Jay Bruce returned to the major leagues Saturday, making the New York Yankees' roster at the deadline for decisions on free agents who had gone to spring training with minor league contracts. Atlanta added third baseman Pablo Sandoval, infielder Ehire Adrianza and reliever Nate Jones to its major league roster. The Chicago Cubs told infielder Eric Sogard he will be added. Detroit, having already told pitcher Julio Teheran he will be on the roster, informed pitcher Derek Holland he will be added and decided to pay a $100,000 retention bonus to keep pitcher Erasmo Ramirez. Under baseball's collective bargaining agreement, players who became free agents after the World Series and then went to spring training with minor league contracts had to be told by noon EDT Saturday that they would be added to the 40-man roster, paid the retention bonus or released. Released players can re-sign with the same team. Miami paid the retention bonus to catcher Sandy Leon, the only other player given the bonus.... [More]

Jay Bruce returned to the major leagues Saturday, making the New York Yankees' roster at the deadline for decisions on free agents who had gone to spring training with minor league contracts. Atlanta added third baseman Pablo Sandoval, infielder Ehire Adrianza and reliever Nate Jones to its major league roster. The Chicago Cubs told infielder Eric Sogard he will be added. Detroit, having already told pitcher Julio Teheran he will be on the roster, informed pitcher Derek Holland he will be added and decided to pay a $100,000 retention bonus to keep pitcher Erasmo Ramirez. Under baseball's collective bargaining agreement, players who became free agents after the World Series and then went to spring training with minor league contracts had to be told by noon EDT Saturday that they would be added to the 40-man roster, paid the retention bonus or released. Released players can re-sign with the same team. Miami paid the retention bonus to catcher Sandy Leon, the only other player given the bonus.... [More]

Jay Bruce returned to the major leagues Saturday, making the New York Yankees' roster at the deadline for decisions on free agents who had gone to spring training with minor league contracts. Atlanta added third baseman Pablo Sandoval, infielder Ehire Adrianza and reliever Nate Jones to its major league roster. The Chicago Cubs told infielder Eric Sogard he will be added. Detroit, having already told pitcher Julio Teheran he will be on the roster, informed pitcher Derek Holland he will be added and decided to pay a $100,000 retention bonus to keep pitcher Erasmo Ramirez. Under baseball's collective bargaining agreement, players who became free agents after the World Series and then went to spring training with minor league contracts had to be told by noon EDT Saturday that they would be added to the 40-man roster, paid the retention bonus or released. Released players can re-sign with the same team. Miami paid the retention bonus to catcher Sandy Leon, the only other player given the bonus.... [More]

Jay Bruce returned to the major leagues Saturday, making the New York Yankees' roster at the deadline for decisions on free agents who had gone to spring training with minor league contracts. Atlanta added third baseman Pablo Sandoval, infielder Ehire Adrianza and reliever Nate Jones to its major league roster. The Chicago Cubs told infielder Eric Sogard he will be added. Detroit, having already told pitcher Julio Teheran he will be on the roster, informed pitcher Derek Holland he will be added and decided to pay a $100,000 retention bonus to keep pitcher Erasmo Ramirez. Under baseball's collective bargaining agreement, players who became free agents after the World Series and then went to spring training with minor league contracts had to be told by noon EDT Saturday that they would be added to the 40-man roster, paid the retention bonus or released. Released players can re-sign with the same team. Miami paid the retention bonus to catcher Sandy Leon, the only other player given the bonus.... [More]

The Houston Astros received a positive update on left-hander Framber Valdez on the same day Forrest Whitley had season-ending surgery on his right elbow. Valdez met with Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles on Wednesday, and new images of the pitcher's fractured left ring finger showed significant healing, according to the team. Valdez is expected to continue his rehab at the team's facility in Florida, and there is no timetable yet for his return to the mound. The 27-year-old Valdez went 5-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 11 games last year, including 10 starts. He got hurt when struck by a comebacker while pitching against the Mets on March 2. Whitley's Tommy John surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. He got hurt while throwing batting practice this spring training. The 23-year-old Whitley, one of Houston's top prospects, is expected to miss at least a year. He was selected by the Astros in the first round of the 2016 amateur draft. ACES APLENTY Aces Walker Buehler of the Los... [More]

The Houston Astros received a positive update on left-hander Framber Valdez on the same day Forrest Whitley had season-ending surgery on his right elbow. Valdez met with Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles on Wednesday, and new images of the pitcher's fractured left ring finger showed significant healing, according to the team. Valdez is expected to continue his rehab at the team's facility in Florida, and there is no timetable yet for his return to the mound. The 27-year-old Valdez went 5-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 11 games last year, including 10 starts. He got hurt when struck by a comebacker while pitching against the Mets on March 2. Whitley's Tommy John surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. He got hurt while throwing batting practice this spring training. The 23-year-old Whitley, one of Houston's top prospects, is expected to miss at least a year. He was selected by the Astros in the first round of the 2016 amateur draft. ACES APLENTY Aces Walker Buehler of the Los... [More]

The Houston Astros received a positive update on left-hander Framber Valdez on the same day Forrest Whitley had season-ending surgery on his right elbow. Valdez met with Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles on Wednesday, and new images of the pitcher's fractured left ring finger showed significant healing, according to the team. Valdez is expected to continue his rehab at the team's facility in Florida, and there is no timetable yet for his return to the mound. The 27-year-old Valdez went 5-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 11 games last year, including 10 starts. He got hurt when struck by a comebacker while pitching against the Mets on March 2. Whitley's Tommy John surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. He got hurt while throwing batting practice this spring training. The 23-year-old Whitley, one of Houston's top prospects, is expected to miss at least a year. He was selected by the Astros in the first round of the 2016 amateur draft. ACES APLENTY Aces Walker Buehler of the Los... [More]

Chris Archer is back in familiar surroundings, eager to re-establish himself with the Tampa Bay Rays. The 32-year-old right-hander is three seasons removed from a being a two-time All-Star and the ace of a rotation the AL champions are revamping after losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series last fall. Archer, who was with Tampa Bay from 2012 to 2018, signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract to rejoin the Rays after missing all of the 2020 pandemic-shortened season with the Pittsburgh Pirates while recovering from surgery to relieve symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. The Rays, who have made the playoffs the past two seasons, traded him to the Pirates on July 31, 2018, as part of a deal that brought Tampa Bay right-hander Tyler Glasnow, outfielder Austin Meadows and minor league pitching prospect Shane Baz. Archer hasn’t pitched in a major league game since August 2019. He went 6-12 with a 4.92 ERA over 33 starts with Pittsburgh and is excited to have a second... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American League East 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: ___ Tampa Bay Rays Manager: Kevin Cash (seventh season). 2020: 40-20, first place, AL champions, lost to Dodgers in World Series. Training Town: Port Charlotte, Florida. Park: Charlotte Sports Park. First Workout: Feb. 18/23. He’s Here: RHP Michael Wacha, RHP Chris Archer, C Francisco Mejia, RHP Luis Patiño. He’s Outta Here: LHP Blake Snell, RHP Charlie Morton, OF Hunter Renfroe, RHP Aaron Slegers, 1B Nate Lowe, LHP Aaron Loup, LHP Jose Alvarado, 1B Brian O’Grady, RHP Chaz Roe, RHP Oliver Drake, LHP Sean Gilmartin. Going campin’: The AL champions are coming off their first division title in a decade and first World Series appearance in 12 years, but they have to replace their top two starting pitchers after declining a $15 million option on Morton and trading Snell to San Diego. The Rays... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Free agent right-hander Chris Archer has finalized a one-year, $6.5 million contract that reunites him with the Tampa Bay Rays. The 32-year-old is back with the AL champions after missing all of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season after surgery to relieve symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome last June, when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Archer spent parts of seven seasons with the Rays, ranking fourth on the franchise’s all-time list for victories, before being traded to the Pirates in a deal that brought pitcher Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows to Tampa Bay in 2018. With the Rays, Archer will have an opportunity to win a spot in a revamped pitching rotation that’s lost right-hander Charlie Morton and 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell since Tampa Bay lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. In addition to ranking fourth on the Rays career wins list, Archer is second in strikeouts (1,146) and starts (177) and third in innings pitched (1,063). Over portions of eight major league seasons, the two-time AL All-Star is 60-80 with a 3.86 ERA in 212 appearances, including 210 starts. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Free agent right-hander Chris Archer has finalized a one-year, $6.5 million contract that reunites him with the Tampa Bay Rays. The 32-year-old is back with the AL champions after missing all of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season after surgery to relieve symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome last June, when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Archer spent parts of seven seasons with the Rays, ranking fourth on the franchise’s all-time list for victories, before being traded to the Pirates in a deal that brought pitcher Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows to Tampa Bay in 2018. With the Rays, Archer will have an opportunity to win a spot in a revamped pitching rotation that’s lost right-hander Charlie Morton and 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell since Tampa Bay lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. In addition to ranking fourth on the Rays career wins list, Archer is second in strikeouts (1,146) and starts (177) and third in innings pitched (1,063). Over portions of eight major league seasons, the two-time AL All-Star is 60-80 with a 3.86 ERA in 212 appearances, including 210 starts. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Two-time All-Star pitcher Chris Archer has agreed to rejoin the Tampa Bay Rays on a $6.5 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced. The 32-year-old right-hander, an All-Star with the Rays in 2015 and 2017, is expected to get an opportunity to compete for a spot in a starting rotation that lost Charlie Morton and 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell this winter. The AL champion Rays declined a $15 million option on Morton for 2021. Snell was traded to the San Diego Padres. Archer went 54-68 with a 3.69 ERA in seven seasons with the Rays, who traded him to Pittsburgh in a fruitful deal that brought them right-hander Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows in July 2018. Archer missed the pandemic-shortened 2020 season after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery. He was 6-12 with a 4.92 ERA over two seasons with the Pirates, who declined an $11 million option on his contract for 2021. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Two-time All-Star pitcher Chris Archer has agreed to rejoin the Tampa Bay Rays on a $6.5 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced. The 32-year-old right-hander, an All-Star with the Rays in 2015 and 2017, is expected to get an opportunity to compete for a spot in a starting rotation that lost Charlie Morton and 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell this winter. The AL champion Rays declined a $15 million option on Morton for 2021. Snell was traded to the San Diego Padres. Archer went 54-68 with a 3.69 ERA in seven seasons with the Rays, who traded him to Pittsburgh in a fruitful deal that brought them right-hander Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows in July 2018. Archer missed the pandemic-shortened 2020 season after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery. He was 6-12 with a 4.92 ERA over two seasons with the Pirates, who declined an $11 million option on his contract for 2021. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays agreed to terms on contracts for next season with four of the team’s six arbitration-eligible players, including right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow. Outfielder Manuel Margot, infielder Joey Wendle and right-hander Yonny Chirinos also reached agreements Friday, leaving first baseman Ji-Man Choi and left-hander Ryan Yarbrough as the only members of the AL champions heading to arbitration hearings. Choi, who's seeking $2.45 million while the Rays are offering $1.85 million earned the $427,148 prorated portion of his scheduled $1,150,000 salary and earned bonus while playing solid defense and batting .230 with three homers and 16 RBIs in 42 games last season. He hit .250 with two homers and four RBIs in 40 at-bats during the postseason. The Rays are offering Yarbrough $2.3 million after the left-hander made the $214,259 prorated portion of his $578,500 salary for last season. Yarbrough, a candidate for the starting rotation in 2021, is asking $3.1... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays agreed to terms on contracts for next season with four of the team’s six arbitration-eligible players, including right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow. Outfielder Manuel Margot, infielder Joey Wendle and right-hander Yonny Chirinos also reached agreements Friday, leaving first baseman Ji-Man Choi and left-hander Ryan Yarbrough as the only members of the AL champions heading to arbitration hearings. Choi, who's seeking $2,450,000 while the Rays are offering $1,850,000, earned the $427,148 prorated portion of his scheduled $1,150,000 salary while playing solid defense and batting .230 with three homers and 16 RBIs in 42 games last season. He hit .250 with two homers and four RBIs in 40 at-bats during the postseason. The Rays are offering Yarbrough $2,300,000 after the left-hander made the $214,259 prorated portion of his $578,500 salary for last season. Yarbrough, a candidate for the starting rotation in 2021, is asking $3,100,000. Glasnow, meanwhile,... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The AL champion Tampa Bay Rays offered 2021 contracts to all seven of their arbitration-eligible players Wednesday, including starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow. The others were left-handers Ryan Yarbrough and José Alvarado, right-hander Yonny Chirinos, first baseman Ji-Man Choi, infielder Joey Wendle and outfielder Manuel Margot. Right-hander Edgar García, who was not yet eligible for arbitration, was non-tendered and becomes a free agent. Glasnow went 5-1 in 11 regular-season starts in 2020. The 6-foot-8 right-hander was 2-3 during the postseason, including a pair of losses in two World Series outings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chris Archer’s $11 million option for 2021 has been declined by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the 32-year-old right-hander became a free agent. Archer will receive a $250,000 buyout, completing a contract he agreed to with Tampa Bay in April 2014. The deal originally guaranteed $25.5 million over six seasons and included a $9 million club option for 2020 that the Pirates exercised. Archer was a two-time All-Star with the Rays, then was traded to the Pirates on July 31, 2018, for right-hander Tyler Glasnow, outfielder Austin Meadows and a player to be named, who later became minor league right-hander Shane Baz. Archer disappointed with the Pirates, going 6-12 with a 4.92 ERA in 33 starts, including 3-9 with a 5.19 ERA in 2019. Glasnow and Meadows became important players who helped the Rays reach the World Series this year for the first time since 2008. Archer reported discomfort in the neck/shoulder area on his right side in shortly before spring training was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic and had season-ending surgery June 2 with Dr. Robert Thompson to relieve symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome. His prorated pay in the pandemic-shortened season was reduced to $3,333,333. In his big league career, Archer is 60-80 with a 3.86 ERA in 210 starts and two relief appearances. His average fastball velocity dropped from 95.75 mph in 2017 to 93.30 mph in 2019. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Blake Snell spent nearly 10 minutes discussing a disappointing end to the World Series before concluding with a message to the rest of the Tampa Bay Rays. “I just hope the guys understand we should not be OK with taking second,” the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner said. “We’ve got to find a way to be better for next year and come into spring training hungry.” With a talented young roster featuring Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Brandon Lowe, Austin Meadows and postseason breakout star Randy Arozarena, the AL champions feel they’re built for long-term success after losing the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. What’s not clear moving forward is how much a deep playoff run during a shortened season played in empty stadiums due to the coronavirus pandemic will help the franchise’s efforts to get a new home to replace Tropicana Field. Or in Tampa Bay’s case, maybe two ballparks. With the blessing of Major League Baseball, principal owner Stuart Sternberg... [More]

Joc Pederson is the guy the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t need or want — until October. After nearly being traded in February and hitting .190 during the regular season, Pederson is coming up big in the postseason. Pederson crushed a fastball from Rays starter Tyler Glasnow over the left-center field wall leading off the second inning Sunday night, extending LA's lead to 3-0. After enduring a stunning 8-7 loss in Game 4, the Dodgers rebounded early and went on to a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay. Los Angeles is one win from its first World Series championship since 1988. “They don't call it Joctober for no reason,” said teammate Max Muncy, who added a solo shot in the fifth. “The guy performs on the huge stage, that's just what he does.” Pederson could tell his 428-foot drive immediately was gone. “They don’t want that smoke,” he bellowed upon returning to the dugout. “Come on, let’s go!” It was the Dodgers’ 28th home run of the postseason after leading the majors with 118 during the regular season.... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Muncy knew, right away. He flung his bat down as the ball sailed toward the seats in right-center. It was long gone. Muncy connected for a big solo homer Sunday night, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 in Game 5 of the World Series. The 30-year-old Muncy, who played high school baseball about 25 miles from the new Texas Rangers ballpark, went deep against Tyler Glasnow with two outs in the fifth inning. Muncy's second career World Series homer traveled an estimated 434 feet and gave Los Angeles a 4-2 lead. “When you connect on 100 miles an hour, there’s probably not a better feeling out there than that,” Muncy said. “That’s one of those things where I didn’t actually feel it hit the bat.” The Dodgers took a 3-2 in the Series in pursuit of their first championship since 1988. Game 6 is Tuesday night. Muncy also was involved in another big play, helping alert left-hander Clayton Kershaw to Manuel Margot's attempted steal of home in the... [More]