NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [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) — 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) — David Ortiz can now laugh, sort of, at the shifting culture of baseball. For J.D. Martinez, Nolan Arenado, Aaron Judge and every other All-Star hitter, dealing with different defensive alignments is just part of the game.Tune in Tuesday night and no telling where fans will see fielders. Especially in what's become merely an exhibition — why not try a five-man outfield?To Big Papi, these overloaded infields are reshaping the sport. Not in a good way, either."It seems crazy, it seems like it's taking some fun part of the game away," the retired Red Sox slugger said Sunday at Nationals Park, site of this week's All-Star action."It seems like there are 20 guys playing defense against you," Ortiz said, playfully estimating shifts took away "like 500 hits away from me."His idea: "So I would take my chances, if MLB wanted to. Just saying to play normal, like the game is supposed to be played since Day One, just to see how that plays out."Of course, Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Sale pitched his latest Bronx gem, Rafael Devers went 5 for 5 with a first-inning grand slam and the Boston Red Sox held the New York Yankees to two hits during an 11-0 rout Saturday night to take back baseball's best record.Sale (8-4) allowed only Giancarlo Stanton's clean single over seven innings, striking out 11. He has a 1.73 career ERA against the Yankees, best among pitchers with at least 10 starts against them since 1920. His ERA at Yankee Stadium is 1.86, second only to Seattle's Felix Hernandez among pitchers with five starts.Boston is a major league-leading 56-28, just ahead of the Yankees at 53-27. New York held the majors' best mark by percentage points after winning Friday's series opener 8-1.Yankee Stadium hosted a season-high sellout of 47,125, and the crowd gave starter Sonny Gray (5-6) an earful after he gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander dropped to 0-4 with a 9.35 ERA against Boston since being acquired by New York from Oakland last... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Sale pitched his latest Bronx gem, Rafael Devers went 5 for 5 with a first-inning grand slam and the Boston Red Sox held the New York Yankees to two hits during an 11-0 rout Saturday night to take back baseball's best record.Sale (8-4) allowed only Giancarlo Stanton's clean single over seven innings, striking out 11. He has a 1.73 career ERA against the Yankees, best among pitchers with at least 10 starts against them since 1920. His ERA at Yankee Stadium is 1.86, second only to Seattle's Felix Hernandez among pitchers with five starts.Boston is a major league-leading 56-28, just ahead of the Yankees at 53-27. New York held the majors' best mark by percentage points after winning Friday's series opener 8-1.Yankee Stadium hosted a season-high sellout of 47,125, and the crowd gave starter Sonny Gray (5-6) an earful after he gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander dropped to 0-4 with a 9.35 ERA against Boston since being acquired by New York from Oakland last... [More]

Capsules of American League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Boston Red Sox2017: 93-69, first place, lost to Houston in ALDS.Manager: Alex Cora (first season).He's Here: DH J.D. Martinez.He's Outta Here: Manager John Farrell, RHP Doug Fister, OF Chris Young, RHP Addison Reed, OF Rajai Davis, LHP Henry Owens, LHP Fernando Abad.Projected Lineup: RF Mookie Betts (.264, 24 HRs, 102 RBIs), LF Andrew Benintendi (.271, 20, 90), 1B Hanley Ramirez (.242, 23, 62) or Mitch Moreland (.246, 22, 79), DH J.D. Martinez (.303, 45, 104 with Tigers and Diamondbacks), 3B Rafael Devers (.284, 10, 30 in 58 games), SS Xander Bogaerts (.273, 10, 62), CF Jackie Bradley Jr. (.245, 17, 63), C Christian Vazquez (.290, 5, 32) or Sandy Leon (.225, 7, 39), 2B Eduardo Nunez (.313, 12, 58, 24 SBs with Giants and Red Sox) or Dustin Pedroia (.293, 7, 62, .369 OBP in 105 games, expected to be out until late May following knee surgery).Rotation: LH Chris Sale (17-8, 2.90 ERA, MLB-best 308 Ks, MLB-high 214... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — It took an extra week but the Red Sox finally got the big bat for the middle of their lineup they lacked last season.Slugger J.D. Martinez and the Red Sox finalized a $110 million, five-year contract on Monday, a week after the sides agreed to the deal pending a physical."It's been a long process. I'm happy to just put everything behind me and be here today," said Martinez, flanked by his agent Scott Boras and Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, at a Monday morning news conference at Boston's spring training complex."I'm excited for the task at hand. I know this historic franchise and this organization, winning is No. 1 and bringing a championship back to Boston is the ultimate goal. I'm happy to now be a part of it."Martinez gets $27.5 million in each of the next two seasons, there is a $23.75 million player option for 2020 with a $2.5 million buyout and $19,375,000 player options for 2021 and 2022.The final two years would each become a mutual... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — It took an extra week but the Red Sox finally got the big bat for the middle of their lineup they lacked last season.Slugger J.D. Martinez and the Red Sox finalized a $110 million, five-year contract on Monday, a week after the sides agreed to the deal pending a physical."It's been a long process. I'm happy to just put everything behind me and be here today," said Martinez, flanked by his agent Scott Boras and Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, at a Monday morning news conference at Boston's spring training complex."I'm excited for the task at hand. I know this historic franchise and this organization, winning is No. 1 and bringing a championship back to Boston is the ultimate goal. I'm happy to now be a part of it."Martinez gets $27.5 million in each of the next three seasons and $19,375,000 in each of the final two. He can opt out after the second, third or fourth seasons, and there is a $2.5 million buyout if he opts out after 2019.In 2017,... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox may head to spring training without the middle-of-the-lineup hitter they have been seeking since David Ortiz retired at the end of the 2016 season.That's by necessity, not choice.After saying all winter that he would like a big bat to address the power outage that left the Red Sox last in the AL in homers in 2017, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said on Thursday that he's prepared to move forward without one."We'll keep working at it," Dombrowski said before the awards dinner for the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. "But I do think we have a good club, no matter what."After leading the majors in runs in 2016, Ortiz's last season before he retired, the Red Sox won 93 years for the second straight year in '17 to claim the first back-to-back AL East titles in franchise history. But without Ortiz, the offensive production plummeted: They were sixth in runs, and Mookie Betts led the team with 24 homers, the fewest... [More]

Ten-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion David Ortiz is returning to the Boston Red Sox ... in a front-office role.The Red Sox announced the news in a release on Wednesday, stating that they have a "long-term agreement" with Ortiz that "should link him with the organization forever."Ortiz will act as a mentor for current players, participate in recruitment efforts, make a variety of special appearances and work in a business development capacity for Fenway Sports Management and its partners, the team announced."For over a decade and a half, we have gotten to know what kind of man David is both on and off the field," Red Sox principal owner John Henry said. "His skill and success on the diamond are rivaled only by his spirit, compassion, and big heart. I cannot think of a better representative for our organization. I'm happy we can now say officially what we have long known, David is family."Red Sox chairman Tom Werner also applauded Ortiz and welcomed the team's continuation... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays moved four games above .500 for the first time in nearly two years, surging past the Baltimore Orioles with a 15-5 win on Friday night at Tropicana Field.The Rays jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first three innings and reset their season high for scoring, getting home runs from Derek Norris, Shane Peterson and Logan Morrison. The slumping Orioles matched a dubious major league record by allowing at least five runs in 20 straight games -- the first team to do so since the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies.Tampa Bay roughed up starter Ubaldo Jimenez (2-3), who didn't survive the third inning. Rays starter Chris Archer (6-4) threw six innings, not needing his best stuff to win his second straight start. The Rays got four RBIs each from Evan Longoria and Peterson, who was called up before the game and had a two-run homer. Marlins 2, Cubs 0MIAMI -- Giancarlo Stanton homered, Jose Urena pitched six scoreless innings and Miami defeated Chicago at Marlins Park.One... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays moved four games above .500 for the first time in nearly two years, surging past the Baltimore Orioles with a 15-5 win on Friday night at Tropicana Field.The Rays jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first three innings and reset their season high for scoring, getting home runs from Derek Norris, Shane Peterson and Logan Morrison. The slumping Orioles matched a dubious major league record by allowing at least five runs in 20 straight games -- the first team to do so since the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies.Tampa Bay roughed up starter Ubaldo Jimenez (2-3), who didn't survive the third inning. Rays starter Chris Archer (6-4) threw six innings, not needing his best stuff to win his second straight start. The Rays got four RBIs each from Evan Longoria and Peterson, who was called up before the game and had a two-run homer. Marlins 2, Cubs 0MIAMI -- Giancarlo Stanton homered, Jose Urena pitched six scoreless innings and Miami defeated Chicago at Marlins Park.One... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays moved four games above .500 for the first time in nearly two years, surging past the Baltimore Orioles with a 15-5 win on Friday night at Tropicana Field.The Rays jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first three innings and reset their season high for scoring, getting home runs from Derek Norris, Shane Peterson and Logan Morrison. The slumping Orioles matched a dubious major league record by allowing at least five runs in 20 straight games -- the first team to do so since the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies.Tampa Bay roughed up starter Ubaldo Jimenez (2-3), who didn't survive the third inning. Rays starter Chris Archer (6-4) threw six innings, not needing his best stuff to win his second straight start. The Rays got four RBIs each from Evan Longoria and Peterson, who was called up before the game and had a two-run homer. Marlins 2, Cubs 0MIAMI -- Giancarlo Stanton homered, Jose Urena pitched six scoreless innings and Miami defeated Chicago at Marlins Park.One... [More]

Former Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz will have a street named in his honor in Beantown.The Boston mayor's office declared that a street near Fenway Park will be renamed David Ortiz Drive. It is currently known as Yawkey Way Extension.Ortiz will attend the ceremony on Thursday, one day before the Red Sox are scheduled to retire his No. 34 prior to their game against the Los Angeles Angels.Ortiz's number will be the 11th on the right field facade of Fenway Park, joining Bobby Doerr (No. 1), Joe Croin (No. 4), Johnny Pesky (No. 6); Carl Yastrzemski (No. 8); Ted Williams (No. 9); Jim Rice (No. 14); Wade Boggs (No. 26); Carlton Fisk (No. 27); Pedro Martinez (No. 45); and Jackie Robinson (No. 42), which is retired throughout Major League Baseball.A 10-time All-Star, Ortiz retired last season after spending 14 seasons of his 20-year major league career in Boston. He powered the Red Sox to three World Series championships, including their first in 86 years in 2004.Ortiz retired as Boston's all-time postseason leader in homers (17), doubles (19), extra-base hits (38), hits (80), runs (51), RBIs (57) and walks (59). Ortiz was named MVP of the 2004 AL Championship Series and the 2013 Fall Classic.Ortiz belted 483 career homers with the Red Sox, a total that trails only Williams (521) on the franchise's all-time list. He also ranks third with the club in RBIs (1,530), sixth in hits (2,079), third in doubles (524), third in extra-base hits (1,023) and fifth in runs scored (1,204).

DH David Ortiz previously announced his retirement but the Boston Red Sox, as a formality, exercised its 2017 contract option on Ortiz.