CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs agreed to a one-year contract with catcher Robinson Chirinos on Monday. A .231 career hitter over parts of nine seasons with Tampa Bay, Texas, Houston and the New York Mets, Chirinos figures to back up Willson Contreras. He gets an $800,000 salary while in the majors and $150,000 while in the minors. The 37-year-old Chirinos broke his right wrist in spring training with the New York Yankees and was released Saturday after playing in 13 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He set career highs with 18 homers and 65 RBIs for Texas in 2018. Chirinos has appeared in 18 postseason games, including the 2019 World Series with Houston. He played in Chicago’s farm system from 2001-10. The Cubs designated catcher Taylor Gushue for assignment. He was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday when Chicago placed catcher Jose Lobaton on the 60-day injured list because of a sprained left shoulder. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

It was quite a moment for Kyle Hendricks and David Ross.Of course, the affable Ross was a bit more excited than the reserved Hendricks.Hendricks was selected by Ross to start on opening day for the Chicago Cubs, getting the nod over Yu Darvish. Ross, who is beginning his first year as a major league manager, finalized the decision on Thursday, first telling his starting pitchers in a meeting before privately congratulating Hendricks on the accomplishment.“You know him. He's nonchalant. No big deal,” a chuckling Ross said. “It may have been a bigger deal to me to tell him than it was for him to hear the news.”Chicago begins the season on July 24 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Ross said Darvish will start the second game, but he did not reveal how the rest of his rotation will line up.“I'm just excited to get back out on the field with the boys, with my teammates, and just having them start to count,” Hendricks said.While some of baseball's most electric arms will start the first game, the... [More]

Oct. 211959 — The Major League Players Association approved two All-Star Games in 1960, to be held at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium and New York's Yankee Stadium.1973 — Bert Campaneris and Reggie Jackson hit two-run homers in the third inning as the Oakland A's defeated the New York Mets 5-2 in Game 7 of the World Series. It was the second straight World Championship for the A's.1975 — Carlton Fisk broke up one of the best games in World Series history with a homer in the 12th inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 7-6 victory against the Cincinnati Reds, forcing a seventh game.1976 — The Cincinnati Reds won the World Series in four games with a 7-2 victory over the New York Yankees. Johnny Bench had two home runs for five RBIs. It was the Reds' second straight championship and marked the first time a team had swept the playoffs and World Series.1980 — The Philadelphia Phillies became World Series champions for the first time in their 98-year history with a 4-1 triumph over the Kansas City... [More]

Oct. 201910 — Philadelphia's Jack Coombs, on one day of rest, had a complete-game victory to beat the Chicago Cubs 12-5 and give the Athletics a 3-0 lead in the World Series. Coombs also had three hits and drove in three runs in the game.1947 — The radio rights for the World Series sold for $475,000 for three years.1972 — In the fifth game of the World Series, Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds homered on the first pitch of the game from Oakland's Catfish Hunter, and the Reds went on to win 5-4.1973 — Reggie Jackson of Oakland had RBI doubles in the first and third innings to lead the A's to a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets and set up a seventh game in the World Series.1982 — The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 in Game 7 to win the World Series.1988 — Orel Hershiser pitched a four-hitter and Mickey Hatcher and Mike Davis hit two-run homers to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics and the World Series title in five games. Hershiser became... [More]

Kyle Seager will be absent next week when the Seattle Mariners play the major league opener in Japan. Mike Foltynewicz will miss opening day for Atlanta, too.Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, meanwhile, is on the mend.The Mariners said Monday that Seager needs surgery on his left hand, sidelining the third baseman through at least April. The former All-Star and Gold Glove winner rolled his glove going for a grounder in a spring training game last week.Seattle is likely to move first baseman Ryon Healy across the diamond to third. The Mariners and Oakland begin the regular season on March 20 in Tokyo.The Braves had hoped Foltynewicz could start on March 28 when the NL East champions open at Philadelphia, but a sore elbow has slowed the All-Star righty.Foltynewicz has yet to make an appearance in an exhibition game because of discomfort that began about two weeks ago."We're just trying to figure out at what point do we get him up to five innings?" general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "He's not... [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 BravesManager: Brian Snitker (fourth season).2018: 90-72, first place, lost to Dodgers in Division Series.Training Town: Kissimmee, Florida.Park: Champion Stadium.First Workout: Feb. 16/21.He's Here: 3B Josh Donaldson, C Brian McCann, C Raffy Lopez, pitching coach Rick Kranitz.He's Outta Here: C Kurt Suzuki, RHP Anibal Sanchez, RHP Brandon McCarthy, RHP Brad Brach, 3B Ryan Flaherty, RHP Peter Moylan, 1B Lucas Duda, C Rene Rivera, OF Lane Adams, pitching coach Chuck Hernandez.Going campin': The 2018 Baby Braves were a surprise breakthrough team, winning the club's first NL East championship since 2013. A repeat title in a tougher NL East might be a bigger challenge. A key to the start of spring will be the health of Donaldson, who signed a one-year, $23 million deal after a left... [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 BravesManager: Brian Snitker (fourth season).2018: 90-72, first place, lost to Dodgers in Division Series.Training Town: Kissimmee, Florida.Park: Champion Stadium.First Workout: Feb. 16/21.He's Here: 3B Josh Donaldson, C Brian McCann, C Raffy Lopez, pitching coach Rick Kranitz.He's Outta Here: C Kurt Suzuki, RHP Anibal Sanchez, RHP Brandon McCarthy, RHP Brad Brach, 3B Ryan Flaherty, RHP Peter Moylan, 1B Lucas Duda, C Rene Rivera, OF Lane Adams, pitching coach Chuck Hernandez.Going campin': The 2018 Baby Braves were a surprise breakthrough team, winning the club's first NL East championship since 2013. A repeat title in a tougher NL East might be a bigger challenge. A key to the start of spring will be the health of Donaldson, who signed a one-year, $23 million deal after a left... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mookie Betts and the Boston Red Sox won their third consecutive AL East championship Thursday night, clinching on enemy turf with an 11-6 victory over the rival New York Yankees.Betts homered, doubled twice and drove in five runs, finishing with four hits as the Red Sox overcame Giancarlo Stanton's go-ahead grand slam in the fourth inning. Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a tying home run in the seventh and Xander Bogaerts put Boston ahead with a sacrifice fly.With the best record in baseball and a playoff berth already secured, Boston (104-49) closed out a once-tight division race with nine games to spare. J.D. Martinez and the Red Sox, alone in first place since July 2, will open the postseason at home on Oct. 5 against an opponent to be determined.Never before had Boston finished in first place three years in a row. The club needs one victory to match the franchise record held by the 1912 World Series champions.It took three tries, but these Red Sox finally earned their chance... [More]

WASHINGTON --The Washington Nationals have won four National League East division titles since 2012 under three different managers.But the Nationals are still looking for a postseason series win and some stability in the dugout, as the club announced Friday that manager Dusty Baker will not return in 2018 after his two-year contract expired.Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said he called Baker on Friday morning and the former All-Star outfielder handled the news with professionalism. The previous manager, Matt Williams, also lasted just two seasons."It was one of the most difficult decisions the ownership group and I have had to make," Rizzo said on a conference call with reporters. "Dusty has been a great representative of the Washington Nationals for his tenure here -- a Hall of Fame-type manager."The Nationals won the National League East in both seasons under Baker in 2016 and 2017 and lost at home in Game 5 each year in the NLDS. Washington won 95 games in the first year under... [More]

C Jose Lobaton (contusion left ankle) left the game Thursday in the last of the second inning after he was hit near the left ankle on a pitch by starter Mike Foltynewicz of the Atlanta Braves. "He was walking without a limp today. I'm sure it's sore. And so we dodged a bullet. It's not fractured or cracked or anything, so that was big," manager Dusty Baker told reporters this weekend. He may be in danger of not making the postseason roster as a backup to starter Matt Wieters as C Pedro Severino got the start Saturday afternoon after Wieters caught Friday night against the Dodgers.

C Jose Lobaton left the game Thursday in the last of the second inning after he was hit near the left ankle on a pitch by starter Mike Foltynewicz of the Atlanta Braves. "Lobi has a contusion on that same ankle. On the left ankle. Because that was the same ankle that was bothering him. X-rays are negative and he'll be hobbling for a couple days," manager Dusty Baker said. Pedro Severino pinch-ran for Lobaton and stayed in the game to catch. Lobaton is hitting .153 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 45 games this season as the main backup to Matt Wieters. Severino and Lobaton were both on the playoff roster in 2016 after starting catcher Wilson Ramos injured his knee in late September and was lost for the season.

C Jose Lobaton left the game Thursday in the last of the second inning after he was hit near the left ankle on a pitch by Atlanta Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz. Pedro Severino pinch-ran for Lobaton and then stayed in the game to catch. Lobaton is hitting .153 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 45 games this season as the main backup to Matt Wieters.

C Jose Lobaton got his second start in three games Thursday. He was back of the plate with Max Scherzer on the mound. Regular catcher Matt Wieters was under the weather and did not play Tuesday then got Thursday afternoon off after a night game Wednesday. Lobaton was 0-for-4 and is hitting .069.

C Jose Lobaton made his second start for Washington on Saturday. He was 0-for-2 and does not have a hit in five trips to the plate in 2016. He was the backup last year to Wilson Ramos and now has the same role behind Matt Wieters, who got a rare day off Saturday along with left fielder Jayson Werth.

C Jose Lobaton got the start again in Game 5 of the NL Division Series after C Pedro Severino started Game 4. Lobaton hit a homer in Game 2 against LHP Rich Hill, the starter in Game 5. Lobaton was 0-for-2 before he was lifted for a pinch runner Thursday. "He's had some success against Hill, and also, you know, he's caught (Max) Scherzer quite a few times, and that's what goes into that decision," Washington manager Dusty Baker said.

C Jose Lobaton got the start on Saturday after rookie C Pedro Severino started Saturday. Lobaton came through with a three-run homer as the Nationals beat the Dodgers 5-2. It was his second career postseason homer. "I think I hit it really good," Lobaton said of the homer off LHP Rich Hill. "When it went out, it was like, 'That is pretty cool.'"

C Jose Lobaton got the start on Saturday as Wilson Ramos got the night off. He got two hits and helped the pitching staff log a shutout against the Phillies.

C Jose Lobaton got a rare start Monday and came through with two hits. He also was behind the plate for Max Scherzer, who improved to 3-0 against the Atlanta Braves this season.

C Jose Lobaton caught for the second night in a row. That gave C Wilson Ramos a rare two straight nights off. Lobaton was 0-for-3 and is hitting .192.

C Jose Lobaton worked out with the Nationals on Friday, but the team had already decided to wait until at least Saturday before activating him from the disabled list. He has been sidelined since July 20 because of left elbow tendinitis.