CHICAGO (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes left Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs with discomfort in his left wrist. Hayes walked and scored on Kevin Newman’s two-out single in the first inning, but he jammed his left hand diving back to first on a pickoff attempt. Erik González batted for Hayes in the third and remained at third base. The 24-year-old Hayes is an NL Rookie of the Year favorite after a brief, stellar debut in 2020. He batted .376 in 24 games, hitting five homers with 11 RBIs. He hit a two-run homer off Chicago's Kyle Hendricks in Thursday's opener. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jean Segura hit an RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies over the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in their season opener Thursday. After Nate Jones (0-1) intentionally walked Did Gregorius, Segura hit a bouncer down the third-base line to score Bryce Harper, who began the inning as the automatic runner at second base and advanced to third on a grounder. In the top of the 10th, center fielder Roman Quinn made a perfect throw to the plate to retire Ozzie Albies, who was trying to score on Marcell Ozuna’s fly ball. Catcher J.T. Realmuto caught the ball and slid in front of the plate in one slick motion, successfully blocking Albies’ path. Phillies ace Aaron Nola was one strike away from tossing seven scoreless innings before pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval ripped an 0-2 pitch into the second deck in right field to tie it at 2. The Phillies got 3 1/3 scoreless innings from four relievers, with Connor Brogdon (1-0) working the 10th. They had the worst... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jean Segura hit an RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies over the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in their season opener Thursday. After Nate Jones (0-1) intentionally walked Did Gregorius, Segura hit a bouncer down the third-base line to score Bryce Harper, who began the inning as the automatic runner at second base and advanced to third on a grounder. In the top of the 10th, center fielder Roman Quinn made a perfect throw to the plate to retire Ozzie Albies, who was trying to score on Marcell Ozuna’s fly ball. Catcher J.T. Realmuto caught the ball and slid in front of the plate in one slick motion, successfully blocking Albies’ path. Phillies ace Aaron Nola was one strike away from tossing seven scoreless innings before pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval ripped an 0-2 pitch into the second deck in right field to tie it at 2. The Phillies got 3 1/3 scoreless innings from four relievers, with Connor Brogdon (1-0) working the 10th. They had the worst... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jean Segura hit an RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies over the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in their season opener Thursday. After Nate Jones (0-1) intentionally walked Did Gregorius, Segura hit a bouncer down the third-base line to score Bryce Harper, who began the inning as the automatic runner at second base and advanced to third on a grounder. In the top of the 10th, center fielder Roman Quinn made a perfect throw to the plate to retire Ozzie Albies, who was trying to score on Marcell Ozuna’s fly ball. Catcher J.T. Realmuto caught the ball and slid in front of the plate in one slick motion, successfully blocking Albies’ path. Phillies ace Aaron Nola was one strike away from tossing seven scoreless innings before pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval ripped an 0-2 pitch into the second deck in right field to tie it at 2. The Phillies got 3 1/3 scoreless innings from four relievers, with Connor Brogdon (1-0) working the 10th. They had the worst... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — David Bote has won the second-base job with the Chicago Cubs, and Trevor Williams and Adbert Alzolay will round out the team's pitching rotation at the beginning of the season. The Cubs cleared the way for Bote when they optioned infielder Nico Hoerner to Triple-A Iowa on Saturday. Bote, Hoerner and Eric Sogard had been in the mix at second, and manager David Ross said Bote was the choice. Bote, who turns 28 on April 7, batted .200 with seven homers and 29 RBIs during the pandemic-shortened season last year. He was selected by Chicago in the 18th round of the 2012 amateur draft. The 34-year-old Sogard is in camp on a minor league deal, but the team has told Major League Baseball he will be added to the big league roster. The Cubs also optioned reliever Brad Wieck to Iowa and released veteran outfielder Cameron Maybin. Right-handers Shelby Miller, Pedro Strop and Trevor Megill were assigned to minor league camp, along with outfielder Rafael Ortega. Miller, Strop, Megill... [More]

