ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Hunter Renfroe homered twice and Tampa Bay pitchers set a team nine-inning record with 19 strikeouts in the Rays’ 14-5 romp over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz (0-1) gave up six runs, four hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. The 2018 All-Star was designated for assignment after the game.Tyler Glasnow struck out nine and allowed one hit over four innings in first start after missing part of summer camp with the Rays after testing positive for the coronavirus. Diego Castillo (1-0) struck out two in a 10-pitch fifth and Jalen Beeks fanned seven over his three innings.Dansby Swanson and Matt Adams homered for the Braves. Swanson tied a career-high with five RBIs and stopped a 41-game homerless streak in Atlanta’s 14-1 win Sunday night over the New York Mets.ATHLETICS 3, ANGELS 0OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mark Canha homered for the first time this season, Chris Bassitt (1-0) escaped a big jam and Oakland beat Los Angeles as the teams... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays closer Ken Giles went on the 10-day injured list before Monday’s series opener at the Washington Nationals with a strained right forearm, a day after leaving a game with what the team said was a sore right elbow.The Blue Jays lost another player about 15 minutes before first pitch on Monday when Bo Bichette -- who was supposed to play shortstop and lead off -- was scratched because of a tight left hamstring.Giles had an MRI on Monday. The right-hander entered in the ninth inning of Toronto’s game at the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday to try to get a save, but the reliever gave up a two-out double and a pair of walks that loaded the bases. Giles then went to a 3-1 count on the next batter before he was removed. The Blue Jays wound up losing 6-5 in 10 innings.Anthony Bass is expected to fill the closer role for the Blue Jays while Giles is out.In other moves Monday, Toronto activated right-hander Wilmer Font from the IL, recalled lefty Ryan Borucki from the taxi squad, added outfielder Billy McKinney to the taxi squad and placed infielder Travis Shaw on family medical leave.Manager Charlie Montoyo also said Randal Grichuk is day-to-day with back tightness.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A seventh-inning stretch without fans at Yankee Stadium was far from the oddest happening on the second day of summer exhibitions in the majors.The first inning ended at Dodger Stadium without Los Angeles making a single out Sunday night, a game went to the 10th inning in Philadelphia even with the Orioles leading the Phillies 4-1, and the Yankees hit in the bottom of the ninth with a 6-0 lead over the Mets.It’s not quite baseball like you’re used to seeing. Then again, we'd never seen baseball amid the COVID-19 pandemic.The most peculiar situation occurred during the first exhibition between Arizona and the Dodgers, with the game having an intrasquad feel.Diamondbacks starter Taylor Widener got off to rough opening when he walked the first two batters and then gave up a single to Justin Turner that loaded the bases. Cody Bellinger followed with a grand slam to make it 4-0. Corey Seager then walked and was heading to first base when he learned the inning was over. Widener had thrown 25... [More]

A seventh-inning stretch without fans at Yankee Stadium was far from the oddest happening on the second day of summer exhibitions in the majors.The first inning ended at Dodger Stadium without Los Angeles making a single out Sunday night, a game went to the 10th inning in Philadelphia even with the Orioles leading the Phillies 4-1, and the Yankees hit in the bottom of the ninth with a 6-0 lead over the Mets.It’s not quite baseball like you’re used to seeing. Then again, we'd never seen baseball amid the COVID-19 pandemic.The most peculiar situation occurred during the first exhibition between Arizona and the Dodgers, with the game having an intrasquad feel.Diamondbacks starter Taylor Widener got off to rough opening when he walked the first two batters and then gave up a single to Justin Turner that loaded the bases. Cody Bellinger followed with a grand slam to make it 4-0. Corey Seager then walked and was heading to first base when he learned the inning was over. Widener had thrown 25... [More]

A seventh-inning stretch without fans at Yankee Stadium was far from the oddest happening on the second day of summer exhibitions in the majors.The first inning ended at Dodger Stadium without Los Angeles making a single out Sunday night, a game went to the 10th inning in Philadelphia even with the Orioles leading the Phillies 4-1, and the Yankees hit in the bottom of the ninth with a 6-0 lead over the Mets.It’s not quite baseball like you’re used to seeing. Then again, we'd never seen baseball amid the COVID-19 pandemic.The most peculiar situation occurred during the first exhibition between Arizona and the Dodgers, with the game having an intrasquad feel.Diamondbacks starter Taylor Widener got off to rough opening when he walked the first two batters and then gave up a single to Justin Turner that loaded the bases. Cody Bellinger followed with a grand slam to make it 4-0. Corey Seager then walked and was heading to first base when he learned the inning was over. Widener had thrown 25... [More]

The defending World Series champion Washington Nationals are happy to have their starting center fielder finally in camp and the Detroit Tigers have named their opening day starter.Teams around the league were beginning to make their final preparations Sunday for the start of the abbreviated baseball season.Washington is counting on having Victor Robles patrolling center field when Max Scherzer throws the first pitch of the season Thursday night against the New York Yankees at Nationals Park.Robles had his first official workout with the team on Sunday after being quarantined for two weeks because he came into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.“It was definitely very difficult, the fact that I really wasn’t able to work much on my swing,” Robles said through an interpreter. “But I appreciate that the team did a good job of taking me a lot of things that I could use within the apartment, even baseballs and whatnot, to try to stay as ready as I could physically.”Robles... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Blue Jays' front office is working to find a major league ballpark for the team to use this year after Canada's government barred Toronto from playing in its home stadium amid the coronavirus pandemic, pitcher Anthony Bass said Sunday.Canada denied the Blue Jays' request to play at Rogers Centre because the regular-season schedule would require frequent travel back and forth from the United States, where COVID-19 cases are surging. The other 29 major league teams plan to play the pandemic-shortened, 60-game season in their home ballparks, without spectators.Toronto begins the season at Tampa Bay on Friday and is scheduled to play its first home game on July 29 against the defending champion Washington Nationals.Bass said he spoke with general manager Ross Atkins and emphasized that players prefer a big league stadium.“I just said, ‘Look, we want to play in a major league ballpark. We feel that’s the best opportunity for us,’ and he agreed and said, ‘I listened to you... [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:___New York YankeesManager: Aaron Boone (third season). 2019: 103-59, first place, lost to Houston in AL Championship Series. Training Town: Tampa, Florida. Park: George Steinbrenner Field. First Workout: Feb. 13/18. He's Here: RHP Gerrit Cole, C Erik Kratz, C Chris Iannetta, C Josh Thole, RHP Nick Tropeano, LHP Luis Avil�nHe's Outta Here: LHP CC Sabathia, SS Didi Gregorius, 1B Edwin Encarnacion, C Austin Romine, RHP Dellin Betances, OF Cameron Maybin, OF Jacoby Ellsbury, 1B Greg Bird, RHP Chance Adams, LHP Stephen Tarpley, LHP Nestor Cortes Jr., RHP Cory GearrinGoing campin': After a big league-record 30 players went on the injured list a total of 39 times last season, health remains a concern. Left-hander James Paxton had back surgery Feb. 5 and is expected to be sidelined until May or... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Right-hander Anthony Bass and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year contract Monday that avoided salary arbitration.Toronto declined to offer contracts to right-hander Derek Law and catcher Luke Maile, allowing the pair to become free agents rather than have them be eligible for arbitration.Three Blue Jays remain eligible for arbitration: closer Ken Giles, second baseman Brandon Drury and right-hander Matt Shoemaker.Toronto also didn’t offer a contract to right-hander Jason Adam, who was not eligible for arbitration.Bass was 2-4 with a 3.56 ERA in 44 relief appearances for Seattle last season, then was claimed off waivers by Toronto on Oct. 29. A veteran of eight major league seasons, he also has pitched for San Diego (2011-13), Texas (2015) and the Chicago Cubs (2018). He spent 2016 in Japan with the Pacific League’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.Toronto also agreed to minor league contracts with Canadian right-hander Phillippe Aumont along with right-handers A.J. Cole and Justin Miller, second baseman Andy Burns and outfielder Patrick Kivlehan. They will all report to major league spring training.