MIAMI (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton sat in the visitors' dugout before batting practice Tuesday, which gave him a different angle of Marlins Park's kitschy, colossal home sculpture."I still don't like it," he said with a laugh. "But it won't be going off if I hit one."Stanton activated the moveable sculpture more than any other player before leaving the Marlins, which made Tuesday a homecoming for the New York Yankees slugger as they began a two-game series in Miami.Stanton received a warm ovation from the crowd when he stepped to the plate in the first inning. He saluted, waved and patted his chest as he looked to the stands. He then singled sharply to left field.Beforehand he was in a genial mood facing a media scrum of three dozen. Speaking of himself in the plural, he said it was weird but good to be back, and said he harbored no hard feelings about the way his time with the Marlins ended after eight seasons."We know what the situation is over there now, and how it was," he said. "We understand."The... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton sat in the visitors' dugout before batting practice, which gave him a different angle of Marlins Park's kitschy, colossal home sculpture."I still don't like it," he said with a laugh. "But it won't be going off if I hit one."Stanton activated the moveable sculpture more than any other player before leaving the Marlins, which made Tuesday a homecoming for the New York Yankees slugger in a two-game series in Miami.He was in a genial mood facing a media scrum of three dozen. Speaking of himself in the plural, he said it was weird but good to be back, and said he harbored no hard feelings about the way his time with the Marlins ended after eight seasons."We know what the situation is over there now, and how it was," he said. "We understand."The situation is that former Yankees shortstop and new Marlins CEO Derek Jeter rebooted the woebegone Miami franchise, trading away several big contracts for prospects with the goal of becoming competitive in a few years. Stanton,... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton says it's weird but good to be back in Miami for a two-game series.He says he harbors no hard feelings about the way his time with the Marlins ended after eight seasons.Former Yankees shortstop and new Marlins CEO Derek Jeter rebooted the woebegone Miami franchise, trading away several big contracts for prospects with the goal of becoming competitive in a few years. Stanton, coming off a 59-homer MVP season, wanted no part of a rebuilding project and approved a trade to the Yanks.Now he's likely to make the playoffs for the first time, while the Marlins are headed for a ninth consecutive losing season.Stanton says he wishes the Marlins well and hope they can turn things around in "a couple of years."___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports___Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Steve_Wine.

A look at what's happening around the majors today:SOUTH BEACH STANTONGiancarlo Stanton returns to Marlins Park for the first time since Miami traded him to the New York Yankees in December. Stanton spent his first eight years with the Marlins and was the NL MVP last season when he hit 59 home runs.Stanton went 0 for 7 with four strikeouts in mid-April when the Marlins visited Yankee Stadium. The slugger has 32 homers this year and 299 in his career going into this two-game series."It's going to be weird for sure walking in, going to the visitors' side," Stanton said. "But I am looking forward to it. It's a big part of my life, my time down there. It will be a cool experience."MISSED YOUStar second baseman Jose Altuve is set to come off the disabled list and rejoin the Astros. Houston wobbled minus the reigning AL MVP, whose knee trouble put him on the DL for the first time in his career. The World Series champs lost 13 of the next 20 games after Altuve was sidelined July 25. He has led... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:SOUTH BEACH STANTONGiancarlo Stanton returns to Marlins Park for the first time since Miami traded him to the New York Yankees in December. Stanton spent his first eight years with the Marlins and was the NL MVP last season when he hit 59 home runs.Stanton went 0 for 7 with four strikeouts in mid-April when the Marlins visited Yankee Stadium. The slugger has 32 homers this year and 299 in his career going into this two-game series."It's going to be weird for sure walking in, going to the visitors' side," Stanton said. "But I am looking forward to it. It's a big part of my life, my time down there. It will be a cool experience."MISSED YOUStar second baseman Jose Altuve is set to come off the disabled list and rejoin the Astros. Houston wobbled minus the reigning AL MVP, whose knee trouble put him on the DL for the first time in his career. The World Series champs lost 13 of the next 20 games after Altuve was sidelined July 25. He has led... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:AILINGThe Yankees will see how shortstop Didi Gregorius is feeling, a day after he bruised his left heel in a collision while beating out an infield hit. Gregorius was hurt when he tumbled over Toronto first baseman Kendrys Morales.Gregorius is batting .270 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs, and has 48 extra-base hits this season."It's something that we'll monitor over the next 24 hours, could potentially be a DL thing," manager Aaron Boone said.CHECK HIMCubs pitcher Yu Darvish had another setback in his injury-interrupted year, increasing speculation he might be done for the season. Darvish lasted just one inning in his rehab start with Class A South Bend on Sunday.Darvish has been sidelined by triceps and elbow injuries, and shook his right arm as he left the field. The 32-year-old is 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA for Chicago and has made just eight starts since signing a $126 million, six-year contract.VICTORY LANEIndians ace Corey Kluber and Boston... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Monday:AILINGThe Yankees will see how shortstop Didi Gregorius is feeling, a day after he bruised his left heel in a collision while beating out an infield hit. Gregorius was hurt when he tumbled over Toronto first baseman Kendrys Morales.Gregorius is batting .270 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs, and has 48 extra-base hits this season."It's something that we'll monitor over the next 24 hours, could potentially be a DL thing," manager Aaron Boone said.CHECK HIMCubs pitcher Yu Darvish had another setback in his injury-interrupted year, increasing speculation he might be done for the season. Darvish lasted just one inning in his rehab start with Class A South Bend on Sunday.Darvish has been sidelined by triceps and elbow injuries, and shook his right arm as he left the field. The 32-year-old is 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA for Chicago and has made just eight starts since signing a $126 million, six-year contract.VICTORY LANEIndians ace Corey Kluber and Boston... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Trevor Cahill pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings and the Oakland Athletics, far behind in the AL West standings earlier this summer, tied Houston for the division lead by beating the Astros 7-1 Saturday.Khris Davis, Matt Olson, Josh Phegley and Stephen Piscotty each hit two of Oakland's team record-tying eight doubles as the A's won for the sixth time in seven games. The Athletics trailed the defending World Series champion Astros by 11 1/2 games on June 24 and were still 10 out on July 10.Houston has lost seven of eight and dropped 12 of 19 since owning a six-game lead on July 24. The next day, reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve went on the disabled list, and the star second baseman is still out.Cahill (5-2) struck out seven, walked one and retired 14 straight batters during one stretch.Tony Kemp homered in the ninth for Houston's only other hit. Dallas Keuchel (9-10) gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings.ROCKIES 5, BRAVES 3, 10 INNINGSATLANTA (AP) — Colorado struck... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Trevor Cahill pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings and the Oakland Athletics, far behind in the AL West standings earlier this summer, tied Houston for the division lead by beating the Astros 7-1 Saturday.Khris Davis, Matt Olson, Josh Phegley and Stephen Piscotty each hit two of Oakland's team record-tying eight doubles as the A's won for the sixth time in seven games. The Athletics trailed the defending World Series champion Astros by 11 1/2 games on June 24 and were still 10 out on July 10.Houston has lost seven of eight and dropped 12 of 19 since owning a six-game lead on July 24. The next day, reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve went on the disabled list, and the star second baseman is still out.Cahill (5-2) struck out seven, walked one and retired 14 straight batters during one stretch.Tony Kemp homered in the ninth for Houston's only other hit. Dallas Keuchel (9-10) gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings.ROCKIES 5, BRAVES 3, 10 INNINGSATLANTA (AP) — Colorado struck... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Cubs tied a major league record by turning seven double plays Friday night, including a game-ending effort by rookie third baseman David Bote on a grounder by David Freese to finish off a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.The Cubs got six double plays on grounders — five with Cole Hamels pitching — and one on a line drive. The Elias Sports Bureau said the Cubs became the third team in big league history to turn seven DPs in a nine-inning game.Pittsburgh put runners on first and second in the ninth before Jesse Chavez got Freese to ground to Bote. Having hit a game-ending grand slam last Sunday night to beat Washington 4-3, Bote again was in the right place to cap off a win. Bote stepped on third and threw to first base to end it.Hamels (8-9) pitched seven solid innings. Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in the second off Trevor Williams (10-9). Chavez got his second save as the Pirates lost their fifth in a row.The Cubs beat the Pirates by a 1-0 score for the second... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Cubs tied a major league record by turning seven double plays Friday night, including a game-ending effort by rookie third baseman David Bote on a grounder by David Freese to finish off a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.The Cubs got six double plays on grounders — five with Cole Hamels pitching — and one on a line drive. The Elias Sports Bureau said the Cubs became the third team in big league history to turn seven DPs in a nine-inning game.Pittsburgh put runners on first and second in the ninth before Jesse Chavez got Freese to ground to Bote. Having hit a game-ending grand slam last Sunday night to beat Washington 4-3, Bote again was in the right place to cap off a win. Bote stepped on third and threw to first base to end it.Hamels (8-9) pitched seven solid innings. Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in the second off Trevor Williams (10-9). Chavez got his second save as the Pirates lost their fifth in a row.The Cubs beat the Pirates by a 1-0 score for the second... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Cubs tied a major league record by turning seven double plays Friday night, including a game-ending effort by rookie third baseman David Bote on a grounder by David Freese to finish off a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.The Cubs got six double plays on grounders — five with Cole Hamels pitching — and one on a line drive. The Elias Sports Bureau said the Cubs became the third team in big league history to turn seven DPs in a nine-inning game.Pittsburgh put runners on first and second in the ninth before Jesse Chavez got Freese to ground to Bote. Having hit a game-ending grand slam last Sunday night to beat Washington 4-3, Bote again was in the right place to cap off a win. Bote stepped on third and threw to first base to end it.Hamels (8-9) pitched seven solid innings. Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in the second off Trevor Williams (10-9). Chavez got his second save as the Pirates lost their fifth in a row.The Cubs beat the Pirates by a 1-0 score for the second... [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]

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]

NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton hit the hardest homer ever measured by Major League Baseball's Statcast system, Neil Walker hit two more home runs and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 7-3 on Thursday night.Stanton's 28th homer was measured at 121.7 mph, the fastest long ball tracked by Statcast since the system was introduced in 2015. Miguel Andujar and Aaron Hicks also went deep, helping the Yankees win their fourth straight since a five-game skid that included a four-game sweep at AL East-leading Boston.J.A. Happ (12-6) pitched six effective innings in his return from hand, foot and mouth disease. Happ was acquired from Toronto last month and has won both his starts with New York. He allowed three runs, four hits, a walk and struck out nine Thursday.Rookie Ariel Jurado (2-2) got Stanton to hit into a double play in the first inning, then intentionally walked Didi Gregorius before Hicks homered to make it 2-0.All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman walked two in the ninth before getting... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton hit the hardest homer ever measured by Major League Baseball's Statcast system, Neil Walker hit two more home runs and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 7-3 on Thursday night.Stanton's 28th homer was measured at 121.7 mph, the fastest long ball tracked by Statcast since the system was introduced in 2015. Miguel Andujar and Aaron Hicks also went deep, helping the Yankees win their fourth straight since a five-game skid that included a four-game sweep at AL East-leading Boston.J.A. Happ (12-6) pitched six effective innings in his return from hand, foot and mouth disease. Happ was acquired from Toronto last month and has won both his starts with New York. He allowed three runs, four hits, a walk and struck out nine Thursday.Rookie Ariel Jurado (2-2) got Stanton to hit into a double play in the first inning, then intentionally walked Didi Gregorius before Hicks homered to make it 2-0.All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman walked two in the ninth before getting... [More]