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross selected Kyle Hendricks to start on opening day last season, and it worked out quite well. He sees no reason to make a change this year. Ross announced Tuesday that Hendricks will get the ball when the Cubs begin the season against Pittsburgh on April 1 at Wrigley Field. The right-hander tossed a three-hitter in a 3-0 victory over Milwaukee on opening day last summer. “I feel like we've got a lot of talent,” Ross said. “I feel like Kyle, his resume, his leadership, his poise, all that goes into being the opening-day starter, just the extra, kind of, pomp and circumstance that goes with opening day, especially this coming year as well, every arrow points to Kyle.” Ross said he wasn't ready to announce the order for the rest of his starting pitchers. Chicago also has Jake Arrieta and Zach Davies, and Trevor Williams, Alec Mills, Adbert Alzolay and Shelby Miller are in the mix for the last two spots. But there is no question about the leader of the rotation,... [More]

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross selected Kyle Hendricks to start on opening day last year, and it worked out quite well. He sees no reason to make a change this year. Ross announced Tuesday that Hendricks will get the ball when the Cubs begin the season against Pittsburgh on April 1 at Wrigley Field. The right-hander tossed a three-hitter in a 3-0 victory over Milwaukee on opening day last summer. “I feel like we've got a lot of talent,” Ross said. “I feel like Kyle, his resume, his leadership, his poise, all that goes into being the opening-day starter, just the extra, kind of, pomp and circumstance that goes with opening day, especially this coming year as well, every arrow points to Kyle.” Ross said he wasn't ready to announce the order for the rest of his starting pitchers. Chicago also has Jake Arrieta and Zach Davies, and Trevor Williams, Alec Mills, Adbert Alzolay and Shelby Miller are in the mix for the last two spots. But there is no question about the leader of the rotation, especially... [More]

Brandon Woodruff is stopping the Milwaukee Brewers’ revolving door of opening-day starting pitchers. Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Woodruff will start the Brewers’ season opener for a second straight year. He will be facing Kenta Maeda when the Brewers host the Minnesota Twins on April 1. “Any time you can go out, get the ball for the first game and try and set the tone for the year, it’s a huge honor and something I don’t take lightly,” Woodruff said Thursday from the Brewers’ spring training site in Phoenix. Having the same pitcher start the season opener in back-to-back season is something new for the Brewers. They had a different pitcher start each of the last seven season openers, causing fans to refer to an “opening-day curse.” “I don’t really pay too much attention,” Woodruff said. “I just think it’s one of those things. I don’t know if anybody went along with that curse, I guess.” Yovanni Gallardo started his fifth straight season opener in 2014. The list of... [More]

The Houston Astros received a positive update on left-hander Framber Valdez on the same day Forrest Whitley had season-ending surgery on his right elbow. Valdez met with Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles on Wednesday, and new images of the pitcher's fractured left ring finger showed significant healing, according to the team. Valdez is expected to continue his rehab at the team's facility in Florida, and there is no timetable yet for his return to the mound. The 27-year-old Valdez went 5-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 11 games last year, including 10 starts. He got hurt when struck by a comebacker while pitching against the Mets on March 2. Whitley's Tommy John surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. He got hurt while throwing batting practice this spring training. The 23-year-old Whitley, one of Houston's top prospects, is expected to miss at least a year. He was selected by the Astros in the first round of the 2016 amateur draft. ACES APLENTY Aces Walker Buehler of the Los... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jake Arrieta won a Cy Young Award, threw two no-hitters and helped end a championship drought in his first go-around with the Chicago Cubs. If his second tenure goes anything like that, they sure would take it. Arrieta returned to the Chicago Cubs, finalizing a $6 million, one-year contract on Wednesday. He can earn $1 million in performance bonuses for innings under the deal: $250,000 each for 150, 160, 170 and 180. "This guy's been battle tested,” manager David Ross said. “He's got the mentality. He's got the poise. And that example, just how he goes about his preparation, how he goes about his performance and that presence that he has, I think ... just kind of bleeds out to the other guys.” To open a roster spot, Chicago placed left-hander Kyle Ryan on the COVID-19 related injured list. Chicago also agreed to to contracts with veteran relievers Brandon Workman and Pedro Strop, people familiar with the deals said. The 34-year-old Arrieta won the NL Cy Young Award with Chicago... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jake Arrieta won a Cy Young Award, threw two no-hitters and helped end a championship drought in his first go-around with the Chicago Cubs. If his second tenure goes anything like that, they sure would take it. Arrieta returned to the Chicago Cubs, finalizing a $6 million, one-year contract on Wednesday. He can earn $1 million in performance bonuses under the deal. “This guy's been battle tested,” manager David Ross said. “He's got the mentality. He's got the poise. And that example, just how he goes about his preparation, how he goes about his performance and that presence that he has, I think ... just kind of bleeds out to the other guys.” To open a roster spot, Chicago placed left-hander Kyle Ryan on the COVID-19 related injured list. Chicago also agreed to to contracts with veteran relievers Brandon Workman and Pedro Strop, people familiar with the deals said. The 34-year-old Arrieta won the NL Cy Young Award with Chicago in 2015 and helped the Cubs win the 2016 World... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jake Arrieta returned to the Chicago Cubs, finalizing a $6 million, one-year contract on Wednesday. Arrieta can earn $1 million in performance bonuses under the deal. To open a roster spot, the Cubs placed left-hander Kyle Ryan on the COVID-19 related injured list. The 34-year-old Arrieta won the NL Cy Young Award with Chicago in 2015 and helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series for their first championship since 1908. He went 68-31 with a 2.73 ERA in 128 starts over five years in his first stint with the team. While the reunion is a feel-good story for the reigning NL Central champions after a tough winter, Arrieta hasn’t experienced the same level of success since he left Chicago after the 2017 season. The 6-foot-4 right-hander signed a $75 million, three-year contract with Philadelphia in free agency and went 22-23 with a 4.36 ERA in 64 starts with the Phillies. He had a 4-4 record and a 5.08 ERA in nine starts last year during the pandemic-shortened season. Arrieta rejoined... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jake Arrieta is returning to the Chicago Cubs, agreeing to a $6 million, one-year contract on Friday. Arrieta can earn $1 million in performance bonuses, according to a person familiar with the situation who confirmed the deal on condition of anonymity because it is pending a physical. The 34-year-old Arrieta won the NL Cy Young Award with Chicago in 2015 and helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series for their first championship since 1908. He went 68-31 with a 2.73 ERA in 128 starts over five years in his first stint with the team. While the reunion is a feel-good story for the reigning NL Central champions after a tough winter, Arrieta hasn't experienced the same level of success since he left Chicago after the 2017 season. The 6-foot-4 right-hander signed a $75 million, three-year contract with Philadelphia in free agency and went 22-23 with a 4.36 ERA in 64 starts with the Phillies. He had a 4-4 record and a 5.08 ERA in nine starts last year during the pandemic-shortened... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Joc Pederson joined the Chicago Cubs, finalizing a $7 million, one-year contract with the NL Central champions. The Cubs also completed a $2.75 million, one-year deal for pitcher Andrew Chafin and a $2.5 million, one-year agreement for pitcher Trevor Williams on Friday. The contracts for Pederson and Chafin include a mutual option for 2022. Pederson gets a $4.5 million salary this year, and the deal includes a $10 million mutual option with a $2.5 million buyout. He can earn $500,000 annually in performance bonuses for plate appearances: $125,000 each for 500, 525, 550 and 575. Pederson also gets a hotel suite on road trips. Chicago had just three outfielders on its 40-man roster before the addition of Pederson, who hit .190 with seven homers and 16 RBIs last season for the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cubs let Kyle Schwarber go in December, and he signed a $10 million, one-year contract with Washington on Jan. 9. Pederson, another lefty bat with lots of... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Joc Pederson joined the Chicago Cubs, finalizing a $7 million, one-year contract with the NL Central champions. The Cubs also completed a $2.75 million, one-year deal for pitcher Andrew Chafin and a $2.5 million, one-year agreement for pitcher Trevor Williams on Friday. The contracts for Pederson and Chafin include a mutual option for 2022. Pederson gets a $4.5 million salary this year, and the deal includes a $10 million mutual option with a $2.5 million buyout. He can earn $500,000 annually in performance bonuses for plate appearances: $125,000 each for 500, 525, 550 and 575. Pederson also gets a hotel suite on road trips. Chicago had just three outfielders on its 40-man roster before the addition of Pederson, who hit .190 with seven homers and 16 RBIs last season for the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cubs let Kyle Schwarber go in December, and he signed a $10 million, one-year contract with Washington on Jan. 9. Pederson, another lefty bat with lots of... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Joc Pederson joined the Chicago Cubs on Friday, finalizing a one-year contract with the NL Central champions. The Cubs also announced one-year deals for pitchers Trevor Williams and Andrew Chafin. The contracts for Pederson and Chafin include a mutual option for 2022. Chicago had just three outfielders on its 40-man roster before the addition of Pederson, who hit .190 with seven homers and 16 RBIs last season for the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cubs let Kyle Schwarber go in December, and he signed a $10 million, one-year contract with Washington on Jan. 9. Pederson, another lefty bat with lots of power and some limitations at the plate, likely steps in for Schwarber in left. For Pederson, who turns 29 in April, it's a chance for regular playing time before possibly trying free agency again next year. Pederson was selected by Los Angeles in the 11th round of the 2010 amateur draft and spent his first seven seasons with the Dodgers. He is a .230 hitter with... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Right-hander Trevor Williams agreed to a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, giving the NL Central champions another option for the back end of their rotation. A person familiar with the situation confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract is pending a physical. The 28-year-old Williams was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh after he went 2-8 with a 6.18 ERA in 11 starts during the pandemic-shortened season. Williams, a second-round pick by Miami in the 2013 draft, broke into the majors in 2016 and spent his first five seasons with the Pirates. He had his best year in 2018, going 14-10 with a 3.11 ERA in 31 starts. He has a 31-37 record with a 4.43 ERA in 106 career games, including 94 starts. Chicago's rotation will have a different look next season after it traded Yu Darvish to San Diego in December and Jon Lester departed in free agency. Williams could compete for one of the last two spots behind Kyle Hendricks, Zach Davies and Alec Mills. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Jed Hoyer insists this time won't be like 2011 for the Chicago Cubs. The team's new president of baseball operations said Wednesday that Chicago plans to retool rather than bring out the wrecking ball the way it did nine years ago. Still, this one will leave a mark. In his first major deal since replacing friend Theo Epstein, Hoyer sent NL Cy Young Award runner-up Yu Darvish and catcher Victor Caratini to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Zach Davies and four young minor leaguers Tuesday night. On deck: Willson Contreras? Maybe Kris Bryant, Javier Báez or Anthony Rizzo? Nothing is off the table, though Hoyer was adamant: The Cubs aren't following the 2011 plan. That was the year they hired Epstein and Hoyer, and the pair set the long-suffering franchise on a championship course by overhauling the farm system and revamping the front office. Along the way, Cubs fans endured a painful rebuild that included a 101-loss 2012 season. “I'm not going to run the same playbook that we... [More]

While the window is just opening on Jed Hoyer's time as the Chicago Cubs' president of baseball operations, it's closing on the Cubs' championship-winning core. The Cubs gave Hoyer a five-year contract on Monday that runs through the 2025 season, one week after his friend and mentor Theo Epstein stepped down as team president. The 46-year-old Hoyer was promoted from general manager to replace Epstein, who oversaw drought-busting championships with both Boston and Chicago. Hoyer takes over a team in the middle of expensive multiyear deals with outfielder Jason Heyward and starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Kyle Hendricks. And four players who were essential contributors to Chicago's 2016 World Series title — Javier Báez, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber — all are eligible to become free agents after next season. “You always have one eye on the present and one eye on the future. Given the service-time realities we mentioned, that eye may be more focused on the future than usual,”... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jed Hoyer has a new contract to go with his new position with the Chicago Cubs. The team announced Monday it had agreed to a five-year deal with Hoyer that runs through the 2025 season. The 46-year-old Hoyer was promoted to president of baseball operations when Theo Epstein stepped down last week. “My family and I believe he is going to be an incredible baseball operations president,” team chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement, “and Cubs fans have one of the best in the business leading the team to continue our commitment to sustained success.” Hoyer could end up shepherding the Cubs' roster through significant turnover. Ricketts has spoken about his desire to avoid paying baseball's luxury tax for big-spending clubs, and the team is still in the middle of expensive multiyear deals for outfielder Jason Heyward and starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Kyle Hendricks. Core players Javier Báez, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber will all become free agents after next... [More]