomplished before since the franchise launched as the Seattle Pilots in 1969. … This series is a rematch of the 2018 NLCS won by the Dodgers in seven games, the only other time... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Even amid the upheaval of a pandemic, one thing is predictable: the Los Angeles Dodgers are very good. In fact, they're the best team in baseball, boasting a 22-8 record at the halfway point of the shortened season.They went 13-4 playing a stretch of 17 consecutive days that ended Sunday, capped by an 11-3 win over Colorado in which the Dodgers blasted seven home runs.Instead of being on fumes, manager Dave Roberts said, “We all feel really good.”It shows in their balanced offense and pitching. The Dodgers lead the majors in home runs (59) and runs scored (171). They also have the lowest team ERA (2.65), while their WHIP (1.04) is just behind Cleveland's leading 1.03. The LA staff is doing it without David Price, who opted out of the season because of the coronavirus. They've stayed healthy, too, avoiding the COVID-19 cases that have wreaked havoc with others teams' schedules.The Dodgers begin the second half Tuesday against the Giants in San Francisco.“The last 30 games... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:KEEP COOLThe Reds and Pirates renew what erupted into one of baseball’s most bitter rivalries last season, with one major change at the top. Long-simmering tensions between the Ohio River rivals over batters getting plunked escalated into a benches-clearing brawl at Great American Ball Park last summer and resulted in Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, Reds manager David Bell and six players suspended. Hurdle was fired after the season and replaced by Derek Shelton. The teams are now set to meet again in Cincinnati.AILING ATLANTANBraves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. will miss the weekend series in Miami because of a sore left wrist.The 2018 NL Rookie of the Year was a late scratch prior to Tuesday’s series opener at Yankee Stadium and was evaluated further Wednesday, revealing inflammation in his wrist.JUDGING BY THE LOOKThe Yankees will see how star Aaron Judge is progressing, a day after he was out of the lineup because of tightness in his lower... [More]