CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — For 10 years, ever since they bonded over baseball at work, Franlet Bencomo and Elbert Albarran haven't missed an opening day game together.This year, however, they left their kids behind and ate a big breakfast before heading out to watch their beloved Caracas Lions because a hot dog inside the stadium costs more than 10 percent of the roughly $30 each makes a month at their minimum-wage jobs."Now we have to eat beforehand, watch the game and go straight home" said Bencomo, in line for tickets six hours before the start of Friday's season opener. "There's no other way."Throughout Venezuela, as winter league play gets under way, fans are having to make similar sacrifices to feed their passion for "pelota," — the word for ball that's used to describe the national pastime.Hyperinflation has pulverized incomes while putting ticket prices out of reach for many. Others are avoiding the ballpark for fear of getting mugged or because they don't know how they'll get home... [More]

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — For 10 years, ever since they bonded over baseball at work, Franlet Bencomo and Elbert Albarran haven't missed an opening day game together.This year, however, they left their kids behind and ate a big breakfast before heading out to watch their beloved Caracas Lions because a hot dog inside the stadium costs more than 10 percent of the roughly $30 each makes a month at their minimum-wage jobs."Now we have to eat beforehand, watch the game and go straight home" said Bencomo, in line for tickets six hours before the start of Friday's season opener. "There's no other way."Throughout Venezuela, as winter league play gets under way, fans are having to make similar sacrifices to feed their passion for "pelota," — the word for ball that's used to describe the national pastime.Hyperinflation has pulverized incomes while putting ticket prices out of reach for many. Others are avoiding the ballpark for fear of getting mugged or because they don't know how they'll get home... [More]

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — For 10 years, ever since they bonded over baseball at work, Franlet Bencomo and Elbert Albarran haven't missed an opening day game together.This year, however, they left their kids behind and ate a big breakfast before heading out to watch their beloved Caracas Lions because a hot dog inside the stadium costs more than 10 percent of the roughly $30 each makes a month at their minimum-wage jobs."Now we have to eat beforehand, watch the game and go straight home" said Bencomo, in line for tickets six hours before the start of Friday's season opener. "There's no other way."Throughout Venezuela, as winter league play gets under way, fans are having to make similar sacrifices to feed their passion for the "pelota," or the ball, as the national pastime is affectionately known.Hyperinflation has pulverized incomes while putting ticket prices out of reach for many. Others are avoiding the ballpark for fear of getting mugged or because they don't know how they'll get home... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels activated two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani from the 10-day disabled list Tuesday and used him as the designated hitter in their game against the Seattle Mariners.Ohtani and his injured right elbow are only cleared to hit for now, but Los Angeles said he will be re-evaluated as a pitcher in three weeks.Ohtani received stem cell therapy and a platelet-rich plasma injection to help heal the Grade 2 sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament suffered more than three weeks ago. Ohtani was cleared for a hitting program Friday and took part in two simulated games against minor league pitchers over the weekend."We're going to see how many looks we can give him as a (designated hitter) and hopefully he'll give us a lift there," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.Ohtani went 0 for 4 in Los Angeles' 4-1 loss to the Mariners.Scioscia said there's no plan in terms of Ohtani's usage, and they'll monitor it daily."He's been cleared to swing and we will see how it all goes... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — The Angels activated right-handed pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (right elbow) from the 10-day disabled list Tuesday and he was the designated hitter in their game against the Seattle Mariners.Ohtani received stem cell therapy and a platelet-rich plasma injection to help heal his Grade 2 sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament suffered more than three weeks ago. Ohtani was cleared for a hitting program on Friday and took part in two simulated games against minor league pitchers over the weekend."We're going to see how many looks we can give him as a (designated hitter) and hopefully he'll give us a lift there," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.Scioscia added that there's no plan in place in terms of Ohtani's usage and they'll monitor it daily."He's been cleared to swing and we will see how it all goes down," Scioscia said. "I check with my players all the time to make sure nothing is bothering them, but we don't anticipate anything as far as him swinging the bat."Ohtani... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — The Angels activated right-handed pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (right elbow) from the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday.Right-handed pitcher Miguel Almonte was also called up and right-handed pitchers Deck McGuire and Eduardo Paredes were optioned to Triple-A in corresponding moves.Ohtani received stem cell therapy and a platelet-rich plasma injection to help heal his Grade 2 sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament suffered more than three weeks ago. Ohtani was cleared for a hitting program on Friday took part in two simulated games against minor-league pitchers over the weekend.Ohtani is hitting .289 with a .907 OPS and six homers in 114 at-bats as a hitter in his rookie season.It's still unclear if Ohtani is capable of returning on the mound this year, but Angels general manager Billy Eppler has expressed the club's desire to utilize his skills as a hitter as the Angels attempt to climb back into the playoff race.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

BOSTON (AP) — Los Angeles Angels rookie reliever Jake Jewell has a broken right leg and could miss the rest of the season.The Angels put Jewell on the 10-day disabled list Thursday, a day after he was injured in a game against Boston. He's scheduled to have surgery Friday.Jewell was carted off the field at Fenway Park on Wednesday night. Called up from Triple-A earlier in the day, he appeared to catch his cleat as he covered the plate on a run-scoring wild pitch and fractured his fibula. The 25-year-old was hurt in his third big league game.The Angels recalled right-handed pitcher Eduardo Paredes from Triple-A Salt Lake and added right-hander Taylor Cole to the major league roster.The club also optioned infielder Nolan Fontana to Salt Lake and transferred infielder Zack Cozart to the 60-day DL. Cozart is scheduled to have season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder on Friday.

BOSTON (AP) — Los Angeles Angels rookie reliever Jake Jewell has a broken right leg and could miss the rest of the season.The Angels put Jewell on the 10-day disabled list Thursday, a day after he was injured in a game against Boston.Jewell was carted off the field at Fenway Park on Wednesday night. Called up from Triple-A earlier in the day, he appeared to catch his cleat as he covered the plate on a run-scoring wild pitch and fractured his fibula. The 25-year-old was hurt in his third big league game.The Angels recalled right-handed pitcher Eduardo Paredes from Triple-A Salt Lake and added right-hander Taylor Cole to the major league roster.The club also optioned infielder Nolan Fontana to Salt Lake and transferred infielder Zack Cozart to the 60-day DL. Cozart is scheduled to have season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder on Friday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros won their 11th straight game, finishing off a 10-0 trip by rallying past the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Sunday.The World Series champion Astros swept their swing through Texas, Oakland and Kansas City, outscoring opponents 74-35. Last season, Houston had an 11-game winning streak end in Kansas City. This time, the Astros trailed 4-3 in the eighth inning before Correa led off with a tying homer. Evan Gattis, who had three hits, then put them ahead during a three-run burst.Correa has three home runs and eight RBIs in six games after missing four games with discomfort in his right side. He had a first-inning single and added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.Gattis hit .366 with five home runs and 19 RBIs on the Astros' trip. He singled home Yuli Gurriel in the eighth, and Marvin Gonzalez added an RBI single in the inning.The Royals have lost six straight and 12 of 13. They have dropped 26 of 36 home games.Brandon Maurer (0-3) took the... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros won their 11th straight game, finishing off a 10-0 trip by rallying past the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Sunday.The World Series champion Astros swept their swing through Texas, Oakland and Kansas City, outscoring opponents 74-35. Last season, Houston had an 11-game winning streak end in Kansas City. This time, the Astros trailed 4-3 in the eighth inning before Correa led off with a tying homer. Evan Gattis, who had three hits, then put them ahead during a three-run burst.Correa has three home runs and eight RBIs in six games after missing four games with discomfort in his right side. He had a first-inning single and added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.Gattis hit .366 with five home runs and 19 RBIs on the Astros' trip. He singled home Yuli Gurriel in the eighth, and Marvin Gonzalez added an RBI single in the inning.The Royals have lost six straight and 12 of 13. They have dropped 26 of 36 home games.Brandon Maurer (0-3) took the... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels lost four more players to the disabled list Friday, putting the club's total at a franchise-record 15 players on the DL at one time.Infielder Zack Cozart went on the DL with a partially dislocated left shoulder, while right-hander Jim Johnson has a lower back strain; right-hander Garrett Richards is nursing a strained left hamstring; and right-hander Nick Tropeano has inflammation in his pitching shoulder.Meanwhile, Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani is taking some one-handed swings as the Angels wait out his sprained elbow to be re-evaluated in a few weeks.The timeline for Richards, plagued by injuries the past two seasons that limited him to 12 total starts over 2016 and '17, to return is unclear, though manager Mike Scioscia said the injury is considered mild. "Hamstrings," he said, "they're a different animal."Richards left his Wednesday start at Seattle after two innings with tightness in the hamstring, then Cozart went down the next inning... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels lost four more players to the disabled list Friday, putting the club's total at a franchise-record 15 players on the DL at one time.Infielder Zack Cozart went on the DL with a partially dislocated right shoulder, while right-hander Jim Johnson has a lower back strain; right-hander Garrett Richards is nursing a strained left hamstring; and right-hander Nick Tropeano has inflammation in his pitching shoulder.Manager Mike Scioscia said he would do anything to take on all the injuries of his players because he doesn't have to be feeling good, with the former catcher noting he already has plenty of aches and pains.The Angels called up four right-handed pitchers from Triple-A Salt Lake: Eduardo Paredes, Akeel Morris, Felix Pena and Jake Jewell. Left-hander John Lamb will be called up to start Saturday, meaning the Angels must make another roster move.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels closer Keynan Middleton has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation.The Angels also recalled right-hander Eduardo Paredes from Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday.The hard-throwing reliever emerged as the Angels' presumptive closer last month with a strong start to his second big-league season. He converted six of seven save opportunities with a 2.40 ERA in 13 appearances.He felt pain in his elbow last weekend, but Middleton says his elbow already feels better with two days of rest. The DL move was retroactive to Saturday and Middleton expects to return to the active roster as soon as he is eligible for reinstatement on May 8.The Angels had lost four straight heading into their series opener against Baltimore on Tuesday night.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball