ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — In his only other start this postseason, Julio Urías had an 11-0 lead before taking the mound when the Los Angeles Dodgers blew out the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series. The left-hander finished that series with three perfect innings, the last two protecting a 4-3 lead in Game 7 and sending LA to the World Series against Tampa Bay. Now comes the next start for Urías in Game 4 of the Series on Saturday night. The 24-year-old with four wins in four postseason outings this year will face another lefty who was primarily a starter in the pandemic-shortened regular season but has more postseason appearances out of the bullpen in the Rays' Ryan Yarbrough. Urías has allowed just seven hits and two runs — one earned — in 16 postseason innings with three walks and 16 strikeouts. His 0.56 ERA leads the club. “I’ve always known the potential Julio has,” catcher Austin Barnes said. “His demeanor he has, and the temperament. He’s not scared, that’s for sure.... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 3 of the World Series (all times local): 8:05 p.m. Justin Turner sparked the Dodgers again for two more runs off Charlie Morton, and Los Angeles leads Tampa Bay 3-0 through three innings. After Morton hit Corey Seager on the toe with a pitch, Turner drove a double down the left-field line. Both came around to score on Max Muncy’s single. Turner also hit a solo homer in the first. Turner passed Steve Garvey earlier this month for most hits (now 75) in Dodgers postseason history and has the most RBIs (40). He entered the game batting .216 this postseason, but he has extra-base hits in three straight at-bats, including a double in the eighth inning of Game 2. Morton’s three runs allowed matches a postseason career high in his 13th appearance. The 37-year-old has quietly been one of the best postseason pitchers ever with a 2.84 ERA. The Rays got their first baserunner against Walker Buehler in the bottom of the inning when Kevin Kiermaier walked, but... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 3 of the World Series (all times local): 7:40 p.m. Los Angeles ace Walker Buehler is cruising through two perfect innings in Game 3 of the World Series against Tampa Bay. Buehler pushed his strikeout streak to four straight batters, getting Ji-Man Choi looking on a 98 mph fastball and Manuel Margot swinging at 99. Joey Wendle flew out to left to end the inning. Of the 22 pitches Buehler has thrown, 18 have been for strikes. The Dodgers lead 1-0 on Justin Turner’s first-inning home run. Tampa Bay starter Charlie Morton settled down with a 1-2-3 second after allowing Turner’s shot and a single in the first. Cody Bellinger flew out on the first pitch, Chris Taylor struck out and Joc Pederson grounded a slow roller to second. ___ 7:25 p.m. Justin Turner put the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead 1-0 in the first inning, homering on Charlie Morton’s 14th pitch. After taking a curveball with a 1-1 count for a strike with two outs, Turner turned on a high 94.8... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 3 of the World Series (all times local): 7:25 p.m. Justin Turner put the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead 1-0 in the first inning, homering on Charlie Morton’s 14th pitch. After taking a curveball with a 1-1 count for a strike with two outs, Turner turned on a high 94.8 mph fastball and drove it 397 feet over the left-field wall. Turner’s home run, the Dodgers’ team record 24th this season, was his 11th postseason home run over 69 games with the Dodgers from 2014 to 2020. That tied the team record set by Duke Snider over 36 games with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1954 to 1959. Max Muncy singled with two outs but was stranded when Morton struck out Will Smith. Dodgers ace Walker Buehler struck out two in a perfect bottom of the first that required 11 pitches, half Morton’s total. ___ 7:10 p.m. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the visiting team for Game 3 of the World Series, and batting first. Los Angeles, which had the best record in the majors... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 3 of the World Series (all times local): 6:25 p.m. The roof is closed for Game 3 of the World Series after it cooled down significantly in Texas. That could also affect how many runs are scored. It is the first time in 13 postseason games that the roof has not been open at the new $1.2 billion Globe Life Field — and the Los Angels Dodgers have played in all of them. The Tampa Bay Rays played their American League series in San Diego. An average of 10.42 runs have been scored in the postseason games in Arlington, including 21 total runs in the first two World Series games. The roof was closed for 24 of the 30 regular-season home games the Texas Rangers played in their new ballpark this year. An average of 8.21 runs per game were scored with the roof closed, down from 11.83 runs a game when open. Major League Baseball decided earlier in the day to close the roof because of the forecast for cooler temperatures, a wind chill and the possibility of... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: SERIES SET In a most unpredictable season, the teams with the best records in each league are set to meet in the World Series. The Dodgers and Rays will open in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday night after each finished memorable League Championship Series matchups this weekend. Neither team has announced its starting pitcher for Game 1, but aces Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers and Tyler Glasnow of the Rays are lined up to throw. Because of their superior record, Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts, NLCS MVP Corey Seager and Los Angeles have “home field advantage” for the neutral site Series and will bat last in Games 1 and 2, and then in 6 and 7, if necessary. Manager Dave Roberts’ Dodgers went 43-17, the best record in the majors by eight wins. They overcame a 3-1 deficit in the NLCS, beat Atlanta 4-3 on Bellinger’s late home run in Game 7 Sunday night and reached the World Series for the third time in four years. Rookie sensation Randy Arozarena... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Andrew Friedman isn’t quite torn. The Dodgers’ president of baseball operations since October 2014, he helped build Los Angeles into a power that reached the World Series for the third time in four seasons. He had been Tampa Bay’s executive vice president of baseball operations since 2006, building a team that reached the World Series in 2008 and overseeing the acquisition of Kevin Kiermaier, Blake Snell and Diego Castillo and a staff with many holdovers still in place. With the Dodgers, he oversaw the acquisition of Mookie Betts and Brusdar Graterol, the drafting of Walker Buehler and the signing of A.J. Pollock, Max Muncy and Blake Treinen. "It kind of hit me today waking up and processing all the text messages and questions about it,” Friedman said Monday, a day before the Dodgers and Rays face each other in the World Series opener. “It’s definitely surreal. Some of my best friends in life are there. And we joked when I left the team that we were going to meet... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — After winning the Division Series and AL Championship Series in San Diego, the Tampa Bay Rays played before fans in the World Series opener for the first time since spring training. “Playing a playoff game with zero fans in it has got to be one of the weirdest, most bizarre things I’ve ever experienced in baseball,” Rays pitcher Charlie Morton, scheduled to start Game 3, said Wednesday. “But at the same time, one of the most memorable things I’ve ever experienced in baseball. I’ll appreciate everyone that made this possible for as long as I live.” He appreciated the atmosphere at Globe Life Field, where the opener Tuesday drew a crowd of 11,388. That was about 28% of the 40,518 capacity at the new $1.2 billion retractable-roof stadium of the Texas Rangers. “This stadium, even though it’s not filled to capacity, there’s something about this place,” Morton said. “It’s very robust. It’s big -- it feels big. They have the big screen right above the field. It’s feels... [More]

Randy Arozarena was a one-man show getting the Tampa Bay Rays to the World Series. Big swings, bat flips, bustin' moves — he did it all — and his fast hands and fanciful feet didn't need much help capturing an AL pennant. Winning the Fall Classic, though, that could take an ensemble cast — something Brandon Lowe and the rest of the Rays' lineup finally began to provide Wednesday night. After being carried through this postseason by its breakout rookie, Tampa Bay's offense turned in a top-to-bottom team effort in a 6-4 Game 2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night that evened the Series at a game apiece. Lowe homered twice, Joey Wendle drove in three and the Rays combined for 10 hits — their biggest output since closing out the wild-card round against Toronto on Sept. 30. “I think today was a little bit better indicator of the kind of team that we are,” Wendle said. “Just a complete win, complete team win, everybody contributing at different parts of the game.” Only one... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 1 of the World Series (all times local): ___ 4:37 p.m. Pentatonix will sing the national anthem before Game 1 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Grammy-winning a cappella group from Arlington, Texas, prerecorded the song that will be shown on video at Globe Life Field. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will give the call of “Play ball!” Ceremonial first pitch duties will be handled by four frontline healthcare workers who are serving during the coronavirus pandemic. Married nurses Jamie Edens and Ryan Ward are from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Erika Combs is a nurse in Dallas. Brittney Burns is a nurse practitioner from San Antonio. ___ 4:22 p.m. Cody Bellinger was in his normal spot in the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Bellinger was batting sixth and playing center field Tuesday night, two days after knocking his right shoulder out of whack during his... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-seven World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers in Arlington, Texas, beginning Tuesday night: ___ Season Series: Did not play. ___ TAMPA BAY RAYS Record: 40-20. Playoff Entry: AL East champions. Playoff Seed: No. 1. Manager: Kevin Cash (sixth season). Projected Rotation: RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-1, 4.08 ERA, 91 Ks in 57 1/3 IP), LHP Blake Snell (4-2, 3.24, 63 Ks in 50 IP), RHP Charlie Morton (2-2, 4.74, 42 Ks in 38 IP), LHP Ryan Yarbrough (1-4, 3.56). Top Hitters: 2B Brandon Lowe (.269, 14 HRs, 37 RBIs, 36 runs, .916 OPS), LF Randy Arozarena (.281, 7, 11, 1.022 OPS in 23 games), SS Willy Adames (.259, 8, 23, .813 OPS). Top Relievers: RHP Nick Anderson (2-1, 0.55 ERA, 6 saves), RHP Diego Castillo (3-0, 1.66, 4 saves), RHP Pete Fairbanks (6-3, 2.70). Series Summary: It's the second American League pennant for the Rays, who began play as an expansion team in 1998. They lost the 2008 World Series to Philadelphia in five games. ... Tampa Bay opened... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Andrew Friedman isn’t quite torn. The Dodgers’ president of baseball operations since October 2014, he helped build Los Angeles into a power that reached the World Series for the third time in four seasons. He had been Tampa Bay’s executive vice president of baseball operations since 2006, building a team that reached the World Series in 2008, overseeing the acquisition of Kevin Kiermaier, Blake Snell and Diego Castillo and a staff with many holdovers still in place. With the Dodgers, he oversaw the acquisition of Mookie Betts and Brusdar Graterol, the drafting of Walker Buehler and the signing of A.J. Pollock, Max Muncy and Blake Treinen. "It kind of hit me today waking up and processing all the text messages and questions about it,” Friedman said Monday, a day before the Dodgers and Rays face each other in the World Series opener. “It’s definitely surreal. Some of my best friends in life are there. And we joked when I left the team that we were going to meet up... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cody Bellinger knocked his right shoulder out of whack with a celebration after his home run that sent the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series. The reigning NL MVP said Monday he was “feeling pretty good” and manager Dave Roberts said he expects Bellinger to start in center field for Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. Bellinger, who had already separated his shoulder multiple times, hurt it again with the emphatic celebration that followed his go-ahead homer in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the National League Championship Series, a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night. He did a leaping high-five with Kiké Hernández, whose pinch-hit solo shot an inning earlier had tied the game. “It was an exciting time. It was pure adrenaline, kind of like a thing where you just black out,” Bellinger said. "I wish that I didn’t do it, but it was such a cool moment for me, and it was just pure excitement.” Bellinger said the discomfort was similar... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Monday: SERIES SET In a most unpredictable season, the teams with the best records in each league are set to meet in the World Series. The Dodgers and Rays will open in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday night after each finished memorable League Championship Series matchups this weekend. Neither team has announced its starting pitcher for Game 1, but aces Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers and Tyler Glasnow of the Rays are lined up to throw. Because of their superior record, Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts, NLCS MVP Corey Seager and Los Angeles have “home field advantage” for the neutral site Series and will bat last in Games 1 and 2, and then in 6 and 7, if necessary. Manager Dave Roberts’ Dodgers went 43-17, the best record in the majors by eight wins. They overcame a 3-1 deficit in the NLCS, beat Atlanta 4-3 on Bellinger’s late home run in Game 7 Sunday night and reached the World Series for the third time in four years. Rookie sensation Randy Arozarena... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Three-time Gold Glove Award-winning center fielder Kevin Kiermaier was back in the lineup for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Houston Astros for Game 7 of the AL Championship Series on Saturday night. Kiermaier wasn’t in the starting lineup for three straight games after getting hit on the left hand by a pitch in Game 3, which the Rays won 5-2 to take a 3-0 lead. Kiermaier pinch-ran and remained in the game in center field in Game 5. The Astros won three straight games to tie the series at 3 and force the deciding Game 7. Houston, in the ALCS for the fourth straight year, is trying to join the 2004 Boston Red Sox as the only teams to win a seven-game series after being trailing 3-0. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Except for an occasional homer, the Tampa Bay Rays’ offense has fallen largely silent on the brink of the World Series. For all their superb pitching, sublime defense, tactical innovation and relentless cheerleading from the dugout, the Rays might not go any farther if they can’t simply put some men on base and score a few more old-fashioned runs than the Houston Astros. Tampa Bay hit three solo homers and stranded nine runners in a 4-3 loss Thursday in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series, failing to finish off the series for the second straight day while absorbing back-to-back defeats for the first time since Sept. 8-10. “That big hit has continued to elude us with guys on base,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. With Carlos Correa's walkoff homer against formidable Tampa Bay reliever Nick Anderson, the Astros avoided elimination and trimmed the Rays’ once-daunting series lead to 3-2 after a string of missed offensive opportunities for the AL East champions. Given two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Whether they're in the field or at the plate, the Houston Astros are finding it tough to summon their usual postseason proficiency so far in the AL Championship Series. Almost as tough as José Altuve is finding it to throw to first base from shallow right field. Altuve's two throwing errors were the lowlight of Houston's 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 on Monday, with his first error prolonging the first inning and leading directly to Manuel Margot's decisive three-run homer. “We’re very surprised,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “That’s his first throwing error all year, and he hit two of them today." Altuve's mistakes and another quiet day at the plate have put the defending AL champion Astros in a 2-0 series hole in less than 24 hours in San Diego. Houston is facing an 0-2 series deficit for only the second time during its current run of four consecutive playoff appearances with two AL pennants. The Astros lost the first two games of last year's World Series... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Randy Arozarena homered for the third straight game and Kevin Kiermaier and Michael Perez also went deep for the Tampa Bay Rays, who beat the New York Yankees 8-4 Wednesday night to move within one victory of reaching the AL Championship Series for the first time in 12 years. New York slugger Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run shot in the eighth inning to become the first player with a homer in each of his team’s first five games of a single postseason. Stanton has six homers and 13 RBIs in those five games. The Rays took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five Division Series. Game 4 is Thursday night at Petco Park, which has yielded 16 home runs in three games — nine by Tampa Bay. The Rays are looking to advance out of the ALDS for just the second time. They reached the 2008 World Series before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies. Arozarena, a 25-year-old rookie from Havana who’s nicknamed “The Cuban Rocket,” is having a breakout postseason. He homered leading off the fifth to chase... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The final pitch of Masahiro Tanaka's seven years with the New York Yankees might have been a slider down the middle that Randy Arozarena crushed for another Rays homer in Game 3 of the AL Division Series. Although Tanaka and the Yankees aren't officially done with the playoffs or each other, they're on the brink after Tampa Bay's 8-4 victory Wednesday night at Petco Park to put the Rays up 2-1 in the best-of-five series. That errant slider was far from the only mistake made by the Yankees' pitching staff during back-to-back losses to the Rays, who have forced their bitter AL East rivals into two must-win games in San Diego. New York has yielded 15 runs and 21 hits in its two losses to Tampa Bay, including an outburst of impressive power from a team that ranked 14th in the majors in homers during the regular season. Michael Perez’s two-run shot off Chad Green in the sixth was the seventh homer given up by the Yankees’ pitching staff in a 15-inning stretch. What's more, the... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays added All-Star outfielder Austin Meadows to the roster Monday for the start of their AL Division Series against the New York Yankees but did not include him in the lineup for Game 1. Meadows has been out since Sept. 18 with a left oblique strain. The left-handed hitter batted .291 with 33 homers and a .922 OPS in 2019 but had a .205 average with four homers and a .667 OPS in 36 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 regular season. The 25-year-old Meadows worked out with the team through the weekend and has been facing live pitching. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash went with Randy Arozarena, Kevin Kiermaier and Manuel Margot in the outfield for the opener against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, leaving Meadows on the bench. First baseman Nate Lowe was removed from Tampa Bay's roster to make room for Meadows. The Yankees made just one change from their wild-card round roster, removing third catcher Erik Kratz and adding right-hander Michael King. New York is carrying 14 pitchers on its 28-man roster, while Tampa Bay went with 13 for the best-of-five series set to be played on five consecutive days. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports