NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets defeated third baseman and outfielder J.D. Davis, the Baltimore Orioles beat outfielder Anthony Santander and first baseman Ji-Man Choi defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in the first three of 13 scheduled salary arbitration cases this month. Davis receives a raise from $592,463 to $2.1 million rather than his $2,475,000 request. The decision by Gil Vernon, Mark Burstein and Jeanne Vonhof was announced Friday, three days after they heard the case. Because of the pandemic, hearings are being conducted by Zoom for the first time rather than in person. Davis, 27, hit .247 with six homers and 19 RBIs during the pandemic-shortened season. Santander gets a raise from $572,500 to $2.1 million rather than his $2,475,000 request, the same figures exchanged by Davis and the Mets. Santander’s case was heard Wednesday by arbitrators Melinda Gordon, Richard Bloch and Frederic Horowitz. Santander, 26, hit .261 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs in the pandemic-shortened season. He... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets defeated third baseman and outfielder J.D. Davis, and the Baltimore Orioles beat outfielder Anthony Santander in the first two of 13 scheduled salary arbitration cases this month. Davis will receive a raise from $592,463 to $2.1 million rather than his $2,475,000 request. The decision by Gil Vernon, Mark Burstein and Jeanne Vonhof was announced Friday, three days after they heard the case. Because of the pandemic, hearings are being conducted by Zoom for the first time rather than in person. Davis, 27, hit .247 with six homers and 19 RBIs during the pandemic-shortened season. Santander gets a raise from $572,500 to $2.1 million rather than his $2,475,000 request, the same figures exchanged by Davis and the Mets. Santander’s case was heard Wednesday by arbitrators Melinda Gordon, Richard Bloch and Frederic Horowitz. Santander, 26, hit .261 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs in the pandemic-shortened season. He was eligible for arbitration for the first time. A decisions... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Mets defeated J.D. Davis in the first of 13 scheduled salary arbitration cases this month. The third baseman and outfielder will receive a raise from $592,463 to $2.1 million rather than his $2,475,000 request. The decision by Gil Vernon, Mark Burstein and Jeanne Vonhof was announced Friday, three days after they heard the case. Because of the pandemic, hearings are being conducted by Zoom for the first time rather than in person. Davis, 27, hit .247 with six homers and 19 RBIs during the pandemic-shortened season. Decisions also are pending for Baltimore outfielder Anthony Santander and Tampa Bay first baseman Ji-Man Choi. Santander asked for a raise from $572,500 to $2,475,000, and the Orioles argued for $2.1 million, the same figures that were exchanged by Davis and the Mets. Santander’s case was heard by arbitrators Melinda Gordon, Richard Bloch and Frederic Horowitz. Santander, 26, hit .261 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs in the pandemic-shortened season. He was eligible... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — J.D. Davis and the New York Mets argued the first of 13 scheduled salary arbitration cases this month. The third baseman and outfielder asked for a raise from $592,463 to $2,475,000 during Tuesday’s hearing before Gil Vernon, Mark Burstein and Jeanne Vonhof. The Mets argued for $2.1 million. Davis is eligible for arbitration for the first time. Because of the pandemic, hearings are being conducted by Zoom for the first time rather than in person. Still scheduled for hearings are Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes and pitcher Walker Buehler; Tampa Bay first baseman Ji-Man Choi and reliever Ryan Yarbrough; Houston shortstop Carlos Correa; St. Louis pitcher Jack Flaherty; Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ; Los Angeles Angeles pitcher/outfielder Shohei Ohtani; Baltimore outfielder Anthony Santander; San Francisco second baseman Donovan Solano; and Atlanta pitcher Mike Sorotka and shortstop Dansby Swanson. Teams won seven of 12 hearings last year, including six of the first... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager were among 112 players who agreed to one-year contracts Friday, leaving just 13 to swap salary arbitration figures during a slow offseason in the aftermath of the financial carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The deals came on the deadline day for eligible players and teams to exchange proposed 2021 salaries. Lindor, the star shortstop acquired last week by the New York Mets from Cleveland, got the largest of the deals at $22.3 million. The Mets hope to sign him to a long-term contract that would prevent him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Lindor says he does not want to extend talks past when he starts spring training next month. Lindor's deal is the fourth-largest one-year contract for an arbitration-eligible player, trailing Mookie Betts ($27 million with Boston last year), Nolan Arenado ($26 million with Colorado in 2019) and Josh Donaldson ($23 million with Toronto in 2018).... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager were among 112 players who agreed to one-year contracts Friday, leaving just 13 to swap salary arbitration figures during a slow offseason in the aftermath of the financial carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The deals came on the deadline day for players and teams to exchange proposed 2021 salaries. Lindor, the star shortstop acquired last week by the New York Mets from Cleveland, got the largest of the deals at $22.3 million. The Mets hope to sign him to a long-term contract that would prevent him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Lindor says he does not want to extend talks past when he starts spring training next month. Lindor's deal is the fourth-highest one-year contract for an arbitration-eligible player, trailing Mookie Betts ($27 million with Boston last year), Nolan Arenado ($26 million with Colorado in 2019) and Josh Donaldson ($23 million with Toronto in 2018). Bryant agreed... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager were among 112 players who agreed to one-year contracts Friday, leaving just 13 to swap salary arbitration figures during a slow offseason in the aftermath of the financial carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The deals came on the deadline day for players and teams to exchange proposed 2021 salaries. Lindor, the star shortstop acquired last week by the New York Mets from Cleveland, got the largest of the deals at $22.3 million. The Mets hope to sign him to a long-term contract that would prevent him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Lindor says he does not want to extend talks past when he starts spring training next month. Bryant agreed to $19.5 million with the Chicago Cubs. He, too, can become a free agent after the season, falling one day shy of eligibility at the end of the 2020 season. The third baseman lost a grievance last offseason that claimed the Cubs delayed his call-up... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager were among 112 players who agreed to one-year contracts Friday, leaving just 13 to swap salary arbitration figures during a slow offseason in the aftermath of the financial carnage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The deals came on the deadline day for players and teams to exchange proposed 2021 salaries. Lindor, the star shortstop acquired last week by the New York Mets from Cleveland, got the largest of the deals at $22.3 million. The Mets hope to sign him to a long-term contract that would prevent him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Lindor says he does not want to extend talks past when he starts spring training next month. Bryant agreed to $19.5 million with the Chicago Cubs. He, too, can become a free agent after the season, falling one day shy of eligibility at the end of the 2020 season. The third baseman lost a grievance last offseason that claimed the Cubs delayed his call-up... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers star Cody Bellinger agreed to a $16.1 million, one-year contract Friday with the World Series champions that avoided salary arbitration. Los Angeles also agreed to one-year deals with shortstop Corey Seager for $13.75 million and left-hander Julio Urías for $3.6 million, but couldn't come to terms with ace Walker Buehler or catcher Austin Barnes. Bellinger, an outfielder and first baseman, was the 2019 NL MVP and 2017 NL Rookie of the Year. He hit a career-low .239 with 12 homers and 30 RBIs in the shortened season, down from a .305 average with 47 homers and 115 RBIs, all career bests. He slumped to a .136 average (3 for 22) with one homer and three RBIs in the World Series against Tampa Bay as the Dodgers won their first title since 1988. A two-time-All Star, Bellinger earned $4,259,259 in prorated pay last year from an $11.5 million salary. He is eligible for free agency after the 2023 season. Seager won MVP honors in the NL Championship Series and World Series,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — New Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Corey Knebel agreed to a $5.25 million, one-year contract on Thursday that avoided salary arbitration, and pitcher Dylan Floro agreed to $975,000. The 29-year-old Knebel was acquired from Milwaukee on Dec. 2 ahead of the deadline for teams to offer 2021 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. He earned $1,898,148 in prorated pay last year from a $5,125,000 salary. Knebel was an All-Star in 2017 and a key part of the Brewers’ bullpen during their run to the 2018 NL Championship Series. The right-hander missed the 2019 season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and struggled after returning last season. Knebel’s best season came in 2017, when he went 1-4 with 39 saves and a 1.78 ERA in 76 appearances. He had a 6.08 ERA in 15 games last season. The 2013 first-round draft pick has a career ERA of 3.31 with 57 saves in 239 relief appearances. He pitched eight games for Detroit in 2014 and had been with... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — New Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Corey Knebel agreed to a $5.25 million, one-year contract on Thursday that avoided salary arbitration. The 29-year-old was acquired from Milwaukee on Dec. 2 ahead of the deadline for teams to offer 2021 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. He earned $1,898,148 in prorated pay last year from a $5,125,000 salary. Knebel was an All-Star in 2017 and a key part of the Brewers’ bullpen during their run to the 2018 NL Championship Series. The right-hander missed the 2019 season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and struggled after returning last season. Knebel’s best season came in 2017, when he went 1-4 with 39 saves and a 1.78 ERA in 76 appearances. He had a 6.08 ERA in 15 games last season. The 2013 first-round draft pick has a career ERA of 3.31 with 57 saves in 239 relief appearances. He pitched eight games for Detroit in 2014 and had been with Milwaukee ever since. Six players remain eligible to exchange proposed arbitration salaries with the World Series champion Dodgers on Friday: outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, shortstop Corey Seager, right-hander Walker Buehler, catcher Austin Barnes, right-hander Dylan Floro and left-hander Julio Urías. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Reaction to the death of Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda. He died Thursday at the age of 93: ___ “He was he was bigger than life. He was the most amazing person I’ve ever been around. He knew everyone’s name. He knew every story. He knew every pitch that was ever thrown and every at-bat that he ever saw. He could captivate an audience, whether it was the girls’ softball team in the Olympics or the world press corps at the White House. He was an amazing person in that he did more of everything. He stayed up later than everybody else. He ate more food than everybody else. He told more stories than everybody else. He gave more signs than anyone else. In a World Series that he won in 1988, they had 18 hit-and-runs on to beat the Oakland Athletics. There are teams now that don’t have 18 hit-and-runs in an entire season. So he did more. And the bite that he took out of the apple was the apple of life and he took a big bite.” — Bobby Valentine, who played for Lasorda and later managed in the... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 11:10 p.m. Justin Turner was removed from the Dodgers’ World Series-clinching victory after testing positive for the coronavirus. The red-headed third baseman was replaced on defense in the eighth inning and was not on the field as Los Angeles celebrated its first championship since 1988. Dodgers players and coaches wore face masks during the celebration. There was no dogpile on the infield that’s typical of such celebrations, although there were still hugs and high fives. “We learned during the game Justin tested positive and he was immediately isolated to prevent spread,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said after presenting Los Angeles with the championship trophy. ___ 10:40 p.m. Mookie Betts streaked home with a go-ahead run and later homered for good measure as the Los Angeles Dodgers won their first World Series championship since 1988, taking advantage of... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 11:10 p.m. Justin Turner was removed from the Dodgers’ World Series-clinching victory after testing positive for the coronavirus. The red-headed third baseman was replaced on defense in the eighth inning and was not on the field as Los Angeles celebrated its first championship since 1988. Dodgers players and coaches wore face masks during the celebration. There was no dogpile on the infield that’s typical of such celebrations, although there were still hugs and high fives. “We learned during the game Justin tested positive and he was immediately isolated to prevent spread,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said after presenting Los Angeles with the championship trophy. ___ 10:40 p.m. Mookie Betts streaked home with a go-ahead run and later homered for good measure as the Los Angeles Dodgers won their first World Series championship since 1988, taking advantage of... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 10:40 p.m. Mookie Betts streaked home with a go-ahead run and later homered for good measure as the Los Angeles Dodgers won their first World Series championship since 1988, taking advantage of a hotly debated Tampa Bay move to beat the Rays 3-1 in Game 6. The Dodgers posted the best record in the majors during this pandemic-shortened season, then rallied in the final game to claim a most elusive crown. Tampa Bay starter Blake Snell struck out nine and seemed to be in complete control with a 1-0 lead when manager Kevin Cash pulled him with one out and a runner on first in the sixth inning. The Dodgers pounced quickly, and Betts soon dashed home from third base on Corey Seager’s infield grounder for a 2-1 edge. Betts added a solo home run in the eighth. Manager Dave Roberts and the Dodgers lost the World Series in 2017 and ’18 before winning this title at... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 10:10 p.m. With postseason star Julio Urías on the mound, the Los Angeles Dodgers are clinging to a 2-1 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays heading into the eighth inning. Brusdar Graterol got the first two outs of the seventh for the Dodgers before giving up a single to Mike Zunino, his first hit in 16 at-bats during this Fall Classic. Urías, the seventh Dodgers pitcher, entered and threw a called third strike past pinch-hitter Yandy Díaz. Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks worked around Will Smith’s leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh to keep it a one-run game. Smith’s drive went off the wall in the left-field corner by the 329-foot sign. ___ 9:30 p.m. The Los Angeles Dodgers pushed across two runs after Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash pulled a dominant Blake Snell in the sixth inning, taking a 2-1 lead over the Rays in Game 6 of the World Series. Cash came out... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 9:30 p.m. The Los Angeles Dodgers pushed across two runs after Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash pulled a dominant Blake Snell in the sixth inning, taking a 2-1 lead over the Rays in Game 6 of the World Series. Cash came out to get Snell after No. 9 hitter Austin Barnes singled with one out for the Dodgers’ second hit. Snell had thrown just 73 pitches, and the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner looked as if he disagreed with the quick hook. Mookie Betts then greeted Nick Anderson with a double, and Barnes scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Betts scored on Corey Seager’s grounder to first baseman Ji-Man Choi, easily beating the throw home. The pitching change likely will be questioned for years to come should the Rays lose, ending their title hopes. Betts had a .531 OPS against lefties this season, compared to 1.061 versus right-handers. ___ 9 p.m. Blake Snell is... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 9 p.m. Blake Snell is sailing along and dominating the Los Angeles Dodgers as the Tampa Bay Rays hold a 1-0 lead through five innings on Randy Arozarena’s homer in the first. Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner, has struck out nine and set down nine straight batters. The only baserunner he’s allowed came on Chris Taylor’s leadoff single in the third. The left-hander has thrown 69 pitches, 45 for strikes. Snell hasn’t pitched six innings in a game since July 2019. Snell joined Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers to pile up nine strikeouts through the first four innings of a World Series game. Koufax did it for the Dodgers in the 1963 opener against the New York Yankees. The only inning without a strikeout for Snell was the fifth, when he retired Will Smith on a fly to right, Cody Bellinger on a grounder to first and Taylor on a check-swing... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Charlie Morton started the day Tuesday not knowing if he will pitch in a Game 7 of the World Series with his Tampa Bay Rays facing elimination against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The right-hander also didn't know if he would pitch again at all, since Morton has already indicated he might retire if the Rays don't pick up the $15 million option on his contract for next season. Morton turns 37 next month. “I’ve been thinking about it,” Morton said before Game 6, with Tampa Bay trailing 3-2 in the Series. “Will it be the last time I put on a uniform? Will it be the last time I put on a Rays uniform? Hopefully not. It just goes back to the situation, what it’s looking like this offseason into next year.” If there is a Game 7, LA ace Walker Buehler would oppose Morton in a winner-take-all finale of the neutral-site Fall Classic at the home of the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night. It would be a rematch of Game 3, won 6-2 by the Dodgers when Buehler struck out 10 and allowed... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 8:40 p.m. Rays starter Blake Snell is cruising through the Dodgers lineup for a second time, helping Tampa Bay maintain a 1-0 lead through four innings. Snell overwhelmed the Dodgers’ 2-3-4 hitters in the fourth, striking out Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Max Muncy. Snell has nine strikeouts and only allowed one hit on 55 pitches. The left-hander hasn’t completed five innings since Game 1 of the AL Championship Series but seems primed to go deep in this one. The 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner isn’t always so reliable in the middle innings. Snell limited batters to a .140 average the first time through the order in the regular season but allowed a .307 mark the second time around. Dodgers starter-turned-reliever Alex Wood completed two perfect innings by striking out a pair in the fourth. The left-hander with a funky delivery has punched out five over four... [More]