ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels have extended their Triple-A affiliation with the Salt Lake Bees for two years through the 2022 season.The Angels announced the deal Monday.The Angels have been affiliated with the Salt Lake club since 2001, when they were the Stingers. The new deal will extend the clubs' affiliation for at least 22 seasons.Most of the current generation of Angels stars have played in Salt Lake, including Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun and Jered Weaver.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Touki Toussaint has been called up by the Atlanta Braves to make his major league debut in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Miami Marlins.The 22-year-old right-hander is the latest top pitching prospect to debut for the Braves this season. Toussaint follows Mike Soroka and Kolby Allard, who were both 20 when promoted to Atlanta.Toussaint is 2-0 with a 2.01 ERA in five starts for Triple-A Gwinnett. He began the season at Double-A Mississippi, posting a record of 4-6 with a 2.93 ERA in 16 starts.Toussaint was designated at Atlanta's 26th player for the doubleheader. He becomes the 12th player to start for the Braves this season, tied for the most in the National League with San Diego and New York.A first-round pick by Arizona, Toussaint was acquired in 2015 in one of several deals the Braves used to rebuild their farm system.___For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

No team has gotten more innings from its starting pitchers this season than the Cleveland Indians. No team has gotten fewer than the Tampa Bay Rays.Yet the Indians and Rays have ended up in a similar spot. Cleveland's team ERA is 3.84. Tampa Bay's is 3.82.The Rays have been unorthodox in their approach , eschewing a normal starting rotation in favor of a system in which one of their usual relievers might take the mound at the beginning of a game. Right now, Tampa Bay's depth chart on MLB.com only lists three pitchers in the rotation — yet the Rays are 60-58 and have a chance for their first winning season since 2013.Tampa Bay has tried using an "opener" at the start of games. One of the team's relievers might start the game and pitch an inning or two. Then another pitcher — who might normally have been the starter — comes in and perhaps pitches through the middle innings. If his outing begins in the third, for example, he may benefit from not having to face the top hitters as often.The... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:LAST RIDEThe Subway Series finishes with a marquee matchup at Yankee Stadium. Mets ace Jacob deGrom, who leads the majors with a 1.77 ERA, faces Luis Severino, who tops the AL with 15 wins. The game is a makeup from a rainout last month. Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has homered in five of his last six games.YOU AGAIN?Giants star Madison Bumgarner and Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw face each other for the 11th time when the Giants visit Dodger Stadium. Bumgarner is 4-3 with a 2.56 ERA against Kershaw in the previous 10 head-to-head meetings. Kershaw is 3-4 with a 2.00 ERA in those starts.FLYING HIGHThe Cardinals have matched a season high with five straight wins, and now host Washington in a four-game series. Miles Mikolas (12-3, 2.74) starts for St. Louis against Tommy Milone (1-1, 5.50). Far from Busch Stadium, longtime Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright will throw an inning for the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Class A Florida State... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Pinch-hitter David Bote smashed a grand slam against Ryan Madson with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday night.Bote's long drive to center field came after Washington's Max Scherzer and Chicago's Cole Hamels delivered simply dominant starts.Madson (2-5) came in with a 3-0 lead to start the ninth and quickly ran into trouble. He gave up an infield single to Jason Heyward with one out and hit Albert Almora with a pitch. Madson then retired Kyle Schwarber on a foul pop before hitting Contreras to load the bases, but Bote drove a 2-2 pitch well beyond the center-field wall.Bote's drive made a winner of Justin Wilson (4-3), who got the final two outs in the ninth.RED SOX 4, ORIOLES 1BALTIMORE (AP) — Chris Sale celebrated his return from the disabled list by striking out 12 over five dominant innings, and the Boston Red Sox moved 50 games over .500 by completing a sweep of the lowly Orioles.Sale (12-4)... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets third baseman David Wright played his first game in almost a year Sunday, going 0 for 3 to start a minor league rehabilitation assignment.Wright struck out twice and flied out for St. Lucie in the Class A Florida State League. The seven-time All-Star played five innings in the field and didn't get a grounder during a 4-1 loss to Clearwater.The 35-year-old Wright has been beset by back, neck and shoulder trouble in recent seasons. His last game in the major leagues was May 27, 2016 — he had a brief stint in the minors last August before being shut down.The Mets captain is hoping to play again in the majors this year."I wouldn't be out here in 95-degree sunny Florida dripping sweat if I didn't think I could make it back," he told reporters."What I've kind of come to realize, these last two months of this baseball-rehab stuff, is that I certainly need off days periodically," he said. "We're going to look at that when we start scheduling for the next week or so."

BALTIMORE (AP) — Chris Sale celebrated his return from the disabled list by striking out 12 over five dominant innings, and the Boston Red Sox moved 50 games over .500 by completing a sweep of the lowly Baltimore Orioles with a 4-1 victory on Sunday.Sale (12-4) was placed on the DL on July 28 with left shoulder inflammation. Judging by his performance, the injury is no longer an issue.The left-hander allowed just one hit, a clean third-inning single to left field by Renato Nunez, and walked none. Craig Kimbrel, the last of five Boston relievers, worked the ninth for his 35th save.Steve Pearce homered for the Red Sox, who have won 10 of 11 to improve to 85-35.Alex Cobb (3-15) took the loss despite allowing only two runs, one earned, over seven innings.MARINERS 4, ASTROS 3, 10 INNINGSHOUSTON (AP) — Ryon Healy hit a tying homer with two out in the ninth inning, Mitch Haniger delivered an RBI double in the 10th and the Mariners swept a four-game series from the AL West-leading Astros.It's the... [More]

A look at what's happening around baseball Monday:LAST RIDEThe Subway Series finishes with a marquee matchup at Yankee Stadium. Mets ace Jacob deGrom, who leads the majors with a 1.77 ERA, faces Luis Severino, who tops the AL with 15 wins. The game is a makeup from a rainout last month. Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has homered in five of his last six games.YOU AGAIN?Giants star Madison Bumgarner and Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw face each other for the 11th time when the Giants visit Dodger Stadium. Bumgarner is 4-3 with a 2.56 ERA against Kershaw in the previous 10 head-to-head meetings. Kershaw is 3-4 with a 2.00 ERA in those starts.FLYING HIGHThe Cardinals have matched a season high with five straight wins, and now host Washington in a four-game series. Miles Mikolas (12-3, 2.74) starts for St. Louis against Tommy Milone (1-1, 5.50). Far from Busch Stadium, longtime Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright will throw an inning for the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Class A Florida State League... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Chris Sale celebrated his return from the disabled list by striking out 12 over five dominant innings, and the Boston Red Sox moved 50 games over .500 by completing a sweep of the lowly Baltimore Orioles with a 4-1 victory on Sunday.Sale (12-4) was placed on the DL on July 28 with left shoulder inflammation. Judging by his performance, the injury is no longer an issue.The left-hander allowed just one hit, a clean third-inning single to left field by Renato Nunez, and walked none. Craig Kimbrel, the last of five Boston relievers, worked the ninth for his 35th save.Steve Pearce homered for the Red Sox, who have won 10 of 11 to improve to 85-35.Alex Cobb (3-15) took the loss despite allowing only two runs, one earned, over seven innings.MARINERS 4, ASTROS 3, 10 INNINGSHOUSTON (AP) — Ryon Healy hit a tying homer with two out in the ninth inning, Mitch Haniger delivered an RBI double in the 10th and the Mariners swept a four-game series from the AL West-leading Astros.It's the... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Chris Sale celebrated his return from the disabled list by striking out 12 over five dominant innings, and the Boston Red Sox moved 50 games over .500 by completing a sweep of the lowly Baltimore Orioles with a 4-1 victory on Sunday.Sale (12-4) was placed on the DL on July 28 with left shoulder inflammation. Judging by his performance, the injury is no longer an issue.The left-hander allowed just one hit, a clean third-inning single to left field by Renato Nunez, and walked none. Craig Kimbrel, the last of five Boston relievers, worked the ninth for his 35th save.Steve Pearce homered for the Red Sox, who have won 10 of 11 to improve to 85-35.Alex Cobb (3-15) took the loss despite allowing only two runs, one earned, over seven innings.YANKEES 7, RANGERS 2NEW YORK (AP) — CC Sabathia threw six shutout innings, Giancarlo Stanton homered again and the Yankees won for the sixth time in seven games.Didi Gregorius also homered and turned in a nifty defensive play for New York.... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are sending right-handers Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling to the bullpen to make room for two starters about to return from the disabled list.Left-hander Alex Wood is scheduled to come off the disabled list and pitch Tuesday against San Francisco. He went on the DL on Aug. 4 with adductor tendinitis. Lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu is healed from a strained groin that has sidelined him since early May. Ryu is expected to be activated and start on Wednesday.Stripling will be ready for bullpen action on Tuesday and Maeda on Wednesday.The Dodgers are using a closer-by-committee approach in the bullpen with Kenley Jansen sidelined because of an irregular heartbeat.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Luke Weaver cut his finger while opening a food tray in the clubhouse at Kansas City and was scratched from his start against the Royals.Weaver had been scheduled to pitch Sunday.The accident occurred Saturday night when the righty sliced the index finger on his pitching hand on the aluminum foil covering a tray. Super glue was applied, but it did not hold sufficiently for Weaver to pitch deep into a game.Tyson Ross, claimed by the Cardinals last week off waivers from San Diego, pitched in place of Weaver."He cut it on the piece of the topping," Cardinals interim manager Mike Shildt said. "We found out about in the seventh inning. It just made sense long term to give him the day off.""It's on his right index finger. He probably could have started, but it just made sense to not push it and have him throw 90 or 100 pitches. We didn't want him to miss another start," he said. "We want to put this behind him and have him move on to the next start, and give Tyson Ross an opportunity. It's worked out for Tyson and for us to have a quality starter, and he's available and is on more than regular rest."The 24-year-old Weaver is 6-10 with a 4.66 ERA in 23 starts.

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies held All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado out of the starting lineup for a second straight game because of a sore right shoulder.Pat Valaika filled in at third Sunday as the Rockies closed out a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Arenado was removed from Friday's game in the fifth inning when he tweaked his shoulder on a throw. The five-time Gold Glove winner has been bothered by the shoulder for about a week.The 27-year-old Arenado entered Saturday's game as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and was hit by a pitch. Later, Ryan McMahon — his replacement at third — hit a walk-off, three-run homer.Arenado is hitting .307 with 29 home runs and 82 RBIs this season.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — The Texas Rangers have activated outfielder Delino DeShields from the seven-day concussion disabled list before their series finale against the New York Yankees.DeShields was batting ninth Sunday and playing center field.In a corresponding move, Texas optioned outfielder/infielder Drew Robinson to Triple-A Round Rock.DeShields was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 4 with concussion symptoms. They were believed to be related to the 25-year-old banging the back of his head while attempting a sliding catch against Boston on July 11.He was placed in Major League Baseball's concussion protocol but returned to the lineup in Texas' game two days later. DeShields played in seven of the Rangers' 14 games after the All-Star break before being scratched from the lineup with headaches on Aug. 3.DeShields was batting .208 with 2 home runs and 21 RBIs in 81 games.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around baseball today:MAX MATCHUPNationals ace Max Scherzer (15-5, 2.28 ERA) will try to become the first 16-game winner in the majors when he starts the Sunday night game at Wrigley Field. Owner of three Cy Young Awards, he also leads the majors in strikeouts this year with 216 in 161 2/3 innings. Cole Hamels starts for the Cubs — he's allowed just one earned run in 11 innings during the first two starts since being acquired from Texas.SALE SETRed Sox ace Chris Sale returns from a two-week stint on the disabled list because of shoulder inflammation. Manager Alex Cora said the lefty could throw 100 pitches if he's not too rusty. Sale (11-4) leads the AL with a 2.04 ERA and will try to pitch Boston to a four-game sweep of the Orioles at Camden Yards.WELCOME BACKMets third baseman David Wright is set to play in a minor league game, more than two years since the oft-injured team captain last appeared in the majors. The 35-year-old Wright has been beset by back, neck... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Trevor Williams and two relievers combined on a six-hitter, and the Pittsburgh Pirates blanked the San Francisco Giants 4-0 on Saturday night.Josh Bell homered for the second time in three days. Elias Diaz added two hits for the Pirates after coming in as an injury replacement for Francisco Cervelli.The start of the game was delayed for a ceremony honoring home run king Barry Bonds, who became the 10th player in Giants history to have his jersey retired. Several of his former teammates and managers, including Dusty Baker and Jim Leyland, were on hand.Buster Posey and Evan Longoria had two hits apiece for San Francisco. Ty Blach (6-7) allowed four runs over four innings.Williams (10-8) allowed five hits and walked one in seven innings.ROCKIES 3, DODGERS 2DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon hit a three-run homer with two out in the ninth inning, lifting Colorado to the win.McMahon's drive off J.T. Chargois (2-4) cleared the right-field wall just above the out-of-town scoreboard.... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Cleveland Indians are putting slugger Edwin Encarnacion on the disabled list because of swelling in his left biceps.Manager Terry Francona made the announcement after the AL Central leaders beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Saturday night. Encarnacion left Friday night's game and had an MRI in Cleveland on Saturday."There's some swelling in the bicep and it's not bad at all," Francona said. "Between the wrist and the bicep, I think we just thought 10 days, letting him come back and being Edwin made the most sense."Francona said X-rays on Encarnacion's right hand "came back actually really good, really clean."Third on the team with 25 homers and second with 81 RBIs, Encarnacion has struggled since being hit on the right hand by Yankees reliever Chad Green before the All-Star break. He has often been swinging with one hand, putting more stress on his upper arms.Losing their cleanup hitter for any significant time would be a blow for the Indians, who lead the division by 11 games.With Encarnacion going on the DL, Francona said infielder Yandy Diaz is being recalled from Triple-A Columbus.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Ryan Zimmerman hit two home runs off a shaky Jon Lester and tied a career high with six RBIs, sending the Washington Nationals over the Chicago Cubs 9-4 on Saturday.Zimmerman hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a sacrifice fly to the warning track in the third. He chased Lester with a three-run drive in the fourth that made it 9-1. He is batting .355 (16 for 45) with four homers and 16 RBIs in 14 games since returning from the disabled list last month.Daniel Murphy also homered and had three hits, helping Tanner Roark (7-12) win his fourth straight start.Lester (12-5) was tagged for eight earned runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. The left-hander is winless in his last five starts for the NL Central leaders, going 0-3 with a 10.32 ERA during that span.Anthony Rizzo got his 1,000th career hit for the Cubs.MARINERS 3, ASTROS 2HOUSTON (AP) — Ryon Healy had three hits and drove in the go-ahead run for Seattle, and Guillermo Heredia made a spectacular catch to preserve... [More]

A look at what's happening around baseball Sunday:MAX MATCHUPNationals ace Max Scherzer (15-5, 2.28 ERA) will try to become the first 16-game winner in the majors when he starts the Sunday night game at Wrigley Field. Owner of three Cy Young Awards, he also leads the majors in strikeouts this year with 216 in 161 2/3 innings. Cole Hamels starts for the Cubs — he's allowed just one earned run in 11 innings during the first two starts since being acquired from Texas.SALE SETRed Sox ace Chris Sale returns from a two-week stint on the disabled list because of shoulder inflammation. Manager Alex Cora said the lefty could throw 100 pitches if he's not too rusty. Sale (11-4) leads the AL with a 2.04 ERA and will try to pitch Boston to a four-game sweep of the Orioles at Camden Yards.WELCOME BACKMets third baseman David Wright is set to play in a minor league game, more than two years since the oft-injured team captain last appeared in the majors. The 35-year-old Wright has been beset by back,... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Cleveland Indians are putting slugger Edwin Encarnacion on the disabled list because of swelling in his left biceps.Manager Terry Francona made the announcement after the AL Central leaders beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Saturday night. Encarnacion left Friday night's game and had an MRI in Cleveland on Saturday."There's some swelling in the bicep and it's not bad at all," Francona said. "Between the wrist and the bicep, I think we just thought 10 days, letting him come back and being Edwin made the most sense."Francona said X-rays on Encarnacion's left hand "came back actually really good, really clean."Third on the team with 25 homers and second with 81 RBIs, Encarnacion has struggled since being hit on the right hand by Yankees reliever Chad Green before the All-Star break. He has often been swinging with one hand, putting more stress on his upper arms.Losing their cleanup hitter for any significant time would be a blow for the Indians, who lead the division by 11 games.With Encarnacion going on the DL, Francona said infielder Yandy Diaz is being recalled from Triple-A Columbus.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports