ST.PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay center fielder Kevin Kiermaier has a torn ligament in his right thumb that requires surgery and could be sidelined two to three months.The Rays placed the defensive whiz on the 10-day disabled list Monday, a day after he was injured sliding headfirst into second base during a 10-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Kiermaier said he will have surgery Friday."I kind of expected it," he said. "Hearing those words that I'll out for months at a time is really hard to take right now."This will be the third straight season the two-time Gold Glove winner will miss significant time because of injury.Kiermaier, batting .163 with one RBI, missed 48 games in 2016 after breaking his left wrist diving for a ball. Last season, he fractured his right hip sliding feet first into first base and was out 61 games."For this to happen, third consecutive year, another freak type of injury, it's hard to put into words," Kiermaier said. "I'm shocked, surprised. Sometimes it... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer stole the first base of his professional career and allowed only two singles in his fifth big league shutout, and the Washington Nationals ended a five-game losing skid while getting back to .500 with a 2-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Scherzer (2-1), the winner of the past two NL Cy Young Awards, did not let the Braves push a runner beyond first base. Kurt Suzuki got a hit in the second, and Nick Markakis did in the fifth, but neither advanced.Scherzer managed to get farther than that: He swiped second after singling off reliever Peter Moylan in the seventh.Howie Kendrick delivered all the offense Washington needed with a two-run double.Scherzer struck out 10 and walked none in his ninth complete game in 299 major league starts. And he needed only 102 pitches, a far more efficient outing than his previous time on the mound: He threw 110 over five innings in a 7-1 loss at Atlanta on April 4.Julio Teheran (0-1) went six innings for the Braves,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer stole the first base of his professional career and allowed only two singles in his fifth big league shutout, and the Washington Nationals ended a five-game losing skid while getting back to .500 with a 2-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Scherzer (2-1), the winner of the past two NL Cy Young Awards, did not let the Braves push a runner beyond first base. Kurt Suzuki got a hit in the second, and Nick Markakis did in the fifth, but neither advanced.Scherzer managed to get farther than that: He swiped second after singling off reliever Peter Moylan in the seventh.Howie Kendrick delivered all the offense Washington needed with a two-run double.Scherzer struck out 10 and walked none in his ninth complete game in 299 major league starts. And he needed only 102 pitches, a far more efficient outing than his previous time on the mound: He threw 110 over five innings in a 7-1 loss at Atlanta on April 4.Julio Teheran (0-1) went six innings for the Braves,... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Robbie Ray worked around five walks over six innings and the bullpen closed out a two-hitter, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks spoil the St. Louis Cardinals' home opener 3-1 on Thursday night.Arizona improved to 6-1 for the second straight season and tied a franchise record for its best seven-game start. The team was also 6-1 in 2000. St. Louis dropped its first home opener since 2015.Ray (2-0) gave up a run and two hits while striking out nine. He was making his first appearance in St. Louis since being knocked out of a game by a line drive off his head on July 28, 2017.David Peralta capped off a two-run second inning with an RBI single. He pushed the lead to 3-0 with a double in the fourth.Brad Boxberger picked up his third save in three chances. Four Arizona relievers were perfect except for an error by first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in the eighth.Adam Wainwright (0-1) came off the 10-day disabled list to make the start for St. Louis. He gave up four hits and three runs... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michael Conforto came off the disabled list to hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Stephen Strasburg, Yoenis Cespedes also went deep against the ace, and Jay Bruce tacked on an insurance gland slam, leading the New York Mets to an 8-2 victory Thursday in Washington's chilly home opener.Jacob deGrom (2-0) wiggled out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam to finish is six-inning outing with a flourish. After walking Bryce Harper to fill the bags, deGrom got Ryan Zimmerman to fly out to shallow right and Howie Kendrick to line out to shortstop, before Trea Turner looked at a 94 mph fastball for strike three. Turner argued and was ejected for the first time in the majors.Zimmerman, who only got two at-bats in spring training, went 0 for 4 on Thursday and is 3 for 22 (.136) with six strikeouts this season.The Mets improved to an NL East-leading 5-1, while the two-time reigning division champion Nationals have lost three in a row after a 4-0 start under rookie manager Dave Martinez.Conforto... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michael Conforto came off the disabled list to hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Stephen Strasburg, Yoenis Cespedes also went deep against the ace, and Jay Bruce tacked on an insurance gland slam, leading the New York Mets to an 8-2 victory Thursday in Washington's chilly home opener.Jacob deGrom (2-0) wiggled out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam to finish is six-inning outing with a flourish. After walking Bryce Harper to fill the bags, deGrom got Ryan Zimmerman to fly out to shallow right and Howie Kendrick to line out to shortstop, before Trea Turner looked at a 94 mph fastball for strike three. Turner argued and was ejected for the first time in the majors.Zimmerman, who only got two at-bats in spring training, went 0 for 4 on Thursday and is 3 for 22 (.136) with six strikeouts this season.The Mets improved to an NL East-leading 5-1, while the two-time reigning division champion Nationals have lost three in a row after a 4-0 start under rookie manager Dave Martinez.Conforto... [More]

Giancarlo Stanton got off to a sunny start at a new position for the New York Yankees.Making his first start in left field for his new team, the NL MVP lost two flyballs in the sun and both fell for hits Sunday in a 9-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.Stanton never played left field in his eight seasons with the Marlins, instead spending his time in right.Asked how someone should work on catching balls in the glare, the smiling slugger said: "Get sun vision gloves, see right through the sun."AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES:ORIOLES 10, RED SOX 8Adam Jones hit a pair of RBI doubles and a single and Manny Machado added a two-run double for Baltimore. Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers hit back-to-back homers for Boston off Gabriel Ynoa, who allowed six runs in two innings.The Orioles announced first baseman Chris Davis had an MRI on his sore right elbow and no structural damage was found. Manager Buck Showalter estimated Davis would be out another three to five days. Showalter also noted... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays will have a new look in 2018.A lingering question entering spring training is to what extent.Evan Longoria is gone. So are Alex Cobb, Logan Morrison and Lucas Duda.Jake Odorizzi, and maybe even two-time All-Star Chris Archer or closer Alex Colome, could be on the way out, too, with the budget-minded team committed to trimming payroll while also trying to remain competitive in the tough AL East.Closing the gap on defending division champion Boston and the big-spending New York Yankees, who've added Giancarlo Stanton after coming within one victory of reaching the World Series, won't be easy.The Rays finished 80-82 in 2017, their fourth consecutive losing record on the heels of a stretch in which they made the playoffs four times in six seasons."It's a challenge. You can't sugarcoat it," manager Kevin Cash, entering his fourth season, said of the Yankees adding Stanton, baseball's home run leader, to an already potent batting order."I've already... [More]

OF Mallex Smith was recalled from Triple-A Durham and started Tuesday night going, 0-for-3. Smith has appeared in 68 games with the Rays this season and is batting .275 after Tuesday.

OF Mallex Smith was optioned to Triple-A Durham to make room for Kevin Kiermaier's return from the disabled list. Smith was hitting .279 on the season with a team-high 16 steals, but is likely to stay in the minors until rosters expand Sept. 1.

OF Mallex Smith had an RBI triple in the 5-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday. He also doubled Wednesday after being limited to one extra-base hit in his previous 20 games. The RBI was his first since July 31 against the Houston Astros. He had gone 15 games without one.

OF Mallex Smith went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double Wednesday in the 3-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. He had had just one extra-base hit in his previous 20 games. He scored the Rays' first run Wednesday when INF Brad Miller grounded out. It was the first run scored by Smith since July 30. He had gone 15 games without scoring a run.

OF Mallex Smith helped atone for a costly fielding error Saturday by coming through with a two-run double for a 4-2 lead in Sunday's game. The Rangers rallied to win, but Smith came up with the Rays' biggest hit of the day in the loss. He also added his 15th steal of the season, extending his team lead.

OF Mallex Smith hit a solo home run Friday -- just his second of the year -- and stole his 14th base of the season to extend his team lead. He's been a spark at the top of the lineup, filling in while Kevin Kiermaier is missing two months with a hip injury.

CF Mallex Smith was 4-for-4 with a double, stolen base and three runs scored on Wednesday against the Cubs. The four hits were a career high and he scored in each of his first three plate appearances. He tied a career high with three runs and scored at least two for the second time in his career. Smith is batting .333 in 31 games and 108 plate appearances.

OF Mallex Smith, back in the leadoff role with Kevin Kiermaier sidelined with a hip injury, went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, a career high and the longest by a Rays player this season. He also stole his ninth base, one off Kiermaier's team lead.

CF Mallex Smith has some rough edges but he keeps doing good things for Tampa Bay. Smith singled twice Saturday, the second driving in the winning run in the seventh inning of the Rays' 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers. "There are a couple bumps in the road that we can continue to work with him on," manager Kevin Cash said. "He can ignite an offense for sure. I think the most impressive thing about what Mallex has done is the quality of his at-bats. You don't see him expand too much. You see him take what the pitcher gives him and not try to do too much."

CF Mallex Smith made a bold try to steal home in the fourth inning Friday night, but fell inches short. It was an exciting play that is not seen much in the majors any more. "I'm fine with that," manager Kevin Cash said. "Looking back on it, ideally, he's thinking along with the game. We got a 2-1 lead doing everything we can to extend it, make it 3-1. ... We're aware he's going to try to impact us with his speed. And if you're willing to allow him to do it, there's going to be times when he's going to get caught." "He timed Daniel's (Norris) throw to first and then went the next time he threw over," said 1B Alex Avila, who alertly threw home in time for C James McCann to tag Smith out. Smith tripled and scored his next time up.

OF Mallex Smith was 1-for-4 with a bunt single in a 7-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays to extend his hitting streak to six games. He is batting .435 (10-for-23) during that span.

CF Mallex Smith went 3-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Smith finished the series against the Athletics 8-for-14 with six runs scored and four stolen bases. "I just want to continue to play my part," Smith said. "Just make sure I put myself in a good position to help the team as much as I can."