WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on baseball's All-Star Game (all times local):7:20 p.m.Some Cubs fans — and gamblers — are claiming on social media that Bryce Harper "cheated" during the Home Run Derby to beat Chicago's Kyle Schwarber.Harper hit 19 homers in the final round of Monday night's competition at Nationals Park to beat Schwarber by one. Hitting in front his hometown fans with his father pitching, Harper appeared to be running out of time to catch the Cubs slugger before he hit nine homers in his final 10 swings to tie him. Because he hit two homers over 440 feet in the round, Harper earned 30 seconds of extra time that he used to hit the decisive long ball.The competition rules state that the pitcher has to wait until the previous ball has landed before throwing another one. Video from the event shows Harper's father, Ron, apparently breaking that rule. Umpires on the field did not intervene.But that didn't stop Cubs fans from complaining that Harper cheated or that the event was... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Major League Baseball wants a broad discussion with players about rule changes to combat decreased offense and longer games, an initiative likely to be met by a testy union stung by declining free-agent prices and already raising the possibility of a work stoppage after the 2021 season.Commissioner Rob Manfred and players' association head Tony Clark outlined their differing agendas during separate sessions with the Baseball Writers' Association of America before Tuesday night's All-Star Game."There is a growing consensus or maybe even better an existing consensus among ownership that we need to have a really serious conversation about making some changes to the way the game is being played," Manfred said. "We are not at the point where I can articulate for you what particular rule changes might get serious consideration. I can tell you the issues that concern people: I think that the period of time between putting balls in play, the number of strikeouts, to a lesser extent... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sean Doolittle was just trying to snuff the fires of a Twitter fight between his Oakland Athletics and the band Smash Mouth.Members of the band from the Bay Area called the A's a joke for trading Coco Crisp in 2016, and a heated argument ensued that the then-Oakland reliever got in the middle of."I was trying to calm the situation down by tweeting sentences using titles of their songs," Doolittle said. "It didn't really work. They were at each other's throats."After tweeting : "Hey hey guys cmon. Why Can't We Be Friends? last year was rough but I'm A Believer," Doolittle figured what's the use in trying. But he picked up support from lead singer Steve Harwell and bass player Paul De Lisle strong enough that Doolittle and his wife developed an online connection with Smash Mouth over the past two years."Sean chimed in something positive and supportive," Harwell said.Yep, what a concept. Since then, Smash Mouth has had a role in Doolittle and wife Eireann Dolan getting engaged,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on baseball's All-Star Game (all times local):6:30 p.m.Severe thunderstorms that blew through Washington in the afternoon soaked the field at Nationals Park, but players hope the conditions are safe and playable for the All-Star Game.The rain stopped in time for the NL and AL to take abbreviated batting practice"You have to deal with elements," NL starter Max Scherzer of the host Nationals said. "You have to pitch when it's cold, you have to pitch when it's hot, when it's windy, when it's rainy. This is just another element of baseball that a pitcher just has to deal with."With the storms over, there was not much concern about delaying or postponing the game as much as how the water on the field could affect play. Nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport took more than 2 inches of rain, and there was standing water in the NL dugout."Hopefully it's dry and everybody's safe and nobody gets injury," Mariners designated hitter Nelson Cruz said. "That's the... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on baseball's All-Star Game (all times local):6:30 p.m.Severe thunderstorms that blew through Washington in the afternoon soaked the field at Nationals Park, but players hope the conditions are safe and playable for the All-Star Game.The rain stopped in time for the NL and AL to take abbreviated batting practice"You have to deal with elements," NL starter Max Scherzer of the host Nationals said. "You have to pitch when it's cold, you have to pitch when it's hot, when it's windy, when it's rainy. This is just another element of baseball that a pitcher just has to deal with."With the storms over, there was not much concern about delaying or postponing the game as much as how the water on the field could affect play. Nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport took more than 2 inches of rain, and there was standing water in the NL dugout."Hopefully it's dry and everybody's safe and nobody gets injury," Mariners designated hitter Nelson Cruz said. "That's the... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on baseball's All-Star Game (all times local):6 p.m.If Manny Machado is heading to Los Angeles, the Dodgers would be thrilled to have him.USA Today reported Tuesday that the Orioles were expected to trade their All-Star shortstop to the Dodgers on Wednesday, barring a last-minute snag. Machado says he hasn't heard anything from his agent and he refused to answer a hypothetical question about going to the Dodgers.Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling says: "Things are getting serious now. That's the kind of bat and the kind of player that you want in your lineup."Stripling says it's good to be on a team that's buying instead of selling at the trade deadline. He also credited the Dodgers for making midseason moves while hanging onto big league-ready prospects.Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp says he's good friends with Machado but hasn't heard anything. He says Machado would bring excitement to LA.___5:20 p.m.Cubs pitcher Jon Lester and Reds first baseman Joey Votto... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on baseball's All-Star Game (all times local):5:20 p.m.Cubs pitcher Jon Lester and Reds first baseman Joey Votto believe this offseason will be a test of whether last year's free agent situation was a one-off or cause for concern.Tony Clark, the head of the baseball players' union, said earlier Tuesday he'd like to talk to the league about free agency after so many players were left unsigned for months last winter.Lester said that with the free agent class that could be available — including Bryce Harper and Manny Machado — if the same situation occurs, it would present a problem.With Clark broaching the possibility of a 2021 labor struggle, Votto told The Associated Press that previous generations of players set up the current tug of war between the sides, which he thinks is healthy for the game.___5:05 p.m.With trade rumors swirling, Manny Machado made a fashion statement as he arrived at Nationals Park for the All-Star Game.Machado wore a gray double-breasted... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — By the time Bryce Harper gets to the plate at the All-Star Game, Max Scherzer could already be done.Harper is batting sixth in his fifth All-Star start, the lowest he has been in the National League lineup since the No. 9 spot in 2013. Scherzer getting the start against Boston's Chris Sale is no surprise as the hometown ace, but Harper faces a much different dynamic knowing this could be the final time he's honored on a big stage by Nationals fans when he trots out to center field on Tuesday night.In a contract year that could be his last with Washington, Harper is hitting .214 with a .365 on-base percentage, .468 slugging percentage, 23 home runs and 54 RBIs. That batting average is 60 points lower than the next-closest NL All-Star hitter, while his HR total is one shy of the league lead."I look up there and see my average as well, and I look up there and go, 'Aw man, well that sucks,'" Harper said Monday. "But I look over a little bit to the right side of that and see... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game (all times local):10:28 p.m.Bryce Harper has won the Home Run Derby in his home ballpark, providing another memory to Nationals fans in what could be his final season in Washington.Harper gave an uppercut fist pump after matching Kyle Schwarber's 18 homers in the championship round on the final swing of his allotted 4 minutes. Because he hit two homers over 440 feet, Harper got 30 seconds of extra time. He launched the winning blast on his second extra swing, holding his bat over his head and walking down the first-base line as it cleared the center-field fence.The 2015 NL MVP has had an uneven season and the Nationals are stuck at .500 after making four playoff appearances in the previous six years.The Chicago Cubs' Schwarber hit the most home runs in the derby with 55 through three rounds. But Harper was the only player to get the crowd roaring.___10:08 p.m.Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have advanced to the finals of the Home Run Derby... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game (all times local):9:20 p.m.Bryce Harper has advanced at the Home Run Derby with a showy display of power at his home stadium.Wearing a District of Columbia flag bandanna on his forehead, Harper hit 13 homers at Nationals Park to eliminate Freddie Freeman in the first round of the competition the night before the All-Star Game. He hit six homers measured at more than 440 feet, the most of any competitor.Rhys Hoskins, Kyle Schwarber and Max Muncy also moved on to the second round.Hoskins hit 17 homers to eliminate Jesus Aguilar. Schwarber hit 16 to edge Alex Bregman by one, and Max Muncy knocked out Javier Baez, walking out of the batter's box on his 17th homer with about 30 seconds left on the 4-minute clock.Hoskins, Schwarber and Muncy are the three derby participants who were not named All-Stars.___8:55 p.m.The son of former major league pitcher Bobby Witt has won a competition for high-schoolers during the Home Run Derby.Bobby Witt Jr.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game (all times local):8:55 p.m.The son of former major league pitcher Bobby Witt has won a competition for high-schoolers during the Home Run Derby.Bobby Witt Jr. hit eight homers in 90 seconds at Nationals Park to beat Rece Hinds by one.Witt's dad pitched for seven teams in 16 seasons, winning 142 games. He spent most of his career with the Texas Rangers and was never an All-Star.The younger Witt has committed to play college baseball at Oklahoma.Hinds has committed to LSU. He hit a 485-foot homer to the concourse behind the left-field bleachers, a longer blast than any of the four major leaguers who preceded him in the derby.___5 p.m.Dark clouds have rolled over Nationals Park on a hot and humid afternoon, and the grounds crew is poised to cover the field with a tarp as storms threaten the All-Star Game festivities.Forecasts called for isolated storms in the Washington area in the hours leading up to Monday night's Home Run Derby.Thunderstorms... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — By the time Bryce Harper gets to the plate at the All-Star Game, Max Scherzer could already be out of the game.Harper is batting sixth in his fifth All-Star start, the lowest he has been in the National League lineup since the No. 9 spot in 2013. Scherzer getting the start against Boston's Chris Sale is no surprise as the hometown ace, but Harper faces a much different dynamic knowing this could be the final time he's honored on a big stage by Nationals fans when he trots out to center field on Tuesday night.In a contract year that could be his last with Washington, Harper is hitting .214 with a .365 on-base percentage, .468 slugging percentage, 23 home runs and 54 RBIs. That batting average is 60 points lower than the next-closest NL All-Star hitter, while his HR total is one shy of the league lead."I look up there and see my average as well, and I look up there and go, 'Aw man, well that sucks,'" Harper said Monday, hours before taking part in the Home Run Derby. "But... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — By the time Bryce Harper gets to the plate at the All-Star Game, Max Scherzer could already be out of the game.Harper is batting sixth in his fifth All-Star start, the lowest he has been in the National League lineup since the No. 9 spot in 2013. Scherzer getting the start against Boston's Chris Sale is no surprise as the hometown ace, but Harper faces a much different dynamic knowing this could be the final time he's honored on a big stage by Nationals fans when he trots out to center field on Tuesday night.In a contract year that could be his last with Washington, Harper is hitting .214 with a .365 on-base percentage, .468 slugging percentage, 23 home runs and 54 RBIs. That batting average is 60 points lower than the next-closest NL All-Star hitter, while his HR total is one shy of the league lead."I look up there and see my average as well, and I look up there and go, 'Aw man, well that sucks,'" Harper said Monday, hours before taking part in the Home Run Derby. "But... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — David Ortiz can now laugh, sort of, at the shifting culture of baseball. For Mike Trout, Nolan Arenado, Bryce Harper and most every other All-Star hitter, dealing with different defensive alignments is just part of the game.Tune in Tuesday night and there's no telling where fans will see fielders at Nationals Park. Especially in what's become merely an exhibition — why not try a five-man outfield?Count Joey Votto among the boppers who'd love to do away with infielders clustered on the grass."From someone who's really been dinged by the shift, I would welcome it," the Cincinnati first baseman said Monday. "Once they started shifting more without question, I adjusted my approach and you have to or else you get burned by it because .290 turns into .250 turns into .220 like nothing."But the career .312 hitter can see why Major League Baseball might want to avoid delving into rules to define defensive positions."I like the idea of a dynamic ballplayer. It's really hard to shift... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — By the time Bryce Harper gets to the plate at the All-Star Game, Max Scherzer could already be out of the game.Harper is batting sixth in his fifth All-Star start, the lowest he has been in the National League lineup since the No. 9 spot in 2013. Scherzer getting the start against Boston's Chris Sale is no surprise as the hometown ace, but Harper faces a much different dynamic knowing this could be the final time he's honored on a big stage by Nationals fans when he trots out to center field on Tuesday night.In a contract year that could be his last with Washington, Harper is hitting .214 with a .365 on-base percentage, .468 slugging percentage, 23 home runs and 54 RBIs. That batting average is 60 points lower than the next-closest NL All-Star hitter, while his HR total is one shy of the league lead."I look up there and see my average as well, and I look up there and go, 'Aw man, well that sucks,'" Harper said Monday, hours before taking part in the Home Run Derby. "But... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — David Ortiz can now laugh, sort of, at the shifting culture of baseball. For Mike Trout, Nolan Arenado, Bryce Harper and most every other All-Star hitter, dealing with different defensive alignments is just part of the game.Tune in Tuesday night and there's no telling where fans will see fielders at Nationals Park. Especially in what's become merely an exhibition — why not try a five-man outfield?Count Joey Votto among the boppers who'd love to do away with infielders clustered on the grass."From someone who's really been dinged by the shift, I would welcome it," the Cincinnati first baseman said Monday. "Once they started shifting more without question, I adjusted my approach and you have to or else you get burned by it because .290 turns into .250 turns into .220 like nothing."But the career .312 hitter can see why Major League Baseball might want to avoid delving into rules to define defensive positions."I like the idea of a dynamic ballplayer. It's really hard to shift... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game (all times local):5 p.m.Dark clouds have rolled over Nationals Park on a hot and humid afternoon, and the grounds crew is poised to cover the field with a tarp as storms threaten the All-Star Game festivities.Forecasts called for isolated storms in the Washington area in the hours leading up to Monday night's Home Run Derby.Thunderstorms are also predicted for Tuesday afternoon, but if the forecast holds, they should move out of town before the first pitch after 8 p.m.___4:15 p.m.Bryce Harper says defensive shifts are part of baseball, and there's no way for hitters to change their approach in an attempt to beat them.Harper's agent, Scott Boras, said earlier this month that his client's numbers are down this season in part because shifts hurt left-handed batters more than righties.Harper is batting .214 — 60 points lower than any other National League All-Star. His 23 homers are one short of the league lead, and he tops the NL with 78 walks.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bryce Harper will get to enjoy at least one more grand celebration as a hometown fan favorite at Nationals Park when he trots out to right field at the beginning of the All-Star Game.Harper is batting sixth in his fifth All-Star start, the lowest he has been in the National League lineup since the No. 9 spot in 2013. In a contract year that could be his last with Washington, Harper is hitting .214 with a .365 on-base percentage, .468 slugging percentage, 23 home runs and 54 RBIs.His .214 batting average is 60 points lower than the next-closest NL All-Star hitter, while his 23 home runs are one shy of the overall league lead."I look up there and see my average as well, and I look up there and go, 'Aw man, well that sucks,'" Harper said Monday, hours before taking part in the Home Run Derby. "But I look over a little bit to the right side of that and see 23 homers and (54) RBIs and 80 walks and runs scored and stuff like that. I don't know."Should I be hitting .300 or .280?... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game (all times local):4:15 p.m.Bryce Harper says defensive shifts are part of baseball, and there's no way for hitters to change their approach in an attempt to beat them.Harper's agent, Scott Boras, said earlier this month that his client's numbers are down this season in part because shifts hurt left-handed batters more than righties.Harper is batting .214 — 60 points lower than any other National League All-Star. His 23 homers are one short of the league lead, and he tops the NL with 78 walks. The 2015 MVP becomes a free agent at the end of the season.Asked Tuesday how he can beat the shift, Harper said: "You can't. If you hit a ball in the hole, then you're out. If you hit a ball up the middle, you're out."He says one way to exploit a shift is to bunt, "but you don't get paid to bunt. If you hit it over all of them, that's how you beat it."___3:15 p.m.Jacob deGrom says he'd love to play his entire career with the New York Mets, but he's... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game (all times local):3:15 p.m.Jacob deGrom says he'd love to play his entire career with the New York Mets, but he's not disputing comments by his agent that the team should either sign him to a long-term deal or trade him now.The All-Star right-hander said Monday that his future with the team "is kind of in the Mets' control and kind of out of mine." He says he has not talked numbers with the Mets on a long-term contract but would be open to those discussions.DeGrom's agent, Brodie van Wagenen, told Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and The Athletic that if the Mets aren't interested in a long-term deal, "we believe their best course of action is to seriously consider trade opportunities now." Van Wagenen added that continuing the status quo "could complicate Jacob's relationship with the club."DeGrom would be eligible for free agency after the 2020 season, when he'll be 32.___2:50 p.m.The AL and NL All-Star managers have revealed the pitchers they'll... [More]