NEW YORK (AP) — Jackie Robinson's daughter thinks black baseball players are more reluctant to speak publicly about racial issues than their NFL and NBA colleagues because they constitute a lower percentage of rosters.She spoke at Citi Field on Sunday to mark Jackie Robinson Day, the 71st anniversary of her father breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.While more than 200 NFL players protested racial inequality last season by kneeling or sitting during "The Star-Spangled Banner," Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell was the only baseball player to take a knee."I don't think they have much choice," Sharon Robinson said. "They are in the minority and where in football and basketball you have a group and therefor you can take a group action. So players if they speak out individually, they could be the only African-American player on their team and it could be a difficult spot for them to be in."The percentage of black players from the United States and... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — April showers — and snow, sleet and wind — are wreaking havoc on major league baseball.No Ohtani in Kansas City. No Judge in Detroit. One less off day for a couple more teams this summer.Six more games were wiped out Sunday, running baseball's total number of postponements to 21 just 2 1/2 weeks into the season. It's baseball's highest number through the end of April since it had 26 in 2007, and there are still a couple weeks to go this month.The last time six games were wiped out in a single day was Sept. 12, 2008, and that situation was partly caused by Hurricane Ike battering the Gulf Coast. There was more dicey weather in the forecast for Monday, and Boston postponed its annual Patriots' Day game for the first time since 1984."If it was up to me, no one would play north of Atlanta or east of Colorado in the first few weeks, but that's not going to happen," Braves reliever Peter Moylan said.Angels sensation Shohei Ohtani was slated to pitch for the third time before their... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison will undergo further evaluation Monday after leaving their game at Miami when he was hit on the left hand by a 96-mph fastball from Jose Urena.Tests are planned when the team returns home."I've got to get back to Pittsburgh to see the doctors," Harrison said. "There's a little bit of pain."The Pirates' leadoff hitter, Harrison is batting .263 with one homer and five RBIs. He came into the game Sunday leading the team with 12 runs.Harrison missed the final month of the 2017 season after being hit by a pitch on the same hand. He was hit 23 times last year to rank second in the majors.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hiram Bithorn's statue is no longer standing. The stadium bearing his name is ready to bustle again.That's an apt way to show how things are right now in Puerto Rico, which is about to host its most significant sporting events since Hurricane Maria dramatically ravaged the islands seven months ago. Major League Baseball returns Tuesday to San Juan, with Cleveland and Minnesota opening a two-game series that many hope will remind the rest of the world that recovery from the storm is far from over."I hate to say it, but this is a great platform, so people can see the reality," said Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, a native Puerto Rican and someone who bought tickets to Indians-Twins for his family — and wishes it was his team playing in San Juan this week. "We're much better than six, seven months ago, whenever it was. But we've still got work to do."The evidence of that is everywhere in San Juan, and only becomes more prevalent as one ventures into more remote... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — April showers — and snow, sleet and wind — are wreaking havoc on major league baseball.No Ohtani in Kansas City. No Judge in Detroit. One less off day for a couple more teams this summer.Six more games were wiped out Sunday, running baseball's total number of postponements to 21 just 2 1/2 weeks into the season. It's baseball's highest number through the end of April since it had 26 in 2007, and there are still a couple weeks to go this month.The last time six games were postponed in a single day was Sept. 12, 2008, and that situation was partly caused by Hurricane Ike battering the Gulf Coast. There was more dicey weather in the forecast for Monday, and Boston postponed its annual Patriots' Day game for the first time since 1984."If it was up to me, no one would play north of Atlanta or east of Colorado in the first few weeks, but that's not going to happen," Braves reliever Peter Moylan said.Angels sensation Shohei Ohtani was slated to pitch for the third time before their... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Andrew Benintendi got three hits and the Boston Red Sox extended the best start in their 118-year history, beating the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 Sunday at frigid Fenway Park.Mitch Moreland also had three hits for the Red Sox, who completed a three-game sweep of the shortened series and improved to a major league-best 13-2 under new manager Alex Cora.The series was supposed to last four games, but the traditional Patriots' Day game scheduled for Monday morning at 11:05 a.m. was postponed late Sunday afternoon because of a forecast that calls for heavy rain throughout the day.The game will be made up May 17. It is the first time the Patriots' Day game in Boston has been postponed since 1984.Manny Machado had an RBI double for Baltimore, which has lost five of six.Boston ace Chris Sale gave up one run and two hits in five innings, striking eight and walking two.Heath Hembree (2-0) worked two innings of scoreless relief. Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his fifth save.Dylan Bundy... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison will undergo further evaluation Monday after leaving the game at Miami when he was hit on the left hand by a 96-mph fastball from Jose Urena.Harrison walked slowly to first base after being hit in the third inning, and after consulting with a trainer he headed for the dugout. Tests are planned when the team returns to Pittsburgh.The Pirates' leadoff hitter, Harrison is batting .263 with one homer and five RBIs. He came into the game Sunday leading the team with 12 runs.He was hit 23 times in 2017, which ranked second in the majors.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels game with Japanese star Shohei Ohtani scheduled to pitch at Kansas City was postponed Sunday because of cold temperatures.It was 31 degrees with an 18 mph wind, making it feel like 20 degrees.The game will be made up on June 25 in Kansas City.After an Angels' day off Monday, Ohtani will start Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox when the club will open a six-game homestand in Anaheim.Royals rookie left-hander Eric Skoglund, who was scheduled to start Sunday, was pushed back a day and will start Monday in Toronto.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MIAMI (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison has left his team's game at Miami after being hit on the left arm by a 96-mph fastball from Jose Urena.Harrison appeared to be hit on the protective guard covering his elbow. He walked slowly to first base, but after consulting with a trainer he left the game.The Pirates' leadoff hitter, Harrison is batting .263 with one homer and five RBIs. He came into the game Sunday leading the team with 12 runs.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Jackie Robinson's daughter thinks black baseball players are more reluctant to speak publicly about racial issues than their NFL and NBA colleagues because they constitute a lower percentage of rosters.She spoke at Citi Field on Sunday to mark Jackie Robinson Day, the 71st anniversary of her father breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.While more than 200 NFL players protested racial inequality last season by kneeling or sitting during "The Star-Spangled Banner," Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell was the only baseball player to take a knee."I don't think they have much choice," Sharon Robinson said. "They are in the minority and where in football and basketball you have a group and therefor you can take a group action. So players if they speak out individually, they could be the only African-American player on their team and it could be a difficult spot for them to be in."The percentage of black players from the United States and... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jackie Robinson's daughter thinks black baseball players are more reluctant to speak publicly about racial issues than their NFL and NBA colleagues because they constitute a lower percentage of rosters.She spoke at Citi Field on Sunday to mark Jackie Robinson Day, the 71st anniversary of her father breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.While more than 200 NFL players protested racial inequality last season by kneeling or sitting during "The Star-Spangled Banner," Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell was the only baseball player to take a knee."I don't think they have much choice," Sharon Robinson said. "They are in the minority and where in football and basketball you have a group and therefor you can take a group action. So players if they speak out individually, they could be the only African-American player on their team and it could be a difficult spot for them to be in."___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CHICAGO (AP) — Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-3 on Saturday to get to 12-2 — the best start in their 118-year history.Andrew Benintendi had a two-run single and an RBI double, and J.D. Martinez hit a solo homer for the Red Sox.Only once — in 1918 — had Boston started 11-2.Alex Cobb (0-1) was roughed up in his Orioles debut, giving up eight runs — seven earned — in 3 2/3 innings. Pedro Alvarez had a two-run homer for Baltimore, which has lost four of five.Hector Velazquez (2-0) gave up two runs in five innings. Marcus Walden pitched the final three innings for his first big-league save.BREWERS 5, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Chase Anderson breezed into the seventh inning, Jonathan Villar sliced a three-run homer inside the foul pole and Milwaukee stopped the Mets' nine-game winning streak.Jett Bandy also went deep against Matt Harvey (0-1) on a windy Fireworks Night at Citi Field as the Brewers cooled off New York... [More]

A look at what's happening all around the majors Sunday:OHTANI UPShohei Ohtani makes his third major league start on the mound for the Los Angeles Angels, who have won seven in a row. The two-way sensation from Japan pitches at Kansas City, where the forecast calls for temperatures in the 30s and winds of 20 mph. "Playing a game like that, I don't know if I've ever experienced that cold," Ohtani said through a translator.Ohtani has twice faced the A's, going 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out 18. He's not expected to bat — he's hitting .367 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 30 at-bats, mostly starting as a designated hitter.WICKED WEATHERSnow is possible at Fenway Park, rain is likely at Citi Field and cold conditions are in the forecast at Wrigley Field, raising the possibility of more postponements in a season already beset by wintry weather. The White Sox-Twins game at Target Field has already been called off — for the third straight day — with... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-3 on Saturday to get to 12-2 — the best start in their 118-year history.Andrew Benintendi had a two-run single and an RBI double, and J.D. Martinez hit a solo homer for the Red Sox.Only once — in 1918 — had Boston started 11-2.Alex Cobb (0-1) was roughed up in his Orioles debut, giving up eight runs — seven earned — in 3 2/3 innings. Pedro Alvarez had a two-run homer for Baltimore, which has lost four of five.Hector Velazquez (2-0) gave up two runs in five innings. Marcus Walden pitched the final three innings for his first big-league save.BREWERS 5, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Chase Anderson breezed into the seventh inning, Jonathan Villar sliced a three-run homer inside the foul pole and Milwaukee stopped the Mets' nine-game winning streak.Jett Bandy also went deep against Matt Harvey (0-1) on a windy Fireworks Night at Citi Field as the Brewers cooled off New York... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-3 on Saturday to get to 12-2 — the best start in their 118-year history.Andrew Benintendi had a two-run single and an RBI double, and J.D. Martinez hit a solo homer for the Red Sox.Only once — in 1918 — had Boston started 11-2.Alex Cobb (0-1) was roughed up in his Orioles debut, giving up eight runs — seven earned — in 3 2/3 innings. Pedro Alvarez had a two-run homer for Baltimore, which has lost four of five.Hector Velazquez (2-0) gave up two runs in five innings. Marcus Walden pitched the final three innings for his first big-league save.BREWERS 5, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Chase Anderson breezed into the seventh inning, Jonathan Villar sliced a three-run homer inside the foul pole and Milwaukee stopped the Mets' nine-game winning streak.Jett Bandy also went deep against Matt Harvey (0-1) on a windy Fireworks Night at Citi Field as the Brewers cooled off New York... [More]

A look at what's happening all around the majors Sunday:OHTANI UPShohei Ohtani makes his third major league start on the mound for the Los Angeles Angels, who have won seven in a row. The two-way sensation from Japan pitches at Kansas City, where the forecast calls for temperatures in the 30s and winds of 20 mph. "Playing a game like that, I don't know if I've ever experienced that cold," Ohtani said through a translator.Ohtani has twice faced the A's, going 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out 18. He's not expected to bat — he's hitting .367 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 30 at-bats, mostly starting as a designated hitter.WICKED WEATHERSnow is possible at Fenway Park, rain is likely at Citi Field and cold conditions are in the forecast at Wrigley Field, raising the possibility of more postponements in a season already beset by wintry weather. The White Sox-Twins game at Target Field has already been called off — for the third straight day — with... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-3 on Saturday to get to 12-2 — the best start in their 118-year history.Andrew Benintendi had a two-run single and an RBI double, and J.D. Martinez hit a solo homer for the Red Sox.Only once — in 1918 — had Boston started 11-2.Alex Cobb (0-1) was roughed up in his Orioles debut, giving up eight runs — seven earned — in 3 2/3 innings. Pedro Alvarez had a two-run homer for Baltimore, which has lost four of five.Hector Velazquez (2-0) gave up two runs in five innings. Marcus Walden pitched the final three innings for his first big-league save.BREWERS 5, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Chase Anderson breezed into the seventh inning, Jonathan Villar sliced a three-run homer inside the foul pole and Milwaukee stopped the Mets' nine-game winning streak.Jett Bandy also went deep against Matt Harvey (0-1) on a windy Fireworks Night at Citi Field as the Brewers cooled off New York... [More]

A look at what's happening all around the majors Sunday:OHTANI UPShohei Ohtani makes his third major league start on the mound for the Los Angeles Angels, who have won seven in a row. The two-way sensation from Japan pitches at Kansas City, where the forecast calls for temperatures in the 30s and winds of 20 mph. Ohtani has twice faced the A's, going 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out 18. He's not expected to bat — he's hitting .367 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 30 at-bats, mostly starting as a designated hitter.WICKED WEATHERSnow is possible at Fenway Park, rain is likely at Citi Field and cold conditions are in the forecast at Wrigley Field, raising the possibility of more postponements in a season already beset by wintry weather. The White Sox-Twins game at Target Field has already been called off — for the third straight day — with snow piling up. Rain is predicted in Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Washington, putting those matchups... [More]

A look at what's happening all around the majors Sunday:WICKED WEATHERSnow is possible at Fenway Park, rain is likely at Citi Field and cold conditions are in the forecast at Wrigley Field, raising the possibility of more postponements in a season already beset by wintry weather. The White Sox-Twins game at Target Field has already been called off — for the third straight day — with snow piling up. Rain is predicted in Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Washington, putting those matchups in jeopardy.The Cubs beat the Braves 14-10 on Saturday at Wrigley, where it was 38 degrees with a 24 mph wind and steady mist at the start. The conditions worsened as the game went on, but this was Atlanta's only visit to Chicago this season, so they finished."Baseball is not necessarily designed for this," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I don't know to what extent in the future, maybe, they can talk about when even if it's not actually physically snowing or raining, there might be elements that are not... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians have dealt with record-low temperatures, snow flurries and bone-chilling winds during their first homestand.The Indians managed to play the first eight games despite the obstacles. That run ended when Saturday's game against Toronto was postponed by rain.Heavy rain began falling about two hours before the scheduled 4:10 p.m. first pitch, and the game was called at 5:28 p.m. It was rescheduled for 1:10 p.m. on May 3, previously an off day for both teams.Sunday's series finale could also be in jeopardy because the rain is predicted to last through the weekend. The Blue Jays are making their only scheduled trip to Cleveland.Both teams will go with Saturday's scheduled starters in the series finale. Corey Kluber (1-1), the reigning AL Cy Young winner, will pitch for Indians. The right-hander struck out 13 and allowed two hits in eight innings against Detroit on Monday.Jaime Garcia (1-0) will make his third start for Toronto. He pitched into the sixth inning... [More]