Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs; expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Pitcher Dan Straily will begin the season on the disabled list, the latest setback for the depleted Miami Marlins.Straily was originally set to start the second game of the season, next weekend at home against the Cubs. But the right-hander exited Monday's minor league game early because of forearm tightness after throwing 60 pitches, and an MRI revealed inflammation."There could be nothing in there right now, no inflammation there right now, but if you wait the 10-day period, you are going to be assured that there's nothing in there," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.Once Straily begins throwing again, he will once again have to build arm strength, making it unlikely Straily will appear in a major league game before the middle of April."There would be a buildup process," Mattingly said.Injuries incurred both before the start of spring and during Grapefruit League play could force nearly half of Miami's projected starting lineup to begin the season on rehab assignments... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — As the 25th anniversary of the Marlins' first game draws near, the franchise can look back on two World Series titles, a move into a new ballpark and eight seasons with prodigious slugger Giancarlo Stanton.Yet in South Florida, the baseball team inspires either apathy or antipathy."It's a complicated history, right?" Derek Jeter says.Yes, and even more so since Jeter's ownership group bought the downtrodden franchise in October. The former Yankees captain and new Marlins CEO traded away half the starting lineup, including Stanton, acquiring a passel of prospects to replenish the farm system and also reducing payroll to ensure a profit despite perennially awful attendance."This team hasn't been in the playoffs in 14 years," Jeter says. "That's the bottom line. And people weren't coming here. We need to fix that. People may disagree with some of the moves that we've made, but we're trying to fix something that has been broken."___With the franchise's latest reboot underway, here... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs, expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Miami Marlins pitcher Dan Straily is taking some time to rest his pitching arm now in hopes of avoiding extended time off during the season.No longer scheduled to start the second game of the season, Straily had an MRI on Tuesday that showed some inflammation in his right forearm but no structural issues."We're just taking a few days and making sure that everything is completely fine," Straily said.Straily said he no longer feels discomfort, but will not throw for a few days as a precaution.He liked the injury to a minor hamstring strain."You can go walking around just fine," he said. "You can jog around just fine. Then you go sprint and your body's kind of telling you, hey, hold off a second."Straily first noticed the forearm tightness while pitching in a minor league game on Monday.He completed four innings, throwing 60 pitches, but had been scheduled to throw a few more."I was coming off from the inning and just felt a little bit of tightness," Straily said. "It... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Miami Marlins right-hander Dan Straily has mild right forearm inflammation and will not throw for five or six days, raising the possibility his first start of the season will be delayed.Straily, who tied for the NL lead with 33 starts last year, had been scheduled to pitch in the Marlins' second game March 30 against the Chicago Cubs. He complained of arm stiffness and had an MRI that revealed the inflammation.His ailment further muddles the Marlins' uncertain rotation. Highly regarded right-handed prospect Sandy Alcantara was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans on Tuesday, although he could rejoin Miami early in the season.Jacob Turner, Odrisamer Despaigne, Justin Nicolino and Caleb Smith remain in contention for rotation spots, along with opening day starter Jose Urena.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Jose Urena will make Miami's opening day start against the Chicago Cubs and Dan Straily gets the ball the following day.Beyond that? It' a bit of a mystery that the Marlins have about a week to solve.Manager Don Mattingly had already announced Urena as Miami's first starter prior to the 26-year-old righty tossing three shutout innings Saturday in a 6-6 tie with Houston.Miami, though, has five pitchers still vying for the final three rotation spots — and that's after they sent three pitchers to minor league camp on Friday."I think we have an idea of what we want to do," Mattingly said. "I think more than anything you just want to make sure it doesn't go totally sideways for somebody and that would change our mind."Sandy Alcantara remains the most intriguing of the five candidates. The biggest name in the deal that sent big-hitting outfielder Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis, Alcantara and his high-90s mph fastball showed glimpses this spring of why he could make the opening... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels rookie Shohei Ohtani allowed six runs while pitching three innings in an exhibition game against the Mexican League's Tijuana Toros on Friday.The 23-year-old Ohtani struck out six and walked one.Ohtani spent five seasons with the Nippon Ham Fighters before signing with the Angels as an international free agent on Dec. 10. He is trying to become the first player in nearly 100 years to play regularly as a pitcher and hitter, but he has had mixed results so far this spring.AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUESDODGERS 6, ROYALS (SS) 4Los Angeles closer Kenley Jansen was held out of what was supposed to be his first big league spring training game this year due to an injured upper right hamstring."When he was getting ready today, his pregame stuff and kind of getting his legs loose, it tightened up on him," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "We had the trainers look at him and it just made sense to just not throw him out there."Roberts said he expects... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels rookie Shohei Ohtani allowed six runs while pitching three innings in an exhibition game against the Mexican League's Tijuana Toros on Friday.The 23-year-old Ohtani struck out six and walked one.Ohtani spent five seasons with the Nippon Ham Fighters before signing with the Angels as an international free agent on Dec. 10. He is trying to become the first player in nearly 100 years to play regularly as a pitcher and hitter, but he has had mixed results so far this spring.AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUESDODGERS 6, ROYALS (SS) 4Los Angeles closer Kenley Jansen was held out of what was supposed to be his first big league spring training game this year due to an injured upper right hamstring."When he was getting ready today, his pregame stuff and kind of getting his legs loose, it tightened up on him," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "We had the trainers look at him and it just made sense to just not throw him out there."Roberts said he expects... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Miami Marlins pitchers and catchers were still gathering in the midday sun to begin the first spring training workout Wednesday when someone asked manager Don Mattingly if he had decided on an opening day starter.After all, the Los Angeles Dodgers already announced Clayton Kershaw will start their opener."I didn't see any Kershaws on our roster," Mattingly said with a laugh.So no, Mattingly doesn't have a No. 1 pitcher yet. And three of the five jobs in the rotation are open, with more than a dozen pitchers having a shot to make the starting staff.Mattingly and his coaches will spend spring training evaluating the candidates, including several prospects acquired in trades during the Marlins' offseason payroll purge.Not among the rotation contenders to begin the season: injury-plagued left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, the Marlins' highest-paid pitcher as he enters the third season of an $80 million, five-year contract. He is not expected to be ready for opening day, but the... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — A group of Miami Marlins fans angered by new CEO Derek Jeter's offseason salary dump wants to protest by not attending games.Wait. Hasn't South Florida been boycotting the Marlins for years?A franchise notorious for poor attendance and losing records might achieve new lows in both categories this year under Jeter. He gutted the lineup by trading four starters, including major league home run champion Giancarlo Stanton, antagonizing an already small fan base.The result will likely be another long season, but spring training should actually be interesting as manager Don Mattingly sorts out the numerous prospects acquired for Stanton, stolen base champ Dee Gordon, All-Star left fielder Marcell Ozuna and center fielder Christian Yelich.___Some things to know as the Marlins report to spring training in Jupiter, Florida:NEW LOOKPayroll paring was the primary motive for the trades, and the only established player the Marlins obtained was infielder Starlin Castro in the Stanton deal... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts beat the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday in the first salary arbitration decision of the year and will get a raise from $950,000 to $10.5 million instead of the team's $7.5 million offer.Miami catcher J.T. Realmuto and Arizona pitcher Shelby Miller went to hearings on the second day of offseason cases that could see as many as 25 decisions, which would be the most since 1987.Arbitrators Daniel Brent, Mark Burstein and Phillip LaPorte ruled for Betts one day after hearing arguments. The 25-year-old hit .264 with 24 homers and 102 RBIs last year, when he made his second straight AL All-Star team. He batted .318 with 31 homers and 113 RBIs in 2016.The gap between Betts and the Red Sox was the largest among the 27 players who swapped figures with their teams on Jan. 12.Realmuto, 26, asked for a raise to $3.5 million instead of $2.9 million. He made $562,500 last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time after hitting .278 with 17 homers... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Catcher J.T. Realmuto, among the Marlins who could be traded as part of the team's payroll purge under new chief executive Derek Jeter, went to salary arbitration with Miami on Thursday and asked that he be given a raise to $3.5 million instead of $2.9 million.Arbitrators Andrew Strongin, Elizabeth Neumeier, Allen Ponak are expected to decide Friday.Realmuto, 26, made $562,500 last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time after hitting .278 with 17 homers and 65 RBIs in his third full season.Miami has traded major league home run champion Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Dee Gordon and Christian Yelich for prospects since Jeter's ownership group bought the team in October.First baseman Justin Bour and reliever Dan Straily, who are likely to remain with the Marlins, also are scheduled for hearings this month. Bour has asked for a raise from $552,500 to $3.4 million and has been offered $3 million. Straily has requested a raise from $552,100 to $3.55 million... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Third baseman Derek Dietrich has agreed to a $2.9 million contract for 2018 with the Miami Marlins.Shortstop Miguel Rojas agreed to a $1.18 million contract. Both players avoided arbitration.Catcher J.T. Realmuto, first baseman Justin Bour and right-hander Dan Straily are headed for arbitration after they were unable to reach contract agreements with the team by Friday's deadline.Realmuto asked for $3.5 million and the Marlins offered $2.9 million. Bour sought $3.4 million and was offered $3 million. Straily wanted $3.55 million and Miami countered at $3,375,000.Dietrich had career highs of 13 homers, 53 RBIs and 135 games last year, and batted .249. Rojas batted a career-high .290 in 90 games.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

RHP Dan Straily turned in his shortest stint of the season, lasting just three innings. He gave up five runs on six hits, walking four and striking out three. Straily went 3 1/3 innings in his first start of the year at Washington, where he posted a similar stat line, yielding five runs on six hits while walking two. He did not strike out a batter.

RHP Dan Straily (10-9, 4.08 ERA) will make his final start of the season on Friday against the Braves. On Thursday, Marlins manager Don Mattingly praised Straily for never missing a turn this season -- Friday will mark his career-high 33rd start of the season. He hasn't been as good as last year, when he went 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds. But the Marlins certainly appreciate Straily's durability, especially on an injury-prone staff. Straily usually pitches well against Atlanta, too. In four career starts against the Braves, he is 2-1 with a 2.86 ERA.

RHP Dan Straily gave up four hits and one run in six innings and was in line for the victory Sunday at Arizona until the bullpen failed. He struck out nine, walked three and also singled and scored the first run of the game. The strikeout total was his third highest of the season. "When you get out there, you have a feel for what's working," he said. "Really just trying to keep these guys on their heels as much as possible. Fortunately I had all my pitches going."

RHP Dan Straily (10-9, 4.17 ERA) is scheduled to make his career-high 32nd start in a season Sunday. In his previous start against the New York Mets Sept. 18, Straily benefitted from 13 Miami runs as he reached double-digit season victories for the third time in his career.

RHP Dan Straily (10-9) beat the New York Mets on Monday and reached double figures in wins for the second straight season. He held the Mets to three hits and one run in five innings, striking out eight and walked four.

RHP Dan Straily takes the mound Monday as the Marlins return to Miami for the first time in nearly two weeks. He is looking to bounce back from a rough showing in his last start, when he allowed eight runs on 13 hits over six innings of a loss to Philadelphia last Wednesday.