Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hand) has resumed swinging the bat and taking some tee work, per Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Buxton has been sidelined since the end of June with a fractured left hand but has recently begun to pick up his level of activity, playing catch last week. Manager Rocco Baldelli said that the speedy outfielder is still working on his ability to grip the bat, which seems to indicate he's still a ways away from returning. Buxton could be a strong contributor for fantasy teams down the stretch, as he was sporting a strong .369/.409/.767 slash line with a nice combo of power and speed numbers before going down due to injury.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Despite all the speculation that surrounded José Berríos this month, with the Minnesota Twins nowhere near contention and ready to reload for the future, the right-hander wasn’t ready to accept he could be traded. The news that he was heading to Toronto on Friday brought him and his wife to tears. Then came the really hard part, having to break the news to their three children that he was joining the Blue Jays in a deadline-day deal that sent two highly rated minor leaguers to the Twins. “I know that it will be hard because this year, they are bigger. They are growing up. They know more about life and also some people,” Berríos said, predicting the greatest difficulty for 7-year-old daughter Valentina. Soon-to-be-5-year-old Sebastian and 3-year-old Diego had grown fond of Minneapolis and their friends there, too. Berríos, drafted 32nd overall by the Twins in 2012, debuted with Minnesota in 2015. Though Puerto Rico was their home, he and his wife, Jannieliz, became strongly... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Despite all the speculation that surrounded José Berríos this month, with the Minnesota Twins nowhere near contention and ready to reload for the future, the right-hander wasn't ready to accept he could be traded. The news that he was heading to Toronto on Friday brought him and his wife to tears. Then came the really hard part, having to break the news to their three children that he was joining the Blue Jays in a deadline-day deal that sent two highly rated minor leaguers to the Twins. “I know that it will be hard because this year, they are bigger. They are growing up. They know more about life and also some people,” Berríos said, predicting the greatest difficulty for 7-year-old daughter Valentina. Soon-to-be-5-year-old Sebastian and 3-year-old Diego had grown fond of Minneapolis and their friends there, too. Berríos, drafted 32nd overall by the Twins in 2012, debuted with Minnesota in 2015. Though Puerto Rico was their home, he and his wife, Jannieliz, became strongly... [More]

The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly one of six or seven teams "checking in on" Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton according to a tweet from MLB Network's Jon Heyman. Buxton is still on the injured list due to a fractured left hand but could make a serious impact down the stretch for fantasy managers when he returns. The outfielder was having a breakout season before landing on the injured list, hitting .369 with a .409 on-base percentage, 10 home runs, and five stolen bases in 110 plate appearances. A trade to a better lineup would only improve things from a fantasy upside standpoint.

NEW YORK (AP) — The sons are coming out for the All-Star Game in Denver. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined his father as an All-Star and Fernando Tatis Jr. accomplished a feat his dad never achieved. Toronto's first baseman and San Diego's shortstop were among nine first-time All-Stars elected Thursday to start the July 13 game at Colorado's Coors Field. Blue Jays second baseman Marcus Semien and outfielder Teoscar Hernández also were first-time All-Stars chosen in fan voting, joined by Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, picked as the American League’s designated hitter; Boston third baseman Rafael Devers, Cincinnati outfielders Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker, and Pittsburgh second baseman Adam Frazier. Injured Angels outfielder Mike Trout was elected to start for the eighth straight time, his ninth overall selection, and Kansas City catcher Salvador Pérez was voted in for the fourth time and seventh appearance. St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado was voted to his fourth... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The sons are coming out for this year's All-Star Game in Denver. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined his father as an All-Star and Fernando Tatis Jr. accomplished a feat his dad never achieved. Toronto's first baseman and San Diego's shortstop were among nine first-time All-Stars elected Thursday to start the July 13 game at Colorado's Coors Field. Blue Jays second baseman Marcus Semien and outfielder Teoscar Hernández also were first-time All-Stars chosen in fan voting, joined by Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, picked as the American League’s designated hitter; Boston third baseman Rafael Devers, Cincinnati outfielders Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker, and Pittsburgh second baseman Adam Frazier. Injured Angels outfielder Mike Trout was elected to start for the eighth straight time, his ninth overall selection, and Kansas City catcher Salvador Pérez was voted in for the fourth time and seventh appearance. St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado was voted to his... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The glimpses of Byron Buxton's game-changing, worth-the-admission skills have grown broader over the last three years as the Minnesota Twins center fielder has blossomed with the bat to match his long-superior work with the glove. Those bursts of dominance just keep getting interrupted, though: Buxton has landed on the injured list yet again after another bout with bad luck. In his third game back after a 39-game absence to a strained right hip, Buxton was hit on the left hand by a pitch from Cincinnati's Tyler Mahle on Monday night and broke a bone in his pinky finger. The timetable for his return has not yet been set, as the Twins were still determining a treatment plan and whether surgery would help, but a month or so of recovery time appears likely. Buxton has what is referred to as a boxer’s fracture, which is fitting because he has for much of his career found himself sparring with the injury bug. “He’s beyond upset, and that’s what I would expect from him,” manager... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom pitched one-hit ball over five scoreless innings as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 Monday in a doubleheader opener. Ian Anderson (5-3) allowed three hits in 5 1/3 innings as the Braves won the nightcap 1-0 and he to became the first native New Yorker to beat the Mets and Yankees in New York in the same season. DeGrom (7-2) didn’t allow a hit in the seven-inning opener until Mets outfielders misplayed a fifth-inning fly ball into a ground-rule double. Jeff McNeil came off the injured list and singled as a pinch-hitter for deGrom during the fifth, then scored on Dominic Smith’s three-run double. Seth Lugo and Edwin Díaz finished the two-hitter, with Díaz getting his 15th save. Kyle Muller (0-1) pitched one-hit ball over four innings in his first big league start. In the second game, Ronald Acuña Jr. hit his 20th homer. Braves closer Will Smith loaded the bases in the seventh but escaped for his 14th save. PADRES 6, DODGERS 2 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Yu Darvish struck... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees turned their record-tying third triple play this season to strand the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, bailing out closer Aroldis Chapman and closing down a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. Gary Sánchez spoiled Sean Manaea’s gem with a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning, and Jonathan Loaisiga (7-2) and Lucas Luetge turned a 2-1 lead over to Chapman. Jed Lowrie and Chad Pinder walked, and Sean Murphy grounded to Gio Urshela, who stepped on third and threw to DJ LeMahieu. The second baseman relayed the ball to first to get Murphy by a step. New York also turned a triple play Thursday in Buffalo against the Blue Jays and also had one May 21 against the Chicago White Sox. Chapman’s 16th save sent Oakland to its first road series loss this season after eight wins and a split. BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 4 BALTIMORE (AP) — Reese McGuire had three doubles during a four-hit performance. Hyun Jin Ryu (6-4) gave up one run and three hits in seven... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees turned their record-tying third triple play this season to strand the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, bailing out closer Aroldis Chapman and closing down a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. Gary Sánchez spoiled Sean Manaea’s gem with a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning, and Jonathan Loaisiga (7-2) and Lucas Luetge turned a 2-1 lead over to Chapman. Jed Lowrie and Chad Pinder walked, and Sean Murphy grounded to Gio Urshela, who stepped on third and threw to DJ LeMahieu. The second baseman relayed the ball to first to get Murphy by a step. New York also turned a triple play Thursday in Buffalo against the Blue Jays and also had one May 21 against the Chicago White Sox. Chapman’s 16th save sent Oakland to its first road series loss this season after eight wins and a split. BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 4 BALTIMORE (AP) — Reese McGuire had three doubles during a four-hit performance. Hyun Jin Ryu (6-4) gave up one run and three hits in seven... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees turned their record-tying third triple play this season to strand the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, bailing out closer Aroldis Chapman and closing down a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. Gary Sánchez spoiled Sean Manaea’s gem with a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning, and Jonathan Loaisiga (7-2) and Lucas Luetge turned a 2-1 lead over to Chapman. Jed Lowrie and Chad Pinder walked, and Sean Murphy grounded to Gio Urshela, who stepped on third and threw to DJ LeMahieu. The second baseman relayed the ball to first to get Murphy by a step. New York also turned a triple play Thursday in Buffalo against the Blue Jays and also had one May 21 against the Chicago White Sox. Chapman’s 16th save sent Oakland to its first road series loss this season after eight wins and a split. BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 4 BALTIMORE (AP) — Reese McGuire had three doubles during a four-hit performance. Hyun Jin Ryu (6-4) gave up one run and three hits in seven... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ FLYING FISH Miami's Adam Duvall has been wrecking the Cubs at Wrigley Field this weekend, hitting two homers in consecutive games. He hit a grand slam and a two-run drive in Friday's 10-2 romp, then hit two-run shots in the first and third innings against Jake Arrieta in an 11-1 victory Saturday. Duvall joined Derrek Lee in 2002 and Giancarlo Stanton in 2016 as the only Marlins with back-to-back multi-homer games. The Marlins have outscored the NL Central leaders 21-3 through the first two games and put themselves in position to sweep their first series since winning both wild-card games against Chicago last fall. BUX IS BACK Byron Buxton returned to the Twins on Saturday and picked up where he left off with a fourth-inning single. The 2017 Gold Glove center fielder had been out since May 6 with a strained right hip, interrupting a breakout season that was generating early MVP chatter. Buxton is hitting .365 with nine homers. Despite... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Sunday: ___ FLYING FISH Miami's Adam Duvall has been wrecking the Cubs at Wrigley Field this weekend, hitting two homers in consecutive games. He hit a grand slam and a two-run drive in Friday's 10-2 romp, then hit two-run shots in the first and third innings against Jake Arrieta in an 11-1 victory Saturday. Duvall joined Derrek Lee in 2002 and Giancarlo Stanton in 2016 as the only Marlins with back-to-back multi-homer games. The Marlins have outscored the NL Central leaders 21-3 through the first two games and put themselves in position to sweep their first series since winning both wild-card games against Chicago last fall. BUX IS BACK Byron Buxton returned to the Twins on Saturday and picked up where he left off with a fourth-inning single. The 2017 Gold Glove center fielder had been out since May 6 with a strained right hip, interrupting a breakout season that was generating early MVP chatter. Buxton is hitting .365 with nine homers. Despite... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton was activated from the 10-day injured list for Saturday's game at the Texas Rangers after being sidelined since May 6 with a right hip strain. Buxton played in three games on a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul, going 5 of 9 with a double, triple, two home runs and seven RBIs. Buxtonil hasn't played since the finale of a four-game series against the Rangers. Buxton was hitting .370, second in the major leagues, at the time of the injury. He was leading MLB with a .772 slugging percentage. The Twins optioned utility man Willians Astudillo to St. Paul. He hit .254 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 41 games. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Minnesota Twins placed pitcher Kenta Maeda on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a right adductor strain. Maeda was pulled before the sixth inning Saturday against Cleveland. The right-hander allowed three runs and three hits in five innings while striking out six. Maeda was bothered by the injury in previous starts, so the Twins decided to shut him down. “It’s definitely something that’s the right move,” manager Rocco Baldelli said before Sunday’s game. “It’s going to give him the opportunity to get strong. His stuff has been down most likely related to what he’s dealing with.” Maeda is 2-2 with a 5.27 ERA in nine starts. Infielder Nick Gordon was called up from Triple-A St. Paul. Maeda joins an extensive list of injured players for the Twins, who are last in the AL Central. Designated hitter Nelson Cruz was out of the lineup again after being hit on the left wrist by a pitch Thursday. Infielder Jorge Polanco (ankle) remains sidelined and outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) is on the injured list. Second baseman Luis Arraez was in Sunday’s lineup after injuring his right shoulder sliding into second base Saturday. He remained in the game and was cleared to play after arriving at the ballpark Sunday. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ BAD LUCK BUX Byron Buxton’s breakout season has been put on pause — a disappointing turn for the Minnesota Twins’ oft-injured center fielder. Buxton was added to the 10-day injured list Friday with a strained right hip. The 27-year-old is hitting .370 with nine homers and five stolen bases and led the majors with 2.4 wins above replacement (per FanGraphs) before Friday's games — a hair ahead of Angels star Mike Trout. A Platinum Glove winner as the AL's best defender at any position in 2017, Buxton has played more than 100 games just once in his big league career. Outfield prospect Trevor Larnach was called up from Triple-A. VOTTO OUT Reds first baseman Joey Votto could be sidelined for a month with a broken left thumb. Votto was added to the 10-day injured list Friday after being struck on the thumb with a pitch by Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel on Wednesday. Votto is not expected to need surgery, but the team expects him to be out at least... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday: ___ BAD LUCK BUX Byron Buxton’s breakout season has been put on pause — a disappointing turn for the Minnesota Twins’ oft-injured center fielder. Buxton was added to the 10-day injured list Friday with a strained right hip. The 27-year-old is hitting .370 with nine homers and five stolen bases and led the majors with 2.4 wins above replacement (per FanGraphs) before Friday's games — a hair ahead of Angels star Mike Trout. A Platinum Glove winner as the AL's best defender at any position in 2017, Buxton has played more than 100 games just once in his big league career. Outfield prospect Trevor Larnach was called up from Triple-A. VOTTO OUT Reds first baseman Joey Votto could be sidelined for a month with a broken left thumb. Votto was added to the 10-day injured list Friday after being struck on the thumb with a pitch by Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel on Wednesday. Votto is not expected to need surgery, but the team expects him to be out at... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Outfielder Byron Buxton was put on the 10-day injured list by the Minnesota Twins with a strained right hip. The Twins also announced before Friday's game at Detroit that they have selected the contract of outfielder Trevor Larnach from Triple-A St. Paul. The injury interrupts a stellar start for the 27-year-old Buxton, who is hitting .370 with nine home runs and five stolen bases. Buxton has played over 100 games just once in his big league career. Larnach could make his big league debut. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, the Twins designated left-hander Brandon Waddell for assignment. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. CARDINALS 5, PHILLIES 3 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run, helping Philadelphia beat St. Louis after Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a pitch. Harper left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit in his left cheek on a 96.9 mph fastball from left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera (0-1). Cabrera hit the next batter,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. CARDINALS 5, PHILLIES 3 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run, helping Philadelphia beat St. Louis after Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a pitch. Harper left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit in his left cheek on a 96.9 mph fastball from left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera (0-1). Cabrera hit the next batter,... [More]