DENVER (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Coors Field (all times local): 9:20 p.m. Shohei Ohtani unleashed his 100 mph heat while pitching a perfect inning for the win in becoming baseball’s first two-way All-Star, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rocked Coors Field with a 468-foot home run and the American League breezed 5-2 for its eighth straight victory. Ohtani was 0 for 2 at the plate, grounding out twice as the AL's leadoff man and designated hitter. The Angels phenom pitched a 1-2-3 first inning on 14 pitches a night after competing in the Home Run Derby. Mike Zunino of the Rays also connected for the AL, which has won 20 of the last 23 All-Star Games, not including a tie in 2002. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto homered for the National League, which had just seven hits at mile-high Coors. Jared Walsh, Ohtani’s teammate on Los Angeles, got a save — with his glove. He made a sliding catch in left field on Kris Bryant’s tricky liner with the bases loaded to end the eighth... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Coors Field (all times local): 8:30 p.m. Milwaukee right-hander Freddy Peralta went 3 for 3 in the seventh inning — three batters faced and three strikeouts. Peralta and the NL trail the AL 5-2 after seven innings at the All-Star Game. Peralta struck out Adolis García on a slider, J.D. Martinez with a fastball and Matt Olson with another fastball. Rays reliever Andrew Kittredge — a last-minute replacement on the AL roster — produced three straight groundball outs in the bottom half of the inning. ___ 8:15 p.m. First-time All-Star Mike Zunino of the Tampa Bay Rays homered off Mets right-hander Taijuan Walker in his first at-bat in the sixth. The right-handed hitter crushed one to the second deck in right field to put the American League ahead 5-1. The 30-year-old Zunino has 19 home runs already this season, nearing his career high of 25. His power and defense behind the plate enabled him to be an All-Star despite a .198 batting... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Coors Field (all times local): 10:15 p.m. First-time All-Star Mike Zunino of the Tampa Bay Rays homered off Mets right-hander Taijuan Walker in his first at-bat in the sixth. The right-handed hitter crushed one to the second deck in right field to put the American League ahead 5-1. The 30-year-old Zunino has 19 home runs already this season, nearing his career high of 25. His power and defense behind the plate enabled him to be an All-Star despite a .198 batting average. Rays manager Kevin Cash, skipper for the AL team, smiled wide on the bench watching Zunino round the bases. Oakland ace Chris Bassitt got two quick outs in the bottom of the sixth before running into trouble. Manny Machado singled, advanced on an error, reached third on a walk and then scored on a passed ball to pull the NL within 5-2. 7:50 p.m. Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in another run and the American League scored twice in the fifth... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Fashion forward? Maybe more like fashion faux pas. The fans on social media weren't exactly raving about the new All-Star jerseys that were on display Tuesday night. No classic birds-on-a-bat design for the Cardinals at Coors Field, no sweet script for the Dodgers. No brown pinstripes on the shirts for the Padres, no recognizable “NY” logo prominently on the hat for the Yankees. Nowhere close. Bring back the rainbow of colors, many said, with players wearing their own team’s uniforms. That was a big part of the game's charm, they said. Brett Anderson, a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, posted on Twitter: “MLB should just let the players wear their own uniforms instead of these slow pitch softball ones.” The AL is wearing blue uniforms that remind some of jumpsuits. The NL has an all-white ensemble that has many commenting they look, well, bland. Rather than familiar logos and names, there were three-letter abbreviations on the jerseys for what team they represented. Major... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Shohei Ohtani shined as he turned the All-Star Game into his Sho-case. Featuring a 100 mph fastball, the first two-way All-Star pitched a perfect first inning for the American League on Tuesday night. He went 0 for 2 with a pair of groundouts at the plate, denied a hit by a nice defensive play leading off the game. “More people are watching baseball,” he said through a translator. “It makes me happy and it’s good for the sport.” It seemed as if the entire focus was on the Los Angeles Angels sensation as the All-Star Game returned from a one-year absence caused by a pandemic. He is the major league home run leader and one of the American League’s better pitchers. He was both the starting pitcher for the AL and its designated hitter at Coors Field. He was replaced by Lance Lynn on the mound in the second inning but under a tweak of the rules made just for him was allowed to remain as DH. He left for a pinch hitter in the fifth inning. Players in both dugouts were hanging on... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Coors Field (all times local): 7:50 p.m. Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in another run and the American League scored twice in the fifth inning to take a 4-1 lead in the All-Star Game at cavernous Coors Field. Guerrero, who hit a 468-foot solo homer in the third inning, added a run-scoring groundout to second base to make it 3-0 in the top of the fifth. Boston's Xander Bogaerts added a run-scoring single. Both runs came off Miami lefty Trevor Rogers but they were unearned because of an error on Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford. The NL got on the board in the bottom half when Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto went deep off left-hander Gregory Soto. Realmuto is the first Philadelphia player to homer in the All-Star Game since Mike Schmidt in 1981. ___ 7:30 p.m. German Márquez pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning for the NL, drawing loud cheers from Rockies fans at his home field. Rafael Devers and Marcus Semien grounded... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Shohei Ohtani became the first two-way All-Star in style, featuring a 100 mph fastball to pitch a perfect first inning against the National League after being denied a hit by a nice defensive play in his first at-bat. Ohtani, the major league home run leader and one of the American League’s better pitchers for the Los Angeles Angels, was the center of attention Tuesday night as the All-Star Game returned after a one-year absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic. He was both the starting pitcher for the AL and its designated hitter at Coors Field. He was replaced by Lance Lynn on the mound in the second inning but under a tweak of the rules made just for him was allowed to remain as DH. Players in both dugouts were hanging on the rails to watch Ohtani, who grounded out in both of his early at-bats. Washington’s Max Scherzer, just the sixth pitcher to start four All-Star Games, began Ohtani with a 95.5 mph fastball to begin the game. The left-handed batter grounded his second... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Coors Field (all times local): 7:15 p.m. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stood at home plate and admired his handiwork for an extra moment. It’s hard to blame him after crushing a slider from Corbin Burnes in the third inning that landed near the last row of seats in left field. Like father, like son as he gave the American League a 2-0 lead after three innings in the All-Star Game. His dad homered off Brad Penny in 2006. The 468-foot liner from the younger Guerrero was a no-doubter. Immediately after it was hit, shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. put his glove on his head and slowly turned around to watch the ball leave the yard. It was the longest homer at the All-Star Game since Statcast began tracking in 2015. Guerrero’s homer was No. 200 in All-Star Game history. Burnes was tagged for both runs. He also surrendered an RBI single to Marcus Semien in the second. ___ 6:55 p.m. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman joked that Yankees slugger... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Fashion forward? Maybe more like fashion faux pas. The fans on social media weren't exactly raving about the new All-Star jerseys that were on display Tuesday night. No classic birds-on-a-bat design for the Cardinals at Coors Field. No sweet script for Dodgers, no famed “NY” logo for the Yankees. Nowhere close. Bring back the rainbow of colors, many said, with players wearing their own team’s uniforms. That was a big part of the game's charm, they said. Brett Anderson, a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, posted on Twitter: “MLB should just let the players wear their own uniforms instead of these slow pitch softball ones.” The AL is wearing blue uniforms that remind some of jumpsuits. The NL has an all-white ensemble that has many commenting they look, well, bland. Rather than familiar logos and names, there were three-letter abbreviations on the jerseys for what team they represented. Major League Baseball has a billion-dollar contract with Nike, whose swoosh is displayed... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Coors Field (all times local): 6:55 p.m. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman joked that Yankees slugger Aaron Judge made him look short, then had a ball bounce right over his head. Freeman, wearing a mic for Fox's broadcast, bemoaned having to look up at the 6-foot-7 Judge when he reached first on a leadoff walk against Milwaukee's Corbin Burnes in the scond inning. Boston's Rafael Devers then skipped one right over the 6-foot-5 Freeman that went for a double. Judge scored the game's first run a batter later on Marcus Semien's infield single. Freeman said the highlight of his All-Star week was introducing his son, Charlie, to Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. Charlie Freeman had been begging his dad to make the All-Star team so he could finally meet Tatis. White Sox right-hander Lance Lynn replaced Shohei Ohtani on the mound for the AL in the bottom of the second inning. He worked around a walk to Cincinnati's Jesse Winker... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Coors Field (all times local): 8:20 p.m. American League starting pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani led off the All-Star Game with a grounder to second. The Los Angeles Angels standout hit a roller to Pittsburgh's Adam Frazier off Washington starter Max Scherzer to get things under way at Coors Field on an 84-degree night. Ohtani is the first player in major league history to make the All-Star Game as a pitcher and position player. He leads the league with 33 homers. It’s been a busy two days for the 27-year-old from Japan. Ohtani also participated in the Home Run Derby the night before, where he lost in the first round. Nolan Arenado gave a shoutout to the fans in an interview at third base before the opening pitch. Now with St. Louis, he started his career with Colorado. ___ 8:15 p.m. Major League Baseball paid tribute to the late Hank Aaron just before the start of the All-Star Game. Aaron died on Jan. 22 at... [More]

DENVER (AP) — There’s no two ways about it: Shohei Ohtani could be ushering in an era of two-way players. Hurler or hitter — why pick? He didn't. The Los Angeles pitcher/hitter phenom is starting on the mound for the American League in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night. He's also batting leadoff as the designated hitter. It's a rare double dip. Not even Babe Ruth stayed with doing both for much more than two seasons before phasing out pitching. The time may be now to update the model, although most players concede they can't envision having enough time to practice both. “It always takes one to hopefully have a trend,” said Freddie Freeman, a five-time All Star for the Atlanta Braves. “I just don’t know if anyone will do it like Shohei. That’s one of a kind.” Freeman was once a dual threat — he said he was drafted by one of two teams who viewed him as a hitter. The rest thought his future might be on the mound. He could've been like Ohtani. “My elbow would’ve blown,” cracked Freeman, who... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ THE SHO GOES ON Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game and will lead off, too, as the designated hitter in another landmark for the two-way Japanese sensation. A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani is the first two-way starter in the history of the All-Star Game, which began in 1933. Ohtani has generated huge buzz across baseball for his exploits at the plate and on the mound. He leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts. “This is what the fans want to see. It’s personally what I wanted to see,” said AL manager Kevin Cash of Tampa Bay. Ohtani struggled early in Monday's Home Run Derby but rallied to force two extra rounds against Washington's Juan Soto. Soto beat him in the second overtime, then lost himself to eventual champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets. Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will be the... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday: ___ THE SHO GOES ON Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game and will bat leadoff, too, as the designated hitter in another landmark for the two-way Japanese sensation. A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani is the first two-way starter in the history of the All-Star Game, which began in 1933. Ohtani has generated huge buzz across baseball for his exploits at the plate and on the mound. He leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts. “This is what the fans want to see. It’s personally what I wanted to see,” said AL manager Kevin Cash of Tampa Bay. Ohtani struggled early in Monday's Home Run Derby but rallied to force two extra rounds against Washington's Juan Soto. Soto beat him in the second overtime, then lost himself to eventual champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets. Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday: ___ THE SHO GOES ON Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game and will bat leadoff, too, as the designated hitter in another landmark for the two-way Japanese sensation. A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani is the first two-way starter in the history of the All-Star Game, which began in 1933. Ohtani has generated huge buzz across baseball for his exploits at the plate and on the mound. He leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts. “This is what the fans want to see. It’s personally what I wanted to see,” said AL manager Kevin Cash of Tampa Bay. Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will be the starting pitcher for the National League in the game at Coors Field. LINED UP NL manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers has San Diego shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. leading off, followed by the Dodgers’ Max Muncy at... [More]

Tuesday, July 13At Coors Field, Denverr-replacement; i-inactiveAmerican LeagueManager — Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay StartersCatcher — Salvador Perez, Kansas City First Baseman — Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Second Baseman — Marcus Semien, Toronto Shortstop — Xander Bogaerts, Boston Third Baseman — Rafael Devers, Boston Outfield — Teoscar Hernandez, Toronto Outfield — Aaron Judge, N.Y. Yankees Outfield — Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Designated Hitter — Shohei Ohtani, L.A. Angels ReservesCatchersMike Zunino, Tampa Bay InfieldersMatt Olson, Oakland i-Jose Altuve, Houston Bo Bichette, Toronto Jose Ramirez, Cleveland i-Carlos Correa, Houston Jared Walsh r-Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox r-Whit Merrifield, Kansas City r-Joey Wendle, Tampa Bay Outfieldersi-Mike Trout, L.A. Angels i-Michael Brantley, Houston Joey Gallo, Texas Adolis Garcia, Texas Designated HittersNelson Cruz, Minnesota J.D. Martinez, Boston PitchersStartersShohei Ohtani, L.A. Angels i-Shane Bieber, Cleveland Gerrit Cole, N.Y. Yankees... [More]

Tuesday, July 13At Coors Field, Denverr-replacement; i-inactiveAmerican LeagueManager — Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay StartersCatcher — Salvador Perez, Kansas City First Baseman — Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Second Baseman — Marcus Semien, Toronto Shortstop — Xander Bogaerts, Boston Third Baseman — Rafael Devers, Boston Outfield — Teoscar Hernandez, Toronto Outfield — Aaron Judge, N.Y. Yankees Outfield — Mike Trout, L.A. Angels Designated Hitter — Shohei Ohtani, L.A. Angels ReservesCatchersMike Zunino, Tampa Bay InfieldersMatt Olson, Oakland i-Jose Altuve, Houston Bo Bichette, Toronto Jose Ramirez, Cleveland i-Carlos Correa, Houston Jared Walsh r-Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox r-Whit Merrifield, Kansas City r-Joey Wendle, Tampa Bay Outfieldersi-Michael Brantley, Houston Joey Gallo, Texas Adolis Garcia, Texas Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Designated HittersNelson Cruz, Minnesota J.D. Martinez, Boston PitchersStartersi-Shane Bieber, Cleveland Gerrit Cole, N.Y. Yankees Nathan Eovaldi, Boston Kyle... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]