A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:HOT CORNER HELPERThird baseman Miguel Andújar is set to come off the injured list for the Yankees against Minnesota, and New York hopes a few other big bats will follow. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu may join him in the lineup, with outfielder Clint Frazier expected to follow Monday, the same day center fielder Aaron Hicks could begin a minor league rehab assignment. The Yankees are also hoping for good news when left-hander James Paxton gets an MRI on his left knee. He left Friday night's game with soreness there.GLOBETROTTINGAngels RHP Trevor Cahill (1-2, 5.93) is set to become the first pitcher in big league history to start games in four different countries when he takes the mound at Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey against the Astros, part of a two-game series in Mexico. Cahill has already started in the U.S., Canada and Australia.ROLLING RIZZOCubs slugger Anthony Rizzo is heating up with the first-place Cardinals in town for three games.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:HOT CORNER HELPERThird baseman Miguel Andújar is set to come off the injured list for the Yankees against Minnesota, and New York hopes a few other big bats will follow. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu may join him in the lineup, with outfielder Clint Frazier expected to follow Monday, the same day center fielder Aaron Hicks could begin a minor league rehab assignment. Andújar has been out since April 1 with a small labrum tear in his right shoulder. New York had feared he would need surgery, but Andújar responded well to a rehab program and rejoined the club Friday. Including Andújar, New York has 13 players on the IL.GLOBETROTTINGAngels RHP Trevor Cahill (1-2, 5.93) is set to become the first pitcher in big league history to start games in four different countries when he takes the mound at Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey against the Astros, part of a two-game series in Mexico. Cahill has already started in the U.S., Canada and Australia.ROLLING... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — All-Star slugger Aaron Judge hurt his left oblique while taking a swing and was expected to head to the injured list as the already banged-up New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 9-2 Saturday.Judge homered early, but hurt himself in the sixth inning while hitting a single. He was taken to a hospital for an MRI and further tests.Judge winced after taking a swing in the sixth and gingerly made his way to first base. He left the game after being checked by a trainer.The Yankees, who began the game with 12 players on the injured list, hit four home runs. Judge connected in the first, Clint Frazier had a solo drive in the second and Mike Tauchman and DJ LeMahieu homered on consecutive pitches in the fourth.Judge and Frazier hit their fifth homers of the season in the opening two innings off Heath Fillmyer (0-1).Masahiro Tanaka (2-1) pitched seven innings of one-run ball.Chris Owings homered in the ninth for Kansas City.MARINERS 6, ANGELS 5ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Snow and rain led to the postponement of Sunday's finale of a three-game series between the Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.A makeup date was not immediately announced.A steady snow fell throughout the morning and a mix of snow and rain was forecast to continue throughout the afternoon.Right-hander Tyler Chatwood (0-0, 6.00 ERA) was scheduled to make his first start of the season on Sunday for Chicago. He will pitch Monday night when the Cubs open a three-game series at Miami.Right-hander Trevor Cahill (1-1, 3.50 ERA) will start for the Angels in the opener of a three-game series at Texas on Monday night.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit a two-run homer and Chicago's beleaguered bullpen stepped up after Jon Lester departed with left hamstring tightness, leading the Cubs over the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-0 in their home opener on Monday.Brad Brach, Brandon Kintzler, Randy Rosario and Pedro Strop combined for seven innings of four-hit ball after Lester was removed with two on and no outs in the third. Brach (1-0) pitched two innings for his first win with the Cubs.Pittsburgh had won four in a row, but it hurt itself with four errors, including three by shortstop Kevin Newman. Jameson Taillon (0-2) was charged with six unearned runs and four hits in two innings.ORIOLES 12, ATHLETICS 4BALTIMORE (AP) — Chris Davis went 0 for 5 to set a major league record for the longest hitless streak by a position player, extending his drought to 49 consecutive at-bats in Baltimore's rout of Oakland.Davis hit three flyballs before striking out in the seventh and eighth innings, leaving him 0 for 28 this season... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Joc Pederson and Enrique Hernandez each hit two of the Los Angeles Dodgers' eight home runs Thursday in a 12-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.The Dodgers set a major league record for homers on opening day and tied the franchise mark for any game.Hernandez, Austin Barnes and Corey Seager all homered in the fourth inning to chase Arizona ace Zack Greinke (0-1). Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger and Hernandez connected in the seventh for the power-packed Dodgers, whose pursuit of a third straight National League got off to a thrilling start.Adam Jones and Christian Walker homered for the Diamondbacks, but their pitching staff's eight homers allowed also set a team record.The Dodgers and Diamondbacks weren't the only ones going deep, either, as teams around the majors combined to set an all-time high for home runs on opening day.Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-0) struck out eight over six stellar innings as Los Angeles' first opening day starter not named Clayton Kershaw since 2010. Kershaw's... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Back home from an 0-2 trip to Japan, the slugging Oakland Athletics got "comfy."Reigning homer run champion Khris Davis went deep for the second time this season , Marcus Semien added a solo shot and the A's beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-0 on Thursday for their first win after a pair of losses to Seattle last week in Japan."It was important to us to get that first win out of the way and it feels good that we showed up today and got the job done," Davis said. "I think guys are over the jet lag. I'm glad we could bounce back. ... Just a better rhythm. We're just kind of back in tune to what's going on over here. It was kind of a circus. I like the way we responded today. A little more comfy at home."Before the game, Davis stood behind the cage with Make-A-Wish Foundation friend Anthony Slocumb , who was wearing a Davis jersey signed by the boy that the slugger wore Aug. 20 against Texas when he hit homer No. 37 of his 48 last year.Mike Trout singled and walked going... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Reigning homer run champion Khris Davis went deep for the second time this season, Marcus Semien added a solo shot and the Oakland Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-0 on Thursday for their first win after a pair of losses to Seattle last week in Japan.Mike Trout singled and walked going 1 for 3 in his first game since signing a $426.5 million, 12-year contract, and manager Brad Ausmus lost his Angels debut after taking over for Mike Scioscia.Stephen Piscotty added an RBI double as the A's backed Mike Fiers (1-1), who lost in Japan last week in his first opening-day start.Fiers allowed one hit, struck out two and walked three in six innings. Three relievers completed the three-hit shutout that breezed by in 2 hours, 18 minutes.Trout drew the trainer and Ausmus out in the eighth after he made a hard slide into second and jarred his right leg.Albert Pujols went 0 for 3 with a strikeout as he began his 19th season. Pujols has 633 career homers and is back at 39... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Cincinnati Reds All-Star second baseman Scooter Gennett injured his right leg while fielding a grounder against Milwaukee and was helped off the field.Gennett ranged to his left for a ball off the bat of Yasmani Grandal leading off the second inning Friday. Gennett slid to make the stop and threw to pitcher Robert Stephenson covering first for the out. Gennett went to his knees and was helped off by Reds head athletic trainer Steve Baumann and manager David Bell."I don't know exactly if it was when he fell or when he made the throw," Bell said. "He felt something in his groin.Cincinnati says Gennett was to have an MRI.The 28-year-old Gennett reached the majors with the Brewers in 2013 and was claimed off waivers by his hometown Reds near the end of spring training two years ago. He made his first All-Star team last season, hitting .310 with 23 homers and 92 RBIs.Top prospect Nick Senzel could be a candidate to replace Gennett. Senzel was reassigned to minor league camp earlier... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Cincinnati Reds All-Star second baseman Scooter Gennett injured his right leg while fielding a grounder against Milwaukee and was helped off the field.Gennett ranged to his left for a ball off the bat of Yasmani Grandal leading off the second inning Friday. Gennett slid to make the stop and threw to pitcher Robert Stephenson covering first for the out. Gennett went to his knees and was helped off by Reds head athletic trainer Steve Baumann and manager David Bell."I don't know exactly if it was when he fell or when he made the throw," Bell said. "He felt something in his groin.Cincinnati says Gennett was to have an MRI.The 28-year-old Gennett reached the majors with the Brewers in 2013 and was claimed off waivers by his hometown Reds near the end of spring training two years ago. He made his first All-Star team last season, hitting .310 with 23 homers and 92 RBIs.Top prospect Nick Senzel could be a candidate to replace Gennett. Senzel was reassigned to minor league camp earlier... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Cincinnati Reds All-Star second baseman Scooter Gennett injured his right leg while fielding a grounder against Milwaukee and was helped off the field.Gennett ranged to his left for a ball off the bat of Yasmani Grandal leading off the second inning Friday. Gennett slid to make the stop and threw to pitcher Robert Stephenson covering first for the out. Gennett went to his knees and was helped off by Reds head athletic trainer Steve Baumann and manager David Bell."I don't know exactly if it was when he fell or when he made the throw," Bell said. "He felt something in his groin.Cincinnati says Gennett was to have an MRI.The 28-year-old Gennett reached the majors with the Brewers in 2013 and was claimed off waivers by his hometown Reds near the end of spring training two years ago. He made his first All-Star team last season, hitting .310 with 23 homers and 92 RBIs.Top prospect Nick Senzel could be a candidate to replace Gennett. Senzel was reassigned to minor league camp earlier... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Cincinnati Reds All-Star second baseman Scooter Gennett injured his right leg while fielding a grounder against Milwaukee and was helped off the field.Gennett ranged to his left for a ball off the bat of Yasmani Grandal leading off the second inning Friday. Gennett slid to make the stop and threw to pitcher Robert Stephenson covering first for the out. Gennett went to his knees and was helped off by Reds head athletic trainer Steve Baumann and manager David Bell."I don't know exactly if it was when he fell or when he made the throw," Bell said. "He felt something in his groin.Cincinnati says Gennett was to have an MRI.The 28-year-old Gennett reached the majors with the Brewers in 2013 and was claimed off waivers by his hometown Reds near the end of spring training two years ago. He made his first All-Star team last season, hitting .310 with 23 homers and 92 RBIs.Top prospect Nick Senzel could be a candidate to replace Gennett. Senzel was reassigned to minor league camp earlier... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Mike Trout wrapped up an eventful spring in Arizona on Friday with his third home run, and first since signing his record new deal.Trout received a 12-year, $426.5 million contract Wednesday, and in two games since, he's 2-for-7, hitting an RBI single Thursday and the three-run homer Friday as the Los Angeles Angels hosted the Chicago White Sox. In 14 games in Arizona, he batted .293.The two-time Most Valuable Player joked that he and teammate Kole Calhoun wanted to make sure they hit at least one homer in spring training."I think the biggest thing is just getting one," Trout said. "That's the goal for me and Kole. We say we just need one. We don't want to use them all up in spring."Justin Upton walked to open the Angels' first and Calhoun singled to set up Trout's homer, a laser that landed on the left field berm at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Trout connected on a 2-1 pitch from White Sox opening day starter Carlos Rodon."I hit that ball pretty good," Trout said. "I was just... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The last time Trevor Cahill made an opening day start, he was pitching for the Oakland Athletics. Now Los Angeles Angels manager Brad Ausmus has named Cahill as the opening day starter for the March 28 game in Oakland against the A's.This is Cahill's first season with the Angels. He was 7-4 with a 3.76 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) for the Athletics last year. It will be Cahill's second opening day start — he also did so in 2011 for the Athletics."Any time you can pitch the first game of the season, it's special," Cahill said. "I think the biggest thing is, as we all know, it's one of many and not worth any more than any of the other ones. My goal is to go out there and pitch like I normally do and don't try to do too much."The rest of the Angels' rotation will be Matt Harvey, Felix Pena, Tyler Skaggs and Jaime Barria, Ausmus said."We're kind of juggling with injuries and weren't sure and ultimately, I thought Cahill was the best fit," Ausmus said.Cahill played for the... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Harper drew big cheers, a pair of walks and a most unusual defense in his spring training debut for the Philadelphia Phillies.Both times the slugger with the biggest contract in baseball came to the plate, the Toronto Blue Jays shifted to a four-man outfield, moved the shortstop on the other side of second base and gave the left-handed hitting Harper a wide-open left side of the infield."I've never seen that. That's intense," Harper said, adding he hopes teams don't do that to him often. "If they start playing ball like that, it's definitely different."Phillies manager Gabe Kapler didn't want to discuss shift strategy but shared his advice for Harper."Hit a lot of homers, drive the ball like you're capable of, do exactly what you always do, be Bryce Harper," Kapler said.Harper drew a loud ovation when he walked up to the plate to Will Smith's theme song from "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air."Wearing No. 3 on his uniform, eye black under his eyes and a white armband... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Harper drew big cheers, a pair of walks and a most unusual defense in his spring training debut for the Philadelphia Phillies.Both times the slugger with the biggest contract in baseball came to the plate, the Toronto Blue Jays shifted to a four-man outfield, moved the shortstop on the other side of second base and gave the left-handed hitting Harper a wide-open left side of the infield."I've never seen that. That's intense," Harper said, adding he hopes teams don't do that to him often. "If they start playing ball like that, it's definitely different."Phillies manager Gabe Kapler didn't want to discuss shift strategy but shared his advice for Harper."Hit a lot of homers, drive the ball like you're capable of, do exactly what you always do, be Bryce Harper," Kapler said.Harper drew a loud ovation when he walked up to the plate to Will Smith's theme song from "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air."Wearing No. 3 on his uniform, eye black under his eyes and a white armband... [More]

Clayton Kershaw might not be on the mound when the two-time NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers start the season.The lefty ace is working his way back from shoulder soreness that caused him to shut down his spring training.Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said "that's fair" when asked Monday whether Kershaw might miss the opener March 28 against Arizona at Dodger Stadium."There's just way too much importance put on the opening-day roster. The No. 1 thing is for him to be ready and to feel confident physically and mentally," Roberts said, "and when that is, it is."Kershaw has made a franchise-record eight consecutive opening day starts, and was tabbed to do so again when the Dodgers arrived in Arizona.But a couple days later, the three-time Cy Young Award winner had some shoulder soreness that caused him to halt his throwing program. He's taking anti-inflammatory medication.Kershaw began throwing against last week, slowly building up the amount of work and the distance of his throws. He threw on... [More]

Byron Buxton is eager to lose all reminders of a lost season.The 25-year-old Minnesota center fielder began spring training with five straight hits, including two home runs and 10 RBIs, before going hitless in three tries Wednesday for the Twins in a rain-shortened 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies."We haven't played very many games out here and he's already shown everyone who's watching he can do a lot of things," first-year Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "He is as impactful as any player in the game."Buxton hit just .156 with four RBIs over 28 games last year in an injury-plagued season. He dealt with migraines, a broken toe, hand and wrist issues.Buxton batted .300 with 11 home runs, 35 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 57 games after the All-Star break in 2017, and won a Gold Glove."He can do things on both sides of the ball and on the bases," Baldelli said.FROM AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUESORIOLES 7, RED SOX (SS) 6Chance Sisco hit two home runs, singled and drove in five... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Brad Ausmus will absolutely get in on the action during his first spring training as Angels manager. He has already caught a couple of bullpens and plans to jump right into more drills along the way to help his players prepare for a fresh season."I get involved pretty good," he said. "You might see me standing at a position with a glove on, covering a base or taking groundballs. That will happen."Ausmus got back behind the plate to catch throwing sessions by Trevor Cahill and Matt Harvey at the Tempe Diablo Stadium complex."It's something I like to do. I did it in Detroit," Ausmus said. "My frame of reference catching all those years was seeing a pitcher from that angle. It's easier for me to see something in the delivery or the movement of the pitch from that as opposed to from the side or behind."So, how'd they look?"Good. Think I'd tell you otherwise?" he said with a smile.Cahill figured Ausmus could still catch, then the right-hander let it rip to his manager with... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Brad Ausmus will absolutely get in on the action during his first spring training as Angels manager. He has already caught a couple of bullpens and plans to jump right into more drills along the way to help his players prepare for a fresh season."I get involved pretty good," he said. "You might see me standing at a position with a glove on, covering a base or taking groundballs. That will happen."Ausmus got back behind the plate to catch bullpens by Trevor Cahill and Matt Harvey at the Tempe Diablo Stadium complex."It's something I like to do. I did it in Detroit," Ausmus said. "My frame of reference catching all those years was seeing a pitcher from that angle. It's easier for me to see something in the delivery or the movement of the pitch from that as opposed to from the side or behind."So, how'd they look?"Good. Think I'd tell you otherwise?" he said with a smile.The 49-year-old former catcher who played 18 major league seasons is charged with the task of getting... [More]