ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Relief pitcher Cam Bedrosian agreed to a $2.8 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday that avoided arbitration, and catcher Max Stassi struck an $800,000, one-year deal.Bedrosian, a 28-year-old right-hander, completed his sixth season in the Angels' bullpen last year with a 3.23 ERA in 59 appearances, including seven short starts. His 1.14 WHIP was his best since 2016, but he converted just one of his four save opportunities. He made $1.75 million.Stassi had a $590,100 salary last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.Los Angeles acquired Stassi from Houston on July 31, and he batted .071 with two RBIs in 20 games for the Angels. He is expected to team up with newcomer Jason Castro to form a strong defensive duo behind the plate this season.Stassi, who turns 29 in March, played in parts of seven seasons with the Astros.Six Angels remained eligible for arbitration going into Friday's scheduled exchange of proposed salaries: outfielder Brian Goodwin, infielder Tommy La Stella and pitchers Andrew Heaney, Keynan Middleton, Noé Ramirez and Hansel Robles.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Catcher Max Stassi and the Los Angeles Angels agreed Thursday to an $800,000, one-year contract that avoided arbitration.Stassi had a $590,100 salary last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.Los Angeles acquired Stassi from Houston on July 31, and he batted .071 with two RBIs in 20 games. He is expected to team up with new signee Jason Castro as the Halos’ duo behind the plate this season.Stassi, who turns 29 in March, played in parts of seven seasons with the Astros.Seven Angels remained eligible for arbitration going into Fridays's scheduled exchange of proposed salaries: outfielder Brian Goodwin, infielder Tommy La Stella and pitchers Cam Bedrosian, Andrew Heaney, Keynan Middleton, Noé Ramirez and Hansel Robles.———More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Sept. 81905 — The Pittsburgh Pirates stranded 18 runners in an 8-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds to set a National League record for men left on base.1939 — With his 12-1 victory over the Browns in St. Louis, 20-year-old Bob Feller became the youngest modern-era player to win 20 games.1940 — Joe Gordon of the New York Yankees hit for the cycle in a 9-4 win over the Boston Red Sox.1940 — Johnny Mize of St. Louis hit three homers and drove in six runs in a 16-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of a doubleheader. Mize became the first player to hit three homers in one game four times in a career.1955 — The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Braves 10-2 to clinch the National League pennant with a 17-game lead.1958 — Roberto Clemente tied a major league record by hitting three triples in a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.1965 — Bert Campaneris of the Kansas City A's played all nine positions but had to leave after a ninth-inning collision with Ed Kirkpatrick of the Angels.... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — For the first time in the 21st century, the Los Angeles Angels are looking for a manager.The person who lands the job will play a major role in determining whether the Angels keep Mike Trout, get the most out of Shohei Ohtani — and finally end a nine-year postseason victory drought for this big-budget underachiever of a baseball club.A day after the Angels finished 80-82 and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, general manager Billy Eppler set no timetables and confirmed no candidates as he began what's expected to be a lengthy process to identify the successor to Mike Scioscia, who stepped down Sunday after 19 seasons in the Big A's home dugout.Eppler praised Scioscia as "a lighthouse for this organization" and touted the manager as a Hall of Fame candidate. The GM also gave a few indications of what he's seeking in a leader when he puts his numerous managerial candidates through a lengthy interview process."What we're looking for in that next manager... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is throwing baseballs again, and the Los Angeles Angels hope he'll eventually feel good enough to return to the mound this season.The Angels' two-way rookie sensation played catch from about 60 feet for the second straight day Friday, with a dozen clicking cameras documenting his every move in the Angel Stadium outfield.Ohtani was cleared by doctors Thursday to begin a throwing progression after he took six weeks off to rest the sprained ligament in his pitching elbow. He had a stem cell platelet-rich plasma injection one day after his most recent pitching appearance on June 6, and the sprain shows signs of healing.The Angels are eager to find out how well the treatment worked, and they're still hopeful that Ohtani can avoid Tommy John surgery. But they won't rush their prized newcomer back onto the mound — particularly while he's still contributing to the club's increasingly daunting playoff push as a designated hitter."It's very tough to foresee the... [More]

ROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus has played in his first game since his right elbow was fractured when he got hit by a pitch two months ago.Andrus started an injury rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Monday night. He went 0 for 3 at the plate and had four assists on defense while playing five innings.Andrus got hit on his throwing elbow by a fastball from hard-throwing reliever Keynan Middleton in the ninth inning of a 7-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on April 11.This is the first time in his 10-season career that Andrus has been on the disabled list. Monday was the first day he was eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day DL, though he is expected to play several rehab games. He is scheduled to be the designated hitter when the RoughRiders play a midday game Tuesday.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels reliever Keynan Middleton will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, putting an early end to his second big-league season.Middleton confirmed his decision Thursday night.Middleton left a game against Minnesota last Sunday in the middle of an at-bat after 12 pitches. He had appeared in three games in four days after a stint on the disabled list with elbow inflammation.Middleton was the Angels' closer in April, recording six saves. He compiled a 2.04 ERA while allowing only four runs in 16 appearances.Instead, Middleton will become the fifth pitcher on the Angels' current staff to undergo elbow ligament replacement surgery. He joins Andrew Heaney, Tyler Skaggs, Nick Tropeano and JC Ramirez, who was injured in April.___More AP baseball: www.apnews.com/tags/MLBbaseball

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels reliever Keynan Middleton is back on the 10-day disabled list with a damaged ligament in his pitching elbow.The right-hander was sidelined Monday, and Felix Pena was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake.Middleton will get a second opinion on his elbow as the Angels evaluate whether he will need potentially serious surgery.Middleton lasted just 12 pitches in the eighth inning of the Angels' 2-1 win over Minnesota on Sunday, abruptly leaving with a 1-1 count on Eddie Rosario. He had appeared in three games in four days after returning from the disabled list with elbow inflammation.Middleton was the Angels' closer in April, getting six saves. He has a 2.04 ERA in 16 appearances this season, his second in the majors.___More AP baseball: www.apnews.com/tags/MLBbaseball

WASHINGTON (AP) — Slumping Bryce Harper was moved to the leadoff spot for the first time since 2013 and responded with a three-run homer that helped Max Scherzer win his fifth straight start as the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-4 Wednesday night.Harper entered in a 5-for-35 slump and had not gotten an extra-base hit since April 16. He grounded out in the first inning against Chad Kuhl (3-2), followed Wilmer Difo's go-ahead homer in the third with a flyout, then gave the Nationals a 5-0 lead in the fifth with his ninth homer this season.Scherzer (6-1) allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walked one.YANKEES 4, ASTROS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Ken Giles (0-1), who punched himself on the face and chin when he walked to the dugout after he was knocked out later in the inning, then threw a bat in the dugout and kicked it. New York won for the ninth time in 10 games.Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels closer Keynan Middleton has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation.The Angels also recalled right-hander Eduardo Paredes from Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday.The hard-throwing reliever emerged as the Angels' presumptive closer last month with a strong start to his second big-league season. He converted six of seven save opportunities with a 2.40 ERA in 13 appearances.He felt pain in his elbow last weekend, but Middleton says his elbow already feels better with two days of rest. The DL move was retroactive to Saturday and Middleton expects to return to the active roster as soon as he is eligible for reinstatement on May 8.The Angels had lost four straight heading into their series opener against Baltimore on Tuesday night.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball