The Washington Nationals will try to defend their World Series title without at least two holdovers from last year's team, including one of the faces of the franchise.Longtime infielder Ryan Zimmerman and pitcher Joe Ross elected not to play this season, the team announced Monday. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Baseball is attempting to start a 60-game season in late July.General manager Mike Rizzo said Zimmerman and Ross are opting out for the safety of themselves and their families.“We are 100 percent supportive of their decision to not play this year,” Rizzo said. “We will miss their presence in the clubhouse and their contributions on the field.”Zimmerman, who said last week he was undecided, ultimately said his family situation factored into not playing. His mother is at high risk for complications from the coronavirus. He also has three young children, including a newborn.“Everyone knows how much it means to me to be part of a team and I will miss that camaraderie dearly... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Mike Leake has become the first known player to opt out of the 2020 season due to concerns about the coronavirus.“During this global pandemic, Mike and his family had many discussions about playing this season,” Leake’s agent, Danny Horwits, said in a statement Monday. “They took countless factors into consideration, many of which are personal to him and his family. After thorough consideration, he has chosen to opt out of playing in 2020. This was not an easy decision for Mike. He wishes the best of luck and health for his Diamondback teammates this season and he’s looking forward to 2021.”Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen also said two players on Arizona's 60-man roster tested positive for COVID-19, as did another player not in Arizona.The 32-year-old Leake started 10 games for Arizona after being traded from Seattle for outfielder Jose Caballero and cash in a 2019 deadline deal. Leake went 3-3 with a 4.35 ERA with Arizona and earned... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Mike Leake has opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns about the coronavirus.Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen did not elaborate on Leake's decision during a Zoom call Monday but the pitcher's agent issued a statement saying he made a personal decision not to play during the pandemic.Hazen also said two players on Arizona's 60-man roster tested positive for COVID-19, as did another player not in Arizona.The 32-year-old Leake started 10 games for Arizona after being traded from Seattle for outfielder Jose Caballero and cash in 2019. Leake went 3-3 with a 4.35 ERA and was expected to be in the Diamondbacks' starting rotation during the 60-game 2020 season.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

June 301908 — At 41 years, 3 months, Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox pitched the third no-hitter of his career, an 8-0 win over the New York Highlanders.1948 — Cleveland’s Bob Lemon pitched a 2-0 no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers for the first American League no-hitter at night.1962 — Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers struck out 13 New York Mets en route to the first of four career no-hitters, a 5-0 victory at Dodger Stadium.1970 — Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati was dedicated, but Henry Aaron spoiled the show for the crowd of 51,050 with a first-inning homer off Jim McGlothlin as Atlanta beat the Reds 8-2.1978 — Willie McCovey became the 12th player in major league history to hit 500 home runs. His milestone shot off Atlanta’s Jamie Easterly wasn’t enough, as the Braves beat the San Francisco Giants 10-5 in the second game of a doubleheader at Fulton County Stadium.1995 — Eddie Murray of the Cleveland Indians became the second switch-hitter and the 20th player in baseball history... [More]

Top prospect Wander Franco is part of the Tampa Bay Rays' 60-man player pool, and the Detroit Tigers are including their most heralded young pitchers as baseball gears up for its abbreviated season.Sunday was the deadline for teams to submit player pools, although additions can be made later. Many teams announced pools well below the 60-player limit.Franco, a 19-year-old shortstop, is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline. He spent last season at Class A, so it would be quite a jump for him to contribute in the majors in the immediate future, but putting him in the player pool makes him an option for the Rays — and could help his development in a year when the coronavirus shut down the minor leagues.Pitcher Brendan McKay and infielder Vidal Brujan, two other top Tampa Bay prospects, also made the pool.“They are some of our more advanced prospects," Rays general manager Erik Neander said. “Certainly on the position player side that’s where things went and why Wander was... [More]

Top prospect Wander Franco is part of the Tampa Bay Rays' 60-man player pool, and the Detroit Tigers are including their most heralded young pitchers as baseball gears up for its abbreviated season.Sunday was the deadline for teams to submit player pools, although additions can be made later. Many teams announced pools well below the 60-player limit.Franco, a 19-year-old shortstop, is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline. He spent last season at Class A, so it would be quite a jump for him to contribute in the majors in the immediate future, but putting him in the player pool makes him an option for the Rays — and could help his development in a year when the coronavirus shut down the minor leagues.Pitcher Brendan McKay and infielder Vidal Brujan, two other top Tampa Bay prospects, also made the pool.“They are some of our more advanced prospects," Rays general manager Erik Neander said. “Certainly on the position player side that’s where things went and why Wander was... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Edgar Santana will miss all of the abbreviated 2020 season after being suspended 80 games for violating Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.MLB announced Sunday that Santana tested positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance.The 28-year-old Santana is in the process of a comeback after missing all of the 2019 season following reconstructive surgery on his right elbow in September 2018. Santana is 3-4 with a 3.31 ERA in 88 career games, all with the Pirates. He worked five hitless innings of relief in spring training before the MLB season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Pirates general manager Ben Cherington called Santana's suspension “disappointing.”Santana's salary of $581,500 was reduced to $215,370 due to the shortened season, and he will lose all of it. He received a $60,000 salary advance, however, and that money will be repaid to the team from the International Tax Fund.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole could make his New York Yankees debut in a tasty opening-day treat for fans, facing Juan Soto and World Series champion Washington at Nationals Park.The Yankees and Nationals are set meet when the virus-delayed season begins next month, a person familiar with the game told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there hasn’t been an official announcement.The New York Post first reported the matchup.MLB will start a 60-game season on July 23 or 24. The schedule is still being worked out -- there could be a game or two on the first day of play, or a full slate.Cole started the previous game played at Nationals Park. He pitched the Houston Astros past the Nationals 7-1 last October for a 3-2 edge in the World Series.Howie Kendrick, Anthony Rendon and the Nationals won the last two games to earn their first championship. Max Scherzer started Game 7 and fellow ace Stephen Strasburg was the World Series MVP, and either of... [More]

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles was in jail Saturday on a trespassing charge.The 28-year-old player was detained this week at the airport in Key West, Florida, by a Monroe County sheriff deputy.A report by the sheriff's office said Toles was found sleeping behind a Federal Express building at the airport and refused to move after several warnings by deputies that he had to leave or be arrested.Jail records show Toles appeared to be homeless when arrested Monday on the misdemeanor charge of trespassing property. His bond was set at $500 but he remained jailed and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.“We are unable to comment,” team spokesman Joe Jareck said Saturday.Toles never reported to spring training in 2019 because of a personal matter and did not play that year.Toles rose from the low minors to the majors in just months and became a postseason star for the Dodgers in 2016. He was the starting left fielder in the second half of 2016 and early in 2017. In May of that year, he tore a knee ligament and spent most of 2018 at Triple-A Oklahoma City.Toles struggled with anxiety issues even before the Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. He was the Tampa Bay’s minor league player of the year in 2013 but was released in 2015. He was working the early-morning shift in the frozen-food section of a grocery store before the Dodgers recruited him.

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles was in jail Saturday and charged with trespassing property.The 28-year-old player was detained this week at the airport in Key West, Florida, by a Monroe County sheriff deputy.The Miami Herald reported he was found sleeping behind a Federal Express building at the airport and refused to move.Jail records show Toles appeared to be homeless when arrested Monday on the misdemeanor charge. His bond was set at $500 but he remained jailed and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.“We are unable to comment,” team spokesman Joe Jareck said Saturday.Toles never reported to spring training in 2019 because of a personal matter and did not play that year.Toles rose from the low minors to the majors in just months and became a postseason star for the Dodgers in 2016. He was the starting left fielder in the second half of 2016 and early in 2017. In May of that year, he tore a knee ligament and spent most of 2018 at Triple-A Oklahoma City.Toles struggled with anxiety issues even before the Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. He was the Tampa Bay’s minor league player of the year in 2013 but was released in 2015. He was working the early-morning shift in the frozen-food section of a grocery store before the Dodgers recruited him.

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles was in jail Saturday and charged with trespassing property.The 28-year-old player was detained this week at the airport in Key West, Florida, by a Monroe County sheriff deputy.The Miami Herald reported he was found sleeping behind a Federal Express building at the airport and refused to move.Jail records show Toles appeared to be homeless when arrested Monday on the misdemeanor charge. His bond was set at $500 but he remained jailed and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.The team said Toles never reported to spring training camp in 2019 because of a personal matter. He did not play that year.Toles rose from the low minors to the majors in just months and became a postseason star for the Dodgers in 2016. He was the starting left fielder in the second half of 2016 and early in 2017. In May of that year, he tore a knee ligament and spent most of 2018 at Triple-A Oklahoma City.Toles struggled with anxiety issues even before the Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. He was the Tampa Bay’s minor league player of the year in 2013 but was released in 2015. He was working the early-morning shift in the frozen-food section of a grocery store before the Dodgers recruited him.

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles was in jail Saturday and charged with trespassing property.The 28-year-old player was detained this week at the airport in Key West, Florida, by a Monroe County sheriff deputy.The Miami Herald reported he was found sleeping behind a Federal Express building at the airport and refused to move.Jail records show Toles appeared to be homeless when arrested Monday on the misdemeanor charge. His bond was set at $500 but he remained jailed and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.The team said Toles never reported to spring training camp in 2019 because of a personal matter. He did not play that year.Toles rose from the low minors to the majors in just months and became a postseason star for the Dodgers in 2016. He was the starting left fielder in the second half of 2016 and early in 2017. In May of that year, he tore a knee ligament and spent most of 2018 at Triple-A Oklahoma City.Toles had struggled with anxiety issues even before the Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. He was the Tampa Bay’s minor league player of the year in 2013 but was released in 2015. He was working the early-morning shift in the frozen-food section of a grocery store before the Dodgers recruited him.

CHICAGO (AP) — Forget about those halcyon first few days of spring training, when arranging for the right tee time on the right golf course is often more challenging than the work on the field.When major leaguers report next week for spring training 2.0 — or perhaps more accurately, baseball's first summer camp — time will be one precious commodity with about three weeks to go before opening day.“We're going to have some live batting practices the first day they show up. Day 1 and Day 2. ... Multiple ups for the starters," Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said Friday on a video conference call. “These guys are prepared for that. They've been hungry for it.”All across the majors, the race is on to set up travel plans and work out the final details for training ahead of an unforgiving season of just 60 games. After intake coronavirus tests and a mandatory quarantine period while awaiting results, full-squad workouts likely will begin next weekend.The regular season starts July 23 and 24,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Grant Dayton will notice one glaring absence this season after he reports to the Atlanta Braves: his twice-a-month salary.He is among 11 major leaguers whose prorated pay for the abbreviated 60-game season amounts to less than the $286,500 advance already received by the 32-year-old left-hander.“It’s going to be weird not getting a paycheck,” he said Friday, “but we already got paid.”Dayton gave up the 6,776th and final home run of of last season's record total, to the New York Mets' Dominic Smith. To resume preparation for the new season he will drive Monday from his home in Winter Haven, Florida, to Atlanta with wife Cori, 2 1/2-year-old son Decker and nearly 6-month-old Nolan for Braves' workouts at Truist Park.After opening day was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Major League Baseball and the players’ association agreed March 26 to a deal that called for teams to advance $170 million in salaries over the first 60 days of the season.Others who won’t get... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Grant Dayton will notice one glaring absence this season after he reports to the Atlanta Braves: his twice-a-month salary.He is among 11 major leaguers whose prorated pay for the abbreviated 60-game season amounts to less than the $286,500 advance already received by the 32-year-old left-hander.“It’s going to be weird not getting a paycheck,” he said Friday, “but we already got paid.”Dayton will drive Monday from his home in Winter Haven, Florida, to Atlanta with wife Cori, 2 1/2-year-old son Decker and nearly 6-month-old Nolan for the resumption of workouts when the Braves gather at renamed Truist Park.After opening day was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Major League Baseball and the players’ association agreed March 26 to a deal that called for teams to advance $170 million in salaries over the first 60 days of the season.Others who won’t get paychecks because of lower prorated salaries are Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jimmy Nelson and New York Yankees reliever... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Catcher Austin Wells has agreed to a minor league contract that includes a $2.5 million signing bonus after the New York Yankees selected him 28th overall in the amateur draft.The Yankees also announced Friday they had released Chad Bettis from his minor league deal after the veteran right-hander announced his retirement.Wells, who turns 21 on July 12, hit .375 with two homers and 14 RBIs for the University of Arizona in a season cut to 15 games because of the coronavirus pandemic. He batted .357 with seven homers and 74 RBIs over 71 games in two seasons.Wells' slot had a value of nearly $2.5 million for the Yankees' signing bonus pool.Bettis, 31, pitched in the majors for parts of seven seasons, all for Colorado. He signed a minor league deal with New York in February.Bettis was diagnosed with testicular cancer in November 2016 after going 14-8 in the Rockies’ rotation. He underwent surgery and chemotherapy and returned to the majors in August 2017, throwing seven shutout innings to beat Atlanta at Coors Field.He was 1-6 with one save and a 6.08 ERA in 39 games, including three starts, for Colorado last season. He went 31-31 with a 5.12 ERA in 164 career games, 92 of them starts.___More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Forget about those halcyon first few days of spring training, when arranging for the right tee time on the right golf course is often more challenging than the work on the field.When major leaguers report next week for spring training 2.0 — or perhaps more accurately, baseball's first summer camp — time will be one precious commodity with about three weeks to go before opening day.“We're going to have some live batting practices the first day they show up. Day 1 and Day 2. ... Multiple ups for the starters," Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said Friday on a video conference call. “These guys are prepared for that. They've been hungry for it.”All across the majors, the race is on to set up travel plans and work out the final details for training ahead of an unforgiving season of just 60 games. After intake coronavirus tests and a mandatory quarantine period while awaiting results, full-squad workouts likely will begin next weekend.The regular season starts July 23 and 24,... [More]

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ryan Zimmerman is a two-time All-Star infielder who has played 15 years in the majors, all with the Washington Nationals. He holds most of the team’s career hitting records, and his two homers and seven RBIs last postseason helped the Nationals win their first World Series championship. Zimmerman has been offering his thoughts — as told to AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich — in a diary of sorts while waiting for baseball to return. In the 10th installment, the 35-year-old Zimmerman discusses what’s on his mind now that there is a plan in place for a 2020 season.___I’m still deciding whether to play.When it comes down to it, it’s a decision not just for me, but for my family as well. I have a 3-week-old baby. My mother has multiple sclerosis and is super high-risk; if I end up playing, I can pretty much throw out the idea of seeing her until weeks after the season is over. There’s a lot of factors that I and others have to consider. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer;... [More]

June 271917 — Catcher Hank Gowdy of the Braves became the first major league player to enter military service in World War I.1939 — The Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves played a 23-inning, 2-2 tie. Whit Wyatt pitched the first 16 innings for the Dodgers. Both clubs played a 26-inning tie in 1920 at the same Braves Field.1958 — Billy Pierce of the Chicago White Sox retired 26 straight Washington batters before pinch-hitter Ed Fitzgerald hit a double just inside the right-field line for the only hit. Pierce then struck out Albie Pearson on three pitches and beat the Senators 3-0.1973 — David Clyde, a $125,000, 18-year-old bonus baby with the Rangers, pitched five innings, struck out eight and allowed one hit in his first major league start. Texas beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 before 35,698 fans — the Rangers’ first home sellout at Arlington Stadium.1980 — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Jerry Reuss pitched a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in an 8-0 victory at Candlestick Park. The... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Call it a true Hollywood story for first-round pick Pete Crow-Armstrong. And no act at all, in fact. The son of two thespians is way beyond a little big league now. Crow-Armstrong and the New York Mets agreed Thursday to a minor league contract with a $3,359,000 signing bonus, the slot value for the 19th overall selection in the amateur draft.“He was a guy that we had targeted for months and months,” Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said June 10 after the team drafted Crow-Armstrong. “He’s been a big fish in a big pond for a long time, and I think his personality and his confidence will play very well in New York City.”The Mets snagged the 18-year-old center fielder out of Harvard-Westlake High School in the Los Angeles area — where both of Crow-Armstrong’s parents are accomplished screen actors. His mother, Ashley Crow, has a long list of film and television credits that includes appearances in “Minority Report” and “Heroes.” She even played a significant role in... [More]