CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Kluber's run as Cleveland's ace appears to be over. He's heading to Texas.The Indians are close to completing a trade that will send the two-time Cy Young Award winner to the Rangers, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Sunday.Cleveland will get outfielder Delino DeShields and pitching prospect Emmanuel Clase for the 33-year-old Kluber.The teams have been discussing the deal and finalizing terms, said the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. All that remains are physicals.Kluber has been one of the AL's most dominant pitchers for six seasons. The right-hander won the Cy Young in 2014 and 2017 while anchoring the Indians' strong starting staff.But his future with the Indians grew more uncertain last season when the club managed to stay in the playoff chase until late September despite not having him after May 1.Kluber broke his right forearm when he was struck by a line drive... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Rangers completed a $16 million, two-year contract with free agent right-hander Jordan Lyles, finalizing a deal that had been agreed upon before this week's winter meetings.Texas agreed to a $585,000, one-year contract on Friday with left-hander Jeffrey Springs, designated for assignment by the Rangers 11 days earlier.The additions came a day after the end of the meetings in San Diego where the Rangers missed out on free agent third baseman Anthony Rendon. Lyles gets a $2 million signing bonus and salaries of $7 million in each season. He was 7-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 starts at the end of last season for Milwaukee after he was acquired from Pittsburgh. Lyles has been a reliever and starter in his career, with a 43-60 record and 5.11 ERA. He has 143 starts and 102 relief appearances with five teams over nine big league seasons. Texas signed right-hander Kyle Gibson to a $28 million, three-year contract last week. Lyles turns 29 in October, joined Texas to be in a rotation with 30-something pitchers All-Star lefty Mike Minor, and right-handers Lance Lynn and Gibson. ———More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Rangers completed a $16 million, two-year contract with free agent right-hander Jordan Lyles, finalizing a deal that had been agreed upon before this week's winter meetings.Texas agreed to a $585,000, one-year contract on Friday with left-hander Jeffrey Springs, designated for assignment by the Rangers 11 days earlier.The additions came a day after the end of the meetings in San Diego where the Rangers missed out on free agent third baseman Anthony Rendon. Lyles gets a $2 million signing bonus and salaries of $7 million in each season. He was 7-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 starts at the end of last season for Milwaukee after he was acquired from Pittsburgh. Lyles has been a reliever and starter in his career, with a 43-60 record and 5.11 ERA. He has 143 starts and 102 relief appearances with five teams over nine big league seasons. Texas signed right-hander Kyle Gibson to a $28 million, three-year contract last week. Lyles turns 29 in October, joined Texas to be in a rotation with 30-something pitchers All-Star lefty Mike Minor, and right-handers Lance Lynn and Gibson. ———More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have completed a $28 million, three-year contract with right-hander Kyle Gibson, adding another veteran in the middle of their starting rotation.Texas announced Gibson’s addition on Friday. He spent the first seven years of his big league career with the Minnesota Twins.Gibson got a $2 million signing bonus, half payable on Jan. 3 and the other half on Jan. 15, 2021. His 2020 salary with the Rangers will be $10 million, followed by $9 million in 2021 and then $7 million in the final year of the deal. The pitcher could also make up to an extra $4 million in performance and roster bonuses. He could get a $500,000 bonus in both 2021 and 2022 for pitching 180 innings, and a $1 million bonus in each season he is on the active roster for 150 days.Gibson was 13-7 with a 4.84 ERA in 34 games last season for the Twins, making 29 starts and five relief appearances. He spent time on the injured list in September because of ulcerative colitis. In 193 career... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have completed a $28 million, three-year contract with right-hander Kyle Gibson, adding another veteran in the middle of their starting rotation.Texas announced Gibson’s addition on Friday. He spent the first seven years of his big league career with the Minnesota Twins.Gibson got a $2 million signing bonus, half payable on Jan. 3 and the other half by the following January. His 2020 salary with the Rangers will be $10 million, followed by $9 million in 2021 and then $7 million in the final year of the deal. The pitcher could also make up to an extra $4 million in performance and roster bonuses. He could get a $500,000 bonus in both 2021 and 2022 for pitching 180 innings, and a $1 million bonus in each season he is on the active roster for 150 days.Gibson was 13-7 with a 4.84 ERA in 34 games last season for the Twins, making 29 starts and five relief appearances. He spent time on the injured list in September because of ulcerative colitis. In 193... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Right-hander Adrian Sampson has been placed on unconditional release waivers by the Texas Rangers, a move that allows the right-hander to pitch in South Korea.Sampson is set to join the Lotte Giants following the move announced Monday.He went 6-8 with a 5.89 ERA in 125 1/3 innings over 15 starts and 20 relief appearances for the Rangers last season, when he was one of seven big league pitchers with at least 15 starts and 20 relief appearances. Only Mike Minor and Lance Lynn pitched more innings for Texas.The 28-year-old made his big league debut with a start for Seattle in 2016. He was 6-11 with a 5.64 ERA the past two seasons for Texas.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Elvis Andrus and the Texas Rangers have left the building, the ballpark the team called home for 26 seasons.While their new stadium with a retractable roof is still being built across the street, the Rangers wrapped up their first season with manager Chris Woodward confident that a solid foundation is being laid in place for success in the future on that new field."That was the expectation this year, we were going to come in and win," Woodward said. "Next year, with everything that we've kind of put in place this year, we know the process, (players) should know the processes, they should know my expectations. Now we've got to take the next step to like put all of these processes from day one."While the Rangers finished with their third consecutive losing season at 78-84, that was an 11-win improvement over 2018.There was a full season of building relationships and trust between the players and Woodward, who as a utility player saw action at every position but catcher... [More]

Red sox fourth. Marco Hernandez singles to second base. Andrew Benintendi strikes out swinging. J.D. Martinez singles to left field. Marco Hernandez to third. Sam Travis singles to left field. J.D. Martinez to second. Marco Hernandez scores. Brock Holt reaches on a fielder's choice to first base. Sam Travis out at second. J.D. Martinez to third. Gorkys Hernandez doubles to deep left field. Brock Holt to third. J.D. Martinez scores. Jackie Bradley Jr. singles to second base. Gorkys Hernandez to third. Brock Holt scores. Sandy Leon grounds out to shallow infield, Mike Minor to Ronald Guzman.3 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Red sox 3, Rangers 0.Rangers fourth. Willie Calhoun walks. Danny Santana reaches on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Willie Calhoun out at second. Rougned Odor strikes out swinging. Nick Solak doubles to deep left field. Danny Santana scores. Ronald Guzman walks. Jose Trevino called out on strikes.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left on. Red sox 3, Rangers 1.Rangers fifth.... [More]

Athletics second. Ramon Laureano singles to shallow right field. Khris Davis strikes out swinging. Sean Murphy walks. Ramon Laureano to second. Chad Pinder homers to center field. Sean Murphy scores. Ramon Laureano scores. Sheldon Neuse grounds out to first base, Ronald Guzman to Mike Minor. Marcus Semien flies out to left field to Willie Calhoun.3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Athletics 3, Rangers 0.Athletics third. Matt Chapman walks. Matt Olson grounds out to first base to Ronald Guzman. Matt Chapman to second. Mark Canha doubles to deep right field. Matt Chapman scores. Ramon Laureano pops out to shallow infield to Rougned Odor. Khris Davis flies out to center field to Delino DeShields.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Athletics 4, Rangers 0.Athletics fourth. Sean Murphy walks. Chad Pinder singles to left field. Sean Murphy to second. Sheldon Neuse grounds out to second base. Chad Pinder out at second. Sean Murphy to third. Marcus Semien doubles to deep left field. Sean Murphy... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. ignited a four-run rally with the go-ahead, two-run double, and the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves clinched a playoff berth with a 10-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.Acuña's double down the left-field line off reliever Fernando Rodney added fuel to a dramatic seventh inning for the Braves (93-57), who reduced their magic number to four to clinch their 19th division title.Earlier in the seventh, Charlie Culberson was struck directly on the right cheekbone by a 91-mph fastball on Rodney's first pitch of the game.Culberson remained on his back for several minutes as trainers pressed a towel to his face. He was eventually helped to his feet and onto the back of a cart.The Braves have won the last 11 games started by Mike Foltynewicz (7-5), who pitched six solid innings.Wander Suero (5-8) was charged with the loss as the Washington bullpen gave up nine runs over the final four innings. The Nationals saw their lead in the NL wild card race... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:PAIR OF ACESIt's a marquee matchup when Jacob deGrom starts for the Mets against Max Scherzer at Nationals Park. Washington leads the NL wild-card race, New York is chasing.DeGrom (8-8, 2.66 ERA) is 1-0 with a 0.53 ERA in three games vs. the Nationals this season. Scherzer (9-5. 2.46) has a 3.24 ERA in 8 1/3 innings over two starts since returning from the injured list last month.Mets catcher Wilson Ramos owns a 25-game hitting streak, the longest active string in the majors.WELCOME BACKEdwin Encarnación is set to rejoin the Yankees after missing a month because of a broken right wrist. He's hit 30 home runs this year, including nine in 36 games since being acquired from Seattle in mid-June.The slugger returns to the Yankees to take on Texas, a day after they lost 7-0 to Mike Minor and the Rangers — that ended New York's streak of 220 games without being shut out.It was the second longest string without being blanked in the majors since... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:PAIR OF ACESIt's a marquee matchup when Jacob deGrom starts for the Mets against Max Scherzer at Nationals Park. Washington leads the NL wild-card race, New York is chasing.DeGrom (8-8, 2.66 ERA) is 1-0 with a 0.53 ERA in three games vs. the Nationals this season. Scherzer (9-5. 2.46) has a 3.24 ERA in 8 1/3 innings over two starts since returning from the injured list last month.Mets catcher Wilson Ramos owns a 25-game hitting streak, the longest active string in the majors.WELCOME BACKEdwin Encarnación is set to rejoin the Yankees after missing a month because of a broken right wrist. He's hit 30 home runs this year, including nine in 36 games since being acquired from Seattle in mid-June.The slugger returns to the Yankees to take on Texas, a day after they lost 7-0 to Mike Minor and the Rangers — that ended New York's streak of 220 games without being shut out.It was the second longest string without being blanked in the majors since... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Marcus Semien provided just enough early offense and Mike Fiers and three Oakland relievers combined to shut down the Kansas City Royals in a 2-1 victory Tuesday night.Semien scored in the first inning and drove in a run in the second. That was all the offense the A's pitchers needed one day after Oakland had a season-high 19 runs.Fiers (13-3) scattered eight hits in his 5 1/3 innings, but allowed just Alex Gordon's RBI double in the sixth. He's now won 11 straight decisions, dating to May 7, tying Mark Mulder for the second-longest winning streak in Oakland history.Mike Montgomery (3-7) surrendered an unearned run in the first and another run in the second, but gave up nothing else through 6 1/3 innings.ORIOLES 2, NATIONALS 0WASHINGTON (AP) — Aaron Brooks came up with an unexpected pitching gem against the torrid-hitting Nationals, throwing six innings of two-hit ball to help Baltimore end Washington's five-game winning streak.The Nationals were coming off a weekend... [More]

It was late in the 2015 season when Baltimore's Manny Machado smoked a pitch from Tampa Bay's Chris Archer into center field at Camden Yards.Kevin Kiermaier sprinted to the wall, turned and leaped high above it before reaching back and snatching the ball . He banged off the wall and landed on his feet with the ball firmly planted in his glove for the out.The play sent a dejected Machado back to the dugout and left a stunned Archer simply mouthing, "Wow."Archer, now with Pittsburgh, was so grateful for Kiermaier's extraordinary effort that he searched for a fitting way to thank his center fielder for keeping that run off the board.He found it by commissioning a painting of the catch, which he presented to Kiermaier at spring training the next year."It happens so rarely you're in awe," Archer said. "It's an awesome feeling. They have the defensive runs saved calculation, but when you actually see a run taken away it feels so good."Kiermaier recalled the team meeting where he received the... [More]

It was late in the 2015 season when Baltimore's Manny Machado smoked a pitch from Tampa Bay's Chris Archer into center field at Camden Yards.Kevin Kiermaier sprinted to the wall, turned and leaped high above it before reaching back and snatching the ball . He banged off the wall and landed on his feet with the ball firmly planted in his glove for the out.The play sent a dejected Machado back to the dugout and left a stunned Archer simply mouthing, "Wow."Archer, now with Pittsburgh, was so grateful for Kiermaier's extraordinary effort that he searched for a fitting way to thank his center fielder for keeping that run off the board.He found it by commissioning a painting of the catch, which he presented to Kiermaier at spring training the next year."It happens so rarely you're in awe," Archer said. "It's an awesome feeling. They have the defensive runs saved calculation but when you actually see a run taken away it feels so good."Kiermaier recalled the team meeting where he received the painting... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:BRYCE BLASTSQuiet for much of the season, Bryce Harper is making a lot of noise lately for the Phillies.Harper hollered as he ran around the bases after hitting a game-ending grand slam that rallied Philadelphia over the Cubs 7-5 Thursday night for a three-game sweep. Harper has seven homers and 15 RBIs in the last 12 games, keeping the Phils in the thick of the NL wild-card chase.Harper is batting .253 with 25 home runs and 87 RBIs. His slam was his biggest hit since signing a $330 million, 13-year contract to join the Phillies in spring training."Before I went to the plate, I touched my heart and I was thinking to myself: Why am I not jittery? Why am I not excited? But that's just how I am," Harper said. "I go up there and each at-bat is the same. I don't think about bases loaded. I try to get a pitch I can drive and hopefully good things happen. I love those moments. I love those opportunities. I think it helped me a lot from a young... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:BRYCE BLASTSQuiet for much of the season, Bryce Harper is making a lot of noise lately for the Phillies.Harper hollered as he ran around the bases after hitting a game-ending grand slam that rallied Philadelphia over the Cubs 7-5 Thursday night for a three-game sweep. Harper has seven homers and 15 RBIs in the last 12 games, keeping the Phils in the thick of the NL wild-card chase.Harper is batting .253 with 25 home runs and 87 RBIs. His slam was his biggest hit since signing a $330 million, 13-year contract to join the Phillies in spring training."Before I went to the plate, I touched my heart and I was thinking to myself: Why am I not jittery? Why am I not excited? But that's just how I am," Harper said. "I go up there and each at-bat is the same. I don't think about bases loaded. I try to get a pitch I can drive and hopefully good things happen. I love those moments. I love those opportunities. I think it helped me a lot from a young... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carlos Santana hit a grand slam in the 10th inning, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 7-3 on Sunday to win the four-game series and forge another tie for the AL Central lead.The Twins tied the game with four hits in a two-run ninth against Brad Hand (5-3), using a single by Luis Arraez and a double by Marwin Gonzalez to extend the game.As pinch-runner Ehire Adrianza tried to score the winning run from first base, left fielder Tyler Naquin grabbed the ball off the bounce from the wall and zipped a throw to shortstop Francisco Lindor, whose relay home was in perfect position for catcher Kevin Plawecki to tag Adrianza with ease.Twins closer Taylor Rogers (2-3) allowed a single, a walk and another single on a bunt by Greg Allen to load the bases with none out for Santana, who quickly erased the late-inning drama with one big swing.The Twins and Indians play six more times, all in September.ORIOLES 8, ASTROS 7BALTIMORE (AP) — Rio Ruiz hit a two-run homer with... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carlos Santana hit a grand slam in the 10th inning, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 7-3 on Sunday to win the four-game series and forge another tie for the AL Central lead.The Twins tied the game with four hits in a two-run ninth against Brad Hand (5-3), using a single by Luis Arraez and a double by Marwin Gonzalez to extend the game.As pinch-runner Ehire Adrianza tried to score the winning run from first base, left fielder Tyler Naquin grabbed the ball off the bounce from the wall and zipped a throw to shortstop Francisco Lindor, whose relay home was in perfect position for catcher Kevin Plawecki to tag Adrianza with ease.Twins closer Taylor Rogers (2-3) allowed a single, a walk and another single on a bunt by Greg Allen to load the bases with none out for Santana, who quickly erased the late-inning drama with one big swing.The Twins and Indians play six more times, all in September.ORIOLES 8, ASTROS 7BALTIMORE (AP) — Rio Ruiz hit a two-run homer with... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Asdrubal Cabrera hit a tiebreaking two-run double against his former team, helping the Washington Nationals beat the streaking New York Mets 7-4 Sunday.Nationals star Juan Soto was injured on Cabrera's bases-loaded hit in the seventh inning. Soto went from first to third but turned his right ankle after getting a late stop sign from third base coach Bob Henley. He was worked on by trainers in the outfield grass before coming out of the game.Victor Robles replaced Soto and homered off Edwin Díaz in the ninth.Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save two nights after blowing a three-run lead in the final inning. The Nats bullpen had blown five consecutive save chances at Citi Field prior to Sunday.The Mets had won eight in a row. They dropped 1 1/2 games behind Washington for the top NL wild card.Jeff McNeil had two hits and two RBIs, and Robert Gsellman (2-3) got the loss.YANKEES 1, BLUE JAYS 0TORONTO (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka and Aroldis Chapman combined on a... [More]