WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched eight strong innings to become the first 10-game winner in the majors this season, striking out 13 in the Washington Nationals' 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.Scherzer (10-1) won his ninth consecutive decision while scattering five hits and did not allow a runner past second base until pinch hitter Brad Miller's two-out double in the eighth.Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 opportunities.Scherzer struck out Johnny Field, Christian Arroyo and Daniel Robertson on a combined nine pitches in the sixth inning. It was the third nine pitch/three strikeout inning in Nationals history and the first since Scherzer did it against Philadelphia on May 14, 2017.Tampa Bay starter Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) gave up four runs in five innings in his second start back from Tommy John surgery.RED SOX 6, TIGERS 0BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 20th home run, Steven Wright pitched seven sharp innings in his first start of the season... [More]

ANAHEIM, California (AP) — Didi Gregorius hit a solo homer in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees won their seventh straight by beating the Los Angeles Angles 4-3 on Friday night after two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani left with an ankle injury.Gregorius hit a fastball from Blake Parker (0-1) out to right, delighting a big contingent of Yankees fans at Angel Stadium. It was Gregorius' 10th homer of the season but just his first on the road, although he still took a curtain call.Ohtani homered on an inside fastball in the second inning but left after trying to beat out a groundball in the fifth. He awkwardly avoided a possible collision with Yankees first baseman Neil Walker on the play. He's listed as day to day with a mild left ankle sprain.David Robertson (1-1) pitched the ninth and Aroldis Chapman closed out the 10th for his fifth save.ATHLETICS 8, ASTROS 1HOUSTON (AP) — Sean Manaea followed up his no-hitter with seven solid innings, three Athletics homered and Oakland beat the Houston... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Sean Manaea followed up his no-hitter with seven solid innings, three Athletics homered and Oakland beat the Houston Astros 8-1 on Friday night for its fifth win in six games.Manaea (4-2) no-hit Boston last Saturday and didn't allow a hit Friday until the fourth inning. He gave up one unearned run and four hits.Dallas Keuchel (1-4) retired his first 13 batters before Matt Chapman's one-out homer in the fifth. Chad Pinder added a two-run homer in the sixth off Keuchel, who allowed a season-high six runs and seven hits in seven innings.INDIANS 6, MARINERS 5CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Kluber (4-1) struck out 10 in 8 2/3 innings and Cleveland hit hit five solo home runs, including three in the first inning.Kluber left with a 6-2 lead after Kyle Seager's two-out single in the ninth, the Mariners' fourth hit. Cody Allen gave up Mitch Haniger's single and Mike Zunino's three-run homer, then retired Ben Gamel on a lineout to shortstop Francisco Lindor.Lindor, Michael Brantley and Edwin... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Pitcher Tyler Duffey has been brought up from the minor leagues by the Minnesota Twins.The 27-year-old right-hander allowed three hits and a pair of unearned runs in 11 innings over four relief appearances for Triple-A Rochester this season.He is 16-16 with a 5.29 ERA in 36 starts and 56 relief appearances for the Twins over the past three seasons. He was 2-3 with a 4.94 ERA in 56 relief appearances with Minnesota last year.Duffey was recalled Tuesday and took the roster spot of right-hander Alan Busenitz, who was optioned to Rochester after allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning in the Twins' 14-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday night.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Capsules of American League Central teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Cleveland Indians2017: 102-60, first place, lost to Yankees in ALDS.Manager: Terry Francona (sixth season).He's Here: 1B-DH Yonder Alonso, LF Rajai Davis, RHP Alexi Ogando.He's Outta Here: 1B Carlos Santana, OF Jay Bruce, RHP Bryan Shaw, RHP Joe Smith, OF Austin Jackson, LHP Boone Logan.Projected Lineup: SS Francisco Lindor (.273, 33 HRs, 89 RBIs, 44 2Bs, 15 SBs, 10 errors), 2B Jason Kipnis (.232, 12 HRs, 35 RBIs in 90 games), 3B Jose Ramirez (.318, 29, 83, AL-leading 56 2Bs), DH Edwin Encarnacion (.258, 38, 107), 1B Yonder Alonso (.266, career-high 28 HRs, 67 RBIs with Athletics and Mariners), RF Lonnie Chisenhall (.288, 12, 53 in 82 games), C Roberto Perez (.207, 8, 38, club went 44-22 in his starts) or Yan Gomes (.232, 14, 56), CF Bradley Zimmer (.241, 8, 39, 18 SBs, 0 errors), LF Michael Brantley (.299, 9, 52 in 90 games) or Rajai Davis (.235, 5, 20, 29 SBs with Oakland and Boston).Rotation: RH Corey Kluber... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Tyler Kinley started spring training knowing he had a tough task to make Minnesota's roster.The 27-year-old right-handed reliever has been throwing hard to try to fulfill his goal of making the major leagues, and that happens to be his greatest asset.Because Kinley was selected from Miami in the winter meeting draft, he must be offered back to the Marlins if the Twins don't keep him in the majors."I really try not to think about it. I try to just think about preparing myself the best I can and trying to go out and execute that plan," Kinley said. "Just to establish myself as a reliable bullpen arm, not only to the coaching staff and front office's eyes, but to the players as well. Gain everyone's trust and gain everyone's respect."The radar gun can accomplish some of that. He consistently touches the upper 90s mph, presenting the type of power arm the Twins have long been in short supply of in their bullpen.Selected by the Marlins in the 16th round of the 2013 amateur... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — With the recent additions of Lance Lynn and Jake Odorizzi to Minnesota's rotation, Kyle Gibson has found himself bumped to the back of the group.That's no slight to the slender 30-year-old right-hander. Even when Ervin Santana returns from finger surgery in late April or early May and Gibson likely becomes the fifth starter, he's still happy to be a contributor to a contending club and proud of the depth the Twins have suddenly built up after several lean seasons of starting pitching."Having that kind of consistency day in and day out can make it really difficult on other teams," Gibson said. "I've always thought that it is harder to keep the other team from scoring runs than it is scoring runs yourself. With the staff we have here now, hopefully we can keep a lot of runs off the board and let our offense do the rest."Gibson had a 5.07 ERA in both 2016 and 2017, when he was sent to Triple-A for two separate stints. He went 6-2 with a 3.55 ERA over his last 11 starts... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — The unusually slow free-agent market took Lance Lynn's wait to find a team through the winter and well into spring training.The offer he settled on from the Minnesota Twins also came with the expectation of pennant race and perhaps postseason pitching."I wanted to go somewhere where they had a chance to win no matter what," Lynn said on Tuesday at his introductory news conference. "It seemed like the perfect fit, and I look forward to doing what I have to do, which is take the ball when it is my turn."Lynn agreed to a $12 million, one-year contract that includes bonuses of $1 million each for 170 and 180 innings. He was given a turn right away and struck out five batters in three hitless innings of an exhibition against Baltimore. He walked one."Other than that, everything went about as smooth as it possibly could," Lynn said. "Get ready for the next and kind of keep the buildup for opening day."Twins manager Paul Molitor said Lynn will make another start on Sunday."We're... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — The unusually slow free-agent market took Lance Lynn's wait to find a team through the winter and well into spring training.The offer he settled on from the Minnesota Twins also came with the expectation of pennant race and perhaps postseason pitching."I wanted to go somewhere where they had a chance to win no matter what," Lynn said on Tuesday at his introductory news conference. "It seemed like the perfect fit, and I look forward to doing what I have to do, which is take the ball when it is my turn."Lynn agreed to a $12 million, one-year contract that includes bonuses of $1 million each for 170 and 180 innings. He was given a turn right away and struck out five batters in three hitless innings of an exhibition against Baltimore. He walked just one.The Twins are banking on more performances like that when the wins and losses actually count, stretched out over a full game."When you talk about a competitor and the makeup every time he takes the mound, this is somebody... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Patiently monitoring baseball's slow-moving market, the Minnesota Twins made several significant improvements to the team that made a surprise run last season to the AL wild card game.Right-hander Lance Lynn became the latest addition when the Twins finalized a $12 million, one-year contract on Monday, another low-risk move to strengthen a pitching staff that ranked 19th in the major leagues last year with a 4.59 ERA."I think there was at least, my take on it, a real interest of the player to make this a marriage and I think that helped our cause," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.Lynn, who joined his new teammates on the field for an afternoon workout in Fort Myers, will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday before taking the mound for an exhibition against Baltimore.Molitor thinks there's a chance that Lynn could be ready to pitch the first time through the regular-season rotation."I told him this is different circumstances, if you're not ready to throw 100 pitches... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Patiently monitoring baseball's slow-moving market, the Minnesota Twins made several significant improvements to the team that made a surprise run last season to the AL wild card game.Right-hander Lance Lynn became the latest addition when the Twins finalized a $12 million, one-year contract on Monday, another low-risk move to strengthen a pitching staff that ranked 19th in the major leagues last year with a 4.59 ERA."I think there was at least, my take on it, a real interest of the player to make this a marriage and I think that helped our cause," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.Lynn, who joined his new teammates on the field for an afternoon workout in Fort Myers, will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday before taking the mound for an exhibition against Baltimore.Molitor thinks there's a chance that Lynn could be ready to pitch the first time through the regular-season rotation."I told him this is different circumstances, if you're not ready to throw 100 pitches... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — By patiently monitoring baseball's slow-moving market this winter, the Minnesota Twins have made several significant improvements to the team that made a surprise run last season to the AL wild card game.The Twins finalized a $12 million, one-year contract on Monday with right-hander Lance Lynn, another low-risk move toward strengthening their pitching staff that ranked 19th in the major leagues in 2017 with a 4.59 ERA.Lynn, who joined his new teammates on the field for an afternoon workout in Fort Myers, Florida, will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday before taking the mound for an exhibition against Baltimore.After missing the 2016 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Lynn went 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA in 33 starts for St. Louis in 2017 last year. The 6-foot-5, 280-pound Lynn was an All-Star in 2012, his first full season in the majors. He was the 39th overall draft pick in 2008 by the Cardinals out of Mississippi.With the Twins, Lynn will join fellow... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — The Minnesota Twins signed Fernando Rodney to be their closer, bringing his 300 career saves to a bullpen that's needed a boost for several seasons.In an age when ninth-inning use isn't necessarily for a team's best reliever anymore, Addison Reed might have been the more valuable addition."There's no question he wants to find his way into the biggest situations of the game that lead you to your closer," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "He knows it might not always be the eighth inning. He's more than open to do it. He's got a nice resume which includes a fair amount of saves, and he's more than capable, but to hear him talk about how important those things are to him is more than refreshing."The last four World Series participants, starting with defending champion Houston last fall, have provided a prime-time snapshot of the importance of having multiple hard throwers capable of commanding high-leverage situations once the starting pitcher is removed. That can start... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — On the first day of spring training for the Minnesota Twins, it was difficult to watch the drills on the field without thinking about the potential starting pitchers who weren't there.Twins pitchers and catchers held their first official workout on Wednesday, but there's room for more."It's not hard to see, even if you're not trying, that we have a need, rotation-wise, where we will have to fill some spots," manager Paul Molitor said.The Twins in 2017 became the first team in major league history to reach the postseason after losing 100 or more games the year before. Molitor is the AL Manager of the Year award holder, entering his fourth season. There's a strong nucleus of drafted-and-developed players who are entering their peak years.The glaring omission, however, is a front-line starting pitcher or two to lead a rotation that was improved last season but still ranked just 19th in MLB with a collective 4.73 ERA. The tenuous depth was thinned further when Ervin... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The turnaround for Minnesota last year was sharp, with 26 more wins than the miserable 2016 season on a march to the AL wild card game.This year, the Twins are in position to actually measure progress by postseason advancement. The entire starting lineup stayed intact, with five core players age 25 and under, and the bullpen was given a big boost with three free agent additions .For the first time in seven years, the previous appearance in the playoffs, Minnesota is a desired destination."I feel like this team is on the edge of being really good for a while," said left-hander Zach Duke, who joined right-handers Fernando Rodney and Addison Reed as veteran relievers who signed this winter. "Maybe a pitcher or two away, and it's there. It's a very exciting thing."The pitcher or two could still materialize, with Yu Darvish at the top of the list of unsigned logjam of free agents around the game. The Twins, who hold their first official workout for pitchers and catchers on... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American League Central 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:___Cleveland IndiansManager: Terry Francona (sixth season).2017: 102-60, first place, lost to New York Yankees in ALDS.Training Town: Goodyear, Arizona.Park: Goodyear Ballpark.First Workout: Feb. 15/19.He's Here: 1B-DH Yonder Alonso, OF Melvin Upton Jr., RHP Alexi Ogando.He's Outta Here: 1B Carlos Santana, OF Jay Bruce, RHP Bryan Shaw, RHP Joe Smith, OF Austin Jackson, LHP Boone Logan.Going campin': Poised to possibly end their 70-year-old World Series title drought, the Indians, who reeled off 22 straight victories in 2017, didn't even make it back to the AL Championship Series after squandering a 2-0 playoff lead against the Yankees. Unlike last winter, when the club signed DH Edwin Encarnacion in free agency, the Indians were relatively quiet, counting on their core to carry them in... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — While baseball's offseason crawls along waiting for a logjam of free agents to clear, Minnesota Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey remains fluid in trying to improve the team's pitching staff.Waiting out decisions by the top starters on the market, Falvey turned his sights to the bullpen, where Minnesota was tied for 20th in the majors in relief ERA (4.40) last season while making its surprise run to the American League wild-card game.As one of the more active teams in free agency, the Twins signed three relievers for a total of $23.4 million guaranteed in closer Fernando Rodney, left-hander Zach Duke and right-hander Addison Reed over the past month."You don't know, really, where things are going to go sometimes," Falvey said Friday as Minnesota began its annual fan festival at Target Field, with Rodney and Duke in attendance. "So, the way we looked at it was, let's find a way to augment our pitching. Ultimately, that could come in the starting rotation, that... [More]

The Minnesota Twins named left-hander Adalberto Mejia as their fifth starting pitcher on Thursday.Mejia bested Tyler Duffey in the bid for the Twins' final rotation spot by compiling a 1.88 ERA and striking out 14 in 14 1/3 innings this spring.The 23-year-old Mejia will join right-handers Ervin Santana, Phil Hughes and Kyle Gibson as well as left-hander Hector Santiago in the rotation.Mejia allowed two runs on five hits in 2 1/3 innings in his lone major league appearance last season.Duffey is expected to be part of Minnesota's eight-man bullpen.

RHP Tyler Duffey lasted just two-plus innings in Friday's 7-3 loss to the White Sox. Duffey surrendered five earned runs on six hits and walked one while striking out four. It matched only the second time this season that Duffey exited the game that early after he lasted just 1 1/3 inning earlier this season against Atlanta. Duffey continued to struggle and is 2-4 with an 8.04 ERA with 30 strikeouts over his last seven starts. "It just looked like he was having trouble getting to the (catcher's) glove and basically had to rely on a couple of pitches."

RHP Tyler Duffey (9-11, 6.18 ERA) makes his 26th and final start of the season in Friday's series opener against the White Sox. He won his last start Saturday against Seattle after allowing two runs on four hits with no walks and four strikeouts over seven innings. He is 0-1 with a 4.63 ERA in two career starts against the White Sox. In his lone appearance against them this season, he took the loss on May 8 after allowing three runs in seven innings.