NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees left-hander Zack Britton had surgery Monday to remove a bone chip from his pitching elbow. The reliever is likely to be out until at least May and perhaps until summer. The team has not specified a timeframe. Yankees head team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad operated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. “Want to thank Dr. Ahmad and his staff for their excellent work today," Britton wrote on Twitter. “Excited to start the process of getting myself ready to rejoin the boys.” Left-hander Aroldis Chapman is the Yankees’ closer, and manager Aaron Boone said he will mix and match during the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Boone has said right-hander Chad Green, side-arming right-hander Darren O’Day, right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga and left-hander Justin Wilson are options. Chapman is suspended for the first two games of the season by Major League Baseball for throwing a 101 mph fastball near the head of Tampa Bay’s Mike Brosseau on Sept. 1. Britton, 33, is a two-time All-Star who was 1-2 with a 1.89 ERA and eight saves in 20 appearances during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He filled in as closer for the first 3 1/2 weeks while Chapman missed 21 games recovering from COVID-19. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TAMPA, Fla (AP) — New York Yankees left-hander Zack Britton is scheduled for surgery Monday to remove a bone chip from his pitching elbow and seems likely to be out until at least May. Britton will not be able to throw for several weeks while the incision heals after the operation by Yankees head team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Britton will then need to build arm strength. “It’s going to get taken care of and I’ll be able to pitch this year and help the team. And so that’s the most important thing,” he said Wednesday. “Could I rehab through it and possibly come back and it wouldn’t impact me? There was a chance. But we like the chances better of me coming back this season and pitching at a high level if I just got it removed now. If this was during the season, I’m not sure surgery would be the decision.” Left-hander Aroldis Chapman is the Yankees' closer, and manager Aaron Boone said he will mix and match during the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.... [More]

TAMPA, Fla (AP) — New York Yankees left-hander Zack Britton is scheduled for surgery Monday to remove a bone chip from his pitching elbow and seems likely to be out until at least May. Britton will not be able to throw for several weeks while the incision heals after the operation by Yankees head team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Britton will then need to build arm strength. “It’s going to get taken care of and I’ll be able to pitch this year and help the team. And so that’s the most important thing,” he said Wednesday. “Could I rehab through it and possibly come back and it wouldn’t impact me? There was a chance. But we like the chances better of me coming back this season and pitching at a high level if I just got it removed now. If this was during the season, I’m not sure surgery would be the decision.” Left-hander Aroldis Chapman is the Yankees' closer, and manager Aaron Boone said he will mix and match during the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.... [More]

Shohei Ohtani figured he’d be careful in his return to the mound after two injury-spoiled seasons. A few batters in, the Los Angeles Angels’ two-way sensation reached back for a little extra — and brought back some of the buzz that surrounded his major league debut three years ago. Ohtani reached 100 mph with his fastball and showed off his signature splitter while striking out five over 1 2/3 innings in the Angels’ 7-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Friday. The right-hander allowed a run, three hits and two walks, struggling to command his slider but showcasing the arm strength and stuff that allowed him to dominate in the majors before Tommy John surgery in 2018. “Since this was my first game, I wasn’t planning on letting it go in the beginning, especially early in counts,” Ohtani said via translator. “As the game went on, I felt better and I started throwing harder, but I think that led to me cutting the ball a couple times, so it’s something I have to work on.” The 26-year-old Japanese... [More]

Shohei Ohtani figured he’d be careful in his return to the mound after two injury-spoiled seasons. A few batters in, the Los Angeles Angels’ two-way sensation reached back for a little extra -- and brought back some of the buzz that surrounded his major league debut three years ago. Ohtani reached 100 mph with his fastball and showed off his signature splitter while striking out five over 1 2/3 innings in the Angels’ 7-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Friday. The right-hander allowed a run, three hits and two walks, struggling to command his slider but showcasing the arm strength and stuff that allowed him to dominate in the majors before Tommy John surgery in 2018. “Since this was my first game, I wasn’t planning on letting it go in the beginning, especially early in counts,” Ohtani said via translator. “As the game went on, I felt better and I started throwing harder, but I think that led to me cutting the ball a couple times, so it’s something I have to work on.” The 26-year-old Japanese... [More]

Darren O’Day laughed when he thought about the gas station, a new pitching barn on the Yankees minor league complex in Tampa, Florida. “They had to make an exception to let me in that place. I think I have to go throw at the bus stop or something,” the 38-year-old reliever said with a laugh Thursday, enjoying his first day in pinstripes. A side-arming right-hander, O’Day agreed to a $3.15 million, one-year contract and filled the setup slot vacated when Adam Ottavino was traded to Boston in a cost-cutting move. “An elite setup pitcher,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Certainly a righty assassin but a guy that in middle setup innings is going to be a real valuable guy for us.” In an era when velocity is prized, O’Day conquers with guile instead of gas. He averaged 86 mph with his fastball last season but went 4-0 with a 1.10 ERA in 16 1/3 innings over 19 games with Atlanta. He struck out 22 and walked five while allowing eight hits. "We can quantify just about everything these days:... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees start spring training this week without Brett Gardner for the first time since 2006, and manager Aaron Boone isn’t certain whether New York will try to re-sign the last remaining player from the team’s last World Series title. The 37-year-old outfielder became a free agent after the Yankees declined a $10 million option, triggering a $2.5 million buyout. “Obviously, he’s been a great Yankee, but we’ll just see how things unfold here,” Boone said Wednesday at camp in Tampa, Florida, a day ahead of the first workout. Boone said Clint Frazier is projected as his starting left fielder after making great strides last year in his fourth season with the Yankees. The 26-year-old hit .267 with eight homers and 26 RBIs in 131 at-bats during the pandemic-shortened season, after batting .267 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs over 225 at-bats in 2019. “Last year I think really proved that he was ready to grab an everyday role on this team, and especially the improvements really... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Right-hander Luis Cessa and the New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration when they agreed to a $1.05 million, one-year contract Wednesday before the deadline to offer 2021 contracts to unsigned players on 40-man rosters. New York also agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Ben Heller, who gets $625,000 in the majors and $225,000 in the minors. The Yankees allowed right-hander Jonathan Holder to become a free agent, declining to offer a 2021 contract. Cessa missed the start of the season after testing positive for COVID-19 and made his debut on Aug. 5. The 28-year-old right-hander had a 3.32 ERA with no decisions in 16 relief appearances and 21 2/3 innings, striking out 17, walking seven and allowing 20 hits. Cessa made $331,481 in prorated pay from an $895,000 salary. Cessa is 7-12 with a 4.40 ERA in 19 starts and 83 relief appearances over five seasons with the Yankees. He is eligible for free agency after the 2023 season. Heller. 29, had a 3.00 ERA in six relief... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Right-hander Luis Cessa and the New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration when they agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract Wednesday before the deadline to offer 2021 contracts to unsigned players on 40-man rosters. New York also agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Ben Heller, who gets $625,000 in the majors and $225,000 in the minors. The Yankees allowed right-hander Jonathan Holder to become a free agent, declining to offer a 2021 contract. Cessa missed the start of the season after testing positive for COVID-19 and made his debut on Aug. 5. The 28-year-old right-hander had a 3.32 ERA with no decisions in 16 relief appearances and 21 2/3 innings, striking out 17, walking seven and allowing 20 hits. Cessa made $331,481 in prorated pay from an $895,000 salary. Cessa is 7-12 with a 4.40 ERA in 19 starts and 83 relief appearances over five seasons with the Yankees. He is eligible for free agency after the 2023 season. Heller. 29, had a 3.00 ERA in six relief appearances,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman's suspension for throwing near the head of Tampa Bay's Mike Brosseau was reduced from three games to two after he appealed the decision. Major League Baseball announced the result of the appeal on Thursday. It was heard by special assistant to the commissioner John McHale Jr. Chapman will serve the suspension at the beginning of next season. His original punishment was announced by Chris Young, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president of baseball operations. Chapman threw a 101 mph fastball near Brosseau's head on his first pitch to the pinch hitter with two outs in the ninth inning of a 5-3 victory over the Rays on Sept. 1. Umpires convened before issuing warnings to both benches, and Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash was ejected after coming onto the field to argue. Chapman struck out Brosseau to end it, and Brosseau began walking toward the visiting dugout before turning back to exchange words with someone on the Yankees. The dugouts and benches emptied and players gathered near home plate, but they mostly kept their distance before dispersing to their respective clubhouses. Brosseau got his revenge in the postseason, homering off Chapman in the eighth inning of Tampa Bay's 2-1 victory in the decisive Game 5 of their AL Division Series on Oct. 9. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees have let Tommy Kahnle become a free agent rather than allow him to become eligible for salary arbitration ahead of a season he is likely to largely miss while recovering from Tommy John surgery. New York said Saturday that the hard-throwing 31-year-old right-hander had refused an outright assignment to the minor leagues and elected to become a free agent, Kahnle’s right as a player with at least three years of major league service. Kahnle has 5 years, 131 days of major league service and despite the injury would have been likely to get a raise after making $2.65 million last season. He had Tommy John surgery on Aug. 4 with Yankees head physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad and is likely to return in late 2021 or at the start of the 2022 season. His absence was a factor in the Yankees' loss to Tampa Bay in the AL Division Series, when Aroldis Chapman gave up a go-ahead home run to Mike Brosseau in the eighth inning of Game 5. Kahnle had been one of five key... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 5 of the World Series (all times local): 10:40 p.m. Clayton Kershaw beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the second time in six days, escaping a fourth-inning jam with a quick reaction throw to cut down a runner trying for a rare steal of home plate, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 4-2 win Sunday night and a 3-2 World Series lead. With one more victory, the Dodgers would claim their first title since 1988. Mookie Betts and Corey Seager sparked a two-run first inning, and Joc Pederson and Max Muncy homered off long-ball prone Tyler Glasnow, whose 100 mph heat was no match. Kershaw was cruising when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed the 32-year-old left-hander in favor of Dustin May with two outs in the sixth inning. The mostly pro-Dodgers fans in the pandemic-reduced crowd of 11,437 booed when Roberts walked to the mound, well aware that closer Kenley Jansen wasted a ninth-inning lead in Saturday’s stunning 8-7 loss. May got five outs and Victor... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 5 of the World Series (all times local): 10:40 p.m. Clayton Kershaw beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the second time in six days, escaping a fourth-inning jam with a quick reaction throw to cut down a runner trying for a rare steal of home plate, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 4-2 win Sunday night and a 3-2 World Series lead. With one more victory, the Dodgers would claim their first title since 1988. Mookie Betts and Corey Seager sparked a two-run first inning, and Joc Pederson and Max Muncy homered off long-ball prone Tyler Glasnow, whose 100 mph heat was no match. Kershaw was cruising when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed the 32-year-old left-hander in favor of Dustin May with two outs in the sixth inning. The mostly pro-Dodgers fans in the pandemic-reduced crowd of 11,437 booed when Roberts walked to the mound, well aware that closer Kenley Jansen wasted a ninth-inning lead in Saturday’s stunning 8-7 loss. May got five outs and Victor... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local): 11:20 p.m. The Tampa Bay Rays pulled off a stunning rally in the bottom of the ninth inning when Brett Phillips’ two-out single and a pair of Dodgers misplays resulted in two runs that beat Los Angeles 8-7 and tied the World Series at two games each. In a game full of late drama, the final turn came out of nowhere. The Dodgers, on the verge of a 3-1 lead in a push for their first title since 1988, took a 7-6 lead into the ninth. Kevin Kiermaier blooped a single with one out off Kenley Jansen and Randy Arozarena walked with two outs. Phillips, who batted a combined .196 for Kansas City and Tampa Bay this year, hit a soft single that Chris Taylor bobbled as the tying run scored. Arozarena appeared to be a sure out when he stumbled halfway home, but catcher Will Smith lost control of the ball as he spun around for a tag, allowing the winning run to score. Three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local): 10:55 p.m. Corey Seager scored Chris Taylor with his fourth hit of the game, a two-out single that put Los Angeles ahead 7-6 in the eighth inning of a topsy-turvey Game 4. The Dodgers and Rays combined to score in eight consecutive half-innings -- a span including the first two lead changes of this World Series -- before LA relievers Adam Kolarek and Brusdar Graterol shut out Tampa Bay in the bottom of the eighth. The Dodgers have scored 57 of their 94 runs this postseason with two outs, including all seven Saturday. Taylor led off the eighth with a long double off shaky bullpen ace Nick Anderson. Kiké Hernández popped up a bunt attempt and Mookie Betts grounded out before Seager blooped one into shallow left-center that dropped, bringing in Taylor with the go-ahead run. Justin Turner followed Seager with his fourth hit of the night, a single that pushed Seager to third, but Max Muncy grounded out against... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local): 10:20 p.m. A sleepy Fall Classic that hadn’t featured a single lead change halfway through Game 4 is suddenly taking dramatic twists and turns in rapid succession. Kevin Kiermaier hit a tying homer in the bottom of the seventh inning for the Tampa Bay Rays, who were tied 6-all with the Los Angeles Dodgers heading into the eighth. Pinch-hitter Joc Pederson delivered a two-run single with two outs in the top of the seventh that put Los Angeles ahead 6-5. Pederson’s line drive deflected off the glove of a diving Brandon Lowe. The second baseman, shifted into shallow right field, appeared to slip and stumble just a bit as he prepared to make a play on the ball. Pederson became the first Dodgers player with a go-ahead pinch hit in the World Series since Kirk Gibson’s famous home run to win Game 1 against Oakland in 1988. Kiermaier connected moments later against Pedro Báez, who also gave up Lowe’s three-run homer... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local): 9:50 p.m. Brandon Lowe hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning, giving the Tampa Bay Rays a 5-4 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series. With one out and runners on first and second, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled Blake Treinen and put in Pedro Báez. Lowe then greeted Baez with a drive to left-center for his third homer of the Series. Randy Arozarena and Hunter Renfroe also connected for Tampa Bay, which is trying to tie the Series at two games apiece. Tampa Bay pulled within one on Renfroe’s leadoff homer in the fifth, but Los Angeles answered right away. With runners on first and second in the top of the sixth, Kiké Hernández hit an RBI double off Diego Castillo. It was the Dodgers’ fourth two-out run in Game 4 and No. 54 of this postseason. ___ 9:10 p.m. The Dodgers had a potential rally in the top of the fifth cut short on an unusual play at second base, and Tampa Bay slugger... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local): 9:10 p.m. The Dodgers had a potential rally in the top of the fifth cut short on an unusual play at second base, and Tampa Bay slugger Hunter Renfroe hit a solo homer in the bottom of the inning to get the Rays within 3-2. LA’s Corey Seager hit a one-out single off reliever Pete Fairbanks and scored on Max Muncy’s two-out hit. Seager easily beat a throw home from Renfroe in right field, and Muncy took second when the ball went to the plate. Catcher Mike Zunino threw too late to nab Muncy at second, but Muncy tumbled after an aggressive pop-up slide and fell on top of shortstop Willy Adames, who was holding the baseball and tagged Muncy easily. Muncy argued unsuccessfully with second base umpire Mark Carlson that Adames pulled him off the base. Adames had his arms wrapped around Muncy as the pair hit the ground, but it was unclear if Muncy would have come off the bag anyway. The play was not reviewable. Renfroe... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local): 8:45 p.m. Randy Arozarena set a major league record with his ninth homer of the postseason, and the Tampa Bay Rays trimmed the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lead to 2-1 heading into the fifth inning of Game 4 of the World Series. Arozarena drove Julio Urías’ first pitch of the fourth over the wall in right-center for Tampa Bay’s first run. Mike Brosseau then singled, but Urías retired the next three batters to keep Los Angeles in front. Looking for their first championship in 32 years, the Dodgers are trying to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Series. Justin Turner and Corey Seager homered for Los Angeles. Arozarena was tied with Seager, Barry Bonds (2002), Carlos Beltrán (2004) and Nelson Cruz (2011) for homers in a postseason. ___ 8:20 p.m. Corey Seager matched a major league record with his eighth home run of the postseason, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays after three innings.... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local): 7:50 p.m. Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias is throwing a lot of strikes, and has retired all six Tampa Bay batters faced through two innings, with Los Angeles up 1-0 in Game 4 of the World Series while looking for a 3-1 series lead. Urias has three strikeouts while throwing 23 of his 28 pitches for strikes, and got a little defensive help from right fielder Mookie Betts, who made a leaping catch on Brandon Lowe’s liner for the second out of the second inning. The play by Betts prompted some chants of “M-V-P!, M-V-P!” ___ 7:28 p.m. Justin Turner became the first player to hit a first-inning home run in consecutive World Series games, putting the Dodgers ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 on Saturday night as Los Angeles tried to take a three games to one lead. Ryan Yarbrough fell behind all four Dodgers batters in the first, and Los Angeles went ahead early for the third time in four games. Turner drove... [More]