The Cleveland Indians already were dealing with a depleted infield when Jose Ramirez took a most damaging swing.A two-time All-Star third baseman, Ramirez bruised his left knee when he fouled a ball off his leg Sunday in a spring training game. His status for opening day was uncertain.X-rays were negative. The Indians said Ramirez will remain in Arizona, and that it will be determined later whether he can play Thursday when the AL Central champions open at Minnesota.Ramirez was carted from the field after getting hurt against the Chicago White Sox in Cleveland's final Cactus League exhibition. He wasn't able to put any pressure on his leg as manager Terry Francona and a trainer helped him onto the cart.The 26-year-old Ramirez hit 39 home runs with 105 RBIs while batting .270 and stealing 34 bases last season. He has finished third in AL MVP voting in each of the last two seasons.Star shortstop Francisco Lindor is starting the season on the injured list and second baseman Jason Kipnis is... [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]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — On Saturday, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey played in his fifth spring training game and made his fourth start behind the plate.Told that it seems as if he's catching more than expected coming off hip surgery, Posey agreed."Which is a good thing," Posey said. "I didn't really have expectations coming in. I would say so, too. That's a positive."Posey will be in the Giants' lineup on Sunday as well, but as the designated hitter. It will be the second time he's played in back to back games this spring. Last August, he had surgery to address a hip impingement and repair a torn labrum.Is there anything he can't do because of his hip?"I'd say the best way to describe how I feel is just more free," Posey said. "I don't feel stuck. Like any rehab, it's a little bit like this and for the most part, mine has been a gradual incline. At the same time, I'm aware there might be some soreness and inflammation along the way. I'm hoping to leave here in a couple weeks... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — All rise — again. Aaron Judge is back.Judge hit his first two homers of spring training, helping the New York Yankees to a 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers in a split-squad game on Sunday.Brett Gardner also connected twice and Gary Sanchez had a solo drive as New York went deep six times. The Yankees set a major league record with 267 homers last season.Gardner and Judge hit consecutive homers off Daniel Norris in the first. Judge went deep again in the fifth, belting a two-run drive to right that went off the glove of a leaping Victor Reyes and just over the wall.Norris allowed three runs and four hits in 1 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old left-hander is trying to win a spot in Detroit's rotation."Just trying to throw strikes and stay out of the middle of the zone, which I didn't do very good today," Norris said.Masahiro Tanaka tossed three scoreless innings for the Yankees in his first spring start. Traditionally one of baseball's most deliberate workers, the right-hander... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The way the last two seasons have gone for the San Francisco Giants, those three World Series titles in 2010, '12 and '14 seem so long ago for manager Bruce Bochy's club.The Giants finished 73-89 following a season during which the biggest names — Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, Johnny Cueto, Brandon Belt — were all injured at some point. They traded Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees in late August amid all the disabled list stints.San Francisco struggled to score runs and went a majors-worst 5-21 in September but improved on its last-place 2017 finish of 64-98 by nine wins during a second straight season in which pitchers Bumgarner and Cueto were sidelined for long stretches, and reliable right-hander Jeff Samardzija got hurt, too.Cueto had Tommy John surgery in August, Posey underwent season-ending hip surgery later that month then first baseman Belt underwent season-ending right knee surgery in September."We've been one of those lineups that needed all hands on deck,"... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Justin Verlander drew several big cheers and pitched seven sharp innings in his return to Comerica Park while leading the Houston Astros over the Detroit Tigers 3-2 Monday night.Verlander struck out 10 in his first game in Detroit since being traded to Houston in August 2017. The World Series champion Astros opened a three-game lead over Oakland atop the AL West.Verlander (15-9) made his major league debut with Detroit in 2005 and ranks among the top 10 on several of the team's career pitching lists.The 35-year-old righty received a long standing ovation after a video tribute was played as he walked in from the bullpen, and another when he came out to warm up for the first inning. Both times, he tipped his cap and waved to the crowd.Verlander allowed two runs on six hits and one walk, improving to 98-50 at Comerica Park. Max Scherzer is second in career wins at the stadium with 46, while Jordan Zimmermann leads current Tigers with 14.The Tigers put two runners on in the seventh,... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Justin Verlander drew several big cheers and pitched seven sharp innings in his return to Comerica Park while leading the Houston Astros over the Detroit Tigers 3-2 Monday night.Verlander struck out 10 in his first game in Detroit since being traded to Houston in August 2017. The World Series champion Astros opened a three-game lead over Oakland atop the AL West.Verlander (15-9) made his major league debut with Detroit in 2005 and ranks among the top 10 on several of the team's career pitching lists.The 35-year-old righty received a long standing ovation after a video tribute was played as he walked in from the bullpen, and another when he came out to warm up for the first inning. Both times, he tipped his cap and waved to the crowd.Verlander allowed two runs on six hits and one walk, improving to 98-50 at Comerica Park. Max Scherzer is second in career wins at the stadium with 46, while Jordan Zimmermann leads current Tigers with 14.The Tigers put two runners on in the seventh,... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Christian Yelich led Milwaukee's big comeback by hitting for the cycle, and Jesus Aguilar homered in the 10th inning, powering the Brewers to a 13-12 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday nightAguilar connected off Raisel Iglesias (2-3) for Milwaukee's fourth homer of the game, halting the Brewers' month-long slide. Milwaukee has dropped 11 of 20 and slipped into third place in the NL Central, five games behind the Cubs.Yelich became the eighth Brewers player to hit for the cycle and the first since George Kottaras on Sept. 3, 2011, at Houston. Yelich also matched the club record with six hits of the Brewers' 22 hits, including a two-run homer.Mike Moustakas' solo shot put Milwaukee ahead 11-10 in the eighth, but Joakim Soria's wild pitch allowed Billy Hamilton to score the tying run in the bottom of the inning. Jeremy Jeffress (7-1) gave up Brandon Dixon's homer in the 10th.The Brewers extended their Great American Ball Park record to 21 straight games with at... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:HAPPY HOLLIDAYMatt Holliday takes aim at getting his first hit of the season. The 38-year-old outfielder returned to the Rockies on Thursday for the first time in a decade and went 0 for 3 against San Diego. The seven-time All-Star signed a minor league deal last month after hitting .231 with 19 home runs for the Yankees last year. Colorado hosts St. Louis this weekend."I'm grateful to be back," said Holliday, who hit .319 with 128 homers for the Rockies from 2004-08.CHECK HIMThe Red Sox will see how first baseman Mitch Moreland is feeling, a day after he bruised his left knee sliding near a photo pit chasing a foul popup at Fenway Park. Moreland left the game soon after that.Moreland, who had knee trouble earlier this year, is hitting .259 with 15 home runs and 66 RBIs for the team with the best record in the majors. He was an All-Star for the first time this season. Boston plays at Tampa Bay over the weekend.EASY, ROOKSan Francisco right-hander... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — The San Francisco Giants have activated reliever Hunter Strickland from the 60-day disabled list.Strickland broke his pinkie finger on his right hand when he punched a door in frustration after a blown save against Miami on June 18. He is 3-3 with a 2.84 ERA and 13 saves in 34 games.Strickland takes the roster spot of rookie right-hander Dereck Rodriguez, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list Thursday after he strained his right hamstring during a brawl with the Dodgers on Tuesday. Infielder Pablo Sandoval, who is out with a strained right hamstring, was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on Saturday to open a 40-man roster spot.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today:HOW THE WEST IS WONAll-Star outfielder George Springer is expected to come off the disabled list for the Houston Astros when the defending champions visit Oakland for the opener of a pivotal three-game series between AL West contenders. Last year's World Series MVP has been sidelined with a sprained left thumb. Charlie Morton (12-3, 2.88 ERA) pitches for the banged-up Astros, who have a two-game lead in the division over the surprising Athletics. Edwin Jackson (4-2, 2.48) gets the ball for Oakland.ON PUNISHMENTUnless he appeals, Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig is scheduled to begin a two-game suspension when Los Angeles plays at Seattle in an interleague clash between playoff contenders. Puig also was fined Thursday by Major League Baseball for fighting and inciting a bench-clearing fracas against San Francisco. The penalties were announced two days after Puig took a swing at Giants catcher Nick Hundley, who also was fined. ... MLB also... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — The San Francisco Giants have placed standout rookie right-hander Dereck Rodriguez on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring.Right-hander Casey Kelly is now scheduled to start Friday in the series opener against the Reds. The move is retroactive to Monday, then Rodriguez was injured during a scrum between the Giants and Dodgers on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. The team says he suffered a Grade 1 strain.Rodriguez, the son of Hall of Famer Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, is 6-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 14 outings with 12 starts this season. The Giants have gone 9-3 in his starting outings.Kelly (0-1, 1.42 ERA) pitched five scoreless innings of relief Saturday against Pittsburgh in his first major league appearance since 2016 then took the loss Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball