SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Cincinnati right-hander Sonny Gray is set to make his first start of the season Saturday at Cleveland, a welcome boost for a Reds staff that's struggled at times. Gray began spring training as the Reds’ possible opening day starter. But he experienced back spasms, made just one Cactus League start and opened the regular season on the 10-day injured list. The 31-year-old Gray is an obvious asset to the Reds’ starting rotation. The two-time All-Star has a 75-63 record and a 3.54 ERA in eight seasons, including 5-3 with a 3.70 ERA last year. “I’m very much looking forward to coming back and helping these guys win some games,” Gray said in a video interview. The Reds led the NL Central with a 7-4 record as Wednesday began, but their 4.33 team ERA ranked ninth in the league. Cincinnati earned an NL wild-card spot last year, but lost Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer to the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency. Gray’s return promoted the Reds to move right-hander José De León... [More]

Spring training took its toll on the Cincinnati Reds, and some key players who suffered injuries won't be back in time for Thursday's opener. Outfielder Shogo Akiyama (hamstring), and pitchers Sonny Gray (back) and Michael Lorenzen (shoulder strain) will miss the opener but aren't expected to be sidelined too long after that. The good news is first baseman Joey Votto, who missed 13 days of spring training with COVID-19, has eased his way back, hit the ball well and looked solid in the field during the final spring training games. He appears to be in position to start on opening day for the 13th consecutive season, but that decision has yet to be made. Outfielder Nick Senzel also is expected to be on manager David Bell's lineup card Thursday after dealing with a groin strain this spring. Tejay Antone, who was a candidate for Cincinnati's starting rotation, was hampered by minor groin and hip issues. He didn't get enough innings to earn a starting role but is expected to be fine for bullpen... [More]

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Luis Castillo is set to start on opening day for the Cincinnati Reds, heading a rotation that lost NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer to free agency. “Luis is as ready as he's ever been,” manager David Bell said Friday at the Reds' spring training complex. The Reds open the season April 1 at home against the St. Louis Cardinals. Castillo has seen limited action in spring training, pitching in two games so far and giving up no runs and five hits in five innings with three strikeouts. He's coming off a 2020 season in which he was 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 70 innings with 89 strikeouts. The 28-year-old Castillo was the Reds' opening day starter in 2019. He finished 15-8 with a 3.40 ERA and was selected to the NL All-Star team. “I did it once but to do it twice is just as special,” Castillo said through an interpreter. “The first thing I did was hug the manager and call my family.” Bell said the other Cincinnati starters are still to be determined, with decisions likely... [More]

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Luis Castillo is set to start on opening day for the Cincinnati Reds, heading a rotation that lost NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer to free agency. “Luis is as ready as he's ever been,” manager David Bell said Friday at the Reds' spring training complex. The Reds open the season April 1 at home against the St. Louis Cardinals. Castillo has seen limited action in spring training, pitching in two games so far and giving up no runs and five hits in five innings with three strikeouts. He's coming off a 2020 season in which he was 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 70 innings with 89 strikeouts. The 28-year-old Castillo was the Reds' opening day starter in 2019. He finished 15-8 with a 3.40 ERA and was selected to the NL All-Star team. Bell said the other Cincinnati starters are still to be determined, with decisions likely being made in the next week. Sonny Gray, who started the opener in 2020, is the likely No. 2. Wade Miley, Tyler Mahle, Tejay Antone and Michael Lorenzen are the top candidates. Bauer signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers after going 5-4 with a 1.73 ERA during the pandemic-shortened season and helping the Reds reach the playoffs as a wild-card team. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Cincinnati Reds will go into the 2021 season without two of last year’s most important pitchers — National League Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer and closer Raisel Iglesias. How manager David Bell will work around those blockbuster departures is the overriding question as his pitchers begin throwing this week during spring training. Without major offseason additions, the cost-conscious Reds are going to have to count on getting more out of some of the guys who have been around a while. Bell is fine with that. Enthusiastic, even. “We see our rotation as a strength,” he said. “Obviously we lost Trevor, and we all know what a significant loss that is, but to be able to say our rotation is still a strength is pretty impressive, with the depth that we have.” At the front of the Cincinnati staff will be some familiar names: 2020 opening-day starter Sonny Gray (5-3, 3.70 ERA) and Luis Castillo (4-6, 3.21), who started the opener in 2019. With Anthony DeSclafani also moving on, Tyler Mahle... [More]

