A look at what’s happening around the majors today:HOME AT LASTMiami finally gets to play its pandemic-delayed opener at Marlins Park, which has a new look for 2020 thanks to cozier dimensions and a switch to artificial turf. Also, there will be a first-place team in the home dugout when the Marlins (8-4) host Atlanta. The Marlins departed for a season-opening three-game trip more than three weeks ago. Their 23-day road odyssey was necessitated by a coronavirus outbreak that infected at least 18 players during the opening weekend in Philadelphia. Miami’s season was suspended for a week and the schedule scrambled, including the postponement of eight games at Marlins Park.“You feel like you’ve got a quick trip,” manager Don Mattingly said. “You pack hardly nothing, and the next thing you know, a month later, you’ve got to pay rent again.”STRASBURG’S STATUSWorld Series MVP Stephen Strasburg is scheduled to make his second start of the season for the Washington Nationals at Baltimore, still... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — St. Louis' series opener against the Chicago White Sox has been postponed to Saturday, giving the Cardinals an extra day to recover from a coronavirus outbreak.The Cardinals, who haven't played since July 29, were set to resume their season Friday night in Chicago. But the series opener was pushed back to a straight doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, the beginning of an extended stay in the Windy City for the Cards.There was no word from Major League Baseball on the postponement, but John Mozeliak, the president of baseball operations for the Cardinals, confirmed the move in a conference call with reporters. Mozeliak also said the team is going to play doubleheaders on Monday and Wednesday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field after the NL Central rivals had a series postponed last weekend.Two people with direct knowledge of the situation also confirmed the postponement of the series opener against the White Sox. The people spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because MLB... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The entire three-game series between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis at Busch Stadium was postponed Friday night after two more Cardinals players and a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus.Major League Baseball announced that the whole weekend set was off. Hours earlier, MLB said Friday night's game had been scrapped to ensure everyone affected on the Cardinals was identified.There have been 24 games postponed in the majors this season because of coronavirus concerns.St. Louis has missed 10 games while Miami and Philadelphia each have had seven postponements. In order to complete the 60-game schedule in this shortened season, the Cardinals will have to play 55 games in 49 games once they return to the field.The Cardinals have been off since last Friday, when two players returned positive coronavirus tests. Eight St. Louis players in total have tested positive, including star catcher Yadier Molina. The Cardinals spent five days in quarantine in a Milwaukee hotel... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The entire three-game series between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis at Busch Stadium was postponed Friday night after two more Cardinals players and a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus.Major League Baseball announced that the whole weekend set was off. Hours earlier, MLB said Friday night's game had been scrapped to ensure everyone affected on the Cardinals was identified.The Cardinals have been off since last Friday, when two players returned positive coronavirus tests. Eight players in total have tested positive, including star catcher Yadier Molina. The Cardinals spent five days in quarantine in a Milwaukee hotel before finally being cleared to travel back to St. Louis late Tuesday, when they returned negative tests for the second straight day. They got workouts in at home and had been prepared to return to the field Friday.St. Louis' next game is scheduled for Monday at home against Pittsburgh. The Cubs are next set to play Tuesday at Cleveland.The Cardinals... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals’ game Friday against the Chicago Cubs was postponed after another St. Louis player tested positive for COVID-19. Major League Baseball said the game was postponed to allow more time for additional testing and to complete the contact tracing process.The Cardinals have been off since last Friday, when two players returned positive coronavirus tests. Eight players in total have tested positive, including star catcher Yadier Molina. The Cardinals spent five days in quarantine in a Milwaukee hotel before finally being cleared to travel back to St. Louis late Tuesday, when they returned negative tests for the second straight day. They got workouts in at home and had been prepared to return to the field Friday. MLB released its most recent testing numbers Friday. The league said there were 13,043 samples taken last week with 13 positive results for a 0.1% positive rate. During the monitoring phase, there have been 53,826 overall samples that have returned 71 positives... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals’ game Friday against the Chicago Cubs was postponed after another St. Louis player tested positive for COVID-19. Major League Baseball said the game was postponed to allow more time for additional testing and to complete the contact tracing process.The Cardinals have been off since last Friday, when two players returned positive coronavirus tests. Eight players in total have tested positive, including star catcher Yadier Molina. The Cardinals spent five days in quarantine in a Milwaukee hotel before finally being cleared to travel back to St. Louis late Tuesday, when they returned negative tests for the second straight day. They got workouts in at home and had been prepared to return to the field Friday. Among the players who confirmed they tested positive for COVID-19 were a pair of All-Stars in Molina and Paul DeJong. Before Friday's postponement, the Cardinals had already added three doubleheaders against the Brewers to a previously scheduled series to... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:OFF BASEStar hitters Christian Yelich, Gary Sanchez, Hunter Pence and others are slumping badly in a season where hitters across the majors are struggling to find base hits. The league-wide batting average entering Wednesday’s games was .232, down from .252 last year. It’s the lowest mark ever, below the .237 average posted in 1968, despite the addition of the designated hitter to the NL.CUTDOWN DAYCuts are coming for players around the majors as teams trim their active rosters from 30 players to 28, per plans agreed to by MLB and the union before the start of this virus-shortened 60-game season. The sides decided Tuesday that rosters will remain at 28 through the World Series, instead of dropping to 26 on Aug. 20 as initially planned.SCHERZER AILING The Nationals will see how Max Scherzer is feeling, a day after the three-time Cy Young Award winner exited a start after just one inning because of trouble with his right hamstring.Scherzer... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Thursday:OFF BASEStar hitters Christian Yelich, Gary Sanchez, Hunter Pence and others are slumping badly in a season where hitters across the majors are struggling to find base hits. The league-wide batting average entering Wednesday’s games was .232, down from .252 last year. It’s the lowest mark ever, below the .237 average posted in 1968, despite the addition of the designated hitter to the NL.CUTDOWN DAYCuts are coming for players around the majors as teams trim their active rosters from 30 players to 28, per plans agreed to by MLB and the union before the start of this virus-shortened 60-game season. The sides decided Tuesday that rosters will remain at 28 through the World Series, instead of dropping to 26 on Aug. 20 as initially planned.SCHERZER AILING The Nationals will see how Max Scherzer is feeling, a day after the three-time Cy Young Award winner exited a start after just one inning because of trouble with his right hamstring.Scherzer... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Thursday:OFF BASEStar hitters Christian Yelich, Gary Sanchez, Hunter Pence and others are slumping badly in a season where hitters across the majors are struggling to find base hits. The league-wide batting average entering Wednesday’s games was .232, down from .252 last year. It’s the lowest mark ever, below the .237 average posted in 1968, despite the addition of the designated hitter to the NL.CUT DAYCuts are coming for players around the majors as teams trim their active rosters from 30 players to 28, per plans agreed to by MLB and the union before the start of this virus-shortened 60-game season. The sides decided Tuesday that rosters will remain at 28 through the World Series, instead of dropping to 26 on Aug. 20 as initially planned.STRUGGLING SCHERZER The Nationals will see how Max Scherzer is feeling, a day after the three-time Cy Young Award winner exited a start after just one inning because of trouble with his right hamstring.Scherzer... [More]

The St. Louis Cardinals returned to the field for light workouts Wednesday, nearly a week after an outbreak of COVID-19 forced the club and its staff members to quarantine in Milwaukee and set the rest of their season into upheaval.Cardinals manager Mike Shildt called it “a breath of fresh air” after five days spent in The Pfister Hotel, where players tried to keep their arms limber by throwing baseballs into mattresses and pillows. The Cardinals had returned 13 positive tests in their traveling party, seven of them players, forcing them to suspend their season.They were finally cleared to travel back to St. Louis late Tuesday, when they returned negative tests for the second straight day. Their flight left Wednesday morning and that gave them the afternoon and Thursday to get in workouts.The Cardinals will resume their season against the Chicago Cubs on Friday night at Busch Stadium.“You can't take for granted even the freedom we have in a somewhat limited-freedom world when you're in... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Wednesday:___COVID CARDINALSThe coronavirus-ridden Cardinals are expected to make more transactions a day after placing six players on the injured list, including confirmed COVID-19 cases Yadier Molina, Paul DeJong, Edmundo Sosa, Junior Fernandez and Kodi Whitley. St. Louis has been out of action since Friday at the onset of an outbreak, postponing series against the Brewers and Tigers. The club is hoping to resume play by hosting the Chicago Cubs on Friday.SOTO A GONationals slugger Juan Soto could return to the starting lineup a day after being activated following a stint on the COVID-19 injured list. Soto was sidelined on opening day following a positive test, returned to team workouts Saturday and was available to pinch hit Tuesday in the opener of a two-game series against the Mets.7 AND 7The Yankees and Phillies will play two seven-inning games in Philadelphia, and New York will be the home team in the opener after their game Tuesday in... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina says he’s one of the players on the team who tested positive for COVID-19.The nine-time All-Star revealed his results Tuesday in a Spanish-language Instagram post. Soon afterward, the Cardinals issued a release naming six of the players who have tested positive.The others are infielders Paul DeJong, Edmundo Sosa and Rangel Ravelo along with pitchers Junior Fernandez and Kodi Whitley.“I am saddened to have tested positive for COVID-19, even after adhering to safety guidelines that were put in place,” Molina said in a release issued by the team. “I will do everything within my power to return as soon as possible for Cardinals fans, the city of St. Louis and my teammates."Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said Monday that seven players and six staff members had tested positive. At the time, Mozeliak said the people to test positive hadn’t been identified publicly because they had declined to have their names released.The Cardinals... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina says he’s one of the players on the team who tested positive for COVID-19.The nine-time All-Star revealed his results Tuesday in a Spanish-language Instagram post. Soon afterward, the Cardinals issued a release naming six of the players who have tested positive.The others are infielders Paul DeJong, Edmundo Sosa and Rangel Ravelo along with pitchers Junior Fernandez and Kodi Whitley.“I am saddened to have tested positive for COVID-19, even after adhering to safety guidelines that were put in place,” Molina said in a release issued by the team. “I will do everything within my power to return as soon as possible for Cardinals fans, the city of St. Louis and my teammates."Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said Monday that seven players and six staff members had tested positive. At the time, Mozeliak said the people to test positive hadn’t been identified publicly because they had declined to have their names released.The Cardinals... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina says he’s one of the players on the team who tested positive for COVID-19.The nine-time All-Star revealed his results Tuesday in a Spanish-language Instagram post. Soon afterward, the Cardinals issued a release naming six of the players who have tested positive.The others are infielders Paul DeJong, Edmundo Sosa and Rangel Ravelo along with pitchers Junior Fernandez and Kodi Whitley.“I am saddened to have tested positive for COVID-19, even after adhering to safety guidelines that were put in place,” Molina said in a release issued by the team. “I will do everything within my power to return as soon as possible for Cardinals fans, the city of St. Louis and my teammates."Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said Monday that seven players and six staff members had tested positive. At the time, Mozeliak said the people to test positive hadn’t been identified publicly because they had declined to have their names released.The Cardinals... [More]

Twins second. Luis Arraez singles to right field. Miguel Sano doubles to left field. Luis Arraez to third. Byron Buxton reaches on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Luis Arraez scores. Max Kepler singles to center field. Byron Buxton to third. Miguel Sano scores. Josh Donaldson out on a sacrifice fly to deep right center field to Dexter Fowler. Byron Buxton scores. Jorge Polanco homers to right field. Max Kepler scores. Nelson Cruz grounds out to shortstop, Kolten Wong to Paul Goldschmidt. Eddie Rosario flies out to deep center field to Harrison Bader.5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Twins 5, Cardinals 0.Twins fourth. Byron Buxton strikes out swinging. Max Kepler grounds out to shallow infield, Carlos Martinez to Paul Goldschmidt. Josh Donaldson homers to right field. Jorge Polanco lines out to deep left field to Tyler O'Neill.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Twins 6, Cardinals 0.Cardinals fifth. Dexter Fowler singles to deep right field. Tyler O'Neill homers to center field. Dexter Fowler scores. Harrison Bader pops out to shallow infield to Miguel Sano. Kolten Wong grounds out to second base, Luis Arraez to Miguel Sano. Tommy Edman grounds out to shallow infield, Luis Arraez to Miguel Sano.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Twins 6, Cardinals 2.Cardinals eighth. Tommy Edman homers to center field. Paul Goldschmidt strikes out swinging. Paul DeJong strikes out swinging. Matt Carpenter strikes out swinging.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Twins 6, Cardinals 3.

Cardinals first. Kolten Wong grounds out to shallow infield, Kevin Newman to Josh Bell. Tommy Edman grounds out to second base, Adam Frazier to Josh Bell. Paul Goldschmidt homers to deep left field. Paul DeJong flies out to deep right field to Cole Tucker.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Cardinals 1, Pirates 0.Pirates second. Josh Bell singles to deep right field. Colin Moran singles to deep right field. Josh Bell to second. Phillip Evans hit by pitch. Colin Moran to second. Josh Bell to third. Guillermo Heredia called out on strikes. John Ryan Murphy walks. Phillip Evans to second. Colin Moran to third. Josh Bell scores. Cole Tucker pops out to shortstop to Paul DeJong. Kevin Newman grounds out to shortstop, Paul DeJong to Paul Goldschmidt.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 left on. Pirates 1, Cardinals 1.Cardinals fourth. Paul DeJong singles to deep center field. Matt Carpenter flies out to deep left field to Bryan Reynolds. Yadier Molina singles to shallow right field. Paul DeJong to third.... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — In the first major league game with the new, unpopular extra-inning rule, automatic runner Marcus Semien began the bottom of the 10th on second base and scored on Matt Olson’s grand slam, sending the Oakland Athletics over the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 Friday night.Olson, whose alert throw from first base nailed Angels free runner Shohei Ohtani in the top of the 10th, connected with one out. Major League Baseball instituted the controversial extra-inning runner rule for this season to keep games from dragging on amid a compressed, 60-game schedule that started late because of the virus outbreak.After Semien took second, the A’s loaded the bases against Hansel Robles (0-1) on a hit by pitch, wild pitch and a walk.New Angels manager Joe Maddon brought in reliever Hoby Milner and, with a five-man infield in place, Olson hit the first pitch far over the right-field wall.According to STATS, Olson became the third player to hit a walkoff grand slam on opening day. He joined... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Hendricks convinced new manager David Ross to let him finish a three-hitter, Anthony Rizzo homered and dished out hand sanitizer, and the Chicago Cubs started the season by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 on Friday night.Ian Happ also had a two-run drive and Ross got his first victory as a big league manager as the Cubs opened this pandemic-shortened 60-game season without fans at Wrigley Field. Hendricks struck out nine and walked none in his first career opening-day start and fourth career shutout.Orlando Arcia had each of Milwaukee’s hits off Hendricks (1-0). After he singled with two out in the third for the Brewers’ first baserunner, he accepted a splash of sanitizer from a smiling Rizzo at first and cleaned off his hands.Ross came out to check on Hendricks with two out and a runner on first in the ninth. He decided to leave him in, and Keston Hiura bounced into a game-ending fielder’s choice on Hendricks’ 103rd pitch.Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff allowed... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Hendricks convinced new manager David Ross to let him finish a three-hitter, Anthony Rizzo homered and dished out hand sanitizer, and the Chicago Cubs started the season by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 on Friday night.Ian Happ also had a two-run drive and Ross got his first victory as a big league manager as the Cubs opened this pandemic-shortened 60-game season without fans at Wrigley Field. Hendricks struck out nine and walked none in his first career opening-day start and fourth career shutout.Orlando Arcia had each of Milwaukee’s hits off Hendricks (1-0). After he singled with two out in the third for the Brewers’ first baserunner, he accepted a splash of sanitizer from a smiling Rizzo at first and cleaned off his hands.Ross came out to check on Hendricks with two out and a runner on first in the ninth. He decided to leave him in, and Keston Hiura bounced into a game-ending fielder’s choice on Hendricks’ 103rd pitch.Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff allowed... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Hendricks convinced new manager David Ross to let him finish a three-hitter, Anthony Rizzo homered and dished out hand sanitizer, and the Chicago Cubs started the season by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 on Friday night.Ian Happ also had a two-run drive and Ross got his first victory as a big league manager as the Cubs opened this pandemic-shortened 60-game season without fans at Wrigley Field. Hendricks struck out nine and walked none in his first career opening-day start and fourth career shutout.Orlando Arcia had each of Milwaukee’s hits off Hendricks (1-0). After he singled with two out in the third for the Brewers’ first baserunner, he accepted a splash of sanitizer from a smiling Rizzo at first and cleaned off his hands.Ross came out to check on Hendricks with two out and a runner on first in the ninth. He decided to leave him in, and Keston Hiura bounced into a game-ending fielder’s choice on Hendricks’ 103rd pitch.Milwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff allowed... [More]