PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pirates avoided arbitration with right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove and eight others on Friday as the club tries to bounce back after finishing with the worst record in the majors in 2020. Musgrove, the team’s opening day starter in 2020, will make $4.45 million after going 1-5 with a 3.86 ERA last season while making a pro-rated $1,037,037 of a $2.8 million salary. The 28-year-old could help anchor the top of the rotation along with Jameson Taillon, the emphasis on “could.” With the Pirates in full rebuild mode, Musgrove is one of their few major-league ready trade chips as they look to restock their prospect pool. Catcher Jacob Stallings, a Gold Glove finalist while dealing with a pitching staff ravaged by injuries, earned a significant raise. The 31-year-old's pay jumped from $586,500 ($217,222 pro-rated) to $1.3 million. Stallings hit .248 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in his first full season as a starter. Infielder Colin Moran, now the de facto starting first... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pirates avoided arbitration with right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove and eight others on Friday as the club tries to bounce back after finishing with the worst record in the majors in 2020. Musgrove, the team’s opening day starter in 2020, will make $4.45 million after going 1-5 with a 3.86 ERA last season while making a pro-rated $1,037,037 of a $2.8 million salary. The 28-year-old could help anchor the top of the rotation along with Jameson Taillon, the emphasis on “could.” With the Pirates in full rebuild mode, Musgrove is one of their few major-league ready trade chips as they look to restock their prospect pool. Catcher Jacob Stallings, a Gold Glove finalist while dealing with a pitching staff ravaged by injuries, earned a significant raise. The 31-year-old's pay jumped from $586,500 ($217,222 pro-rated) to $1.3 million. Stallings hit .248 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in his first full season as a starter. Infielder Colin Moran, now the de facto starting first... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates began 2020 with plenty of questions. The truncated 60-game schedule provided few answers save for one: Ke'Bryan Hayes can play. Really, really play. The rookie third baseman's splashy debut — one that finished with a flourish thanks to an eight-game hitting streak that raised his average to an eye-popping .376 — provided an incandescent silver lining in a season at times felt epically long. Losing a major-league high 41 games will do that. Still, Hayes proved he belonged during his first taste of the bigs. “I was just so excited to finally get the opportunity to come up here," said Hayes, who showed a flair for the dramatic by homering in his debut on Sept. 1. “Just wanted to show what I could do and go out there, try to play to the best of my ability.” And to think the biggest issue when Hayes arrived was how he would cope at the plate. A three-time Gold Glove winner in the minors, Hayes came out swinging and didn't stop, hitting .516 over the final... [More]

White sox fifth. Nomar Mazara strikes out swinging. Nick Madrigal doubles to deep left center field. Tim Anderson singles to center field, advances to 2nd. Nick Madrigal out at home. Yoan Moncada singles to shallow center field. Tim Anderson scores. Yasmani Grandal homers to right field. Yoan Moncada scores. Jose Abreu strikes out swinging.3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. White sox 3, Pirates 0.Pirates fifth. Colin Moran grounds out to first base, Jose Abreu to Dylan Cease. Gregory Polanco grounds out to second base, Nick Madrigal to Jose Abreu. Josh Bell doubles to left field. Ke'Bryan Hayes triples to deep right field. Josh Bell scores. Kevin Newman singles to shallow left field. Ke'Bryan Hayes scores. Jacob Stallings flies out to shallow right field to Nomar Mazara.2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. White sox 3, Pirates 2.White sox eighth. Yoan Moncada grounds out to shallow right field, Josh Bell to Chris Stratton. Yasmani Grandal grounds out to shallow infield, Chris Stratton... [More]

Cubs first. Ian Happ homers to right field. Kris Bryant lines out to deep right center field to Cole Tucker. Anthony Rizzo flies out to left field to Adam Frazier. Javier Baez lines out to deep right field to Jose Osuna.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Cubs 1, Pirates 0.Cubs second. Kyle Schwarber grounds out to shallow right field, Josh Bell to Chad Kuhl. Willson Contreras singles to left field. Jason Heyward singles to left field. Willson Contreras to second. Jose Martinez reaches on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Jason Heyward to second. Willson Contreras to third. Fielding error by Erik Gonzalez. Jason Kipnis walks. Jose Martinez to second. Jason Heyward to third. Willson Contreras scores. Ian Happ strikes out swinging. Kris Bryant grounds out to third base, Ke'Bryan Hayes to Josh Bell.1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 3 left on. Cubs 2, Pirates 0.Pirates second. Colin Moran doubles to deep right field. Ke'Bryan Hayes grounds out to second base, Jason Kipnis to Anthony Rizzo. Colin Moran... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Tyler Glasnow flummoxed the Yankees for six innings, Ji-Man Choi and Kevin Kiermaier homered off Gerrit Cole, and the Tampa Bay Rays extended their mastery of New York with a 5-3 victory Monday night.The AL East leaders improved to 7-1 against the Yankees this season and stretched their division cushion to 4 1/2 games.New York had won three straight since snapping a seven-game skid, but crumbled early with Cole on the mound.Glasnow (2-1) had a no-hitter through five and completed six innings of scoreless, two-hit ball. He struck out nine and walked one.Gio Urshela hit a solo homer, and Luke Voit added his eighth homer in 12 games for the Yankees.Diego Castillo stranded a runner in the ninth for his third save.Cole (4-2) labored through five innings, allowing four runs, eight hits and four walks. He struck out seven.PHILLIES 8, NATIONALS 6PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Spencer Howard threw five effective innings, Rhys Hoskins homered and drove in three runs and Philadelphia beat Washington.Juan... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Tyler Glasnow flummoxed the Yankees for six innings, Ji-Man Choi and Kevin Kiermaier homered off Gerrit Cole, and the Tampa Bay Rays extended their mastery of New York with a 5-3 victory Monday night.The AL East leaders improved to 7-1 against the Yankees this season and stretched their division cushion to 4 1/2 games.New York had won three straight since snapping a seven-game skid, but crumbled early with Cole on the mound.Glasnow (2-1) had a no-hitter through five and completed six innings of scoreless, two-hit ball. He struck out nine and walked one.Gio Urshela hit a solo homer, and Luke Voit added his eighth homer in 12 games for the Yankees.Diego Castillo stranded a runner in the ninth for his third save.Cole (4-2) labored through five innings, allowing four runs, eight hits and four walks. He struck out seven.PHILLIES 8, NATIONALS 6PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Spencer Howard threw five effective innings, Rhys Hoskins homered and drove in three runs and Philadelphia beat Washington.Juan... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Tyler Glasnow flummoxed the Yankees for six innings, Ji-Man Choi and Kevin Kiermaier homered off Gerrit Cole, and the Tampa Bay Rays extended their mastery of New York with a 5-3 victory Monday night.The AL East leaders improved to 7-1 against the Yankees this season and stretched their division cushion to 4 1/2 games.New York had won three straight since snapping a seven-game skid, but crumbled early with Cole on the mound.Glasnow (2-1) had a no-hitter through five and completed six innings of scoreless, two-hit ball. He struck out nine and walked one.Gio Urshela hit a solo homer, and Luke Voit added his eighth homer in 12 games for the Yankees.Diego Castillo stranded a runner in the ninth for his third save.Cole (4-2) labored through five innings, allowing four runs, eight hits and four walks. He struck out seven.PHILLIES 8, NATIONALS 6PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Spencer Howard threw five effective innings, Rhys Hoskins homered and drove in three runs and Philadelphia beat Washington.Juan... [More]

Pirates first. Erik Gonzalez singles to right field. Cole Tucker singles to shallow right field. Erik Gonzalez to third. Kevin Newman reaches on a fielder's choice to third base, advances to 2nd. Cole Tucker to third. Erik Gonzalez out at home. Josh Bell out on a sacrifice fly to deep right field to Jace Peterson. Kevin Newman to third. Cole Tucker scores. Jacob Stallings strikes out swinging.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Pirates 1, Brewers 0.Brewers first. Luis Urias called out on strikes. Christian Yelich homers to right field. Keston Hiura grounds out to shallow infield, Adam Frazier to Josh Bell. Justin Smoak flies out to deep center field to Cole Tucker.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Pirates 1, Brewers 1.Brewers second. Omar Narvaez strikes out swinging. Ben Gamel doubles to left center field. Orlando Arcia singles to right field. Ben Gamel to third. Jace Peterson walks. Orlando Arcia to second. Eric Sogard reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Jace Peterson to... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Rookie José Marmolejos hit his first grand slam and Shed Long Jr. also connected in the six-run first inning that carried the Seattle Mariners to an 8-3 victory against the San Diego Padres and a split of Thursday’s doubleheader.The Mariners took two of three from the Padres, who got three home runs in the doubleheader from red-hot Manny Machado.In the first game, Wil Myers hit a game-ending three-run homer to cap a seven-run rally with two outs in the seventh inning and give the Padres a 10-7 win. Machado had two homers among his three hits and drove in four runs.The Mariners jumped all over Garrett Richards (1-2) in the first. Marmolejos, added as the “29th” player for the doubleheader, hit his grand slam with one out and Long connected with two outs to give Seattle a 6-0 lead and chase Richards. It was Marmolejos’ third and Long’s second. Machado homered in the bottom of the first off Yusei Kikuchi (1-2), his 11th. The Padres continued to cut into the lead on Jurickson... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Rookie José Marmolejos hit his first grand slam and Shed Long Jr. also connected in the six-run first inning that carried the Seattle Mariners to an 8-3 victory against the San Diego Padres and a split of Thursday’s doubleheader.The Mariners took two of three from the Padres, who got three home runs in the doubleheader from red-hot Manny Machado.In the first game, Wil Myers hit a game-ending three-run homer to cap a seven-run rally with two outs in the seventh inning and give the Padres a 10-7 win. Machado had two homers among his three hits and drove in four runs.The Mariners jumped all over Garrett Richards (1-2) in the first. Marmolejos, added as the “29th” player for the doubleheader, hit his grand slam with one out and Long connected with two outs to give Seattle a 6-0 lead and chase Richards. It was Marmolejos’ third and Long’s second. Machado homered in the bottom of the first off Yusei Kikuchi (1-2), his 11th. The Padres continued to cut into the lead on Jurickson... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Rookie José Marmolejos hit his first grand slam and Shed Long Jr. also connected in the six-run first inning that carried the Seattle Mariners to an 8-3 victory against the San Diego Padres and a split of Thursday’s doubleheader.The Mariners took two of three from the Padres, who got three home runs in the doubleheader from red-hot Manny Machado.In the first game, Wil Myers hit a game-ending three-run homer to cap a seven-run rally with two outs in the seventh inning and give the Padres a 10-7 win. Machado had two homers among his three hits and drove in four runs.The Mariners jumped all over Garrett Richards (1-2) in the first. Marmolejos, added as the “29th” player for the doubleheader, hit his grand slam with one out and Long connected with two outs to give Seattle a 6-0 lead and chase Richards. It was Marmolejos’ third and Long’s second. Machado homered in the bottom of the first off Yusei Kikuchi (1-2), his 11th. The Padres continued to cut into the lead on Jurickson... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Wil Myers hit a game-ending three-run homer with two outs in the seven-run seventh inning for the San Diego Padres, who got two homers and four RBIs from Manny Machado in beating the Seattle Mariners 10-7 Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader.San Diego rallied from a 7-3 deficit to stun the Mariners, scoring all there runs with two outs. After Craig Stammen allowed four runs in the top of the seventh, Seattle’s Taylor Williams (0-1) gave it right back in the bottom of the inning. Pierce Johnson (3-1) got the win.Newsome, making his second big league appearance, retired the first seven Padres batters and 10 of 11 before Machado homered to left-center with one out in the fourth, his ninth. Newsome allowed three hits, struck out four and walked none.DODGERS 7, GIANTS 0, 1st gameSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Clayton Kershaw struck out four over six scoreless innings, leading Los Angeles past San Francisco and snapping the Giants' seven-game win streak.AJ Pollock hit a two-run... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Wil Myers hit a game-ending three-run homer with two outs in the seven-run seventh inning for the San Diego Padres, who got two homers and four RBIs from Manny Machado in beating the Seattle Mariners 10-7 Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader.San Diego rallied from a 7-3 deficit to stun the Mariners, scoring all there runs with two outs. After Craig Stammen allowed four runs in the top of the seventh, Seattle’s Taylor Williams (0-1) gave it right back in the bottom of the inning. Pierce Johnson (3-1) got the win.Newsome, making his second big league appearance, retired the first seven Padres batters and 10 of 11 before Machado homered to left-center with one out in the fourth, his ninth. Newsome allowed three hits, struck out four and walked none.DODGERS 7, GIANTS 0, 1st gameSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Clayton Kershaw struck out four over six scoreless innings, leading Los Angeles past San Francisco and snapping the Giants' seven-game win streak.AJ Pollock hit a two-run... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kiké Hernández hit a three-run drive and Mookie Betts went deep twice in the Dodgers’ seven-homer attack, powering Los Angeles past the Colorado Rockies 11-3 on Sunday for a three-game sweep.The Dodgers are the only team in the majors yet to lose a series, unbeaten in 11. They have won 11 of 12 games overall and own the best record in baseball at 22-8 at the halfway point of this abbreviated season.Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Will Smith and Max Muncy also homered for Los Angeles. Victor Gonzalez (1-0) earned his first major league victory.Trevor Story, Ryan McMahon and Sam Hilliard went deep for Colorado in its season-high seventh consecutive loss. Antonio Senzatela (3-1) allowed six runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.PADRES 5, ASTROS 3SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. made two spectacular plays at shortstop, Manny Machado hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and San Diego completed a three-game series sweep. The Padres have won seven straight, all against... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kiké Hernández hit a three-run drive and Mookie Betts went deep twice in the Dodgers’ seven-homer attack, powering Los Angeles past the Colorado Rockies 11-3 on Sunday for a three-game sweep.The Dodgers are the only team in the majors yet to lose a series, unbeaten in 11. They have won 11 of 12 games overall and own the best record in baseball at 22-8 at the halfway point of this abbreviated season.Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Will Smith and Max Muncy also homered for Los Angeles. Victor Gonzalez (1-0) earned his first major league victory.Trevor Story, Ryan McMahon and Sam Hilliard went deep for Colorado in its season-high seventh consecutive loss. Antonio Senzatela (3-1) allowed six runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.PADRES 5, ASTROS 3SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. made two spectacular plays at shortstop, Manny Machado hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and San Diego completed a three-game series sweep. The Padres have won seven straight, all against... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Yu Darvish struck out 10 in his career-high fifth consecutive victory, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Sunday to stop the South Siders’ seven-game win streak.Kyle Schwarber hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning as the Cubs won for just the fourth time in their last 11 games. The NL Central leaders were outscored 17-5 in the first two games of the series.José Abreu went deep for the White Sox in the second, matching a major league record with a home run in four consecutive at-bats. Abreu connected five times in the first two games against the Cubs, including three homers and four RBIs in Saturday night’s 7-4 win.Darvish (5-1) allowed one run and six hits in seven innings. Jeremy Jeffress got four outs for his third save.White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease (4-2) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings in his first game against his former team. He had won his last four starts.CARDINALS 6, REDS 2ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yadier Molina had four hits and top... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night.Cole (4-0) allowed one run and four hits. He struck out eight, walked none and threw 95 pitches.Cole’s only defeat since May 2019 was in the World Series opener last year, when he pitched for Houston and lost to Washington. The Yankees improved to 7-0 at home for the fourth time since 1959 (also 2017, 1998 and 1987). New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time.Gary Sánchez homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres had four hits, including a two-run double in the third. Mike Tauchman drove in four runs and started in right field for Aaron Judge, who landed on the injured list with a mild right calf strain. Clint Frazier also hit a two-run double in the eighth.DJ LeMahieu had two more hits and ended the night with a .429 average. It was his 69th... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night.Cole (4-0) allowed one run and four hits. He struck out eight, walked none and threw 95 pitches.Cole’s only defeat since May 2019 was in the World Series opener last year, when he pitched for Houston and lost to Washington. The Yankees improved to 7-0 at home for the fourth time since 1959 (also 2017, 1998 and 1987). New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time.Gary Sánchez homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres had four hits, including a two-run double in the third. Mike Tauchman drove in four runs and started in right field for Aaron Judge, who landed on the injured list with a mild right calf strain. Clint Frazier also hit a two-run double in the eighth.DJ LeMahieu had two more hits and ended the night with a .429 average. It was his 69th... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night.Cole (4-0) allowed one run and four hits. He struck out eight, walked none and threw 95 pitches.Cole’s only defeat since May 2019 was in the World Series opener last year, when he pitched for Houston and lost to Washington. The Yankees improved to 7-0 at home for the fourth time since 1959 (also 2017, 1998 and 1987). New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time.Gary Sánchez homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres had four hits, including a two-run double in the third. Mike Tauchman drove in four runs and started in right field for Aaron Judge, who landed on the injured list with a mild right calf strain. Clint Frazier also hit a two-run double in the eighth.DJ LeMahieu had two more hits and ended the night with a .429 average. It was his 69th... [More]