Capsules of National League West teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Los Angeles Dodgers2017: 104-58, first place, lost to Houston in World Series.Manager: Dave Roberts (third season).He's Here: OF Matt Kemp, RHP Tom Koehler, LHP Scott Alexander, LHP Henry Owens.He's Outta Here: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Brandon McCarthy, LHP Tony Watson, LHP Luis Avilan, LHP Scott Kazmir, LHP Adam Liberatore, OF Andre Ethier, INF Charlie Culberson, OF Curtis Granderson, LHP Grant Dayton, OF Franklin Gutierrez, RHP Josh Ravin.Projected Lineup: CF Chris Taylor (.288, 21 HRs, 72 RBIs, 17 SBs), SS Corey Seager (.295, 22, 77), 3B Justin Turner (.322, 21, 71, will start season on DL with broken left wrist), 1B Cody Bellinger (.267, 39, 97, 10 SBs), RF Yasiel Puig (.263, 28, 74), LF Matt Kemp (.276, 19, 64 in 115 games with Braves) or Joc Pederson (.212, 11, 35 in 102 games), C Austin Barnes (.289, 8, 38) or Yasmani Grandal (.247, 22, 58), 2B Logan Forsythe (.224, 6,... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers rotation is leaning quite a bit to the left.There was no reunion with Yu Darvish or any other high-prized pitching additions during the offseason. The Rangers instead added two more lefty starters to go with Cole Hamels and Martin Perez, along with a free agent right-hander."We don't see a lot of lefties in the game, so we're just hoarding them," Hamels said. "I think it'll work out. ... We're going to be able to pick up things and correct each other just because we have some similarities."With 3,000-hit third baseman Adrian Beltre, 10th-season shortstop Elvis Andrus and young slugger Joey Gallo part of an everyday lineup that hasn't changed too much, the Rangers should be able to hit and score runs. They did last year, despite a losing record for only the second time in nine years after winning the AL West title in each of manager Jeff Banister's first two seasons.But to contend again in the AL West with defending World Series champion Houston... [More]

Capsules of National League West teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Los Angeles Dodgers2017: 104-58, first place, lost to Houston in World Series.Manager: Dave Roberts (third season).He's Here: OF Matt Kemp, RHP Tom Koehler, LHP Scott Alexander, LHP Henry Owens.He's Outta Here: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Brandon McCarthy, LHP Tony Watson, LHP Luis Avilan, LHP Scott Kazmir, LHP Adam Liberatore, OF Andre Ethier, INF Charlie Culberson, OF Curtis Granderson, LHP Grant Dayton, OF Franklin Gutierrez, RHP Josh Ravin.Projected Lineup: CF Chris Taylor (.288, 21 HRs, 72 RBIs, 17 SBs), SS Corey Seager (.295, 22, 77), 3B Justin Turner (.322, 21, 71, will start season on DL with broken left wrist), 1B Cody Bellinger (.267, 39, 97, 10 SBs), RF Yasiel Puig (.263, 28, 74), LF Matt Kemp (.276, 19, 64 in 115 games with Braves) or Joc Pederson (.212, 11, 35 in 102 games), C Austin Barnes (.289, 8, 38) or Yasmani Grandal (.247, 22, 58), 2B Logan Forsythe (.224, 6,... [More]

Capsules of American League West teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Houston Astros2017: 101-61, first place, won World Series.Manager: A.J. Hinch (fourth season).He's Here: RHP Gerrit Cole, RHP Joe Smith, RHP Hector Rondon.He's Outta Here: DH Carlos Beltran, RHP Luke Gregerson, RHP Joe Musgrove, RHP Mike Fiers, RHP Michael Feliz, INF Colin Moran.Projected Lineup: CF George Springer (.283, 34 HRs, 85 RBIs), 3B Alex Bregman (.284, 19, 71, 39 2Bs), 2B Jose Altuve (MLB-best .346, 24, 81, 39 2Bs, 32 SBs, AL MVP), SS Carlos Correa (.315, 24, 84), 1B Yuli Gurriel (.299, 18, 75, 43 2Bs), LF Marwin Gonzalez (.303, 23, 90, 34 2Bs), DH Evan Gattis (.263, 12, 55), RF Josh Reddick (.314, 13, 82, 34 2Bs), C Brian McCann (.241, 18, 62).Rotation: LH Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90 ERA, 251 Ks), RH Justin Verlander (15-8, 3.36, 219 Ks with Tigers and Astros), RH Gerrit Cole (12-12, 4.26, 196 Ks with Pirates), RH Lance McCullers Jr. (7-4, 4.25), RH Charlie Morton (14-7, 3.62).Key Relievers: RH Ken... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Bartolo Colon could be pitching his way into the Texas Rangers' rotation at age 44 as he continues to shut down hitters half his age in spring training.The Rangers also ended their try to move Matt Bush from the bullpen into the rotation."I'm very happy and I get to go back to doing what I know how to do," Bush said Monday. "There are plenty of good starters and this is a role they need me to go back to. They know what they are doing and I feel like it is the right decision."The Rangers' rotation has a lot of moving parts.Cole Hamels, Matt Moore and Doug Fister appear to be locks for the top three spots. Mike Minor remains a candidate, but could be switched to closer, a role he was effective in at the end of last season with Kansas City.Left-hander Martin Perez threw 69 pitches in a minor league game Monday, allowing six runs, three earned, in four innings. He has been set back in spring training after breaking his right (non-pitching) elbow in December in an incident... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Tim Lincecum arrived at the Texas Rangers' spring training camp, ready to finalize a contract and return to the major leagues for the first time in two years.The 33-year-old right-hander took a physical Tuesday. He figures to compete for a bullpen spot.General manager Jon Daniels said the four-time All-Star has been throwing bullpen sessions on his own since a showcase for scouts last month."He was in as close to game shape as you're going to be, from that standpoint," Daniels said.Texas anticipates Lincecum will throw bullpen sessions and batting practice before getting into a spring training game."He's further along than I would say most guys are on report date," Daniels said.A two-time World Series champion with San Francisco, Lincecum was 108-83 for the Giants from 2007-15. He had season-ending hip surgery in September 2015 and made a brief comeback with the Los Angeles Angels the following season, going 2-6 with a 9.16 ERA in nine startsTexas thinks Lincecum has good hip movement, flexibility and explosiveness in his delivery."Between that and the transition to a bullpen role, gave us some confidence he could be a successful part of the team," Daniels said.Lincecum has worn No. 55. Texas pitcher Matt Moore, who wears 55 now, expressed a willingness to let Lincecum have the number.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Early in spring training, many pitchers take the same approach to starts. The basic work-on-stuff, build-innings-and-conditioning, reach-pitch-limit kind of thing.For Matt Moore, it was a little different.After a poor year with the San Francisco Giants last season, the Texas lefty faced them Monday in his second outing. He allowed a run on one hit, a pair of walks and a wild pitch over 2 2/3 innings, striking out two. Moore left after giving up an RBI single to Austin Jackson."I was looking forward to it, absolutely," Moore said. "Not like I have anything out for them, it's just that those are the guys that I sat in the dugout with for the last year and a half, and got to know them pretty well. It was fun to just compete against them."The Giants traded Moore to the Rangers for prospects in the offseason after he spent part of 2016 and all of 2017 in the Bay Area. He's in his seventh season in the majors at only 28 years old, and is coming off a season of career lows.Those... [More]

Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel will have to wait even longer before playing this season.Gurriel had surgery on his left hand Wednesday and the normal recovery time is six weeks.Opening day for the World Series champions is March 29, when the Astros visit Texas. When Gurriel returns, he will serve a five-game suspension imposed by Major League Baseball for making an inappropriate gesture toward Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish during the World Series.Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said Gurriel's hand was broken before he came to camp. Luhnow said he did not know the original cause of the fracture."It was non-symptomatic until recently and he started to feel something," Luhnow said. "Once you start feeling something, the right course of action is to just remove it because it's a pretty reliable surgery, and we know what the outcome is going to be."The 33-year-old Gurriel hit .299 with 18 homers and 75 RBIs last year in his first full season in the majors. He played in one exhibition... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Matt Moore had plenty of time to ponder the worst season of his career when he made the long drive last fall from San Francisco to his home in Florida.The left-hander concluded, among other things, that he relied too much on his cut fastball, a theory that he'll be testing with a new team.The Giants traded Moore to the Texas Rangers in December after he matched the National League high with 15 losses and had the worst ERA in the majors (5.52) among pitchers with at least 162 innings."Last year I was throwing it considerably more than certain pitches," Moore said. "I think the overall usage of the pitch is going to be reformed a little bit. It is definitely a very usable pitch, but I just want to make sure everything else is coming along with it."Moore is set to put the troubling 2017 season behind him. The 28-year-old's first spring start is Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox.There's plenty to forget beyond the 6-15 record. How about lefties hitting .373 against... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Texas Rangers are famished for success after a down 2017.After winning back-to-back AL West championships, the Rangers went from winning 97 games in 2016 to a 78-84 record last season and finishing 23 games behind the Houston Astros."Hungry dogs run faster," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said Tuesday, the first day of the club's full-squad workout. "That may be a T-shirt."Pitchers, by design, did not throw batting practice for the initial day with position players on the field.Shortstop Elvis Andrus was unable to make it through the first day, leaving early with back spasms. Left-hander Matt Moore, who had been slowed by a tender right knee, was cleared to participate in pitcher's fielding practice. Left-hander Martin Perez, who suffered a broken right arm in a December incident with a bull on his Venezuelan ranch, is improving."He's throwing only," assistant general manager Jayce Tingler said. "He's progressing, just more precautionary. He's right on pace."The... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Adrian Beltre would bring in some big-time free agents if he was making those kinds of decisions for the Texas Rangers. The veteran third baseman just wants to win a World Series before the end of his career.While there have been no such marquee additions for the Rangers, the newest member of the 3,000-hit club said after arriving at spring training Monday that he's not unhappy and still believes the Rangers can compete for a postseason spot."Obviously we can be better, especially with the free agents out there that are still not signed," Beltre said. "There is no doubt that I would like to win and have the best chance to win. ... If it was my option, I would like to add some other people and make the roster even stronger."Going into his 21st big league season, when he will turn 39 just more than a week after opening day, Beltre's primary focus is to win a World Series . He has been there only once, in his first year with the Rangers in 2011, when they lost in seven... [More]

Adrian Beltre goes into his 21st major league season still seeking a World Series title. The offseason for the Texas Rangers likely would have gone much differently if the third baseman and 3,000-hit club member was their general manager."He probably would have made some different moves this winter. I think he would have addressed some different things," said Jon Daniels, the actual GM. "I respect that, but I don't feel any different from how I did at the end of (last season). We're going to go into spring training with a chance."Even in the AL West that is home to the World Series champion Houston Astros and now Shohei Ohtani, the pitcher-outfielder from Japan coveted by the Rangers before he signed instead with the Los Angeles Angels."I believe we're in a good place to allow guys, young guys, to continue to grow," fourth-year manager Jeff Banister said. "We brought in some players that we feel like really have an opportunity to help us."There will be no expensive reunion with Yu Darvish,... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American League West entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Houston AstrosManager: A.J. Hinch (fourth season).2017: 101-61, first place, won World Series.Training Town: West Palm Beach, Florida.Park: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: RHP Gerrit Cole, RHP Joe Smith, RHP Hector Rondon.He's Outta Here: DH Carlos Beltran, RHP Luke Gregerson, RHP Joe Musgrove, RHP Mike Fiers, RHP Michael Feliz, INF Colin Moran.Going campin': This team is basically set after retaining almost every key player from last season's championship squad. The two strongest areas are the middle infield, where shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve, last year's AL MVP, return to anchor the middle of the order. Correa hit .315 with 24 homers — both career highs — and Altuve had his finest season, hitting a career-best and major... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bruce Bochy's first glimpse at his overhauled roster gives him hope the Giants will feature a lineup much like the ones of several seasons ago — back when his club was capturing World Series championships every other year.He will be managing a new outfield. Well, with Hunter Pence moving from left to right to make room for Andrew McCutchen. And a new third baseman in Evan Longoria. And that's not to mention all the reliable returners such as Gold Glove shortstop Brandon Crawford, aces Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto, and closer Mark Melancon eager to have a bounce-back year.Bochy is confident he has the roster, depth and talent to rebound right away."We feel like we can play with anybody," he said.Longoria isn't sugar-coating anything as the Giants try to rebound from a 64-98 season and overtake the World Series runner-up Los Angeles Dodgers, who have won the past five NL West crowns."It's tough to win only 64 games, it really is. That's a tough year," Longoria said.... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rangers general manager Jon Daniels anticipates adding depth to his rotation. It remains unlikely that pitcher will be a front-line starter."We're not going to close the door on the chance to add premium talent. You always explore it," Daniels said Tuesday. "But if I had to handicap it, I don't think it's highly likely at this point."Yu Darvish, traded by the Rangers to the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers last July, is among several starting pitchers still available as free agents. Jake Arrieta, the 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner who went to nearby TCU, is also among that group.Daniels has consistently said the Rangers, who missed the playoffs last season after consecutive AL West titles, didn't plan to spend big this offseason."We're pretty realistic about where we are and what our goals are, both short- and long-term," Daniels said. "We've said from Day 1 we were not going to kind of go all-in from a standpoint of spending big dollars against this year."After a... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Closer Alex Colome and All-Star designated hitter/outfielder Corey Dickerson are among seven players who agreed to one-year contracts with the Tampa Bay Rays, avoiding salary arbitration.Infielders Matt Duffy and Brad Miller, outfielder Steven Souza, Jr., catcher Jesus Sucre and relief pitcher Dan Jennings also reached terms before Friday's deadline for players and teams to exchange proposed salaries for next season.Pitcher Jake Odorizzi and shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria are Tampa Bay's only arbitration-eligible players who didn't agree to deals. Odorizzi's case set to be settled by an arbiter for the second straight winter.The 27-year-old right-hander won his arbitration case last February, receiving a raise from $520,700 to $4.1 million. He went 10-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 28 starts last season.This time, Odorizzi is seeking $6.3 million while the Rays are offering $6.05 million.Hechavarria, acquired in a trade from Miami in June, is asking for $5.9 million after... [More]

LHP Matt Moore gave up five hits and eight runs (seven earned) in 11/3 innings his shortest outing of the season Tuesday. He gave up a two-run double to J.D. Martinez in the first inning and a grand slam to Martinez in the second. It was Moore's last scheduled start but not his last appearance, manager Bruce Bochy said. "I will find a way to get him out there for some work," Bochy said. "I don't want him to go out like this either because he has been throwing the ball well." Moore (6-15) set a career high in losses in his first full season with the Giants. "This is baseball," Moore said. "It can teach you some tough lessons sometimes if you are hard-headed."

LHP Matt Moore shut out the Colorado Rockies on six hits in six-plus innings in Wednesday's 4-0 win. Moore entered the game with the second-highest ERA in the majors, then watched it drop from 5.39 to 5.20 with six shutout innings. It was the first time he held an opponent without a run this season.

LHP Matt Moore will attempt to avoid becoming the National League's first 15-game loser this season when he pitches Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies. The Giants have lost 20 of Moore's 29 starts, including all three times he's pitched against the Rockies this year. Moore is just 1-3 with a 9.64 ERA in six career starts against Colorado.

LHP Matt Moore surrendered a triple and a home run to left-handed Dodgers 1B/OF Cody Bellinger in a 4-1 loss. Moore entered the game having allowed the highest batting average to lefty hitters (.373) among all southpaw starters. Moore has allowed eight homers to lefty hitters this season, the most in the majors.