NEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.The commissioner's office announced the penalty Sunday. Polanco tested positive for Stanozolol and became the sixth player to be banned this year under the major league drug program — one more than last year.Polanco hit .256 with 13 home runs and 74 RBIs last season while starting 127 games at shortstop. The 24-year-old also stole 13 bases in helping the Twins earn an AL wild-card spot.In a statement released by the players' union, Polanco said he didn't "intentionally consume this steroid."Polanco said he requested a substance from his athletic trainer in the Dominican Republic, but was given something else.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees rookie Miguel Andujar will start the season in the minors, rather than at third base in the majors.The Yankees optioned Andujar to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, clearing the way for Brandon Drury to claim the spot.The move allows the 23-year-old Andujar, who hit .262 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 14 spring training games, to work on his defense in the minors."I think everybody got a peek at the kind of hitter we think he's going to be," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "Had a long talk with him (and told him), just go down there and continue to polish, continue to get better, continue to work, and it won't be too long before he's up here for good."Drury, obtained from Arizona last month, was the front-runner for the position. He hit .267 with 13 homers and 63 RBIs for Arizona last season.Another rookie, Gleyber Torres, was in the mix to start at second base but was optioned March 13 to Triple-A. Boone said Torres will split time between... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — When considering where to slot Dexter Fowler in the batting order, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny isn't concerned about last year.There's additional data to consider."He's got a pretty good track record of being successful at the top of the order," Matheny said. "You don't take any small sample and put that in concrete. He's done a nice job over the course of his career of getting on base and making things happen at the top."A career .268 hitter, Fowler batted just .205 in 51 games last season as the Cardinals' leadoff man. That came after hitting .277 from the leadoff spot for the World Series-winning Chicago Cubs the previous year.That performance, the allure of a disruptive force on the basepaths and a good glove in center field prompted the Cardinals to sign Fowler to a five-year, $82.5 million contract prior to the 2017 season.With Fowler and the offense struggling as a whole last season, Matheny juggled the lineup. Not primarily known as a run producer, Fowler... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets left-hander Jason Vargas is expected to miss four to six weeks after fracturing a bone in his right hand.The Mets acquired Vargas in free agency on Feb. 18, signing him to a two-year, $16 million contract. He went 18-11 with a 4.16 ERA for Kansas City last season, making his first All-Star team and tying for the major league lead in wins.The 35-year-old Vargas was hit on the hand by a line drive during a minor league game Friday.The Mets announced Sunday that he suffered a hamate fracture. He was to see hand specialist to determine his prognosis.With Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom set to face St. Louis on March 29 and 31, Vargas had been penciled in to start the series finale on April 1. Matt Harvey could move into the third spot in the starting rotation.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Jonathan Lucroy's first spring training game in an Oakland Athletics' uniform didn't stand out in the box score. He went 0 for 2 on two groundouts against a Seattle Mariners split squad.Being on a new team, there also was the occasional confusion with a different set of signs. But a closer look at Lucroy's six innings behind the plate Saturday revealed something the A's will be counting on this season — the veteran catcher's presence."It's awesome. He's very well prepared and he definitely takes charge," said Sean Manaea, who started for the A's. "He definitely controls the entire diamond. Having a guy like that, especially with the amount of time and the amount of knowledge that he has is huge."Lucroy, signed to a one-year, $6.5 million contract on Monday, is set to take over as the starting catcher for Oakland despite not signing until well into spring training. If his past is any indication, the offensive numbers will also be there.The 31-year-old two-time All-Star... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — In a story March 13 about Major League Baseball players who have played at least 20 seasons, The Associated Press reported erroneously that about one-thousandth of 1 percent of all players had played that long. The correct number is eight-tenths of a 1 percent.A corrected version of the story is below:Long time: Beltre, Colon only in MLB with 20-plus seasonsTexas Rangers teammates Adrian Beltre and Bartolo Colon are the only current MLB players who have played at least 20 MLB seasonsBy STEPHEN HAWKINSAP Sports WriterSURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Adrian Beltre is long past going to spring training trying to make the team. The five-time Gold Glove third baseman with more than 3,000 career hits is quite a rarity.Going into his 21st big-league season, Beltre is one of only two current players who have played at least 20 MLB seasons.The other is his new teammate with the Texas Rangers, 44-year-old pitcher Bartolo Colon."One, they're extremely durable," San Diego Padres pitcher... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets left-hander Jason Vargas is expected to miss four to six weeks after fracturing a bone in his right hand.The Mets acquired Vargas in free agency on Feb. 18, signing him to a two-year, $16 million contract. He went 18-11 with a 4.16 ERA for Kansas City last season, making his first All-Star team and tying for the major league lead in wins.The 35-year-old Vargas was hit on the hand by a line drive during a minor league game Friday.The Mets announced Sunday that he suffered a hamate fracture. He was to see hand specialist to determine his prognosis.With Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom set to face St. Louis on March 29 and 31, Vargas had been penciled in to start the series finale on April 1. Matt Harvey could move into the third spot in the starting rotation.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets left-hander Jerad Eickhoff is expected to miss four to six weeks after fracturing a bone in his right hand.The Mets acquired Vargas in free agency on Feb. 18, signing him to a two-year, $16 million contract. He went 18-11 with a 4.16 ERA for Kansas City last season, making his first All-Star team and tying for the major league lead in wins.The 35-year-old Vargas was hit on the hand by a line drive during a minor league game Friday.The Mets announced Sunday that he suffered a hamate fracture. He was to see hand specialist to determine his prognosis.With Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom set to face St. Louis on March 29 and 31, Vargas had been penciled in to start the series finale on April 1. Matt Harvey could move into the third spot in the starting rotation.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Royals signed right-handed reliever Justin Grimm to a $1.25 million, one-year deal Sunday that includes up to $300,000 incentives after he was released by the Chicago Cubs last week.The 29-year-old Grimm was 1-2 with a 5.53 ERA in 50 appearances last season.The club also announced that pitchers Miguel Almonte, Sam Gaviglio and Trevor Oaks, catcher Cam Gallagher and infielder Ramon Torres have been optioned to Triple-A Omaha.The roster moves leave the Royals with 46 players in major league camp.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees rookie Miguel Andujar has come up short in his bid to win the starting third base role.The Yankees optioned Andujar to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, clearing the way for Brandon Drury to claim the spot.The move allows Andujar, who hit .262 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 14 spring training games, to work on his defense in the minors.Drury, obtained from Arizona last month, was the front-runner for the position. He hit .267 with 13 homers and 63 RBIs for Arizona last season.New York also reassigned promising 20-year old outfielder Estevan Florial to its minor league camp.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Jharel Cotton had planned to build off a promising rookie campaign for the Oakland Athletics.He'll have to wait another year.The 26-year-old righty will undergo elbow surgery and not pitch in 2018, a setback for a young club trying to improve on a last-place finish."It's tough. I'm missing the 2018 season with my boys, so it's kind of hard to take. I'm trying to take it as best as I can and just get ready for the long process, the long road that's ahead," Cotton said Saturday.Cotton had been diagnosed with a sprain and had a second scan Friday, then was told he would need Tommy John surgery.Cotton was 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA average in 24 starts. This spring, he had a 3.75 ERA in four exhibitions, striking out 16 in 12 innings."Unfortunate. Just of him having to go through what a lot of guys have to go through," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "But we felt like he was on the cusp of really coming into his own and it's going to be delayed a year, unfortunately."The A's figure to go into the 2018... [More]

Second base is a deep position in fantasy baseball this season. Like most positions it's loaded at the top before the value drops, but when it comes to selecting your middle infielder in the later rounds of your draft, you are much more likely to take a second baseman than a shortstop.Positional flexibility is always a bonus when it comes to selecting a player and several 2B are likely to qualify at other positions. You will need to check league rules to discover how many games a player either needs to play at a certain position this season or last year to qualify at a different position.When it comes to a player that is eligible at multiple positions, this doesn't mean that you should move that player drastically up your draft board, but you can move him up slightly and at the very least use this flexibility as a tiebreaker between him and another player. Jose Ramirez qualifies at third base, Paul DeJong at SS, Marwin Gonzalez at just about every other position other than catcher. Ian... [More]

Jharel Cotton had planned to build off a promising rookie campaign for the Oakland Athletics.He'll have to wait another year.The 26-year-old righty will undergo elbow surgery and not pitch in 2018, a setback for a young club trying to improve on a last-place finish."It's tough. I'm missing the 2018 season with my boys, so it's kind of hard to take. I'm trying to take it as best as I can and just get ready for the long process, the long road that's ahead," Cotton said Saturday.Cotton had been diagnosed with a sprain and had a second scan Friday, then was told he would need Tommy John surgery.Cotton was 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA average in 24 starts. This spring, he had a 3.75 ERA in four exhibitions, striking out 16 in 12 innings."Unfortunate. Just of him having to go through what a lot of guys have to go through," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "But we felt like he was on the cusp of really coming into his own and it's going to be delayed a year, unfortunately."The A's figure to go into the 2018... [More]

Jharel Cotton had planned to build off a promising rookie campaign for the Oakland Athletics.He'll have to wait another year.The 26-year-old righty will undergo elbow surgery and not pitch in 2018, a setback for a young club trying to improve on a last-place finish."It's tough. I'm missing the 2018 season with my boys, so it's kind of hard to take. I'm trying to take it as best as I can and just get ready for the long process, the long road that's ahead," Cotton said Saturday.Cotton had been diagnosed with a sprain and had a second scan Friday, then was told he would need Tommy John surgery.Cotton was 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA average in 24 starts. This spring, he had a 3.75 ERA in four exhibitions, striking out 16 in 12 innings."Unfortunate. Just of him having to go through what a lot of guys have to go through," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "But we felt like he was on the cusp of really coming into his own and it's going to be delayed a year, unfortunately."The A's figure to go into the 2018... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Oakland Athletics pitcher Jharel Cotton will undergo season-ending surgery on his right elbow.Cotton had been diagnosed with a sprain and had a second scan taken on his elbow on Friday, then was told he would need Tommy John surgery. The procedure is expected to take place next week."It's tough. I'm missing the 2018 season with my boys, so it's kind of hard to take. I'm trying to take it as best as I can and just get ready for the long process, the long road that's ahead," Cotton said Saturday morning at A's spring training.The 26-year-old Cotton was expected to be in Oakland's starting rotation this season after going 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA average in 24 starts as a rookie in 2017.He had pitched four times this spring, with a 3.75 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings."Unfortunate. Just of him having to go through what a lot of guys have to go through," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "But we felt like he was on the cusp of really coming into his own and it's going to be delayed... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Marcus Stroman has his eyes on starting the Toronto Blue Jays' fourth game of the regular season April 1 against the New York Yankees.Stroman pitched two hitless innings against the Canadian Junior National Team in his first spring training start Saturday after being sidelined by inflammation in his right shoulder."I'll be out there the fourth game of the series and I'll be ready to rock," Stroman said. "I can't wait."Said Toronto bench coach DeMarlo Hale: "I know the competitor that he is, he's going to be pushing for that, no doubt.".Stroman struck out two and walked one during a 27-pitch outing."I thought it went really well," he said. "My changeup was great, sinker was good, slider will come along the next couple starts."The injury cost a disappointed Stroman a chance at the opening day start March 29 at home against the Yankees."That's what I wanted, I want to be that guy to have the ball on opening day," Stroman said. "It just didn't work out."Stroman went 13-9... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Jose Urena will make Miami's opening day start against the Chicago Cubs and Dan Straily gets the ball the following day.Beyond that? It' a bit of a mystery that the Marlins have about a week to solve.Manager Don Mattingly had already announced Urena as Miami's first starter prior to the 26-year-old righty tossing three shutout innings Saturday in a 6-6 tie with Houston.Miami, though, has five pitchers still vying for the final three rotation spots — and that's after they sent three pitchers to minor league camp on Friday."I think we have an idea of what we want to do," Mattingly said. "I think more than anything you just want to make sure it doesn't go totally sideways for somebody and that would change our mind."Sandy Alcantara remains the most intriguing of the five candidates. The biggest name in the deal that sent big-hitting outfielder Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis, Alcantara and his high-90s mph fastball showed glimpses this spring of why he could make the opening... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — It could have been called the "Legacy Game" when a Toronto Blue Jays split squad played the Canadian Junior National Team.The Blue Jays' starting infield Saturday was Clemens, Biggio, Bichette and Guerrero, with a Grudzielanek as the designated hitter and a Smith in left field.Talk about bloodlines for a group of Toronto prospects.Kacy Clemens, son of pitching great Roger Clemens played first. Cavan Biggio manned the same second base spot as his Hall of Fame father Craig Biggio. Former slugger Dante Bichette's son Bo was at shortstop and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., whose father is headed to the Hall, got the call at third. Longtime infielder Mark Grudzielanek's nephew, Brandon, was the DH and Dwight Smith Jr. was in left, where his dad played."We all grew up with the last name on our back," Kacy Clemens said. "It's a commonality between all of us. We all kind of feel the same way about it. We're trying to make our own trail, make our own path to the big leagues."Said Cavan... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Marcus Stroman has his eyes on starting the Toronto Blue Jays' fourth game of the regular season April 1 against the New York Yankees.Stroman pitched two hitless innings against the Canada Junior National Team in his first spring training start Saturday after being sidelined by inflammation in his right shoulder."I'll be out there the fourth game of the series and I'll be ready to rock," Stroman said. "I can't wait."Said Toronto bench coach DeMarlo Hale: "I know the competitor that he is, he's going to be pushing for that, no doubt.".Stroman struck out two and walked one during a 27-pitch outing."I thought it went really well," he said. "My changeup was great, sinker was good, slider will come along the next couple starts."The injury cost a disappointed Stroman a chance at the opening day start March 29 at home against the Yankees."That's what I wanted, I want to be that guy to have the ball on opening day," Stroman said. "It just didn't work out."Stroman went 13-9... [More]

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado says that recruiting pitch by Yankees star Aaron Judge was no big deal."I think it was just blown out of proportion," Machado said.Earlier this week, when the Orioles and Yankees played a spring training game, Judge told Machado that he'd look good in pinstripes. The star infielder is eligible for free agency after this season.The comment drew the interest of Major League Baseball, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman later had a conversation with Judge, reminding the AL Rookie of the Year that the sport takes a dim view of anything that sounds like tampering.Machado says he didn't mind. He says he's attempted to get players for the Orioles, too."Everyone always jokes around about a lot of things, and things that we say on the field usually stay on the field," Machado said after Baltimore's game with the New York Mets on Friday."I've told a lot of people they'd look good in black and orange as well, trying to get guys over here," Machado said. "It's just part of the game. You want to put the best team out there on your field and if I'm a part of this team, I want to bring the best guys over here as much as I can. I want to get a ring as well."Orioles manager Buck Showalter made light of the situation."I'm just glad they didn't catch Manny trying to recruit Judge," Showalter said.