SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Madison Bumgarner arrived at spring training as fit as ever, ready to forget about the disappointment of last season's injury-shortened year.Now, San Francisco's ace left-hander is hurt again.He fractured the pinkie finger in his pitching hand when hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game on Friday and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks. This comes after the embarrassment of a dirt bike accident last spring that cost him nearly three months and contributed to his club falling out of contention in a hurry.Bumgarner and all of the Giants are fueled by an uncharacteristic 98-loss, last-place season.The 2014 World Series MVP will be rehabbing again after he was sidelined nearly three months following his dirt bike accident on April 20, 2017, during an off day in Colorado."Because of what happened to me last year, how we did last year, the whole combination of things and the group of guys that we've got here this year and... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — For the second consecutive season, the San Francisco Giants will be without injured ace Madison Bumgarner for a while.Bumgarner broke a bone in his pitching hand Friday when it was hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game.The Giants said X-rays showed the 28-year-old fractured the fifth metacarpal on the outside of his left hand. Bumgarner said the timeline for recovery is four to six weeks and he will have a pin inserted into his pinkie Saturday."It's tough. But I can handle it," Bumgarner said. "These guys can handle it. This obviously was not what I was expecting out of my last start. But it happened and I can deal with it."Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, missed nearly three months with a shoulder injury last season after a dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado.His latest setback is a huge blow to the Giants as they try to rebound from a surprising last-place finish in the NL West... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner is hurt for the second straight year, breaking a bone in his pitching hand when it was hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game on Friday.The Giants said X-rays showed the 28-year-old fractured the fifth metacarpal on the outside of his left hand. Bumgarner said the timeline for recovery is four to six weeks and he will have a pin inserted into his pinkie Saturday."It's tough. But I can handle it," Bumgarner said. "These guys can handle it. This obviously was not what I was expecting out of my last start. But it happened and I can deal with it."Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, missed nearly three months last season with a shoulder injury after a dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado. This is a big blow for the Giants as they try to rebound from a surprising last-place finish in the NL West with 98 losses."It's just a downer. This was a short... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Carlos Gonzalez smiled at the thought of being back with the Colorado Rockies.Gonzalez spent nine seasons with the Rockies, becoming a three-time All-Star. He left as a free agent after the World Series, then returned to the Rockies in mid-March with a $5 million, one-year contract — a huge cut from his previous deal for $80 million over seven years."It was very different than in years past, my first time in free agency," the 32-year-old Venezuelan outfielder said Friday, speaking in Spanish. "There were a lot good players sweating it out, and everyone knows how it all went down, but the most important thing is to be able to get back to playing baseball."Gonzalez learned some things about the business side of baseball during a free-agent market that was the slowest since the end of the 1994-95 strike."Really glad to back here again," Gonzalez said. "Not many players have the opportunity to be with the same team for a decade."Gonzalez hit .221 with just six home... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner is hurt for the second straight year, breaking a bone in his pitching hand when hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game on Friday.The Giants said X-rays showed the 28-year-old fractured the fifth metacarpal on the outside of his left hand."It's tough. But I can handle it," Bumgarner said. "These guys can handle it. This obviously was not what I was expecting out of my last start. But it happened and I can deal with it."Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, missed nearly three months last season after a dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado. This is a big blow for the Giants as they try to rebound from a surprising last-place finish in the NL West with 98 losses."It's just a downer. This was a short day. I feel for him," manager Bruce Bochy said. "Obviously, we know what he means to us, but where he was, how well he's thrown the ball all... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw finished spring training with a 0.00 ERA.The Los Angeles Dodgers' three-time NL Cy Young Award winner stretched his scoreless streak to 21 1/3 innings with 6 2/3 innings against Kansas City in his final tuneup for Thursday's opener against San Francisco. He allowed a leadoff single to Jon Jay and no other hits. He struck out four and walked none in a 10-0 win."He was efficient as he could ever be," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday. "He had everything working, fastball to both sides of the plate, the slider had the depth, the breaking ball was sharp. Clayton threw the ball really well. It was really encouraging for all of us. He doesn't smile too often after outings, but I think he was pretty pleased."Kershaw allowed 12 hits in six starts, struck out 23 and walked four. The left-hander was pitching for the first time since turning 30 on Monday."Physically I feel great, which is good," Kershaw said. "I've obviously pitched in the playoffs before,... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner is hurt for the second straight year, breaking a bone in his pitching hand when hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game on Friday.The Giants said X-rays showed the 28-year-old had a broken bone on the outside of his left hand.Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, missed nearly three months last season after a dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado.After six straight seasons with double-digit wins, more than 200 innings and 30-plus starts, Bumgarner went 4-9 with a 3.32 ERA in 17 starts last season and threw just 111 innings.___More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Boston catcher Oscar Hernandez, Chicago Cubs pitcher David Garner, St. Louis pitcher Matt Pearce and Pittsburgh shortstop Andrew Walker have been suspended for 50 games each under baseball's minor league drug program.Hernandez, Garner and Pearce each had second positive tests for a drug of abuse, the commissioner's office said Friday. Walker was disciplined for an unspecified violation.The 24-year-old Hernandez played 18 games for Arizona in 2016 and four the following year. He hit .197 with eight homers and 21 RBIs in 67 games last year for Jackson in the Double-A Texas League and is on the roster of Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League.Garner, a 25-year-old right-hander, is with the Iowa Cubs of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. He was 4-3 with a 3.25 ERA in 35 relief appearances last year for Double-A Tennessee and Iowa.Peace, a right-hander who turned 24 last month, was 9-12 with a 3.08 ERA in 25 starts last year for Double-A Springfield of the Texas... [More]

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Homer Bailey wasn't even thinking about opening day. After years of setbacks with his elbow, the Cincinnati Reds' highest-paid starter just wanted to get through spring training without an issue.Bailey accomplished his goal, and manager Bryan Price announced that the right-hander will make his first opening day start at home next Thursday against the Washington Nationals. He's getting the chance in part because Anthony DeSclafani is sidelined with another injury."Cool," Bailey said after pitching six innings against Colorado on Friday. "It is something I never really thought about. When you climb Mount Everest, no one ever talks about the first step. They talk about getting to the top. It is more throughout the course of the season that I look forward to than just the first one."The 31-year-old has been limited to 26 starts over the past three seasons because of injuries to his forearm and elbow. Last year, he had bone spurs removed from his elbow before the start... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Michael Conforto received a late-night phone call from New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway, who asked whether he wanted to fill an open spot as Friday's designated hitter."Absolutely," Conforto recalled responding. "I wasn't going to say no."In his first big league game action since surgery Sept. 6 to repair a tear in the posterior capsule in his left shoulder, Conforto went 1 for 4 in a 5-1 loss to St. Louis."It's a good way for me to kind of dip my toe into it and just focus on hitting. Maybe tomorrow we'll see what happens," the 25-year-old outfielder said.Callaway said Conforto will play in the outfield on Saturday. The Mets have publicly projected May 1 as a target date for his return, but Callaway says Conforto is ahead of schedule."That's really Michael. That's probably on him more than anything, and he's feeling more and more comfortable," Callaway said.Conforto had not played in a game since Aug. 24, when he swung through a 95 mph fastball from Arizona's... [More]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Michael Conforto received a late-night phone call from New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway, who asked whether he wanted to fill an open spot as Friday's designated hitter."Absolutely," Conforto recalled responding. "I wasn't going to say no."In his first big league game action since surgery Sept. 6 to repair a tear in the posterior capsule in his left shoulder, Conforto went 1 for 4 in a 5-1 loss to St. Louis."It's a good way for me to kind of dip my toe into it and just focus on hitting. Maybe tomorrow we'll see what happens," the 25-year-old outfielder said.Callaway said Conforto will play in the outfield on Saturday. The Mets have publicly projected May 1 as a target date for his return, but Callaway says Conforto is ahead of schedule."That's really Michael. That's probably on him more than anything, and he's feeling more and more comfortable," Callaway said.Conforto had not played in a game since Aug. 24, when he swung through a 95 mph fastball from Arizona's... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner exited his spring training start in the third inning Friday after taking a line drive off his pitching hand.The comebacker was hit by Kansas City's Whit Merrifield. The Giants had no immediate updates on Bumgarner's condition.The 2014 World Series MVP missed nearly three months last season after the dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado.After six straight seasons with double-digit wins, more than 200 innings and 30-plus starts, Bumgarner went 4-9 with a 3.32 ERA in 17 starts last season and threw just 111 innings.___More AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Homer Bailey will make his first opening day start for the Cincinnati Reds, a breakthrough after years of setbacks with his elbow.Manager Bryan Price announced that Bailey will start Thursday at home against Washington.Anthony DeSclafani was in line to start the opener in each of the last two years, but injuries in spring training left him sidelined. He has a strained left oblique.Bailey has been limited to 26 starts over the past three seasons because of injuries to his forearm and elbow that required surgery. Last year, he had bone spurs removed from his elbow before the start of spring training.He is in the fifth season of a $105 million, six-year contract.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano will not be suspended by Major League Baseball after being accused of assault.The commissioner's office said in a statement on Friday "there was insufficient evidence to support a disciplinary determination against Sano, due to conflicting and inconsistent witness accounts and the absence of contemporaneous substantiation."Sano was accused of assault in December by a photographer who has covered the Twins. She posted on Twitter that the All-Star third baseman forcibly attempted to kiss her following an autograph session at a mall in 2015.Betsy Bissen tweeted she screamed and resisted Sano until he gave up "after a solid 10 minutes of fighting." Bissen, who has worked for publications including the popular fan blog Twins Daily, said in her tweet she long feared telling her story would cost her access to photograph Twins games.In 2015, MLB and its players union unveiled a new policy covering domestic violence, sexual assault and child... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge could be used at times as a leadoff hitter this season.The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year was at the top of the lineup and went 1 for 4 in a 5-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday."It's a potential. That's why we're deploying it and assessing it," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "We're going to take a peak here. We'll see how it feels.(backslash), Simple as that."Judge struck out on a 2-2 pitch from Brian Johnson in the first and smashed a one-hopper up the middle off the left-hander that the Red Sox turned into a double play to end the third. He had a leadoff single in the sixth and struck out during the eighth against Justin Haley.Cashman said manager Aaron Boone and Judge discussed the possibility Thursday.This could give Boone an additional option, especially when opponents start a left-hander that caused the Yankees to rest regular leadoff man Brett Gardner, who hit .209 against lefties last year and .283 against righties."We... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Boston Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright has accepted a 15-game suspension under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy following his arrest on Dec. 8.Wright publicly apologized to his wife, Shannon, after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the penalty Friday."I deeply regret my actions that night," he said in statement issued through the Major League Baseball Players Association. "I fully cooperated with MLB's investigators and re-iterated to them that I did not make physical contact with my wife. The legal case that was retired supports that claim. But I accept full responsibility for what happened and have taken steps, including counseling sessions, to help me become a better husband."The 33-year-old knuckeballer was an All-Star in 2016 but was limited to five starts last year by a left knee injury that required surgery May 8.He has not pitched in a major league spring training game this year, and it is not clear whether he will start the season on the... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — New Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler's progressive approach includes a strategy straight from a slow-pitch softball league.Kapler plans to flip-flop outfielders in the middle of an inning to put his best defensive player in the position where the spray charts indicate a batter is most likely to hit the ball.This isn't the typical infield shift and old-school thinkers will scoff at the idea, but Kapler feels so strongly about it that he has these words written on a white board in his office:"We know that different players have different skills. One hitter may crush fastballs. Another may hammer change-ups. That doesn't mean either is a better hitter. They just have different strengths. Outfielders are similar. Whenever we have a chance to maximize a man's strengths to get an additional out, we'll do so."Strange shifts are nothing new to baseball. The influx of analytics has led managers to try different things.Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon tried a four-man... [More]

Just the thought of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge in the same lineup sent fans into a frenzy. Come opening day, all of baseball will see which teams really have the muscle.A season of haves and have-nots begins March 29 with Derek Jeter's pared-down Marlins playing the pumped-up Cubs. Later that day, the New York Yankees unleash their most potent pair of sluggers since Mantle & Maris.MVP Jose Altuve and the World Series champion Houston Astros added ace Gerrit Cole to a rotation with Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander. The Dodgers and Indians are still poised after coming within one win of that elusive crown. The Nationals hired a new manager to help free agent-to-be Bryce Harper, Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg reach the top. And the Red Sox got the bopper they needed.Where does that leave the Reds, Pirates, Tigers, Rays and A's? Well, better luck next year. Or the year after that.Major League Baseball is in a hurry these days, with record home runs and strikeouts the new norm.... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge could be used at times as a leadoff hitter this season.The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year was at the top of the lineup for Friday's spring training game against Boston."It's a potential, that's why we're deploying it and assessing it," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "We're going to take a peak here. We'll see how it feels, simple as that."Cashman said manager Aaron Boone and Judge discussed the possibility Thursday.This could give Boone an additional option, especially when opponents start a left-hander that caused the Yankees to rest regular leadoff man Brett Gardner, who hit .209 against lefties last year and .283 against righties."We have a left-handed pitcher against us, starting, then you re-shuffle the deck," Cashman said. "Who's the best hitters against a left-handed opponent and how it should look?"The idea developed after Boone questioned staff about lineup configurations. Boone is managing for the first time at any level."This... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — San Francisco Giants starter Jeff Samardzija reportedly has a strained pectoral muscle that will shut him down for at least a week and likely force him to start the season on the disabled list.Manager Bruce Bochy told reporters on Thursday that an MRI confirmed the diagnosis of an issue that has been bothering Samardzija all spring.Samardzija has a 10.64 ERA in four starts this spring as his fastball has lacked its usual velocity.Samardzija is extremely durable with five straight seasons of at least 200 innings and was slated to begin the year as the Giants third starter.His injury could open a spot for non-roster invitee Derek Holland to make the rotation.___More AP baseball: apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball