MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minnesota second baseman Brian Dozier has retired after nine years in the major leagues and 167 career home runs, the Twins announced on Thursday. Dozier played his first seven seasons for the Twins, who traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers right before the deadline in 2018. He hit 20 homers and won the World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. Last year, Dozier signed with the San Diego Padres, was released before the pandemic-delayed season began and played briefly for the New York Mets. The 33-year-old, drafted by the Twins in the eighth round in 2009, said during a conference call he eventually would like to go into the coaching side of the game. Dozier made the All-Star team in 2015 and won a Gold Glove award in 2017. He hit 42 homers in 2016 and matched Rogers Hornsby for the second-highest single season total by a second baseman in major league history. The only Twins player to ever top that was Harmon Killebrew, who did so six times. Dozier's 28 leadoff home runs remain a club record. ___ More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Nationals second. Juan Soto grounds out to shallow infield, Steven Matz to Pete Alonso. Howie Kendrick grounds out to shortstop, J.D. Davis to Pete Alonso. Asdrubal Cabrera homers to center field. Carter Kieboom strikes out swinging.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Nationals 1, Mets 0.Nationals third. Yan Gomes singles to right field. Victor Robles strikes out swinging. Trea Turner homers to left field. Yan Gomes scores. Josh Harrison grounds out to shallow infield, J.D. Davis to Pete Alonso. Starlin Castro reaches on third strike. Juan Soto homers to center field. Starlin Castro scores. Howie Kendrick flies out to right center field to Michael Conforto.4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Nationals 5, Mets 0.Nationals fifth. Trea Turner singles to shallow center field. Josh Harrison singles to shallow center field. Trea Turner to second. Starlin Castro reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow left field. Josh Harrison out at second. Trea Turner to third. Juan Soto doubles to deep center... [More]

Marlins first. Jonathan Villar grounds out to shallow infield, David Peterson to Dominic Smith. Jon Berti grounds out to third base, J.D. Davis to Dominic Smith. Jesus Aguilar singles to shallow left field. Corey Dickerson singles to shallow left field. Jesus Aguilar to second. Brian Anderson singles to shallow center field. Corey Dickerson to second. Jesus Aguilar scores. Francisco Cervelli strikes out swinging.1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Marlins 1, Mets 0.Mets second. Pete Alonso walks. Michael Conforto homers to right field. Pete Alonso scores. Wilson Ramos grounds out to shallow infield, Jonathan Villar to Jesus Aguilar. Dominic Smith doubles to deep center field. Brian Dozier called out on strikes. Billy Hamilton strikes out swinging.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Mets 2, Marlins 1.Mets third. Amed Rosario grounds out to shallow infield, Jon Berti to Jesus Aguilar. Jeff McNeil grounds out to second base, Jon Berti to Jesus Aguilar. J.D. Davis singles to shallow center... [More]

Marlins second. Jesus Aguilar grounds out to shallow left field, J.D. Davis to Dominic Smith. Brian Anderson walks. Matt Joyce singles to shallow infield. Brian Anderson to second. Francisco Cervelli homers to right field. Matt Joyce scores. Brian Anderson scores. Logan Forsythe flies out to deep center field to Brandon Nimmo. Magneuris Sierra walks. Jonathan Villar doubles to deep left center field. Magneuris Sierra scores. Eddy Alvarez flies out to center field to Brandon Nimmo.4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Marlins 4, Mets 0.Mets second. J.D. Davis flies out to deep center field to Magneuris Sierra. Dominic Smith homers to right field. Wilson Ramos walks. Andres Gimenez called out on strikes. Amed Rosario called out on strikes.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Marlins 4, Mets 1.Mets eighth. Amed Rosario doubles to deep right center field. Brian Dozier pinch-hitting for Brandon Nimmo. Brian Dozier walks. Jeff McNeil lines out to shallow center field to Eddy Alvarez. Pete Alonso... [More]

Nationals first. Trea Turner lines out to deep right center field to Ryan Cordell. Adam Eaton strikes out swinging. Howie Kendrick homers to left field. Asdrubal Cabrera singles to center field. Starlin Castro strikes out swinging.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Nationals 1, Mets 0.Nationals second. Josh Harrison homers to left field. Carter Kieboom called out on strikes. Yan Gomes reaches on error. Fielding error by Brian Dozier. Victor Robles reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Yan Gomes out at second. Trea Turner pops out to shallow right field to Brian Dozier.1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 left on. Nationals 2, Mets 0.Nationals third. Adam Eaton lines out to deep right field to Michael Conforto. Howie Kendrick singles to right field. Asdrubal Cabrera doubles to right field. Howie Kendrick to third. Starlin Castro singles to right field. Asdrubal Cabrera to third. Howie Kendrick scores. Josh Harrison out on a sacrifice fly to left field to Brandon Nimmo. Starlin Castro to... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Not long ago, Brian Dozier wasn’t even sure he wanted to play this season. Once he made up his mind and joined the New York Mets, it didn’t take long to crack the starting lineup.The veteran second baseman was summoned to Citi Field from the team’s alternate training site in Brooklyn as the Mets made a flurry of roster moves before Thursday night’s series finale against Boston. New York placed reserve infielder Eduardo Núñez on the injured list with a bruised left knee and selected Dozier, who was signed to a minor league contract last week.“I think it’s a good spot,” Dozier said.The Mets recalled left-handed reliever Daniel Zamora from their alternate site, while right-hander Hunter Strickland was designated for assignment. The team also confirmed it signed catcher Bruce Maxwell to a minor league deal the sides agreed to Tuesday, pending a physical and intake screening for the coronavirus. Before this season, Maxwell was the only major league player to kneel during the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mets hitting coach Chili Davis hasn’t decided if he will rejoin the team at any point this season because of concerns about the coronavirus.The 60-year-old Davis has been working remotely from his Arizona home during the pandemic, doing his best to help Mets hitters throughout their summer training camp in New York this month. On a video conference call with reporters Wednesday, he said he’s at risk due to underlying health conditions that he preferred to keep private.“It’s a tough decision,” Davis said. “It’s not easy. It’s kind of boring sitting here not doing what I signed up to do.” New York opens the 60-game regular season Friday at home against Atlanta.Davis said he’s “very much in contact” with all the players and especially manager Luis Rojas and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater, who is subbing on site at Citi Field. Davis said he and Slater talk at least two or three times a day.Mets staffers send videos to Davis of batting practice and simulated games.“I... [More]

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Second baseman Brian Dozier would get a $2.2 million, one-year contract if added to the San Diego Padres' 40-man roster and would have the chance to earn $1.8 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances.Dozier agreed to a minor league contract Monday and hopes to win the starting job. His deal allows nine levels of bonuses: He would get $200,000 for 200 plate appearances and each additional 50 through 600.Jurickson Profar and Greg Garcia, both on the 40-man roster, are the leading candidates to share time at second for the Padres.The 32-year-old Dozier spent last season with the World Series champion Washington Nationals and hit .238 with 20 homers and 50 RBIs in 482 plate appearances. He was Washington's regular starter for most of the first four months but played only occasionally after Asdrúbal Cabrera signed with the Nationals in early August.A veteran of eight major league seasons with Minnesota (2012-18), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2018) and the Nationals, Dozier has a .245 career average with 192 homers and 562 RBIs.___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Free agent second baseman Brian Dozier and the San Diego Padres have reached agreement on a minor league contract with an invitation to big league spring training.Dozier has played in the World Series the past two years. He hit 20 home runs with 50 RBIs for the champion Washington Nationals last season, and was with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018.The 32-year-old Dozier was an All-Star with Minnesota in 2015 and hit 42 home runs for the Twins the next year.The Padres have several players vying for time at second base, including newcomer Jurickson Profar and Ty France.—-More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers have finalized their trade sending starting pitcher Kenta Maeda to the Twins and bullpen prospect Brusdar Graterol to the Dodgers.Just in time for spring training. Twins pitchers and catchers take the field Wednesday for their first official workout in Fort Myers, Florida, with the Dodgers following Friday in Glendale, Arizona.In Monday's deal, spawned from the original three-team agreement with Boston that hit a snag last week, the Twins sent minor league outfielder Luke Raley and a competitive balance round pick in the 2020 draft, 67th overall, along with Graterol to Los Angeles. The Dodgers will send $10 million and minor league catcher Jair Camargo along with Maeda to Minnesota.The 25-year-old Raley returned to the Dodgers, after missing most of last season with an ankle injury and playing in just 33 games for Triple-A Rochester. The Twins acquired him and starting pitching prospect Devin Smeltzer on July 31, 2018, in a... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers have finalized their trade sending starting pitcher Kenta Maeda to the Twins and bullpen prospect Brusdar Graterol to the Dodgers.Just in time for spring training. Twins pitchers and catchers take the field Wednesday for their first official workout in Fort Myers, Florida, with the Dodgers following Friday in Glendale, Arizona.In Monday's deal, spawned from the original three-team agreement with Boston that hit a snag last week, the Twins sent minor league outfielder Luke Raley and a competitive balance round pick in the 2020 draft, 67th overall, along with Graterol to Los Angeles. The Dodgers sent $10 million and minor league catcher Jair Camargo along with Maeda to Minnesota.The 25-year-old Raley returned to the Dodgers, after missing most of last season with an ankle injury and playing in just 33 games for Triple-A Rochester. The Twins acquired him and starting pitching prospect Devin Smeltzer on July 31, 2018, in a trade... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League East 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:___Atlanta Braves Manager: Brian Snitker (fifth season). 2019: 97-65, first place, lost to Cardinals in Division Series.Training Town: North Port, Florida.Park: CoolToday Park. First Workout: Feb. 13/18. He's Here: LF Marcell Ozuna, C Travis d'Arnaud, LHP Cole Hamels, LHP Will Smith, RHP F�lix Hern�ndez.He's Outta Here: 3B Josh Donaldson, LHP Dallas Keuchel, RHP Julio Teheran, C Brian McCann, OF Matt Joyce, RHP Anthony Swarzak, RHP Josh Tomlin, LHP Jerry Blevins, OF Billy Hamilton, C Francisco Cervelli. Going campin': The Braves are coming off their second straight NL East title, led by one of baseball's brightest young stars. In his first full season in the big leagues, 22-year-old OF Ronald Acu�a Jr. hit 41 homers, led the league with 127 runs and tallied 37 stolen bases to become the second-youngest... [More]

Patrick Corbin was an exception last offseason.Amid a slow free agent market — some stars didn’t sign until after the start of spring training — Corbin’s search for a new home was over in December when he received a $140 million, six-year contract from Washington.That worked out pretty well for both team and player. Corbin was a key part of the Nationals’ starting rotation this year, and he threw three scoreless innings in relief in Game 7 of the World Series, helping the team win its first World Series title.Now, another offseason is in full swing. It’s hard to say whether teams will be more aggressive in pursuing free agents, hoping to land the next Corbin, but the Atlanta Braves already made a significant move, signing reliever Will Smith away from San Francisco.Here’s a look at the top free agents still available, broken down by position. Players are listed with their most recent teams, with their ages in parentheses:LEFT-HANDED STARTERHyun-Jin Ryu, Dodgers (32)The runner-up for the... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The "Baby Shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo" earworm might just be coming to a World Series near you, if Washington Nationals backup outfielder Gerardo Parra heads to the plate during one of his team's home games against the Houston Astros.A walk-up song that showed up months ago as a sweet tribute to the musical taste of Parra's 2-year-old daughter has become a rallying cry of sorts for spectators at Nationals Park — who sing and clap along by the thousands, arms fully extended in a chomping motion — and his teammates — who do their own shark-inspired hand gestures after each hit, including pinching together an index finger and thumb after singles.Some players work out wearing headbands sporting a cartoon shark. Some fans wear full-body shark costumes. There's even a little blue stuffed-animal shark that Parra placed in the netting in front of the home dugout at Nationals Park.All of the zaniness could be on display for a global TV audience as the Fall Classic shifts to... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The "Baby Shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo" earworm might just be coming to a World Series near you, if Washington Nationals backup outfielder Gerardo Parra heads to the plate during one of his team's home games against the Houston Astros.A walk-up song that showed up months ago as a sweet tribute to the musical taste of Parra's 2-year-old daughter has become a rallying cry of sorts for spectators at Nationals Park — who sing and clap along by the thousands, arms fully extended in a chomping motion — and his teammates — who do their own shark-inspired hand gestures after each hit, including pinching together an index finger and thumb after singles.Some players work out wearing headbands sporting a cartoon shark. Some fans wear full-body shark costumes. There's even a little blue stuffed-animal shark that Parra placed in the netting in front of the home dugout at Nationals Park.All of the zaniness could be on display for a global TV audience as the Fall Classic shifts to... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — NL MVP candidate Anthony Rendon surveyed his teammates scattered around the Nationals Park diamond, whoopin' it up after clinching a World Series berth.There were starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Aníbal Sánchez, each 35 — and each responsible for taking a no-hit bid into at least the seventh inning as Washington won Games 1 and 2 of the NL Championship Series. So was Howie Kendrick, 36, the second baseman who earned NLCS MVP honors with four doubles and four RBIs in the sweep. And Ryan Zimmerman, 35, the first baseman slugging .484 this postseason."A lot of old guys on the team," Rendon observed. "They call themselves 'Viejos.'"Indeed, they do, and "Los Viejos" — Spanish for "The Old Guys" — are a big part of why the Nationals are getting ready to face the Astros in the Fall Classic, which opens Tuesday night in Houston.There's also catcher Kurt Suzuki, 36, and reliever Fernando Rodney, 42, the oldest active player in the majors."People think we are old men and we can't... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — NL MVP candidate Anthony Rendon surveyed his teammates scattered around the Nationals Park diamond, whoopin' it up after clinching a World Series berth.There were starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Aníbal Sánchez, each 35 — and each responsible for taking a no-hit bid into at least the seventh inning as Washington won Games 1 and 2 of the NL Championship Series. So was Howie Kendrick, 36, the second baseman who earned NLCS MVP honors with four doubles and four RBIs in the sweep. And Ryan Zimmerman, 35, the first baseman slugging .484 this postseason."A lot of old guys on the team," Rendon observed. "They call themselves 'Viejos.'"Indeed, they do, and "Los Viejos" — Spanish for "The Old Guys" — are a big part of why the Nationals are getting ready to face the Astros in the Fall Classic, which opens Tuesday night in Houston.There's also catcher Kurt Suzuki, 36, and reliever Fernando Rodney, 42, the oldest active player in the majors."People think we are old men and we can't... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — NL MVP candidate Anthony Rendon surveyed his teammates scattered around the Nationals Park diamond, whoopin' it up after clinching a World Series berth.There were starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Aníbal Sánchez, each 35 — and each responsible for taking a no-hit bid into at least the seventh inning as Washington won Games 1 and 2 of the NL Championship Series. So was Howie Kendrick, 36, the second baseman who earned NLCS MVP honors with four doubles and four RBIs in the sweep. And Ryan Zimmerman, 35, the first baseman slugging .484 this postseason."A lot of old guys on the team," Rendon observed. "They call themselves 'Viejos.'"Indeed, they do, and "Los Viejos" — Spanish for "The Old Guys" — are a big part of why the Nationals are getting ready to face the Astros in the Fall Classic, which opens Tuesday night in Houston.There's also catcher Kurt Suzuki, 36, and reliever Fernando Rodney, 42, the oldest active player in the majors."People think we are old men and we can't... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Doing a little research ahead of the World Series, Washington Nationals second baseman Brian Dozier came across some numbers that made him feel OK about his team's long layoff."I saw a stat today where there's been 12 times where teams have had five or more days off going into the World Series. And you know what the record was? 6-6," Dozier said. "So it's not that big a deal."Baseball is a sport that is more of a daily grind than any other, with game followed by game followed by game for six months, so this stretch is rather unusual for the Nationals: They haven't played since finishing off a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series at home last Tuesday — and they won't play until Game 1 of the Fall Classic in Houston next Tuesday.Washington's next opponent gets much less of a respite: The Astros finished off the New York Yankees in Game 6 of their AL Championship Series on Saturday night.The good news for the Nationals is their pitchers get to recharge... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Doing a little research ahead of the World Series, Washington Nationals second baseman Brian Dozier came across some numbers that made him feel OK about his team's long layoff."I saw a stat today where there's been 12 times where teams have had five or more days off going into the World Series. And you know what the record was? 6-6," Dozier said. "So it's not that big a deal."Baseball is a sport that is more of a daily grind than any other, with game followed by game followed by game for six months, so this stretch is rather unusual for the Nationals: They haven't played since finishing off a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series at home last Tuesday — and they won't play until Game 1 of the Fall Classic in Houston next Tuesday.Washington's next opponent gets much less of a respite: The Astros finished off and the New York Yankees in Game 6 of their AL Championship Series on Saturday night.The good news for the Nationals is their pitchers get to... [More]