NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Harvey was greeted warmly by Mets fans in his return to Citi Field and harshly by New York’s hitters as the Mets beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-1 Wednesday. Harvey pitched against his former team for the first time and allowed Kevin Pillar’s two-run triple in a three-run second inning that carried the Mets to their seventh straight win. Wearing orange and black instead of blue and orange, Harvey (3-3) gave up a season-high seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, and his ERA rose from 3.60 to 4.81 as the last-place Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games. Taijuan Walker (3-1) lowered his ERA to 2.20, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings as part of a five-hitter. Dominic Smith had three hits and two RBIs for the NL East-leading Mets, who completed a two-game sweep that finished a 5-0 homestand. New York is on its longest hot streak since winning eight straight from Aug. 3-10, 2019. YANKEES 1, RAYS 0 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Harvey was greeted warmly by Mets fans in his return to Citi Field and harshly by New York’s hitters as the Mets beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-1 Wednesday. Harvey pitched against his former team for the first time and allowed Kevin Pillar’s two-run triple in a three-run second inning that carried the Mets to their seventh straight win. Wearing orange and black instead of blue and orange, Harvey (3-3) gave up a season-high seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, and his ERA rose from 3.60 to 4.81 as the last-place Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games. Taijuan Walker (3-1) lowered his ERA to 2.20, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings as part of a five-hitter. Dominic Smith had three hits and two RBIs for the NL East-leading Mets, who completed a two-game sweep that finished a 5-0 homestand. New York is on its longest hot streak since winning eight straight from Aug. 3-10, 2019. YANKEES 1, RAYS 0 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Harvey was greeted warmly by Mets fans in his return to Citi Field and harshly by New York’s hitters as the Mets beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-1 Wednesday. Harvey pitched against his former team for the first time and allowed Kevin Pillar’s two-run triple in a three-run second inning that carried the Mets to their seventh straight win. Wearing orange and black instead of blue and orange, Harvey (3-3) gave up a season-high seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, and his ERA rose from 3.60 to 4.81 as the last-place Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games. Taijuan Walker (3-1) lowered his ERA to 2.20, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings as part of a five-hitter. Dominic Smith had three hits and two RBIs for the NL East-leading Mets, who completed a two-game sweep that finished a 5-0 homestand. New York is on its longest hot streak since winning eight straight from Aug. 3-10, 2019. YANKEES 1, RAYS 0 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Yusei Kikuchi took a no-hit bid into the the seventh inning, Taylor Trammell homered and the Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 1-0 on Thursday to stop a four-game losing streak. Kikuchi (1-1) did not allow a hit until Carlos Correa doubled to deep right-center field with one out in the seventh. That was the only hit allowed by Kikuchi, who pitched seven innings, struck out seven and walked two. Anthony Misiewicz pitched a perfect eighth and Kendall Graveman a one-hit ninth for his third save, completing a two-hitter. Trammell hit his fourth home run of the season in the third inning off Luis Garcia (0-3), a ball that appeared to graze the glove of a leaping Chas McCormick at the right-field wall. ORIOLES 4, YANKEES 3 BALTIMORE (AP) — Cedric Mullins delivered a winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning against Jonathan Loaisiga (2-1). Trey Mancini had his first three-hit game since returning from colon cancer surgery, including had an RBI single in the first and a tying... [More]

April 25 1901 — In the opener at Detroit’s Bennett Park, the Tigers beat Milwaukee in a great comeback. Trailing 13-4 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Tigers scored 10 runs for a 14-13 victory. Frank Dillon had four doubles. 1904 — New York pitcher Jack Chesbro recorded the first of his 41 victories on the season, an American League record that still stands. 1933 — Yankees pitcher Russ Van Atta made a spectacular debut by blanking Washington 16-0 and going 4-for-4. 1976 — Cubs center fielder Rick Monday rescued the American flag from two trespassers who tried to set it on fire in the outfield of Dodger Stadium. The incident happened in the fourth inning of a 5-4, 10-inning loss to Los Angeles. 1995 — Major league baseball returned after a 257-day layoff as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Florida Marlins 8-7. Players had gone on strike the previous season. 1997 — Matt Williams hit three homers and David Justice homered twice as the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers combined... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League West 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: ___ Los Angeles Dodgers Manager: Dave Roberts (sixth season). 2019: 43-17, first place, World Series champions. Training Town: Glendale, Arizona. Park: Camelback Ranch. First Workout: Feb. 18/23. He’s Here: RHP Trevor Bauer, RHP Tommy Kahnle, LHP Garrett Cleavinger. He’s Outta Here: 3B Justin Turner, RHP Pedro Báez, INF/OF Enrique Hernández, LF Joc Pederson, LHP Alex Wood, RHP Jimmy Nelson, OF Terrance Gore. Going campin’: After winning their first World Series title since 1988 during the pandemic-shortened season, the Dodgers are looking to repeat. They made a major splash just before spring training, signing Bauer a year after trading for Mookie Betts and David Price in February. The roster boasts an enviable three MVPs and three Cy Young Award winners, making the Dodgers the favorites... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies avoided arbitration with left-hander Kyle Freeland and five other players Friday as the team tries to get back on track after missing the playoffs the past two seasons. Freeland agreed to a one-year contract for $5,025,000 following a bounce-back season. He made a pro-rated $1,064,815 of a $2,875,000 salary in 2020. The Denver native tied for the major league lead in starts with 13. He went 2-3 with a 4.33 ERA and nine quality starts. Freeland had just five quality starts in 2019, when he went 3-11 with a 6.73 ERA. Right-hander Jon Gray will make $6 million in 2021. Gray, a first-round pick in 2013, made eight starts and posted a 2-4 record with a 6.69 ERA before going on the injured list on Sept. 4 with right shoulder inflammation. The hard-throwing Gray was due to make $5,600,000 in 2020, and his prorated pay wound up at $2,074,074. Colorado reached a $1.45 million, one-year deal with reliever Carlos Estévez after the 28-year-old appeared in a team-high... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies avoided arbitration with left-hander Kyle Freeland and five other players Friday as the team tries to get back on track after missing the playoffs the past two seasons. Freeland agreed to a one-year contract for $5,025,000 following a bounce-back season. He made a pro-rated $1,064,815 of a $2,875,000 salary in 2020. The Denver native tied for the major league lead in starts with 13. He went 2-3 with a 4.33 ERA and nine quality starts. Freeland had just five quality starts in 2019, when he went 3-11 with a 6.73 ERA. Right-hander Jon Gray will make $6 million in 2021. Gray, a first-round pick in 2013, made eight starts and posted a 2-4 record with a 6.69 ERA before going on the injured list on Sept. 4 with right shoulder inflammation. The hard-throwing Gray was due to make $5,600,000 in 2020, and his prorated pay wound up at $2,074,074. Colorado also avoided arbitration with reliever Carlos Estévez after the 28-year-old appeared in a team-high 26 games in... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Right-handed reliver Mychal Givens and the Colorado Rockies agreed Thursday to a $4.05 million, one-year contract. Colorado acquired Givens in a deal with Baltimore on Aug. 30. He allowed at least a run in five of 10 appearances for the Rockies. Givens appeared in 12 game for the Orioles before the trade and allowed two runs over 13 innings. Combined, he was 1-1 with a 3.61 ERA with Colorado and Baltimore. He turns 31 on May 13. Givens was selected by the Orioles in the second round of the 2009 amateur draft. He is 21-17 with a 3.41 ERA and 21 saves over 345 1/3 innings during his career. Givens was due to make $3,225,000 in 2020 and his prorated salary wound up at $1,194,444. Six Rockies remain eligible to exchange proposed arbitration salaries on Friday: right-handers Carlos Estévez, Jon Gray and Robert Stephenson, left-hander Kyle Freeland, second baseman Ryan McMahon and outfielder Raimel Tapia. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DENVER (AP) — Antonio Senzatela and the Colorado Rockies agreed Tuesday to a $3 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. A right-hander who turns 26 on Jan. 21, Senzatela was 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 12 starts last year. He earned $212,407 prorated from a $573,500 salary and had been eligible for arbitration for the first time. Seven Rockies remain eligible to exchange proposed arbitration salaries on Friday: right-handers Carlos Estévez, Mychal Givens, Jon Gray and Robert Stephenson, left-hander Kyle Freeland, second baseman Ryan McMahon and outfielder Raimel Tapia. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DENVER (AP) — Antonio Senzatela and the Colorado Rockies agreed Tuesday to a $3 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. A right-hander who turns 26 on Jan. 21, Senzatela was 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 12 starts last year. He earned $212,407 prorated from a $573,500 salary and had been eligible for arbitration for the first time. Seven Rockies remain eligible to exchange proposed arbitration salaries on Friday: right-handers Carlos Estévez, Mychal Givens, Jon Gray and Robert Stephenson, left-hander Kyle Freeland, second baseman Ryan McMahon and outfielder Raimel Tapia. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds swapped three pitchers in a four-player trade Wednesday. The Rockies acquired right-hander Robert Stephenson and minor league outfielder Jameson Hannah from the Reds for right-handed pitchers Jeff Hoffman and Case Williams, a minor leaguer. Stephenson, 27, made 10 relief appearances for the Reds last season and 59 in 2019. In five seasons with the Reds, he was 10-13 with a 5.15 ERA across 104 appearances that included 22 starts. Hoffman, also 27, went 2-1 with a 9.28 ERA in a career-high 16 relief appearances for Colorado in 2020. In five major league seasons with the Rockies, he was 10-16 with a 6.40 ERA in 68 games, including 38 starts. Colorado acquired him from the Blue Jays as part of the Troy Tulowitzki deal in 2015. Hannah, 23, didn't appear in a game in 2020. The Reds acquired him from Oakland in 2019. Williams is an 18-year-old prospect from Castle Rock, Colorado, who was selected by the Rockies in the fourth round of the 2020 first-year player draft. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Pablo Sandoval is on the Atlanta Braves' roster for the NL wild-card series against the Cincinnati Reds. The 2012 World Series MVP joined the Braves after being released by the San Francisco Giants a couple of weeks ago. He started at third base in the final game of the regular season, going 0 for 2 with two walks in a 9-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Sandoval played 33 games for the Giants, hitting .220 with one homer and six RBIs. The Braves also brought back infielder Charlie Culberson to the big league roster and released left-handed pitcher Tommy Milone, who was acquired at the trade deadline but posted a 14.90 ERA in three starts. ___ The 28-player rosters for the best-of-three series between the Reds and the Braves: CINCINNATI Pitchers (12): RH Tejay Antone, RH Trevor Bauer, RH Archie Bradley, RH Luis Castillo, LH Amir Garrett, RH Sonny Gray, RH Raisel Iglesias, RH Michael Lorenzen, RH Tyler Mahle, LH Wade Miley, RH Lucas Sims, RH Robert Stephenson Catchers (2): Tucker... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Tim Anderson hit two of Chicago’s five solo homers, and the White Sox — already guaranteed a playoff spot — took another step toward the AL Central title by overpowering the Cincinnati Reds 5-0 on Saturday night. Chicago has won eight of its last 10 games, securing at least a wild card and its first postseason appearance since 2008. José Abreu hit his fifth homer in eight games as the White Sox piled them up, including three in a row in the eighth off Robert Stephenson. Abreu has 18 homers overall. The Reds managed six hits as they had their season-high winning streak snapped at six games. Cincinnati (26-27) wasted a chance to move above .500 for the first time since its season-opening win over the Tigers. Nomar Mazara was in a 3-for-25 slump with 11 strikeouts when he connected off Trevor Bauer (4-4) in the fifth inning for his first homer. One out later, Anderson’s ninth homer made it 2-0. Bauer went seven innings and gave up five hits while throwing 107 pitches. Matt... [More]

Cubs fourth. Kyle Schwarber homers to right field. Willson Contreras grounds out to shallow left field, Eugenio Suarez to Joey Votto. Jason Heyward homers to right field. Jason Kipnis called out on strikes. David Bote grounds out to shortstop, Mike Moustakas to Joey Votto.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Cubs 2, Reds 0.Cubs fifth. Nico Hoerner hit by pitch. Ian Happ homers to center field. Nico Hoerner scores. Anthony Rizzo called out on strikes. Javier Baez strikes out on a foul tip. Kyle Schwarber strikes out swinging.2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Cubs 4, Reds 0.Cubs sixth. Willson Contreras flies out to right center field to Shogo Akiyama. Jason Heyward homers to right field. Jason Kipnis pops out to shallow left field to Eugenio Suarez. David Bote walks. Nico Hoerner strikes out swinging.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Cubs 5, Reds 0.Reds sixth. Joey Votto homers to center field. Nick Castellanos lines out to deep right field to Jason Heyward. Jesse Winker strikes out swinging.... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — The bases were loaded and the 27,774 fans were on their feet begging for a hit that would allow retiring broadcaster Marty Brennaman to proclaim one final, glorious time: "This one belongs to the Reds!"It never happened. Jose Peraza flied out routinely to end the eighth-inning rally, leaving fans crestfallen over yet another wasted opportunity in a season full of them. The Reds lost their final home game 5-3 to the Brewers."And that has been the essence of this ballclub the entire season," Brennaman summed up.Marty nailed it.The Reds tried an unorthodox strategy to become relevant in 2019. Rather than keeping with their plan of rebuilding with young players, they became movers and shakers in the offseason, bringing in veterans who were in the final years of their deals.Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood, Tanner Roark and Sonny Gray came aboard, with Gray agreeing to a contract extension while the others were a season away from free agency. The Reds accomplished their overriding... [More]

Diamondbacks second. Eduardo Escobar walks. Jake Lamb reaches on a fielder's choice to second base. Eduardo Escobar to second. Fielding error by Eugenio Suarez. Abraham Almonte pops out to shallow infield to Eugenio Suarez. Nick Ahmed singles to left field. Jake Lamb to second. Eduardo Escobar scores. Alex Avila called out on strikes. Mike Leake reaches on a fielder's choice to third base. Jake Lamb out at third.1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 left on. Diamondbacks 1, Reds 0.Reds third. Josh VanMeter called out on strikes. Joey Votto singles to shallow left field. Eugenio Suarez homers to center field. Joey Votto scores. Tucker Barnhart pops out to Eduardo Escobar. Freddy Galvis strikes out swinging.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Reds 2, Diamondbacks 1.Diamondbacks fifth. Tim Locastro hit by pitch. Josh Rojas flies out to deep center field to Brian O'Grady. Tim Locastro to second. Ketel Marte homers to center field. Tim Locastro scores. Eduardo Escobar flies out to deep center field to Brian... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber became the first pitcher this season to throw three complete games, leading the Cleveland Indians over the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 Sunday for a three-game sweep.Bieber (11-4) allowed five hits, struck out eight and walked none. Bieber, the All-Star Game MVP, is 9-2 in his last 15 starts.Cleveland is 37-15 since June 4, the best record in the major leagues in that span. After trailing by as many as 11½ games in early June, the Indians started Sunday three games back of AL Central-leading Minnesota.Jason Kipnis, Francisco Lindor and rookie Oscar Mercado homered off Jaime Barria (4-5), who gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Barria is 2-4 with a 10.13 ERA on the road.Kole Calhoun homered and Albert Pujols had an RBI single for Los Angeles, which lost its fourth straight.YANKEES 7, RED SOX 4NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered early and a makeshift New York Yankees lineup pounded David Price in a victory that sent the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber became the first pitcher this season to throw three complete games, leading the Cleveland Indians over the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 Sunday for a three-game sweep.Bieber (11-4) allowed five hits, struck out eight and walked none. Bieber, the All-Star Game MVP, is 9-2 in his last 15 starts.Cleveland is 37-15 since June 4, the best record in the major leagues in that span. After trailing by as many as 11½ games in early June, the Indians started Sunday three games back of AL Central-leading Minnesota.Jason Kipnis, Francisco Lindor and rookie Oscar Mercado homered off Jaime Barria (4-5), who gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Barria is 2-4 with a 10.13 ERA on the road.Kole Calhoun homered and Albert Pujols had an RBI single for Los Angeles, which lost its fourth straight.ASTROS 3, MARINERS 1HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander struck out 10 in another dominant Houston pitching performance, and the Astros completed a three-game sweep.A day after Astros newcomer Aaron... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber became the first pitcher this season to throw three complete games, leading the Cleveland Indians over the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 Sunday for a three-game sweep.Bieber (11-4) allowed five hits, struck out eight and walked none. Bieber, the All-Star Game MVP, is 9-2 in his last 15 starts.Cleveland is 37-15 since June 4, the best record in the major leagues in that span. After trailing by as many as 11½ games in early June, the Indians started Sunday three games back of AL Central-leading Minnesota.Jason Kipnis, Francisco Lindor and rookie Oscar Mercado homered off Jaime Barria (4-5), who gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Barria is 2-4 with a 10.13 ERA on the road.Kole Calhoun homered and Albert Pujols had an RBI single for Los Angeles, which lost its fourth straight.ASTROS 3, MARINERS 1HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander struck out 10 in another dominant Houston pitching performance, and the Astros completed a three-game sweep.A day after Astros newcomer Aaron... [More]