CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians went a step further than just putting Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac into quarantine.They've been sent away from the team, and it's not known when they'll be back.Cleveland placed the two starting pitchers on the restricted list after the right-handers broke team rules and Major League Baseball protocols by leaving their hotel in Chicago last weekend and risking exposure to the COVID-19 virus.“This one kind of hurts,” said Indians manager Terry Francona, who returned Tuesday from a week away to address a lingering medical issue to find his team dealing with an internal situation that could affect its season. “We’ll deal with it like we always do,” Francona added. “We care about each other. It doesn’t mean you don’t get disappointed with each other or even mad at each other sometimes. But what I care about is making it better.”Clevinger and Plesac went out Saturday night with a group of people following the Indians' win over the White Sox. The team... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians placed starters Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac on the restricted list Tuesday after the pitchers broke team rules by leaving their hotel in Chicago last weekend and risked exposure to the COVID-19 virus.Clevinger and Plesac went out Saturday night with a group of people following the Indians' win over the White Sox. The team had implemented a code of conduct for players to follow on the road, forbidding them from socializing outside of team staff.The Indians immediately sent Plesac home in a car service after learning of his violation, but the Indians were not aware Clevinger had been with him until after he flew back to Cleveland with his teammates, coaches and other personnel.Both pitchers remain in quarantine. It's not immediately clear when they'll be back. Major League Baseball permits teams to use the restricted list for players who are unavailable to play for non-baseball reasons.Clevinger and Plesac can't take part in any team baseball activities... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:___NEW DIGSBaseball's nomads, the Toronto Blue Jays, finally move into their new home at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, when they play the Miami Marlins. It'll be the first time this year the Blue Jays are the host team. Canada’s government wouldn’t let them hold games at Rogers Centre in Toronto, fearful of opponents traveling into the city amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pittsburgh offered to let the Blue Jays play at PNC Park when the Pirates were on the road, but Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf wouldn’t sign off on it. That left the club's Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, which last hosted a regular-season Major League Baseball game in 1915 when the Buffalo Blues finished sixth in the eight-team Federalist League. The wait hasn’t been quite as long for the Blue Jays, who spent the first two-plus weeks of the season bouncing from Tampa to Washington to Atlanta to Boston waiting for preparations at 16,600-seat Sahlen Field (all but a few... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Tuesday:___NEW DIGSBaseball's nomads, the Toronto Blue Jays, finally move into their new home at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, when they play the Miami Marlins. It'll be the first time this year the Blue Jays are the host team. Canada’s government wouldn’t let them hold games at Rogers Centre in Toronto, fearful of opponents traveling into the city amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pittsburgh offered to let the Blue Jays play at PNC Park when the Pirates were on the road, but Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf wouldn’t sign off on it. That left the club's Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, which last hosted a regular-season Major League Baseball game in 1915 when the Buffalo Blues finished sixth in the eight-team Federalist League. The wait hasn’t been quite as long for the Blue Jays, who spent the first two-plus weeks of the season bouncing from Tampa to Washington to Atlanta to Boston waiting for preparations at 16,600-seat Sahlen Field (all but a few... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Mike Clevinger's free spirit may have put the Cleveland Indians at risk.Clevinger flew home with his teammates Sunday despite knowing he had broken the club's COVID-19 protocols by going out in Chicago with right-hander Zach Plesac during Cleveland's weekend trip, according to a person familiar with the situation.Clevinger did not admit that he had violated the rules during a team meeting Sunday to discuss Plesac being sent home by the team, said the person who spoke Monday night to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. The Indians said Clevinger, who can be outspokpen and outlandish, will be quarantined and tested and will not make his scheduled start Tuesday night at home against the Cubs. It's not yet known if Clevinger and Pleasac have been tested since their violations were reported.They will have to twice test negative in 72 hours before they'll be allowed to rejoin in any team activities.The Indians arranged a... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Mike Clevinger's free spirit may have put the Cleveland Indians at risk.Clevinger flew home with his teammates Sunday despite knowing he had broken the club's COVID-19 protocols by going out in Chicago with right-hander Zach Plesac during Cleveland's weekend trip, according to a person familiar with the situation.Clevinger did not admit that he had violated the rules during a team meeting Sunday to discuss Plesac being sent home by the team, said the person who spoke Monday night to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. The Indians said Clevinger, who can be outspokpen and outlandish, will be quarantined and tested and will not make his scheduled start Tuesday night at home against the Cubs. It's not yet known if Clevinger and Pleasac have been tested since their violations were reported.They will have to twice test negative in 72 hours before they'll be allowed to rejoin in any team activities.The Indians arranged a... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians starter Mike Clevinger flew home with his teammates despite knowing he had broken the club's COVID-19 protocols by going out with right-hander Zach Plesac during Cleveland's weekend trip to Chicago, according to a person familiar with the situation.Clevinger did not admit that he had broken the rules during a team meeting Sunday to discuss Plesac violating the team's code of conduct, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday night on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. The Indians said Clevinger will be quarantined and tested and will not make his scheduled start Tuesday at home against the Cubs. It's not yet known if Clevinger and Pleasac have been tested since their violations were reported.They will have to twice test negative in 72 hours before they'll be allowed to rejoin in any team activities.Cleveland arranged a car service to take Plesac home so he wouldn’t be around his teammates in case he had contracted... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians starter Mike Clevinger flew home with his teammates despite knowing he had broken the club's COVID-19 protocols by going out with right-hander Zach Plesac during Cleveland's weekend trip to Chicago, according to a person familiar with the situation.Clevinger did not admit that he had broken the rules during a team meeting Sunday to discuss Plesac violating the team's code of conduct, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday night on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. The Indians said Clevinger will be quarantined and tested and will not make his scheduled start Tuesday at home against the Cubs.Cleveland arranged for a car service for Plesac so he wouldn’t be around his teammates in case he had contracted the coronavirus while out with friends on Saturday following his win over the White Sox.Clevinger didn't acknowledge his misstep to the club and took the team flight despite knowing he was putting his teammates... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians starter Mike Clevinger will be quarantined and undergo testing after violating COVID-19 protocols during the team's weekend trip to Chicago, the second Cleveland pitcher in two days to be disciplined for breaking team rules.The team said Monday that Clevinger will not make his scheduled start Tuesday at home against the Cubs. On Sunday, Indians right-hander Zach Plesac was sent home from Chicago in a rental car after he went out with friends following his start on Saturday, a violation of the team's code of conduct.The Indians had Plesac drive home so he wouldn't be around his teammates in case he had contracted the coronavirus. Clevinger flew home with the team.The club is being strict with player behavior in light of the virus outbreaks that have forced the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins to have games postponed.It's not known if Clevinger and Plesac will face additional penalties from the Indians.Adam Plutko will start in place of Clevinger, a hard-throwing right-hander who is 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BALTIMORE (AP) — Five pitchers combined on a four-hitter for Don Mattingly’s undermanned, gritty and first-place Miami Marlins, who beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 Wednesday night for a doubleheader sweep.Brian Anderson homered in opener, and Miami won 1-0 despite getting only two hits.The sweep kept the Marlins atop the NL East and earned Mattingly his 281st win as Miami’s manager, tying Jack McKeon’s club record.The Marlins won their third straight game since emerging from a coronavirus-prompted layoff that left them with a roster filled with callups, free agents and rookies. Miami has allowed a total of one run and 10 hits in those three games at Camden Yards.In the nightcap. Jon Berti hit an RBI double off Asher Wojciechowski (0-2) in the first inning and scored on a fly ball by Jesús Aguilar. That proved to be enough. Josh A. Smith started, Brian Moran (1-0) struck out three over one inning and Stephen Tarpley got four outs for his first save.In the opener, Anderson produced the game’s... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Five pitchers combined on a four-hitter for Don Mattingly’s undermanned, gritty and first-place Miami Marlins, who beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 Wednesday night for a doubleheader sweep.Brian Anderson homered in opener, and Miami won 1-0 despite getting only two hits.The sweep kept the Marlins atop the NL East and earned Mattingly his 281st win as Miami’s manager, tying Jack McKeon’s club record.The Marlins won their third straight game since emerging from a coronavirus-prompted layoff that left them with a roster filled with callups, free agents and rookies. Miami has allowed a total of one run and 10 hits in those three games at Camden Yards.In the nightcap. Jon Berti hit an RBI double off Asher Wojciechowski (0-2) in the first inning and scored on a fly ball by Jesús Aguilar. That proved to be enough. Josh A. Smith started, Brian Moran (1-0) struck out three over one inning and Stephen Tarpley got four outs for his first save.In the opener, Anderson produced the game’s... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third straight night, Jordan Montgomery cut up one of the league’s hottest lineups in his 2020 debut and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night in their first home game of the coronavirus-shortened season.Judge took aim at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch in the third, a half-inning after starting a double play from right. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, Chad Green pitched two perfect innings in relief, and Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder closed up shop as New York improved to 5-1.Michael Chavis homered for Boston and Phillips Valdez impressed over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, but the club couldn’t overcome another poor start by Ryan Weber (0-2).There was also a moment of silence for late Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, who died in April. New York is wearing uniform patches with his initials this season.Montgomery (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, limiting the Red Sox to a run,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third straight night, Jordan Montgomery cut up one of the league’s hottest lineups in his 2020 debut and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night in their first home game of the coronavirus-shortened season.Judge took aim at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch in the third, a half-inning after starting a double play from right. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, Chad Green pitched two perfect innings in relief, and Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder closed up shop as New York improved to 5-1.Michael Chavis homered for Boston and Phillips Valdez impressed over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, but the club couldn’t overcome another poor start by Ryan Weber (0-2).There was also a moment of silence for late Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, who died in April. New York is wearing uniform patches with his initials this season.Montgomery (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, limiting the Red Sox to a run,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third straight night, Jordan Montgomery cut up one of the league’s hottest lineups in his 2020 debut and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night in their first home game of the coronavirus-shortened season.Judge took aim at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch in the third, a half-inning after starting a double play from right. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, Chad Green pitched two perfect innings in relief, and Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder closed up shop as New York improved to 5-1.Michael Chavis homered for Boston and Phillips Valdez impressed over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, but the club couldn’t overcome another poor start by Ryan Weber (0-2).There was also a moment of silence for late Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, who died in April. New York is wearing uniform patches with his initials this season.Montgomery (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, limiting the Red Sox to a run,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third straight night, Jordan Montgomery cut up one of the league’s hottest lineups in his 2020 debut and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night in their first home game of the coronavirus-shortened season.Judge took aim at Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch in the third, a half-inning after starting a double play from right. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, Chad Green pitched two perfect innings in relief, and Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder closed up shop as New York improved to 5-1.Michael Chavis homered for Boston and Phillips Valdez impressed over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, but the club couldn’t overcome another poor start by Ryan Weber (0-2).There was also a moment of silence for late Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, who died in April. New York is wearing uniform patches with his initials this season.Montgomery (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, limiting the Red Sox to a run,... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Greg Holland struck out the top of Cleveland's order to strand the tying run at second base and Maikel Franco hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 3-2 win over the Indians on Saturday in just the third major league game decided by the debated extra-inning runner rule.With Greg Allen on second, Holland fanned César Hernández and José Ramírez before getting All-Star Francisco Lindor to chase strike three in the dirt for the final out and the most unique save of his career.“It’s kind of strange," Holland said of Major League Baseball’s new rule designed to keep games from dragging in this condensed, 60-game season.The Royals could be heard whooping it up as they poured out of the dugout, with Mike Matheny posting his first win as Kansas City's manager — a win he knows some will say deserves an asterisk.“I love it. I hope we do it tomorrow," he said, referring to the automatic-runner rule, which has been used in the minors. "Though actually... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Greg Holland struck out the top of Cleveland's order to strand the tying run at second base and Maikel Franco hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 3-2 win over the Indians on Saturday in just the third major league game decided by the debated extra-inning runner rule.With Greg Allen on second, Holland fanned César Hernández and José Ramírez before getting All-Star Francisco Lindor to chase strike three in the dirt for the final out and the most unique save of his career.The Royals could be heard whooping it up as they poured out of the dugout, with Mike Matheny posting his first win as Kansas City's manager.Holland's performance provided a fitting ending for the Royals, who got an excellent start from Brady Singer in his big league debut. Reliever Scott Barlow struck out two in the ninth to get the win.The Indians got just one hit after the third inning and finished with four.Jorge Soler and Salvador Pérez hit back-to-back homers in the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber is only 25, and that hardly seems fair. He's already an All-Star MVP, and it might not be too early to call him an ace.And, he's only getting better.“When I say he makes the glass look half-full, that would be the biggest understatement,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He’s really something.”Bieber struck out 14 over six scoreless innings as the Indians, making a statement for minorities by wearing their road jerseys with “Cleveland” on the front, took off on a 60-game season sprint by beating the Kansas City Royals 2-0 in their delayed home opener on Friday night.Bieber began last season as a No. 5 starter with plenty of potential. But the right-hander, who earned MVP honors in the 2019 All-Star Game at Progressive Field, has become the heir apparent to two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, traded by Cleveland to Texas in December.Bieber isn't shying away from being a leader.“I've kind of been in that role and that spot a few times with other... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — From All-Star MVP to ace, and Shane Bieber's only getting better.Bieber struck out 14 over six scoreless innings as the Indians, making a statement for minorities by wearing their road jerseys with “Cleveland” on the front, took off on a 60-game season sprint by beating the Kansas City Royals 2-0 in their delayed home opener on Friday night.Bieber began last season as a No. 5 starter with plenty of potential. But the 25-year-old, who earned MVP honors in the All-Star Game at Progressive Field in July, has become the heir apparent to two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, traded by Cleveland to Texas in December.Bieber's 14 strikeouts set a club record for opening day and are the most in the majors in an opener since Hall of Famer Randy Johnson also fanned 14 on March 31, 1996.Oscar Mercado and César Hernández drove in runs in the fifth for Cleveland, which was blanked over the first four innings by Royals starter Danny Duffy (0-1).But Duffy was pulled in the fifth... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland's players met Tuesday with owner Paul Dolan to discuss a potential name change for the team, which has been called the Indians for the past 105 years.Manager Terry Francona said the group had an “honest” conversation and he came away proud of how it was handled by all involved.“The way the players expressed themselves in a mature manner and in a respectful manner, and the way Paul listened and spoke back to the players,” said Francona, who attended the meeting along with team president Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff. “I was really, really happy and content to just sit there and let them talk back and forth.”Francona stressed that nothing has been resolved over the controversial topic.The franchise recently announced it was in the early stages of meeting with the community and appropriate stakeholders “to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.”The Indians' move coincided with the recent decision by Washington's NFL team... [More]