NEW YORK (AP) — Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has been activated by the New York Mets following two months on the disabled list caused by a strained right hip flexor.Cespedes is hitting .255 with eight homers and 28 RBIs, and his absence contributed to the downfall of the Mets. New York went 20-36 in his absence and fell into last place in the NL East. Despite an 11-1 start, the Mets started the second half with the fewest wins in the National League.Cespedes had a two-game minor league injury rehabilitation assignment this week with the Gulf Coast Mets and went 2 for 8 with a three-run homer.New York also recalled right-hander Drew Smith from Triple-A Las Vegas before Friday's series opener at the New York Yankees and optioned infielder Dominic Smith and right-hander Corey Oswalt to the Pacific Coast League farm team.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

A look at what's happening around the majors today:HADER RETURNSMilwaukee reliever Josh Hader rejoins the team, three days after years-old racist and homophobic tweets of his resurfaced during the All-Star Game. The Brewers open the second half at Miller Park against the Dodgers.The 24-year-old Hader has apologized for the tweets, saying they did not reflect his values or the person he is now. The commissioner's office will require Hader to participate in diversity and inclusion initiatives and sensitivity training.Hader spoke with Brewers teammate Lorenzo Cain after the All-Star Game in Washington. Cain, who is African-American, said he expects the club to accept Hader's present-day statements and move on.MACHADO DEBUTManny Machado plays his first game for the Dodgers, filling a big gap at shortstop when the NL West leaders visit Milwaukee. Los Angeles traded five minor leaguers to Baltimore during the break for the four-time All-Star. The 26-year-old Machado was hitting .315 with 24 homers... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — With an eye on October and beyond, the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians scooped up All-Star closer Brad Hand and fellow reliever Adam Cimber from the rebuilding San Diego Padres in exchange for switch-hitting catching prospect Francisco Mejia.The Indians need Hand, a lefty, and Cimber, a rookie right-handed sidearmer, to shore up a bullpen that has been without left-hander Andrew Miller since late May and has a 5.28 ERA, second-worst in the majors. The trade was announced Thursday, well ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline."Not just for this year, that's kind of obvious, but having two controllable relievers, I just think it makes our organization healthier," manager Terry Francona said Thursday night before a workout in Arlington, Texas, where the Indians start after the All-Star break. "We've got eight years' worth of relief. That's pretty exciting."Hand and Cimber were both expected to join the Indians before Friday night's game against the Rangers.Cleveland leads... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees have activated catcher Gary Sanchez from the disabled list and sent backstop Kyle Higashioka to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.Sanchez has been out since June 25 with a strained right groin. He'll return as expected when New York returns from the All-Star break against the Mets at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.New York announced the move Thursday night.Sanchez was having an underwhelming season by his own standards prior to the injury, batting .190 with 14 homers and 41 RBIs in 63 games. He homered twice over three rehab games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.Higashioka batted .167 with three homers in 11 games while Sanchez was out.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Brewers general manager David Stearns wants reliever Josh Hader to "re-earn the trust" of his teammates when he rejoins the team Friday.Milwaukee is set to resume its season following the All-Star break, the first time the club will assemble since Hader's years-old racist and homophobic tweets surfaced during the All-Star Game."He's going to have to work very hard to re-earn the trust of some people who may question who he is right now," Stearns said. "I think I know who Josh Hader is, and I personally do not believe that these comments represent who he is as a person."The 24-year-old Hader apologized and took responsibility for the tweets after the game, saying they did not reflect his values or the person he is now.He'll return to a conflicted clubhouse, though teammates seem eager to accept Hader's apologies."It's a lot to deal with. I can't really defend anything he said. I know it was a long time ago but at the same time, those tweets are wrong. It's a lot," third... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels say two-way star Shohei Ohtani's elbow ligament is continuing to heal and he has been medically cleared to begin a throwing progression.The team said Ohtani was given a six-week evaluation Thursday by Dr. Steve Yoon at the Kerlan Jobe Institute. The Angels said they would release specifics about his progress and rehabilitation schedule at another time.Ohtani was placed on the disabled list with an ulnar collateral ligament sprain on June 8 after complaining about tightness in his right elbow following a June 6 start against Kansas City. The Japanese sensation has since returned to the roster as a designated hitter, but his prospects to pitch remain unclear.He is hitting .283 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs. On the mound, Ohtani won four of his first five decisions before getting injured.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have placed closer Brandon Morrow on the 10-day disabled list with right biceps inflammation.Morrow has 22 saves and a 1.47 ERA in 35 games in his first season with the Cubs. The DL stint is retroactive to Monday.Morrow, who turns 34 on July 26, also spent time on the DL earlier this season with lower back tightness.The Cubs also activated outfielder Albert Almora Jr. and relievers Carl Edwards Jr. and Anthony Bass before Thursday night's game against St. Louis. Almora was placed on the family medical emergency list on Sunday. Edwards was on the paternity list, and Bass was sidelined by an illness.Infielder David Bote and reliever Rob Zastryzny were sent down to Triple-A Iowa.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics have released veteran reliever Santiago Casilla, five days after he was designated for assignment.The A's made the move Thursday.Casilla is 42-31 with 144 career saves in 15 seasons, but has been up and down with the A's this year while having control issues. Used primarily in middle relief, the right-hander has a 3.16 ERA despite 20 walks and four hit batters in 31 1/3 innings. He turns 38 next week,Casilla made his major league debut in 2004 and spent his first six seasons with the A's before signing with San Francisco in 2010. He returned to Oakland last year and had 16 saves.The A's have used a mostly young bullpen this season anchored by rookie Lou Trivino and All-Star closer Blake Treinen.

SEATTLE (AP) — At some point it's going to end. The feeling of imminent failure among some Seattle fans is going to manifest on the field and this unexpected season is going to start crumbling until it's just like each of the previous seasons since the Mariners last made the playoffs in 2001. It has to, right?That feeling is what nearly two decades without postseason baseball has created in the Pacific Northwest. While there is genuine excitement for what Seattle accomplished in the first 3½ months of the season there's also a sense of dread among the most fatalistic fans who have seen promising seasons go south before, and it won't go away until the Mariners officially end the longest current postseason drought in any of the four major pro sports.Lucky for the doubters, this team is showing the type of resilience needed to do just that."I think the thing I'm most proud of, I guess, with this group is the ability for them to be as tight as they are," Seattle manager Scott Servais said.... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Mookie Betts and the major league-leading Red Sox are on pace for 100-plus wins. Same for Aaron Judge and the Yankees, and the World Series champion Astros, too.The Orioles, White Sox and Royals are on track to lose more than 100.It's the haves and the have-nots as baseball returns after the All-Star break."There's a few good teams out there that they're going to make it interesting in the second half," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "That's why you got to show up every day and keep playing. We had a great first part of the season, but that doesn't guarantee us anything in October, going to October."The Dodgers know all about October, and they are a World Series contender once again. Especially with the addition of Manny Machado.The NL West leaders got a head start on the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline by sending five prospects to Baltimore on Wednesday for Machado, an All-Star shortstop capable of powering Los Angeles to its first title in 30 years."Any time you have... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — With an eye on October and beyond, the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians scooped up All-Star closer Brad Hand and fellow reliever Adam Cimber from the rebuilding San Diego Padres in exchange for switch-hitting catching prospect Francisco Mejia.The Indians need Hand, a lefty, and Cimber, a rookie right-handed sidearmer, to shore up a bullpen that has been without left-hander Andrew Miller since late May and has a 5.28 ERA, second-worst in the majors. The trade was announced Thursday, well ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline."We tried to have a really honest assessment, what are our strengths and what are the areas we can improve to help better position us to secure a postseason berth and advance once we get there," Indians President Chris Antonetti said in a conference call. "This not only impacts 2018, but it also reinforces our bullpen options for future years. Both of these guys, Brad and Adam, can do that for us."The Indians lead the AL Central by 7 ½ games over... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies are finding their stride behind a shortstop who's cutting down on his strikeouts, a converted first baseman who's rediscovering his swing and a rotation that's turning in quality start after quality start.On top of that, third baseman Nolan Arenado's turning in an MVP-caliber season yet again.An NL wild-card team a year ago, Colorado is pushing to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history. The Rockies trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by two games in a tightly bunched NL West race. Riding a five-game winning streak, the Rockies open the second half Friday by traveling to Arizona and facing a Diamondbacks squad that's 1½ games ahead of them in the standings."Guys are really stepping up," said Arenado, who's hitting .312 with 23 homers and playing the hot corner so expertly that a sixth straight Gold Glove looks like a formality. "Everyone has been contributing."Leading the way of late is shortstop Trevor Story . He's... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox had the second-best start in franchise history, and still they are struggling to shake the New York Yankees in the AL East.So manager Alex Cora doesn't have to fear that they will lose their focus when they return from the All-Star break."There's a few good teams out there, that they're going to make it interesting in the second half," he said last week. "I still feel we can be better. We've still got some challenges in front of us. Just because we had a good first half of the season doesn't mean we're going to go all the way."After winning 12 of their last 13 games to reach the break with the best record in baseball (68-30), the Red Sox have a season-high 4 1/2-game lead in the division. Their .694 winning percentage is second-best to the 1946 team that Ted Williams led to the All-Star break at .701 (54-23). That team started 68-28-2, the only one in franchise history to fare better in its first 98 games."Hopefully when we come back we'll pick it up right... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins took nine wins from an 11-game home stand into the All-Star break, a midsummer surge that can boost a middling team into the postseason race.This might not be that kind of year in the American League."I just wish we had more games ahead of us," first baseman Joe Mauer said.Ervin Santana is almost ready to rejoin the rotation. Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano are expected back soon from minor league sabbaticals. Even if reinforcements help maintain this momentum, though, the strength of the league leaders might render it moot.Boston, Houston and New York are all on pace for 100 wins, with Seattle right behind. The Twins earned the second wild card spot last season with an 85-77 record that likely won't come close to qualifying this time. They're 44-50 now, 13 games behind the Mariners with Oakland, Tampa Bay and Los Angeles between them.Catching Cleveland, which leads the AL Central division by 7½ games, is the only realistic path."I think we will play... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians have bolstered their bullpen with the acquisition of lefty All-Star closer Brad Hand and reliever Adam Cimber from the San Diego Padres in exchange for catching prospect Francisco Mejia.The trade was announced Thursday morning.Hand is coming off his second straight All-Star Game appearance. Known for his slider, he has 24 saves with a 3.05 ERA and 65 strikeouts.Cimber, a sidearmer, is 3-5 with a 3.17 ERA in 42 relief appearances this season for the rebuilding Padres.Mejía was batting .279 with seven home runs and 45 RBIs in 79 games for Triple-A Columbus.The Indians lead the AL Central by 7 ½ games over Minnesota. The Padres, who haven't been to the playoffs since 2006, are last in the NL West, 14 ½ games behind Los Angeles.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels publicly praised Mike Trout "for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion" a day after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said the All-Star outfielder would be an even bigger star if he would spend more time marketing himself.The team released a statement Wednesday congratulating Trout on his performance in the All-Star Game in Washington, then extolled the time he spends visiting hospitals, schools and charities and the quality time he spends with family."We applaud him for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion," the statement said. "That is rare in today's society and stands out as much as his extraordinary talent."A day earlier, Manfred said MLB was interested in having players more engaged and in helping players develop their individual brands.Manfred said Trout chooses not to spend his down time marketing."Mike's a great, great player and a really nice person, but he's made certain decisions... [More]

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the Manny Machado sweepstakes, getting the prized All-Star shortstop from the Baltimore Orioles in a trade Wednesday night.The Orioles received five prospects: outfielder Yusniel Diaz, right-handers Dean Kremer and Zach Pop, and third basemen Rylan Bannon and Breyvic Valera.Machado, a 26-year-old power hitter with extraordinary fielding skills, greatly improves the Dodgers' chances of reaching the World Series for a second consecutive year. He led Baltimore in batting average (.315), home runs (24) and RBIs (65).Machado is expected to be introduced in Milwaukee on Friday before the Dodgers open a series against the Brewers."We viewed Manny Machado as a big difference maker," Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said.The Dodgers are in a close race in the NL West, leading Arizona by a half-game going into the second half."Our first hope is we have a division-winning roster," Zaidi said. "Any time you have a chance to add an impact player in a tight division race... [More]

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the Manny Machado sweepstakes, getting the prized All-Star shortstop from the Baltimore Orioles in a trade Wednesday night.The Orioles received five prospects: outfielder Yusniel Diaz, right-hander Dean Kremer, third baseman Rylan Bannon, righty Zach Pop and third baseman Breyvic Valera.Machado, a 26-year-old power hitter with extraordinary fielding skills, greatly improves the Dodgers' chances of reaching the World Series for a second consecutive year. He led Baltimore in batting average (.315), home runs (24) and RBIs (65).Machado is expected to be introduced in Milwaukee on Friday before the Dodgers open a series against the Brewers.Machado's contract expires at the end of the season, and the last-place Orioles decided against negotiating an expensive, multi-year extension because they have too many holes as the team moves into a rebuilding mode."We tried to maintain a competitive club this year, and that's why we resisted the offers we had in the offseason... [More]

Manny Machado will be wearing a new uniform when he plays his next game, and other hitters will be on the move in the next couple weeks.Even after Machado was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, teams seeking to boost their offense will have several options to land a big bat. The four-time All-Star with the Baltimore Orioles was the most coveted player available on the trade market.There's only one Machado, but several guys can bolster a team's starting lineup and make an impact down the stretch.Here are eight hitters who may have new teams before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline:MIKE MOUSTAKAS: After smacking a career-best 38 homers for the Kansas City Royals last year, the two-time All-Star third baseman didn't get a lucrative deal in free agency and returned on a one-year deal for $6.5 million plus a mutual option for 2019. He has 19 homers and 58 RBIs but is only batting .249 for the worst team in the majors.SCOOTER GENNETT: The Cincinnati Reds aren't going anywhere and they'd be... [More]

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won the Manny Machado sweepstakes, getting the prized All-Star shortstop from the Baltimore Orioles in a trade Wednesday night.The Orioles received five prospects in the deal: outfielder Yusniel Diaz, right-hander Dean Kremer, third baseman Rylan Bannon, righty Zach Pop and third baseman Breyvic Valera.Machado, a 26-year-old power hitter with extraordinary fielding skills, greatly improves the Dodgers' chances of reaching the World Series for a second consecutive year. He led Baltimore in batting average (.315), home runs (24) and RBIs (65).Machado is expected to be introduced in Milwaukee on Friday before the Dodgers open a series against the Brewers.Machado's contract expires at the end of the season, and the last-place Orioles decided against negotiating an expensive, multi-year extension because they have too many holes as the team moves into a rebuilding mode.Though only a summer rental, Machado was coveted by a variety of contenders, including Philadelphia,... [More]