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]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — If the Arizona Diamondbacks want to win a lot of games this season they probably need right-hander Zac Gallen to throw a lot of quality innings. If the franchise wants to be good for the next several years, it's also imperative that the 25-year-old — who finished ninth in the NL Cy Young voting last season — stays healthy. The challenge of balancing the present and the future is nothing new for Major League Baseball teams, who are particularly careful with star young pitchers. But the calculus might be even tougher in 2021 because pitchers are coming off a much smaller workload during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Gallen, who finished with a 3-2 record and a 2.75 ERA last season in 72 innings, is adamant he's ready to ramp back up to nearly 200 innings if needed, even if it appears unlikely the D-backs would push him that hard. “I'm going to pitch until they tell me to stop pitching,” Gallen said. “And then I'll probably still say, ‘No, let me go back out... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Indians was among eight players whose contracts were unilaterally renewed by their team before Thursday's deadline for all players on 40-man rosters to have deals for the 2021 season. Bieber will receive a $679,700 salary while in the major leagues and $311,600 in the unlikely event he is optioned to the minors. Bieber was an All-Star in 2019 and led the major leagues during last year's shortened season in wins (eight), ERA (1.63) and strikeouts (122). Unless he reaches a long-term deal, he is likely to be eligible for salary arbitration next winter. The eight renewals were among the fewest in one year. Those renewed include New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year, who gets a salary of $676,775 in the major leagues and $326,261 in the minors. Alonso was an All-Star in 2019, when he hit a rookie record 53 home runs, batted .260 and had 120 RBIs. He hit .231 with 16 homers and 35 RBIs last... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Indians was among eight players whose contracts were unilaterally renewed by their team before Thursday's deadline for all players on 40-man rosters to have deals for the 2021 season. Bieber will receive a $679,700 salary while in the major leagues and $311,600 in the unlikely event he is optioned to the minors. Bieber was an All-Star in 2019 and led the major leagues during last year's shortened season in wins (eight), ERA (1.63) and strikeouts (122). Unless he reaches a long-term deal, he is likely to be eligible for salary arbitration next winter. The eight renewals were among the fewest in one year. Those renewed include New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year, who gets a salary of $676,775 in the major leagues and $326,261 in the minors. Alonso was an All-Star in 2019, when he hit a rookie record 53 home runs, batted .260 and had 120 RBIs. He hit .231 with 16 homers and 35 RBIs last... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Highly regarded Miami Marlins prospect Jazz Chisholm calls the ballfield his “happy place,” which is why he's always in motion, bouncing about even during monotonous spring training drills. Teammates tell him to chill. “All the time. Every day,” Chisholm said with a grin. “The veterans are tired of me. They tell me to stop moving, stop singing, stop dancing. It's fun to mess with the older guys. They hate me singing and whispering in their ear.” The vets might need to get used to it. Chisholm is competing with fellow prospect Isan Diaz for the second base job, the team's only position battle this spring. The outcome will help determine whether the Marlins can generate more offense this season. In 2020, Miami second basemen had an OPS of .602, last in the National League. Chisholm made his big league debut in September and went 9 for 56 (.161), and Diaz went 4 for 22 (.182) before a groin injury ended his brief season. The hope is one of them can provide more pop this year —... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Highly regarded Miami Marlins prospect Jazz Chisholm calls the ballfield his “happy place,” which is why he's always in motion, bouncing about even during monotonous spring training drills. Teammates tell him to chill. “All the time. Every day,” Chisholm said with a grin. “The veterans are tired of me. They tell me to stop moving, stop singing, stop dancing. It's fun to mess with the older guys. They hate me singing and whispering in their ear.” The vets might need to get used to it. Chisholm is competing with fellow prospect Isan Diaz for the second base job, the team's only position battle this spring. The outcome will help determine whether the Marlins can generate more offense this season. In 2020, Miami second basemen had an OPS of .602, last in the National League. Chisholm made his big league debut in September and went 9 for 56 (.161), and Diaz went 4 for 22 (.182) before a groin injury ended his brief season. The hope is one of them can provide more pop this year —... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Even during a pandemic, the appetite to sit in the sun and watch Major League Baseball spring training appears robust. The Arizona Diamondbacks sold out their entire spring allotment of tickets in less than 24 hours after they went on sale to the public. Approximately 2,200 tickets were sold for all 14 of the team's home games, with fans spread throughout the park in pods of two, four or six seats and masks are required except when eating or drinking. That's 20 percent of the stadium's normal 11,000-person capacity. “The fact that it sold out as fast as it did — that fires me up,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “We've been looking forward to this day as much as them.” The Colorado Rockies — who share the Salt River Fields facility with the D-backs — have also sold out of tickets to their home games. The two teams open their spring training schedule against each other next Sunday. Spring training facilities across Arizona and Florida have been making their own decisions... [More]

Manager Torey Lovullo is eager for a do-over after a 2020 season that the Arizona Diamondbacks won't remember fondly. Getting it right might decide his future with the franchise. The 55-year-old Lovullo enters his fifth year with the Diamondbacks — and the final year of his current contract — under a substantial amount of scrutiny. Arizona spent a lot of money on free agents before the 2020 season but fell well short of expectations, finishing in last place in the NL West with a 25-35 record. Lovullo shrugged off any notion that he's feeling added pressure on Wednesday, when the team's pitchers and catchers went through their first workouts in Scottsdale, Arizona. The manager said he's approaching the upcoming season just like he's got a “10-year contract under my belt.” “Look, it's a game of results,” Lovullo said. “I need to be held accountable to that. I would expect that. I ask the players to be accountable. So for me, it's a nonissue.” Lovullo has had a generally successful tenure... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League West 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: ___ Los Angeles Dodgers Manager: Dave Roberts (sixth season). 2019: 43-17, first place, World Series champions. Training Town: Glendale, Arizona. Park: Camelback Ranch. First Workout: Feb. 18/23. He’s Here: RHP Trevor Bauer, RHP Tommy Kahnle, LHP Garrett Cleavinger. He’s Outta Here: 3B Justin Turner, RHP Pedro Báez, INF/OF Enrique Hernández, LF Joc Pederson, LHP Alex Wood, RHP Jimmy Nelson, OF Terrance Gore. Going campin’: After winning their first World Series title since 1988 during the pandemic-shortened season, the Dodgers are looking to repeat. They made a major splash just before spring training, signing Bauer a year after trading for Mookie Betts and David Price in February. The roster boasts an enviable three MVPs and three Cy Young Award winners, making the Dodgers the favorites... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to one-year contracts Friday with right-hander Luke Weaver, catcher Carson Kelly and left-hander Caleb Smith that avoided salary arbitration. Weaver's deal is for $1.95 million, Kelly $1.7 million and Smith $1,465,000. No other Arizona players remain eligible for arbitration. The 27-year-old Weaver slogged through a rough 2020 season with a 1-9 record and 6.58 ERA. He's still expected to be a big part of the starting rotation next season along with Madison Bumgarner, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. Weaver earned a prorated $221,111 from his $597,000 salary last year. Carson Kelly, 26, has been the team's starting catcher the past two seasons after being acquired in a trade with the Cardinals. He had a breakout season in 2019 with a .245 batting average and 18 homers but regressed at the plate in 2020, hitting just .221 with an on-base percentage of .264. He made $215,444 in prorated pay from a $581,700 salary. The 29-year-old Smith was acquired in a midseason trade with the Marlins. He missed a big chunk of the year, partly because of a bout with COVID-19. He returned to pitch 11 innings for the Diamondbacks and had a 2.45 ERA. Smith earned $217,222 of a $586,500 salary. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to one-year contracts Friday with right-hander Luke Weaver and catcher Carson Kelly that avoided salary arbitration. Weaver got $1.95 million and Kelly's deal is for $1.7 million. Left-hander Caleb Smith was the only other Arizona player still eligible for arbitration. The 27-year-old Weaver slogged through a rough 2020 season with a 1-9 record and 6.58 ERA. He's still expected to be a big part of the starting rotation next season along with Madison Bumgarner, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. Weaver earned a prorated $221,111 from his $597,000 salary last year. Carson Kelly, 26, has been the team's starting catcher the past two seasons after being acquired in a trade with the Cardinals. He had a breakout season in 2019 with a .245 batting average and 18 homers but regressed at the plate in 2020, hitting just .221 with an on-base percentage of .264. He made $215,444 in prorated pay from a $581,700 salary. The 29-year-old Smith was acquired in a midseason trade with the Marlins. He missed a big chunk of the year, partly because of a bout with COVID-19. He returned to pitch 11 innings for the Diamondbacks and had a 2.45 ERA. Smith earned $217,222 of a $586,500 salary. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHOENIX (AP) — Torey Lovullo's routine during baseball's postseason consisted of grabbing a big bowl of ice cream, plopping down in front of the TV and reflecting on a season that couldn't have gone much worse for the Diamondbacks. Arizona's fifth-year manager admits it wasn't a fun stretch of time. “To be totally honest with you, I was pretty bitter for the first several weeks of the offseason,” Lovullo said. “Watching the postseason, it was tough, it was a really tough pill for me to swallow, and I know our organization basically felt the same way.” Now the Diamondbacks are out to prove that 2020's 60-game flop was an aberration and not a signal that the franchise is falling further out of contention behind the World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers and the up-and-coming San Diego Padres. If Arizona is going to improve on this year's 25-35 record and last place finish in the NL West, it's going to be done with a lot of the same faces. Lovullo brought back his entire coaching staff and... [More]

Total points on a 7-4-3-2-1 basisPlayer1st2nd3rd4th5thTotTrevor Bauer, Reds273---201Yu Darvish, Cubs3242--123Jacob deGrom, Mets-3234-89Dinelson Lamet, Padres--520257Max Fried, Braves---4715Corbin Burnes, Brewers---11012Aaron Nola, Phillies---113Devin Williams, Brewers----33Kyle Hendricks, Cubs----22Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks----22Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers----22Zack Wheeler, Phillies----11

PHOENIX (AP) — Madison Bumgarner was one of many reasons the Arizona Diamondbacks fell well short of expectations this season. His assessment of his own personal struggles on the mound a few weeks ago summed up the team's summer quite well. “2020 sucks,” Bumgarner said. "I'm pretty much on board with that now. Not a big fan." The Diamondbacks thought they could challenge for the NL West title this season, but instead, they were the division’s worst team. Now they’re trying to figure out what the 60-game swoon means in the long term and how much they need to reshape the roster. Arizona finished with a 25-35 record but in reality, it felt worse than that. An eight-game losing streak in the middle of the season meant the D-backs were basically out of playoff contention by September. General manager Mike Hazen turned into a seller, dealing pitchers Robbie Ray, Archie Bradley and Andrew Chafin, along with outfielder Starling Marte. It was a stunning change of course considering how confident... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Joey Wendle had a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning and the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays rallied to hurt Philadelphia’s playoff hopes, beating the Phillies 6-4 on Friday night. The Rays would clinch the top seed in the American League with an Oakland loss later Friday night; the A’s were hosting Seattle. Tampa Bay is looking to finish with the AL’s best record for the second time, after topping the league in 2010. Bryce Harper had a triple and drove in two runs for Philadelphia, which started the day one game behind second-place Miami in the NL East and also trailed in the wide-open wild-card race. Yoshi Tsutsdugo had one-out single in the eighth before Adam Morgan (0-1) loaded the bases on consecutive walks to Hunter Renfroe and Brett Phillips. Héctor Neris replaced Morgan and retired pinch-hitter Brandon Lowe on a pop fly. Wendle followed with a liner to right that gave Tampa Bay a 5-3 advantage. Nick Anderson (2-1) worked a scoreless eighth and... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Bregman singled in the go-ahead run during a five-run ninth inning, and the Astros rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 under smoky skies Saturday night in Houston’s first visit since the infamous 2017 World Series.The Dodgers blew a three-run lead in the ninth when Kenley Jansen (3-1) got knocked around, giving up four consecutive hits without an out.Josh James (1-0) got the victory with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Ryan Pressly earned his ninth save.The game lacked the fiery emotion of the teams’ matchup on July 29. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago.A plane towed a banner reading “Houston Cheats Bang Bang” over the stadium.WHITE SOX 14, TIGERS 0CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu hit two three-run homers and matched a career high with seven RBIs, and the White Sox earned their eighth straight win against the Tigers.Abreu went 4 for 4 a day after his career-best 22-game... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Bregman singled in the go-ahead run during a five-run ninth inning, and the Astros rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 under smoky skies Saturday night in Houston’s first visit since the infamous 2017 World Series.The Dodgers blew a three-run lead in the ninth when Kenley Jansen (3-1) got knocked around, giving up four consecutive hits without an out.Josh James (1-0) got the victory with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Ryan Pressly earned his ninth save.The game lacked the fiery emotion of the teams’ matchup on July 29. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago.A plane towed a banner reading “Houston Cheats Bang Bang” over the stadium.WHITE SOX 14, TIGERS 0CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu hit two three-run homers and matched a career high with seven RBIs, and the White Sox earned their eighth straight win against the Tigers.Abreu went 4 for 4 a day after his career-best 22-game... [More]

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chad Green and Adam Ottavino were routed during a 10-run sixth inning that included Danny Jansen’s grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Yankees 12-7 Monday night and send skidding New York to its sixth loss in seven games.New York has lost four straight and 14 of 19, dropping into third place in the AL East, two games behind second-place Toronto and 6 1/2 back of Tampa Bay. At 21-20 overall following a 16-6 start, the Yankees have dropped into the AL’s eighth and final playoff position.With general manager Brian Cashman making a rare road trip, New York led 6-2 when Green replaced Jonathan Holder going to the bottom of the sixth. Green, Ottavino (2-3) and Luis Cessa needed 67 pitches and 43 minutes to get three outs. New York had not allowed 10 runs in an inning since CC Sabathia and Esmil Rogers were hit hard in the third inning of a 15-4 loss to Texas on May 23, 2015.Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) won despite a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Hicks in the sixth... [More]

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chad Green and Adam Ottavino were routed during a 10-run sixth inning that included Danny Jansen’s grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Yankees 12-7 Monday night and send skidding New York to its sixth loss in seven games.New York has lost four straight and 14 of 19, dropping into third place in the AL East, two games behind second-place Toronto and 6 1/2 back of Tampa Bay. At 21-20 overall following a 16-6 start, the Yankees have dropped into the AL’s eighth and final playoff position.With general manager Brian Cashman making a rare road trip, New York led 6-2 when Green replaced Jonathan Holder going to the bottom of the sixth. Green, Ottavino (2-3) and Luis Cessa needed 67 pitches and 43 minutes to get three outs. New York had not allowed 10 runs in an inning since CC Sabathia and Esmil Rogers were hit hard in the third inning of a 15-4 loss to Texas on May 23, 2015.Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) won despite a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Hicks in the sixth... [More]

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chad Green and Adam Ottavino were routed during a 10-run sixth inning that included Danny Jansen’s grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Yankees 12-7 Monday night and send skidding New York to its sixth loss in seven games.New York has lost four straight and 14 of 19, dropping into third place in the AL East, two games behind second-place Toronto and 6 1/2 back of Tampa Bay. At 21-20 overall following a 16-6 start, the Yankees have dropped into the AL’s eighth and final playoff position.With general manager Brian Cashman making a rare road trip, New York led 6-2 when Green replaced Jonathan Holder going to the bottom of the sixth. Green, Ottavino (2-3) and Luis Cessa needed 67 pitches and 43 minutes to get three outs. New York had not allowed 10 runs in an inning since CC Sabathia and Esmil Rogers were hit hard in the third inning of a 15-4 loss to Texas on May 23, 2015.Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) won despite a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Hicks in the sixth... [More]