Just when the Cincinnati Reds started to roll last year, the pandemic-shortened season came to an end after 60 games. But manager David Bell saw his team developing cohesiveness and gaining momentum down the stretch that he believes can carry over into 2021. The third-year Cincinnati skipper makes a fair point. The Reds won 11 of their last 14 in September, finished 31-29 and squeezed into the postseason for the first time in seven years. Bell noted the Reds were finally surging after 60 games, which would have been a little more than a third of the way into a typical 162-game season. “The big difference is that this group is going to have a chance to show what they can do over the course of a long year,” Bell said Wednesday as pitchers and catchers reported to the Reds’ Goodyear, Arizona, spring training headquarters. “It’s not exactly the same team — we lost a couple guys, but for the most part it’s the same group,” he said. “And it’s the same group that through great challenges over... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League Central 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: ___ Chicago Cubs Manager: David Ross (second season). 2020: 34-26, first place, lost to Marlins in first round of playoffs. Training Town: Mesa, Arizona. Park: Sloan Park. First Workout: Feb. 17/22. He’s Here: OF Joc Pederson, RHP Zach Davies, RHP Trevor Williams, RHP Kohl Stewart, C Austin Romine, OF Jake Marisnick (deal pending), OF Phillip Ervin, RHP Jonathan Holder, RHP Robert Stock, INF Sergio Alcántara. He’s Outta Here: RHP Yu Darvish, OF Kyle Schwarber, LHP Jon Lester, LHP José Quintana, OF Albert Almora, Jr., C Victor Caratini, 2B Jason Kipnis, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Jeremy Jeffress, OF Cameron Maybin, OF Billy Hamilton, OF José Martínez. Going campin’: Ross was impressive in his first year as manager, guiding Chicago to the NL Central title during the pandemic-shortened season.... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League Central 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: ___ Chicago Cubs Manager: David Ross (second season). 2020: 34-26, first place, lost to Marlins in first round of playoffs. Training Town: Mesa, Arizona. Park: Sloan Park. First Workout: Feb. 17/22. He’s Here: OF Joc Pederson, RHP Zach Davies, RHP Trevor Williams, RHP Kohl Stewart, C Austin Romine, OF Jake Marisnick (deal pending), OF Phillip Ervin, RHP Jonathan Holder, RHP Robert Stock, INF Sergio Alcántara. He’s Outta Here: RHP Yu Darvish, OF Kyle Schwarber, LHP Jon Lester, LHP José Quintana, OF Albert Almora, Jr., C Victor Caratini, 2B Jason Kipnis, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Jeremy Jeffress, OF Cameron Maybin, OF Billy Hamilton, OF José Martínez. Going campin’: Ross was impressive in his first year as manager, guiding Chicago to the NL Central title during the pandemic-shortened season.... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League Central 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: ___ Chicago Cubs Manager: David Ross (second season). 2020: 34-26, first place, lost to Marlins in first round of playoffs. Training Town: Mesa, Arizona. Park: Sloan Park. First Workout: Feb. 17/22. He’s Here: OF Joc Pederson, RHP Zach Davies, RHP Trevor Williams, RHP Kohl Stewart, C Austin Romine, OF Phillip Ervin, RHP Jonathan Holder, RHP Robert Stock, INF Sergio Alcántara. He’s Outta Here: RHP Yu Darvish, OF Kyle Schwarber, LHP Jon Lester, LHP José Quintana, OF Albert Almora, Jr., C Victor Caratini, 2B Jason Kipnis, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Jeremy Jeffress, OF Cameron Maybin, OF Billy Hamilton, OF José Martínez. Going campin’: Ross was impressive in his first year as manager, guiding Chicago to the NL Central title during the pandemic-shortened season. But it doesn’t get any easier... [More]

The Cincinnati Reds spent big money last offseason to add some badly needed offensive pop to the lineup. It didn’t pay off quite as well as they hoped. Behind solid pitching, the Reds slipped into the playoffs for the first time in seven years despite hitting a major league-worst .212 as a team. The offensive woes were front and center as they were shut out and swept in two games by the Atlanta Braves, wasting solid starts by their two best pitchers, Trevor Bauer and Luis Castillo. The Reds were 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position in the two games and are left to cull the positives from an unsettling season shortened by the coronavirus pandemic and played in empty stadiums. The positives: The Reds slammed 90 home runs in the 60 games, seventh best in the major leagues. Pitching was good all around as they went on a late-season run to finish 31-29 and get to the postseason for the first time in seven years. Bauer’s 1.73 ERA likely will be good enough for the NL Cy Young Award. Most... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Pablo Sandoval is on the Atlanta Braves' roster for the NL wild-card series against the Cincinnati Reds. The 2012 World Series MVP joined the Braves after being released by the San Francisco Giants a couple of weeks ago. He started at third base in the final game of the regular season, going 0 for 2 with two walks in a 9-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Sandoval played 33 games for the Giants, hitting .220 with one homer and six RBIs. The Braves also brought back infielder Charlie Culberson to the big league roster and released left-handed pitcher Tommy Milone, who was acquired at the trade deadline but posted a 14.90 ERA in three starts. ___ The 28-player rosters for the best-of-three series between the Reds and the Braves: CINCINNATI Pitchers (12): RH Tejay Antone, RH Trevor Bauer, RH Archie Bradley, RH Luis Castillo, LH Amir Garrett, RH Sonny Gray, RH Raisel Iglesias, RH Michael Lorenzen, RH Tyler Mahle, LH Wade Miley, RH Lucas Sims, RH Robert Stephenson Catchers (2): Tucker... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-three playoff series between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves beginning Wednesday. All games in Atlanta: ___ CINCINNATI REDS Record: 31-29. Playoff Entry: NL wild card. Playoff Seed: No. 7. Manager: David Bell (second season). Projected Rotation: RHP Trevor Bauer (5-4, NL-best 1.73 ERA, 100Ks), RHP Luis Castillo (4-6, 3.21, 89Ks), RHP Sonny Gray (5-3, 3.70, 72 Ks). Top Hitters: DH Jesse Winker (.255, 12 HRs, 23 RBIs), 1B Joey Votto (.226, 11, 22), RF Nick Castellanos (.225, 14, 34), 3B Eugenio Suarez (.202, 15, 38). Top Relievers: RHP Raisel Iglesias (4-3, 2.74 ERA, 8 saves), RHP Lucas Sims (3-0, 2.45), LHP Amir Garrett (1-0, 2.45, 1 save), RHP Tejay Antone (0-3, 2.80). Series Summary: The Reds took off in early September and earned their first playoff appearance since 2013. Cincinnati won six in a row beginning Sept. 13 and finished the season 11-3, including an extra-inning victory over Minnesota in the finale. The team won its last five series. The... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ LET'S GET IT SETTLED St. Louis, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Philadelphia enter the last day of the regular season competing for two postseason spots, and the biggest game of the day pits Christian Yelich's Brewers against Yadier Molina's Cardinals. A team-by-team breakdown of what each club needs to clinch: Cardinals (29-28) — Qualify with a victory over Milwaukee or a loss by the Giants. If St. Louis loses and San Francisco wins, the Cardinals would make up two games against Detroit on Monday that were postponed this season due to St. Louis' coronavirus outbreak. Brewers (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over St. Louis, or with losses by the Giants and Phillies. Giants (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over San Diego and a Brewers loss. If the Giants and Brewers win, San Francisco needs St. Louis to lose both games against the Tigers on Monday. Phillies (28-31) — Qualify with a win over Tampa Bay and losses by the Brewers and Giants.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Sunday: ___ LET'S GET IT SETTLED St. Louis, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Philadelphia enter the last day of the regular season competing for two postseason spots, and the biggest game of the day pits Christian Yelich's Brewers against Yadier Molina's Cardinals. A team-by-team breakdown of what each club needs to clinch: Cardinals (29-28) — Qualify with a victory over Milwaukee or a loss by the Giants. If St. Louis loses and San Francisco wins, the Cardinals would make up two games against Detroit on Monday that were postponed this season due to St. Louis' coronavirus outbreak. Brewers (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over St. Louis, or with losses by the Giants and Phillies. Giants (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over San Diego and a Brewers loss. If the Giants and Cardinals win, San Francisco needs St. Louis to lose both games against the Tigers on Monday. Phillies (28-31) — Qualify with a win over Tampa Bay and losses by the Brewers and Giants.... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez pushed the Cleveland Indians into the playoffs with one swing and strengthened his case for the AL MVP award. Ramírez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning, giving Cleveland a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox that clinched a postseason berth Tuesday night. Ramírez’s drive to right off José Ruiz scored César Hernández and Francisco Lindor, setting off a wild celebration at home plate as the Indians reached the postseason for the fourth time in five years. Lindor had pulled Cleveland within one on a two-out double that plated Roberto Perez, who began the inning on second base. After Matt Foster (5-1) walked Hernández, Ruiz entered and gave up the game-ending drive. BRAVES 11, MARLINS 1 ATLANTA (AP) — Bryse Wilson pitched five scoreless innings, Marcell Ozuna drove in five runs with four hits that included two homers and Atlanta clinched its third straight NL East title. Atlanta hit five homers, including drives by Dansby Swanson and Freddie... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ ONE AND DONE Tampa Bay can clinch its first AL East crown since 2010 with a win at the New York Mets or a Yankees loss to Toronto. Blake Snell (4-1, 3.05 ERA), the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner, gets the ball as the Rays look to become the second team to lock up a division title during this pandemic-altered season, after Oakland won the AL West on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Indians need only a victory over the first-place Chicago White Sox or a Seattle loss to Houston to secure a spot in the expanded playoff field — which would mark their fourth postseason appearance in five years. Eight teams from each league make it this year. HE'S BACK Cincinnati right-hander Sonny Gray is expected to come off the injured list and start the second game of the Reds' critical series against Milwaukee. Gray (5-3, 3.94 ERA) hasn’t appeared in a game since Sept. 10 because of a strained back. He returns to a team that has won eight of nine... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:___DIVISION DUST-UPThe Padres and Dodgers open their final series this season, perhaps San Diego’s best chance to close in on the eight-time reigning NL West champions. Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw (5-1, 1.98) faces emerging Padres right-hander Dinelson Lamet (2-1, 2.24) in the first of three games at Petco Park. Lamet’s only loss this season came against the Dodgers on Aug. 4.WINDY WEEKThe Minnesota Twins begin a weeklong stay in Chicago, taking on a pair of first-place teams.José Berríos (4-3, 4.40 ERA) starts the opener of a four-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field, trailing the White Sox by one game in the AL Central. He’s won three straight decisions and will go against Dylan Cease (5-2, 3.33 ERA).The White Sox have won four in a row. After finishing on the South Side, the Twins will move to Wrigley Field next weekend to play the NL Central-leading Cubs.ON THE ROADAfter beating Texas on Sunday afternoon, Oakland is in Seattle for... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Monday:___DIVISION DUST-UPThe Padres and Dodgers open their final series this season, perhaps San Diego’s best chance to close in on the eight-time reigning NL West champions. Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw (5-1, 1.98) faces emerging Padres right-hander Dinelson Lamet (2-1, 2.24) in the first of three games at Petco Park. Lamet’s only loss this season came against the Dodgers on Aug. 4.WINDY WEEKThe Minnesota Twins begin a weeklong stay in Chicago, taking on a pair of first-place teams.José Berríos (4-3, 4.40 ERA) starts the opener of a four-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field, trailing the White Sox by one game in the AL Central. He’s won three straight decisions and will go against Dylan Cease (5-2, 3.33 ERA).The White Sox have won four in a row. After finishing on the South Side, the Twins will move to Wrigley Field next weekend to play the NL Central-leading Cubs.ON THE ROADAfter beating Texas on Sunday afternoon, Oakland is in Seattle... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pitcher Sonny Gray was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday because a strain in the right side of his mid-back, a move retroactive to Friday.Gray allowed five runs, six hits and three walks over 3 1/3 innings at the Chicago Cubs on Thursday,.He is 5-3 with a 3.94 ERA in nine starts but has allowed 11 runs in his last two outings after giving up just nine earned runs in 41 2/3 innings over his first seven.Gray was an All-Star last year, going 11-9 with a 2.71 ERA in 31 starts in his first season with the Reds.Cincinnati selected the contract of right-hander Sal Romano, who had been on the taxi squad. Romano had not appeared with the Reds this season but was 14-19 with a 5.17 ERA in 67 games over the previous three seasons.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Royals rookie Brady Singer allowed just one hit — a two-out single through an infield shift in the eighth inning — while pitching Kansas City to an 11-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night.Making his ninth career start, the 24-year-old Singer (2-4) was four outs from becoming the 36th rookie to throw a no-hitter when Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges, who came in batting .148, bounced a single through a wide-open right side. The hit came on a full count and Singer’s 116th pitch.Maikel Franco and Adalberto Mondesi each hit a three-run homer for the Royals. Edward Olivares added a solo shot off Aaron Civale (3-5). Kansas City has won three straight since a seven-game losing streak.Franco also had a two-run single, giving him five RBIs.BRAVES 7, NATIONALS 6WASHINGTON (AP) — Freddie Freeman homered twice, Dansby Swanson hit a go-ahead shot in the eighth inning and Atlanta rallied from a 5-0 deficit to beat Washington. Freeman tied the game at 6 in the seventh... [More]