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Manager Aaron Boone, Brett Gardner and the New York Yankees again hammered away at the umpires, this time in prolonged rants that brought several members of the team spilling onto the field, while beating the Cleveland Indians 6-5 Saturday.Gleyber Torres hit two home runs and Didi Gregorius and DJ LeMahieu also connected for the AL East-leading Yankees.But what really fired up the crowd of 47,347 at Yankee Stadium occurred in the sixth inning after Cameron Maybin was called out on strikes by Triple-A ump Ben May.For the third time in a month — each time with a minor league call-up umpire behind the plate — the team with the best record in American League lost its temper in a big way. This episode led to Boone, Gardner and pitcher CC Sabathia being ejected.James Paxton (9-6) went five innings for the win. Zach Plesac (6-4) was chased in the fifth.Aroldis Chapman closed for his 35th save in 40 chances.BREWERS 15, NATIONALS 14, 14 INNINGSWASHINGTON (AP) — Eric Thames hit a... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Manager Aaron Boone, Brett Gardner and the New York Yankees again hammered away at the umpires, this time in prolonged rants that brought several members of the team spilling onto the field, while beating the Cleveland Indians 6-5 Saturday.Gleyber Torres hit two home runs and Didi Gregorius and DJ LeMahieu also connected for the AL East-leading Yankees.But what really fired up the crowd of 47,347 at Yankee Stadium occurred in the sixth inning after Cameron Maybin was called out on strikes by Triple-A ump Ben May.For the third time in a month — each time with a minor league call-up umpire behind the plate — the team with the best record in American League lost its temper in a big way. This episode led to Boone, Gardner and pitcher CC Sabathia being ejected.James Paxton (9-6) went five innings for the win. Zach Plesac (6-4) was chased in the fifth.Aroldis Chapman closed for his 35th save in 40 chances.CUBS 2, PIRATES 0PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kris Bryant homered in the seventh inning,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Todd Frazier clobbered a tying three-run homer and Michael Conforto lined a game-ending single as the New York Mets stormed back in the ninth inning to stun the Washington Nationals 7-6 Friday night for their seventh straight win.Trailing 6-3, the Mets rallied against Sean Doolittle to win for the 14th time in 15 games at pulsating Citi Field. The Nationals hold the top spot in the NL wild-card race, and the Mets are 1½ games behind them.Mets rookie Pete Alonso homered in his fourth straight game, hitting his 38th of the season off Stephen Strasburg. J.D. Davis also connected.Doolittle (6-4) blew his fifth save in 30 chances.Luis Avila?n (3-0) got two outs for the win.INDIANS 6, TWINS 2MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Shane Bieber pitched into the eighth inning, José Ramírez had three hits and the Indians pulled into a tie with the Twins for the AL Central lead.Cleveland trailed Minnesota by 11½ games on June 3 before putting together a 41-16 run, the best record in the majors since June... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating David Price and Boston 3-2 in a game that the Red Sox protested on Wednesday.Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed.Kolarek replaced Morton and retired pinch-hitter Sam Travis on a pop fly. The left-hander then shifted to first base when Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in reliever Chaz Roe, who got a fly ball from Mookie Betts.After Kolarek then returned to the mound and Nate Lowe entered to play first base, Cora met with the umpires, which prompted around a 15-minute stoppage as the umpires discussed the matter.After the protest was made and the game resumed, Kolarek got a first-pitch grounder from Rafael Devers.An unhappy Cora again talked... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating David Price and Boston 3-2 in a game that the Red Sox protested on Wednesday.Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed.Kolarek replaced Morton and retired pinch-hitter Sam Travis on a pop fly. The left-hander then shifted to first base when Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in reliever Chaz Roe, who got a fly ball from Mookie Betts.After Kolarek then returned to the mound and Nate Lowe entered to play first base, Cora met with the umpires, which prompted around a 15-minute stoppage as the umpires discussed the matter.After the protest was made and the game resumed, Kolarek got a first-pitch grounder from Rafael Devers.An unhappy Cora again talked... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating David Price and Boston 3-2 in a game that the Red Sox protested on Wednesday.Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed.Kolarek replaced Morton and retired pinch-hitter Sam Travis on a pop fly. The left-hander then shifted to first base when Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in reliever Chaz Roe, who got a fly ball from Mookie Betts.After Kolarek then returned to the mound and Nate Lowe entered to play first base, Cora met with the umpires, which prompted around a 15-minute stoppage as the umpires discussed the matter.After the protest was made and the game resumed, Kolarek got a first-pitch grounder from Rafael Devers.An unhappy Cora again talked... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating David Price and Boston 3-2 in a game that the Red Sox protested on Wednesday.Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed.Kolarek replaced Morton and retired pinch-hitter Sam Travis on a pop fly. The left-hander then shifted to first base when Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in reliever Chaz Roe, who got a fly ball from Mookie Betts.After Kolarek then returned to the mound and Nate Lowe entered to play first base, Cora met with the umpires, which prompted around a 15-minute stoppage as the umpires discussed the matter.After the protest was made and the game resumed, Kolarek got a first-pitch grounder from Rafael Devers.An unhappy Cora again talked... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Cole Hamels struck out nine in seven scoreless innings, singled twice and drove in two runs to lead the Chicago Cubs past the Colorado Rockies 10-1 in a testy game on Wednesday.Rockies All-Star third-baseman Nolan Arenado left in the fifth inning with a left forearm contusion after Hamels (6-2) hit him with a pitch in the third, and three more batters — including Hamels — were hit by pitches later in the game.Chicago's Kris Bryant was hit by pitches three times in the first two games of the series.Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber homered for Chicago, which snapped a five-game road losing streak. Colorado's 10-game home winning streak ended.Chicago scored five times in the second off Antonio Sentenzela (5-5).BREWERS 6, ASTROS 3, 14 INNINGSHOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander set a career high with 15 strikeouts, but Mike Moustakas hit a two-run homer during Milwaukee's three-run 14th inning and the Brewers rallied to beat Houston.Christian Yelich started the 14th with a single against... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — It's the ninth major league team for Jesse Chavez, so he's not too worried about fitting in with the Chicago Cubs.Chavez was added to Chicago's roster as part of a flurry of moves before Saturday's day-night doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. The veteran right-hander was acquired in a trade with Texas on Thursday for minor league pitcher Tyler Thomas."I've played with a couple guys in here," Chavez said. "Obviously, throughout the years you get to play each other and develop that on-field relationship a little bit. But now it's going to different, you know, developing that inside-clubhouse one."Chavez made his Chicago debut in the eighth inning in Game 1 and pitched two perfect innings in the Cubs' 7-2 victory."What he did out there, that's an experienced major league relief pitcher," manager Joe Maddon said. "He had a lead to work with. He wasn't going to mess around. He's not going to try to nitpick. I'm going to make you put the ball in play on the ground and... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — It's the ninth major league team for Jesse Chavez, so he's not too worried about fitting in with the Chicago Cubs.Chavez was added to Chicago's roster as part of a flurry of moves before Saturday's day-night doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. The veteran right-hander was acquired in a trade with Texas on Thursday for minor league pitcher Tyler Thomas."I've played with a couple guys in here," Chavez said. "Obviously, throughout the years you get to play each other and develop that on-field relationship a little bit. But now it's going to different, you know, developing that inside-clubhouse one."The 34-year-old Chavez went 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA in 30 appearances with the Rangers. He made his major league debut with Pittsburgh in 2008. He also has played for Atlanta, Kansas City, Toronto, Oakland and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels.Chavez has mostly pitched out of the bullpen, but he also has 70 career starts, including 21 last year with the Angels. He is known... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have added reliever Jesse Chavez to their roster and placed right-hander Anthony Bass on the 10-day disabled list with a back injury.Chavez was acquired in a trade with Texas on Thursday for minor league pitcher Tyler Thomas. The 34-year-old Chavez went 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA in 30 appearances with the Rangers this season.The Cubs also recalled reliever Dillon Maples from Triple-A Iowa and optioned right-hander James Norwood to their top farm club. Reliever Luke Farrell was brought up from Iowa to serve as the 26th man for Saturday's doubleheader against St. Louis.Bass has a strain on the right side of his back. He was just activated from the DL on Thursday after being sidelined by an illness.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball