SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kris Bryant was the face of the Chicago Cubs for a long time. His new bosses in San Francisco were thrilled that joining the Giants meant so much to him, despite the emotions of leaving the only major league team he's ever known. Bryant grew up in Las Vegas and loved to watch Giants slugger Barry Bonds — and now the versatile star will get a chance to play not only in the home run king's former spot in left field, but all over the diamond. The first-place Giants made a big splash just before the trade deadline Friday by acquiring Bryant from the Cubs for two minor leaguers. “Could not be more excited to be a Giant,” president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said. “I’ve had a number of phone calls after trades with players. Never spoken to a player more excited to be coming to a new organization.” The 29-year-old Bryant, whose NL MVP season of 2016 helped the Cubs win their first World Series title in 108 years, got word while wearing his Chicago uniform and was... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Washington Nationals kept wheeling and dealing, trading catcher Yan Gomes and utilityman Josh Harrison to the Oakland Athletics for three minor leaguers Friday. The A's are counting on the depth Gomes and Harrison will bring as they contend for a fourth straight playoff berth — and they might arrive to Southern California in time to join their new team to face the Angels in Anaheim on Saturday. “I think we feel really good about the roster right now,” general manager David Forst said. “This was an important one for us to add position player depth.” Washington has dismantled its roster in a matter of 24 crazy hours. Ace pitcher Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner were traded to the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers for four prospects Friday. Relief pitcher Daniel Hudson was sent to the San Diego Padres late Thursday in a busy day of moves for retooling Washington, which acquired right-hander Mason Thompson and shortstop Jordy Barley... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo wore his 2019 World Series ring Friday as a reminder of the annual goal for his franchise. There won't be another one this season, with only a handful of players still left from that championship won less than two years ago. The Nationals this week traded eight players, and among those dealt to contenders were Max Scherzer, a two-time NL Cy Young winner in Washington, and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner. “It’s a difficult decision to make, but oftentimes a decision is made for you,” said Rizzo, whose team is now near the bottom of the NL East standings. “This year it was, and we recognized where we were and what work we had in front of us. We decided to begin a building process that will allow us to compete at the highest level.” The complete teardown of that title team from baseball's last full 162-game season came even swifter than that of the Chicago Cubs. In their own selloff before Friday's deadline, the Cubs traded away... [More]

Max Scherzer and Trea Turner wearing Dodger blue, Kris Bryant heading to the Golden Gate. Javier Báez joining the Mets, Craig Kimbrel crossing town to the White Sox, José Berríos moving north of the border. Now this truly was an All-Star trade deadline day. After a run-up that saw the likes of Nelson Cruz, Anthony Rizzo, Joey Gallo and Adam Frazier swapped, even more big names changed teams during a whirlwind Friday. From contenders boosting their roster to the also-ran Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals gutting theirs, this was a monster day for moves. “They all feel busy, but today was nonstop,” said Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, who made three trades. “We executed a number of trades but there were probably at least another dozen other ones that we contemplated seriously at different points in time and exchanged different ideas,” he said. Several playoff chasers pursued arms, with Toronto landing Berríos, Philadelphia getting Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy,... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Washington Nationals completed their final trade of a dizzying sell-off, sending veteran left-hander Jon Lester to the St. Louis Cardinals at Friday's deadline. Lester becomes the second experienced lefty to join St. Louis, which also acquired J.A Happ from the Minnesota Twins on Friday. Cardinals president John Mozeliak said the club accomplished its goal of stabilizing its pitching without giving away any top prospects. “That was something that was critical in our decision-making,” Mozeliak said. “Needless to say, obviously today we felt like we took a couple steps forward without having to sacrifice those futures.” The Nationals have entered a full rebuild less than two years after winning the World Series, also trading away Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Brad Hand, Daniel Hudson, Yan Gomes and Josh Harrison in a 24-hour span. The 37-year-old Lester was 3-5 with a 5.02 ERA in 16 starts during his first season with Washington. He has won three World Series... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — A dizzying trade deadline saw the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers pull off the biggest whopper of them all. The Dodgers acquired three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner, finalizing the deal for the dynamic duo from the Washington Nationals shortly before Friday's cutoff for making swaps. Washington acquired a pair of rookies, right-hander Josiah Gray and catcher Keibert Ruiz, and two minor leaguers, righty Gerardo Carrillo and outfielder Donovan Casey. The Nationals, who have fallen out of playoff contention made several trades in 24 hours to dismantle a roster that won the World Series in 2019 over the Houston Astros. “When I took a step back and made that look, I didn’t see a path to be a World Series caliber team this year, so I felt it was time to take a step sideways to allow us to take a step forward and get back to where we’re supposed to be, which is a championship-caliber organization,” Nationals general manager... [More]

Los Angeles Dodgers president Andrew Friedman spoke to reporters on Friday and said that he is unsure of when newly acquired shortstop Trea Turner (COVID-19) will be able to join his new club. Turner was placed on the COVID-19 injured list on Thursday and Friedman said that he will need to clear a number of protocols before making his debut with the Dodgers. Turner was part of a huge haul by the Dodgers on Friday with them also acquiring starting pitcher Max Scherzer. The Dodgers activated shortstop Corey Seager from the 60-day injured on Friday and Turner has outfield experience, so there is a chance Turner can play all over the diamond and pick up eligibility at other positions for managers when he returns. Turner is hitting .322 with 18 home runs, 49 RBI and 21 stolen bases and will now be part of arguably the most dangerous offense in the league. He should continue to produce across the board and remain one of the better offensive options moving forward.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Washington Nationals completed their final trade of a dizzying sell-off, sending veteran left-hander Jon Lester to the St. Louis Cardinals at Friday's deadline. Lester becomes the second experienced lefty to join St. Louis, which also acquired J.A Happ from the Minnesota Twins on Friday. The Nationals have entered a full rebuild less than two years after winning the World Series, also trading away Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Brad Hand, Daniel Hudson, Yan Gomes and Josh Harrison in a 24-hour span. The 37-year-old Lester was 3-5 with a 5.02 ERA in 16 starts during his first season with Washington. He has won three World Series titles in his 16-year career: two with Boston and one with the Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals entered Friday at .500 and trailing first-place Milwaukee by 9 1/2 games in the NL Central. St. Louis was 7 1/2 games behind in the NL wild-card race. Washington acquired speedy 25-year-old outfielder Lane Thomas from St. Louis. Thomas hit .104 in 32 games for the Cardinals this season. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Washington Nationals kept wheeling and dealing, trading catcher Yan Gomes and utilityman Josh Harrison to the Oakland Athletics for three minor leaguers on Friday. Washington has dismantled its roster in a matter of 24 crazy hours. Ace pitcher Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner were traded to the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers for four prospects Friday. Relief pitcher Daniel Hudson was sent to the San Diego Padres late Thursday in a busy day of moves for retooling Washington, which acquired right-hander Mason Thompson and shortstop Jordy Barley in that move. A little earlier, the Nationals traded All-Star slugger Kyle Schwarber to Boston for a minor league pitcher. Before that, they shipped closer Brad Hand to Toronto. The defending AL West champion A's are in second place behind rival Houston. On Monday, Oakland acquired left-hander Andrew Chafin from the Chicago Cubs for two minor leaguers, then traded for outfielder Starling... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers have pulled off a deal for ace Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner of the Nationals.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers pulled off a monster deal for ace Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner, getting the dynamic duo from the Washington Nationals shortly before Friday's trade deadline. Washington acquired a pair of rookies, right-hander Josiah Gray and catcher Keibert Ruiz, and two minor leaguers, righty Gerardo Carrillo and outfielder Donovan Casey. Scherzer had been given permission to speak to the Dodgers to see if he would waive his right to veto any trade, a power he had as a 10-year veteran who has been with his team for at least five years. “Today is heart wrenching as we say goodbye to two of the most accomplished players and two of the best people in our team’s history," Nationals owner Mark Lerner said in a statement. The deal came with the Dodgers three games behind NL West-leading San Francisco. Los Angeles owns the top spot in the wild-card race, 2 1/2 games ahead of San Diego. With the Major League Baseball trade deadline... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Washington Nationals kept wheeling and dealing, agreeing to trade catcher Yan Gomes and infielder-outfielder Josh Harrison to the Oakland Athletics on Friday, a person with direct knowledge of the swap said. The deal is pending a review of medical reports on the players involved, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been finalized. Washington, already rocked by a recent COVID-19 outbreak, has dismantled its roster in a matter of 24 crazy hours. Ace pitcher Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner were traded to the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers for four prospects Friday. Relief pitcher Daniel Hudson was sent to the San Diego Padres late Thursday in a busy day of moves for retooling Washington, which acquired right-hander Mason Thompson and shortstop Jordy Barley in that move. A little earlier, the Nationals traded All-Star slugger Kyle Schwarber to Boston for a minor league pitcher. Before that, they shipped closer Brad Hand to Toronto. The defending AL West champion A's are in second place behind rival Houston. On Monday, Oakland acquired left-hander Andrew Chafin from the Chicago Cubs for two minor leaguers, then traded for outfielder Starling Marte on Wednesday in a swap with the Marlins. ___ AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ CLOCK IS TICKING Ace Max Scherzer and star shortstop Trea Turner could be moving from the Washington Nationals to the Los Angeles Dodgers as the 4 p.m. EDT trade deadline approaches. The Dodgers and Nationals were close to deal late Thursday night after a day full of trades. Washington sent slugger Kyle Schwarber to Boston, closer Brad Hand to Toronto and reliever Daniel Hudson to San Diego. The New York Yankees acquired Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo after completing another trade to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers. Already with an eight-game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox acquired second baseman Cesar Hernandez from the Indians, and then got reliever Ryan Tepera from the Cubs. Left-hander Danny Duffy went from Kansas City to the Dodgers. Seattle got right-hander Diego Castillo from Tampa Bay Rays, and he likely will take over the closer role vacated when the Mariners... [More]

The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers neared a monster trade for ace Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner of the Washington Nationals late Thursday night, a person close to the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the swap wasn't complete. The Nationals would get four young players for Washington's dynamic duo. Scherzer has been given permission to speak to the Dodgers to see if he will waive his right to veto any trade, a power he has as a 10-year veteran who has been with his team for at least five years. If the trade goes through, it would be a stunning haul for the Dodgers, who are three games behind NL West-leading San Francisco. Los Angeles owns the top spot in the wild-card race, 2 1/2 games ahead of San Diego. With the Major League Baseball trade deadline at 4 p.m. EDT Friday, there was speculation on Thursday that the Padres would be the winners in the Scherzer sweepstakes. Instead, the Dodgers got real... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The new-look Nationals have traded right-handed reliever Daniel Hudson to the San Diego Padres in a busy day of moves for retooling Washington, acquiring right-hander Mason Thompson and shortstop Jordy Barley. San Diego announced the deal late Thursday night out West. Hudson is 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA over 31 outings and 32 2/3 innings, and the Padres will count on him down the stretch as they sit in third place in a tight NL West race behind the San Francisco Giants and the defending World Series champion Dodgers. Earlier in the day, Washington dealt All-Star slugger Kyle Schwarber to the Boston Red Sox for a minor league pitcher, and there was speculation Max Scherzer might have made his final start for the Nationals on Thursday and would be headed to the Dodgers along with Trea Turner. Already dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak on the club that postponed Wednesday's game with the Phillies, Washington also traded closer Brad Hand to the Toronto Blue Jays. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Washington Nationals officially traded ace Max Scherzer and star shortstop Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for catcher Keibert Ruiz, right-hander Josiah Gray, pitcher Gerardo Carrillo, and outfielder Donovan Casey. Scherzer agreed to waive his no-trade clause, and the deal became official. The 38-year-old ace has shown signs of slowing down, owning a 2.76 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a 147:28 K: BB across 111 innings in 2021. Turner is currently on the COVID-IL after testing positive for coronavirus during Tuesday's game. The 28-year-old is expected to return to the team as soon as he clears MLB's COVID protocols. According to Baseball America, catcher Keibert Ruiz is the No.16 overall prospect in baseball, and Washington also lands the Dodgers number two prospect Josiah Gray. Gray has struggled in the majors this season, owning a 6.75 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over eight big league innings. The Dodgers landed two top superstars and is gearing up for another World Series run. Incredible.

A look at what’s happening around the majors on Friday: ___ CLOCK IS TICKING Time is running out for playoff contenders to bolster their rosters through a trade, and there likely will be more players changing teams before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was among those still on the trading block. The right-hander made what might have been his last start for the Washington Nationals, allowing one run and three hits in six innings to win the the opener of a doubleheader Thursday. He then watched the second game against Philadelphia from the dugout. There was a lot of movement Thursday, with the selling Nationals sending closer Brad Hand to Toronto. Shortstop Trea Turner, currently out because of COVID-19 protocols, could also be headed out of Washington. The New York Yankees acquired Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo after completing another trade to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers. Already with an eight-game lead over Cleveland... [More]

Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers are making "significant progress" on a deal that would send them Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer and star shortstop Trea Turner. It was reported earlier that NL West rival the San Diego Padres were close to acquiring Scherzer. The tables have turned in recent hours, and the Dodgers could land both superstars for another World Series run. The 38-year-old ace has shown signs of slowing down, owning a 2.76 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a 147:28 K: BB across 111 innings in 2021. Turner is currently on the COVID-IL after testing positive for coronavirus during Tuesday's game. The 28-year-old is expected to return to the team as soon as he clears MLB's COVID protocols. Stay tuned.

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ GALLO, ESCOBAR ON MOVE The baseball trade deadline is fast approaching, and teams are starting to get busy before Friday’s 4 p.m. EDT cutoff. The New York Yankees made Wednesday’s biggest splash, reaching a deal to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers. The 27-year-old has 25 homers this season. The NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers got All-Star third baseman Eduardo Escobar from the Diamondbacks for two prospects. Also, the Athletics continued to be active in the market, acquiring outfielder Starling Marte from the Marlins. The 32-year-old Marte is hitting .306 this season with seven homers. Wednesday's other notable deals: The Reds acquired reliever Mychal Givens from the Rockies, and the Astros added reliever Yimi García from the Marlins. NATIONALS VIRUS The Washington Nationals hope to play a doubleheader in Philadelphia, a day after their game against the Phillies was postponed when four players and eight staffers... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors on Thursday: ___ GALLO, ESCOBAR ON MOVE The baseball trade deadline is fast approaching, and teams are starting to get busy before Friday’s 4 p.m. EDT cutoff. The New York Yankees made Wednesday’s biggest splash, reaching a deal to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers. The 27-year-old has 25 homers this season. The NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers got All-Star third baseman Eduardo Escobar from the Diamondbacks for two prospects. Also, the Athletics continued to be active in the market, acquiring outfielder Starling Marte from the Marlins. The 32-year-old Marte is hitting .306 this season with seven homers. Wednesday's other notable deals: The Reds acquired reliever Mychal Givens from the Rockies and the Astros added reliever Yimi García from the Marlins. NATIONALS VIRUS The Washington Nationals hope to play a doubleheader in Philadelphia, a day after their game against the Phillies was postponed when four players and eight... [More]