CLEVELAND (AP) — Los Angeles Angels pitcher Luke Bard has left their game at Cleveland after he was hit by a line drive in the fifth inning.Bard was struck above his right elbow by Carlos Santana's liner. Manager Brad Ausmus and a trainer went to the mound, and Bard departed with a right triceps contusion.The ball landed near the shortstop position just in front of the outfield grass and Santana was credited with a single.Bard was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake before Sunday's game when the Angels made a flurry of roster moves. He recorded the final out of the fourth in relief of Jaime Barria. Santana was the leadoff hitter in the fifth.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating David Price and Boston 3-2 in a game that the Red Sox protested on Wednesday.Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed.Kolarek replaced Morton and retired pinch-hitter Sam Travis on a pop fly. The left-hander then shifted to first base when Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in reliever Chaz Roe, who got a fly ball from Mookie Betts.After Kolarek then returned to the mound and Nate Lowe entered to play first base, Cora met with the umpires, which prompted around a 15-minute stoppage as the umpires discussed the matter.After the protest was made and the game resumed, Kolarek got a first-pitch grounder from Rafael Devers.An unhappy Cora again talked... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels gave up on their $11 million investment in Matt Harvey, designating the 30-year-old right-hander for assignment on Friday.Harvey was 3-5 with a 7.09 ERA in 12 starts. He gave up six runs, seven hits and five walks over six innings in a 6-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Thursday night."The decision was made because we felt like it would increase our chance of winning games," Angels manager Brad Ausmus said after discussing the move with general manager Billy Eppler. "Matt was a very well-liked teammate, a guy that everyone pulled for, including myself. But we're in the business of winning baseball games. In talking to Billy, we just felt like this was the best move to make in order to help us win games."Once dubbed The Dark Knight, Harvey was among baseball's most dominant starters for a time with the New York Mets. He started the 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field but hurt his elbow later that summer and never consistently regained his 98 mph fastball... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Christian Vazquez hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning, and the Boston Red Sox completed an uplifting three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 victory Sunday.Rafael Devers singled off Jose Alvarado (0-2) to start the 11th and went to second when Michael Chavis walked.Both runners moved up a base on Jackie Bradley's sacrifice bunt and Vazquez followed with his fly that Kevin Kiermaier ran down in center field.Marcus Walden (3-0) allowed an infield hit over two scoreless innings and Ryan Brasier worked the 11th to get his sixth save.After starting the season by losing eight of 10, the defending World Series champions are 7-5 over the last 12 games and went from eight to five games behind the Rays.DODGERS 6, BREWERS 5MILWAUKEE (AP) — Cody Bellinger reached over the right field wall to rob Christian Yelich in the eighth inning of yet another home run, then hit a solo drive off Josh Hader with two outs in the ninth to lift Los Angeles over... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Christian Vazquez hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning, and the Boston Red Sox completed an uplifting three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 victory Sunday.Rafael Devers singled off Jose Alvarado (0-2) to start the 11th and went to second when Michael Chavis walked.Both runners moved up a base on Jackie Bradley's sacrifice bunt and Vazquez followed with his fly that Kevin Kiermaier ran down in center field.Marcus Walden (3-0) allowed an infield hit over two scoreless innings and Ryan Brasier worked the 11th to get his sixth save.After starting the season by losing eight of 10, the defending World Series champions are 7-5 over the last 12 games and went from eight to five games behind the Rays.DODGERS 6, BREWERS 5MILWAUKEE (AP) — Cody Bellinger reached over the right field wall to rob Christian Yelich in the eighth inning of yet another home run, then hit a solo drive off Josh Hader with two outs in the ninth to lift Los Angeles over... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve hit two homers, Carlos Correa homered with three RBIs and the Houston Astros completed their first sweep of the New York Yankees with an 8-6 win Wednesday night.The Astros needed late-game comebacks to win the first two games of the series but used a four-run fifth inning to break the finale open and held on for their sixth straight win despite a big eighth inning by the Yankees.It's the first time since 2004 the Astros have swept a homestand of at least two series. They beat the Athletics three times this weekend before the Yankees arrived.Altuve, who has homered in three straight games, hit his first one off James Paxton (1-2) to tie it at 1 in the first inning after Brett Gardner hit a leadoff homer for New York.The Astros were up by 1 with no outs in the fifth inning when Altuve connected off Paxton again. The towering shot clanged off the light pole atop the wall in left field to make it 4-2.A single by Michael Brantley chased Paxton, who was replaced by... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Angels outfielder Justin Upton will open the season on the injured list because of a sore right big toe.Manager Brad Ausmus announced the injury Tuesday. He says Upton has "turf toe" and that no timetable has been determined for his return. Upton was injured in Sunday's exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he bumped into the left field wall while chasing a flyball.Upton had just returned after missing most of spring training because of right knee tendinitis.Ausmus said Peter Bourjos will likely see more playing time until Upton returns, but he is still waiting to solidify a plan moving forward.Upton, 31, hit 30 home runs with 85 RBIs over 145 games last season, his second with the Angels.The Angels also announced Tuesday that right-hander Jaime Barria will start the season at Triple-A Salt Lake. Barria was 10-9 over 26 starts as a rookie last season, posting a 3.41 ERA.The Angels also got closer to a final bullpen with the announcement that left-hander Dan Jennings had been released.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Mike Trout was back on the baseball field Wednesday, getting at-bats during an intrasquad minor league game against other Los Angeles Angels players. He finished his six plate appearances at Field 4 with a home run, signed some autographs, and chatted with former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter.Trout didn't speak to the media but Angels teammate Shohei Ohtani did, touting the two-time Most Valuable Player as being worthy of a new contract extension."I'm really happy and excited to play with such a great player for a long time," Ohtani said through an interpreter. "If anyone deserved such a big contract, it's Mike, and I think he surely deserves it."Trout, 27, and the Angels are close to finalizing a $432 million, 12-year contract. The deal was disclosed Tuesday by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The contract was likely to be announced by the end of the week, the person said.Ohtani first met Trout during... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The last time Trevor Cahill made an opening day start, he was pitching for the Oakland Athletics. Now Los Angeles Angels manager Brad Ausmus has named Cahill as the opening day starter for the March 28 game in Oakland against the A's.This is Cahill's first season with the Angels. He was 7-4 with a 3.76 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) for the Athletics last year. It will be Cahill's second opening day start — he also did so in 2011 for the Athletics."Any time you can pitch the first game of the season, it's special," Cahill said. "I think the biggest thing is, as we all know, it's one of many and not worth any more than any of the other ones. My goal is to go out there and pitch like I normally do and don't try to do too much."The rest of the Angels' rotation will be Matt Harvey, Felix Pena, Tyler Skaggs and Jaime Barria, Ausmus said."We're kind of juggling with injuries and weren't sure and ultimately, I thought Cahill was the best fit," Ausmus said.Cahill played for the... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Dustin Pedroia's first game in nearly 10 months couldn't have gone much better — even if it lasted just one inning.Pedroia cleanly fielded a two-out grounder by Minnesota's Jake Cave, then singled off Kohl Stewart leading off the bottom half of Boston's 12-1 loss Thursday."It made me happy to run around the bases," Pedroia said. "It was really fun out there."A four-time All-Star and the 2008 AL MVP, Pedroia's knee problems began with a spikes-up takeout slide at second by Baltimore's Manny Machado on April 21, 2017. Pedroia went on the disabled list three times that season, twice because of knee inflammation, and had left knee surgery that Oct. 25.He played in five injury rehabilitation games at Triple-A Pawtucket last May 14-24, appeared in three games for the Red Sox from May 26-29, then went back on the disabled list for the rest of the season."I just need to keep building on this. I hadn't seen a pitch since May 29. Everything went well," Pedroia said.Cave and... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Dustin Pedroia's first game in nearly 10 months couldn't have gone much better — even if it lasted just one inning.Pedroia cleanly fielded a two-out grounder by Minnesota's Jake Cave, then singled off Kohl Stewart leading off the bottom half of Boston's 12-1 loss Thursday."It made me happy to run around the bases," Pedroia said. "It was really fun out there."A four-time All-Star and the 2008 AL MVP, Pedroia's knee problems began with a spikes-up takeout slide at second by Baltimore's Manny Machado on April 21, 2017. Pedroia went on the disabled list three times that season, twice because of knee inflammation, and had left knee surgery that Oct. 25.He played in five injury rehabilitation games at Triple-A Pawtucket last May 14-24, appeared in three games for the Red Sox from May 26-29, then went back on the disabled list for the rest of the season."I just need to keep building on this. I hadn't seen a pitch since May 29. Everything went well," Pedroia said.Cave and... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — For the first time in the 21st century, the Los Angeles Angels are looking for a manager.The person who lands the job will play a major role in determining whether the Angels keep Mike Trout, get the most out of Shohei Ohtani — and finally end a nine-year postseason victory drought for this big-budget underachiever of a baseball club.A day after the Angels finished 80-82 and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, general manager Billy Eppler set no timetables and confirmed no candidates as he began what's expected to be a lengthy process to identify the successor to Mike Scioscia, who stepped down Sunday after 19 seasons in the Big A's home dugout.Eppler praised Scioscia as "a lighthouse for this organization" and touted the manager as a Hall of Fame candidate. The GM also gave a few indications of what he's seeking in a leader when he puts his numerous managerial candidates through a lengthy interview process."What we're looking for in that next manager... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Justin Verlander drew several big cheers and pitched seven sharp innings in his return to Comerica Park while leading the Houston Astros over the Detroit Tigers 3-2 Monday night.Verlander struck out 10 in his first game in Detroit since being traded to Houston in August 2017. The World Series champion Astros opened a three-game lead over Oakland atop the AL West.Verlander (15-9) made his major league debut with Detroit in 2005 and ranks among the top 10 on several of the team's career pitching lists.The 35-year-old righty received a long standing ovation after a video tribute was played as he walked in from the bullpen, and another when he came out to warm up for the first inning. Both times, he tipped his cap and waved to the crowd.Verlander allowed two runs on six hits and one walk, improving to 98-50 at Comerica Park. Max Scherzer is second in career wins at the stadium with 46, while Jordan Zimmermann leads current Tigers with 14.The Tigers put two runners on in the seventh,... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Justin Verlander drew several big cheers and pitched seven sharp innings in his return to Comerica Park while leading the Houston Astros over the Detroit Tigers 3-2 Monday night.Verlander struck out 10 in his first game in Detroit since being traded to Houston in August 2017. The World Series champion Astros opened a three-game lead over Oakland atop the AL West.Verlander (15-9) made his major league debut with Detroit in 2005 and ranks among the top 10 on several of the team's career pitching lists.The 35-year-old righty received a long standing ovation after a video tribute was played as he walked in from the bullpen, and another when he came out to warm up for the first inning. Both times, he tipped his cap and waved to the crowd.Verlander allowed two runs on six hits and one walk, improving to 98-50 at Comerica Park. Max Scherzer is second in career wins at the stadium with 46, while Jordan Zimmermann leads current Tigers with 14.The Tigers put two runners on in the seventh,... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shohei Ohtani homered twice during a huge night at the plate after getting bad news about his pitching arm, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Wednesday.Perhaps headed for Tommy John surgery, the two-way rookie sensation went 4 for 4 with three RBIs, four runs and a stolen base to power the Angels. About two hours before the game, the team announced Ohtani has new damage in his right elbow and ligament-replacement surgery has been recommended.The club said the Japanese star had an MRI earlier in the day that revealed the problem in his ulnar collateral ligament.Ohtani's homers were towering drives into the right-field seats. With his second two-homer game, the designated hitter tied Kenji Johjima's 2006 major league record of 18 homers by a Japanese rookie.Andrelton Simmons also homered for the Angels and drove in three runs.Adrian Beltre hit a two-run shot for Texas, the 472nd homer of his career, in the sixth inning against Jim Johnson. Three... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shohei Ohtani homered twice during a huge night at the plate after getting bad news about his pitching arm, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Wednesday.Perhaps headed for Tommy John surgery, the two-way rookie sensation went 4 for 4 with three RBIs, four runs and a stolen base to power the Angels. About two hours before the game, the team announced Ohtani has new damage in his right elbow and ligament-replacement surgery has been recommended.The club said the Japanese star had an MRI earlier in the day that revealed the problem in his ulnar collateral ligament.Ohtani's homers were towering drives into the right-field seats. With his second two-homer game, the designated hitter tied Kenji Johjima's 2006 major league record of 18 homers by a Japanese rookie.Andrelton Simmons also homered for the Angels and drove in three runs.Adrian Beltre hit a two-run shot for Texas, the 472nd homer of his career, in the sixth inning against Jim Johnson. Three... [More]