SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona ace Zack Greinke's start against Cincinnati was cut short Wednesday after one inning because of right groin tightness.Greinke had been scheduled to throw five innings. The 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner retired Ben Revere on a groundout, allowed Jesse Winkler's single, then struck out Joey Votto and Scooter Gennett.Albert Suarez relieved to start the second.Greinke was making his just second big league exhibition appearance this year. The 34-year-old right-hander pitched 1 2/3 innings against Milwaukee on Feb. 25, then made a pair of appearances in "B'' games.RED SOX 2, TWINS 1Chris Sale pitched five shutout innings of two-hit ball and struck out seven, lowering his ERA to 1.00. Mitch Moreland homered in the third off Tyler Duffey, who gave up two runs — one earned — and four hits in three innings. Mookie Betts, batting .130, singled and drove in a run. Miguel Sano doubled.CARDINALS 3, ASTROS 1Adam Wainwright allowed one run and four hits in five innings... [More]

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Right-hander Dylan Bundy has agreed to a $1.64 million, one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles, the same as his salary last year.Bundy is in an usual situation because he was in the last class allowed to sign major league contracts directly from the amateur draft and made his major league debut in 2012, but does not have enough service time to be eligible for salary arbitration.He had Tommy John surgery in 2013 and did not return to the major leagues until 2016, when he was 10-6 with a 4.02 ERA. After agreeing to a $6.25 million, five-year contract that ran through 2016, Bundy had a split contract last year calling for $1.64 million in the majors and $500,000 in the minors. He went 13-9 with a 4.24 ERA.The 25-year-old was the fourth overall pick in 2011. He is on track to be eligible for arbitration next winter.In other moves Wednesday, the Orioles optioned outfielder Joey Rickard to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigned infielder and left-hander Ruben Tejada to their minor league camp.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Matt Carpenter is showing the St. Louis Cardinals what they were missing while he was sidelined by a back strain.A day after making his spring training debut, Carpenter hit a two-run, wind-aided home run off Justin Verlander in the Cardinals' 3-1 win over Houston on Wednesday.Carpenter also singled through the right side of the infield in the first inning."Great at-bats," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Happy to see where he is right now."Carpenter walked twice Tuesday against Miami and reached base in all four plate appearances.With Dexter Fowler returning to the leadoff spot, Carpenter once again hitting third and newly acquired Marcell Ozuna batting cleanup, the Cardinals are hoping for a revived offense.With Fowler and Aledmys Diaz struggling in front of him last season, Carpenter hit a career-low .241. He hopes he is protected more in this year's batting order."They don't want to add somebody on a base for someone who hit 30 home runs last year and... [More]

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Julio Teheran is lined up to make his fifth straight opening-day start for the Atlanta Braves."I've been there the last four years, and that's a spot I want to be my whole career," the 27-year-old right-hander said Wednesday after pitching five innings in a 5-3 exhibition win over Philadelphia. "To be there, you've got to gain that spot. I'm working to show them I can be that guy and that I can represent."Teheran is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings during spring training. He was 11-13 with a 4.49 ERA last season, almost a run above his 3.59 career ERA.Mike Foltynewicz, Brandon McCarthy and left-hander Sean Newcomb are the other pitchers projected to be in the rotation.Teheran is 1-1 with two no-decisions on opening day. He pitched six shutout innings last year in a 6-0 loss to the New York Mets."I don't know if I'm going to be that guy again, but it would be a great honor again," he said after giving up his first two runs of the exhibition season. "I'll just concentrate... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Neil Walker doubled twice in four at-bats in his first game action since signing Monday with the New York Yankees.The switch-hitting second baseman hit twice from each side and doubled both right-handed and left-handed in a minor league camp game Wednesday."It was a quality day," Walker said. "I hit a couple balls hard. That's as much as you can ask for given where we're starting from. Hopefully that's a sign of my timing coming together pretty quickly."Walker is to take part in a simulated game Thursday and appear in his first big league spring training game Friday against Houston.Walker played four innings at third and two more at first."It's something that's more natural to me," Walker said of playing second base.The free-agent infielder agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract, a 77 percent pay cut. Walker earned $17.2 million last season, when he accepted a qualifying offer from the New York Mets.Walker can make $500,000 in performance bonuses: $125,000 each for... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — After yet another medical setback that will stretch his layoff from the major leagues past two years, New York Mets captain David Wright hopes to start baseball workouts in May.Dr. Robert Watkins examined the 35-year-old third baseman in Los Angeles on Monday and said he should not participate in baseball activities for two months because of back and shoulder issues."it certainly wasn't positive news. I guess the news could have been worse," Wright said during a telephone news conference Wednesday. "The goal would be to take these eight weeks — and it's not like I have to be idle for eight weeks — and kind of focus on the actual rehab and kind of forget about doing some stuff and progress to baseball stuff."New York also said star left fielder Yoenis Cespedes had a cortisone injection in his injured right wrist. The 32-year-old was hurt while swinging in a game on March 6.A seven-time All-Star, Wright has been limited to 75 regular-season games during the past... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Schwarber has a $604,500 salary in the major leagues as part of the one-year contract the Chicago Cubs announced last weekend.The outfielder's salary would drop to $271,150 while in the minor leagues as part of the split contract. It represents a slight raise from last year, when his contract was for $565,500 in the majors and $261,000 in the minors. Schwarber is on track to be eligible for salary arbitration next winter.He missed most of the 2016 season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament during an outfield collision with teammate Dexter Fowler. Schwarber returned for the World Series and helped the Cubs win their first title since 1908.Schwarber slumped to a .211 average with 30 homers and 59 RBIs last year and was demoted to the minors for 11 games in late June and early July. He earned $542,205.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Schwarber has a $604,500 salary in the major leagues as part of the one-year contract the Chicago Cubs announced last weekend.The outfielder's salary would drop to $271,150 while in the minor leagues as part of the split contract. It represents a slight raise from last year, when his contract was for $565,500 in the majors and $261,000 in the minors. Schwarber is on track to be eligible for salary arbitration next winter.He missed most of the 2016 season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament during an outfield collision with teammate Dexter Fowler. Schwarber returned for the World Series and helped the Cubs win their first title since 1908.Schwarber slumped to a .211 average with 30 homers and 59 RBIs last year and was demoted to the minors for 11 games in late June and early July. He earned $542,205.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) — Right-hander Jose De Leon has become the second Tampa Bay Rays' pitching prospect in less than a month to have Tommy John surgery.De Leon's torn ulnar collateral ligament was repaired Tuesday by Dr. James Andrews, the team said Wednesday.The 25-year-old made a pair of one-inning appearances in spring training this year, on Feb. 26 and March 3.Right-hander Brent Honeywell, the MVP of last year's All-Star Futures Game, was hurt pitching batting practice on Feb. 22 and tweeted on Feb. 28 that he had undergone Tommy John surgery with Andrews.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Schwarber has a $604,500 salary in the major leagues as part of the one-year contract the Chicago Cubs announced last weekend.The outfielder's salary would drop to $271,150 while in the minor leagues as part of the split contract. It represents a slight raise from last year, when his contract was for $565,500 in the majors and $261,000 in the minors. Schwarber is on track to be eligible for salary arbitration next winter.He missed most of the 2016 season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament during an outfield collision with teammate Dexter Fowler. Schwarber returned for the World Series and helped the Cubs win their first title since 1908.Schwarber slumped to a .211 average with 30 homers and 59 RBIs last year and was demoted to the minors for 11 games in late June and early July. He earned $542,205.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

The Los Angeles Dodgers have renewed the contracts of 2017 NL Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger for $585,000 and of 2016 NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager for $605,000.The NL champions gave Bellinger a $233,900 salary in the minor leagues in the unlikely event the first baseman is sent down. Seager's minor league salary under the renewal is $287,500.Bellinger made his big league debut last April 25 and hit .267 with an NL rookie-record 39 homers and a team-high 97 RBIs. He will not be eligible for salary arbitration until after the 2019 season.Seager's contract also was renewed by the Dodgers last year, when the shortstop earned $575,000. He hit .295 with 22 homers and 77 RBIs. He will be eligible for arbitration next winter.Los Angeles also renewed the contracts of outfielder Chris Taylor ($575,000/$254,100) and catcher Austin Barnes ($555,000/$270,000).The Dodgers reached agreements with third baseman Kyle Farmer ($547,500/$88,900); outfielders Andre Toles ($555,000,$270,000) and Alex Verdugo ($547,500/$88,900); right-handers Ross Stripling ($555,000/$256,100), Dylan Baker ($547,500/$88,900) and Wilmer Font ($550,000/$88,900); and left-handers Scott Alexander ($555,000/$258,100) and Adam Liberatore ($565,000/$247,400).___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — CC Sabathia knows what Phil Hughes is going through.Sabathia has learned to cope with a loss of velocity and the 37-year-old left-hander went 14-5 for the New York Yankees last year in his best season since 2012.Hughes, a 31-year-old right-hander, was limited to 26 games during the past two seasons because of injuries, mostly to his shoulder as a result of thoracic outlet syndrome, which that required a rib to be removed. Hughes went just 4-10 with a 5.92 ERA in 112 2/3 innings over the last two years.He had an encouraging outing for Minnesota on Monday night, limiting the Yankees to one run and four hits over four innings. He struck out three and walked none"Keep these guys off balance," Hughes said. "If my velocity isn't what it used to be, and that's a permanent thing, at least I have some fall back options. I'm going to try to adapt and adjust as much as I can to be productive without that 93, 94 (mph)."Hughes and Sabathia were teammates on the 2009 Yankees' World... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Carlos Gonzalez says he has no regrets about his first voyage into free agency."I'm glad I'm back. I'm wearing the same uniform I've been wearing for the last nine seasons, which is special," the outfielder said Tuesday, a day after his $5 million, one-year deal to stay with the Colorado Rockies was finalized. "Not a lot of guys can say (they) played 10 years with one organization, with one uniform. That's something that makes me feel very proud."The three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner made $20 million in 2017 in the final season of an $80 million, seven-year contract. But as was the case with several prominent free agents, the big contracts didn't materialize and Gonzalez settled for the familiar surroundings of right field at Coors Field."I never had that opportunity before," Gonzalez said of free agency." I signed my seven-year deal when I was in my second year in the big leagues, so I never went through arbitration or free agency. I wanted to... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Tim Tebow was reassigned by the New York Mets to their minor league camp on Tuesday after he went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts in an exhibition against the Houston Astros.The former NFL quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner hit .056 (1 for 18) with 11 strikeouts in seven big league exhibition games. The 30-year-old, who is not on the Mets' 40-man roster, has been hampered by a left ankle sprain."I'll just continue to work in all the areas we've been working and making progress. That's really the focus — to continue the process and the journey and keep working," Tebow said to reporters following the game.Tebow's only hit was a hard single to center off Washington's Erick Fedde on March 2. He has been used solely as a designated hitter or pinch hitter because of the injury."The ankle was kind of disappointing. I got to put in a lot of good work and feel like I'm improving. It's getting there," Tebow said.Earlier in spring training, Mets general manager Sandy... [More]

Nelson Cruz joined the Seattle Mariners' growing list of injured players.Cruz hit a two-hop RBI single to the right-field wall in the first inning against Colorado, then walked slowly to the Mariners' dugout while rubbing his right thigh and slightly favoring the leg. He was replaced by pinch runner Daniel Vogelbach, and the Mariners said Cruz had soreness in his right quadriceps.Second baseman Robinson Cano left Sunday's game because of tightness in his left hamstring, and a scan Monday revealed a minor strain, the Mariners said.Left-hander Marco Gonzales left his start Monday after 1 2/3 innings when he was hit on his right hand by a comebacker off the bat of Leury Garcia of the Chicago White Sox. Gonzales threw to first for the out, then departed. Seattle said he sustained a bruise.Ace right-hander Felix Hernandez hasn't pitched in a game since he was hit on the right forearm by a line drive off the bat of the Chicago Cubs' Victor Caratini on Feb. 26.Other injured players include outfielders... [More]

Nelson Cruz joined the Seattle Mariners' growing list of injured players.Cruz hit a two-hop RBI single to the right-field wall in the first inning against Colorado, then walked slowly to the Mariners' dugout while rubbing his right thigh and slightly favoring the leg. He was replaced by pinch runner Daniel Vogelbach, and the Mariners said Cruz had soreness in his right quadriceps.Second baseman Robinson Cano left Sunday's game because of tightness in his left hamstring, and a scan Monday revealed a minor strain, the Mariners said.Left-hander Marco Gonzales left his start Monday after 1 2/3 innings when he was hit on his right hand by a comebacker off the bat of Leury Garcia of the Chicago White Sox. Gonzales threw to first for the out, then departed. Seattle said he sustained a bruise.Ace right-hander Felix Hernandez hasn't pitched in a game since he was hit on the right forearm by a line drive off the bat of the Chicago Cubs' Victor Caratini on Feb. 26.Other injured players include outfielders... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Austin Jackson got a lesson on the intense the rivalry between his new team, the San Francisco Giants, and the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers.Walking into the Giants' spring training clubhouse for the first time after being reaching a $6 million, two-year contract in January, Jackson was wearing blue clothing."I wouldn't say it was Dodger blue, but it was sort of a blue shirt," Jackson said, smiling. "I got some funny looks right away."With Hunter Pence and Andrew McCutchen set to be the primary corner outfielders, Jackson projects as at least a part-time center fielder for the Giants, though he can play all three spots in the outfield.Jackson has hit leadoff, sixth and seventh in exhibitions and was 6 for 15 going into Tuesday night. The Giants also are giving prospect Steven Duggar plenty of playing time in center, and they have veterans Gregor Blanco and Gorkys Hernandez in camp, too."You can control what you can control. I think that's something over time that... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Tim Tebow was reassigned by the New York Mets to their minor league camp on Tuesday after he went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts in an exhibition against the Houston Astros.The former NFL quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner hit .056 (1 for 18) with 11 strikeouts in seven big league exhibition games. The 30-year-old, who is not on the Mets' 40-man roster, has been hampered by a left ankle sprain."I'll just continue to work in all the areas we've been working and making progress. That's really the focus — to continue the process and the journey and keep working," Tebow said to reporters following the game.Tebow's only hit was a hard single to center off Washington's Erick Fedde on March 2. He has been used solely as a designated hitter or pinch hitter because of the injury."The ankle was kind of disappointing. I got to put in a lot of good work and feel like I'm improving. It's getting there," Tebow said.Earlier in spring training, Mets general manager Sandy... [More]

Nelson Cruz joined the Seattle Mariners' growing list of injured players.Cruz hit a two-hop RBI single to the right-field wall in the first inning against Colorado, then walked slowly to the Mariners' dugout while rubbing his right thigh and slightly favoring the leg. He was replaced by pinch runner Daniel Vogelbach, and the Mariners said Cruz had soreness in his right quadriceps.Second baseman Robinson Cano left Sunday's game because of tightness in his left hamstring, and a scan Monday revealed a minor strain, the Mariners said.Left-hander Marco Gonzales left his start Monday after 1 2/3 innings when he was hit on his right hand by a comebacker off the bat of Leury Garcia of the Chicago White Sox. Gonzales threw to first for the out, then departed. Seattle said he sustained a bruise.Ace right-hander Felix Hernandez hasn't pitched in a game he was hit on the right forearm by a line drive off the bat of the Chicago Cubs' Victor Caratini on Feb. 26.Other injured players include outfielders... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Tim Tebow was reassigned by the New York Mets to their minor league camp after he went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts in an exhibition against the Houston Astros.The former NFL quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner hit .056 (1 for 18) with 11 strikeouts in seven big league exhibition games. The 30-year-old, who is not on the Mets' 40-man roster, has been hampered by a left ankle sprain.Tebow's only hit was a hard single to center off Washington's Erick Fedde on March 2. He has been used solely as a designated hitter or pinch hitter.Tebow, an outfielder, can appear in games for New York but would have to be brought over from the minor league side.New York also reassigned right-hander Kevin McGowan to the minor league camp on Tuesday and optioned right-handers Gerson Bautista, Marcos Molina, Jamie Callahan and Corey Oswalt to minor league affiliates.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball