Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (COVID-19) has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Zach Buchanan of The Athletic. Kelly had been pitching well recently, going 4-2 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.105 WHIP and 17.7 percent strikeout rate across 57 innings pitched over his last nine starts. He'll be out for a while now, and managers who have him rostered should stash him on the IL if they have space available.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly allowed four runs three earned on eight hits and two walks while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings of work in an 8-3 loss to the Dodgers. It was yet another quality start for Kelly, who has now recorded one in five of his last eight starts. He got off to a rough start this year, but he's recorded his best numbers of the season in the month of July, where he's gone 3-1 with a 3.55 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in 38 innings of work. He'll look to keep things rolling his next time out against the Giants.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota YANKEES 4, RED SOX... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota YANKEES 4, RED SOX... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Rougned Odor’s two-run double highlighted a four-run rally in the eighth inning after his two errors helped Boston build an early lead, and the New York Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-3 on Saturday. Gleyber Torres added a go-ahead, bloop single for the Yankees. They are 3-9 this season against their longtime rivals. The Red Sox, who had won four in a row, put runners on second and third with two outs in the ninth before Aroldis Chapman struck out Kiké Hernández for his 18th save. Boston starter Nathan Eovaldi was breezing along, throwing a shutout with two outs in the eighth before he was lifted after Brett Gardner’s RBI single. Adam Ottavino (2-3) relieved and allowed Giancarlo Stanton’s bloop, ground-rule double. Odor drove his tying hit off the Green Monster and Torres followed a single that dropped in down the right-field line. New York starter Jameson Taillon (6-4) gave up three runs — one earned — in seven innings, striking out four and walking three. DIAMONDBACKS 7, CUBS... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alcides Escobar homered in the eighth inning and hit a winning single in the ninth Sunday as the Washington Nationals wrapped up a disturbing weekend with an 8-7 win over the San Diego Padres. A day after the game was suspended in the sixth inning because of a shooting outside Nationals Park, the Padres completed a 10-4 victory. Washington then came back to end a six-game losing streak. Tres Barrera singled off Mark Melancon (2-2) with one out in the ninth and, after failing on a bunt attempt, Victor Robles was hit by pitch. Escobar hit a flyball that center fielder Trent Grisham couldn’t corral and Barrera scored. Brad Hand (5-2) earned the victory. Juan Soto joined Josh Harrison with three hits and added a two-run homer. Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Jackson Profar homered for the Padres. Nationals ace Max Scherzer allowed four runs on four hits in seven innings. He struck out eight. In the completion of Saturday's suspended game, Fernando Tatis Jr. had his third four-hit... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alcides Escobar homered in the eighth inning and hit a winning single in the ninth Sunday as the Washington Nationals wrapped up a disturbing weekend with an 8-7 win over the San Diego Padres. A day after the game was suspended in the sixth inning because of a shooting outside Nationals Park, the Padres completed a 10-4 victory. Washington then came back to end a six-game losing streak. Tres Barrera singled off Mark Melancon (2-2) with one out in the ninth and, after failing on a bunt attempt, Victor Robles was hit by pitch. Escobar hit a flyball that center fielder Trent Grisham couldn’t corral and Barrera scored. Brad Hand (5-2) earned the victory. Juan Soto joined Josh Harrison with three hits and added a two-run homer. Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Jackson Profar homered for the Padres. Nationals ace Max Scherzer allowed four runs on four hits in seven innings. He struck out eight. In the completion of Saturday's suspended game, Fernando Tatis Jr. had his third four-hit... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Zack Collins hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning and the Chicago White Sox scored at least seven runs for the fourth straight game, beating the Minnesota Twins 8-5 on Thursday for a four-game sweep. Chicago got four runs off Minnesota’s bullpen after the Twins erased a 3-0 deficit. The AL Central-leading White Sox won their fourth straight after losing seven of nine. Collins broke a 4-4 tie when he hit a fastball from Jorge Alcala (1-3) into the left-center field bleachers. Jose Abreu drove in another run in the sixth, and Danny Mednick and Collins drove in two more in the seventh. Michael Kopech (3-0) pitched a scoreless sixth and Garrett Crochet struck out Miguel Sano to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. BRAVES 4, METS 3 ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman singled home the winning run with a low line drive that deflected off reliever Seth Lugo in the ninth inning, Atlanta beat New York. Dominic Smith homered twice for the Mets, including a tying solo shot off... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks snapped their record 24-game road losing streak by routing the San Diego Padres 10-1 on Saturday night, getting six scoreless innings from Merrill Kelly and four hits and five RBIs from Eduardo Escobar. Escobar and Christian Walker homered for the Diamondbacks, who hadn’t won away from Chase Field since April 25, when Madison Bumgarner pitched seven no-hit innings at Atlanta. The Diamondbacks had dropped 20 of 21 games and 34 of 37 overall. Escobar connected for a two-run homer, and drove in runs with a double, a single and a groundout. He finished a triple shy of the cycle. Kelly (4-7) allowed five hits, struck out five and walked none. Dinelson Lamet (2-3) took the loss, allowing four runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings. METS 4, PHILLIES 3 NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom gave up two runs for the first time this season and New York rallied after he exited, beating Philadelphia on Michael Conforto’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning. DeGrom’s bid to... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: JAKE TO BREAK? Mets ace Jacob deGrom can set the team record for scoreless innings when he starts against the Phillies at Citi Field. DeGrom has a 30-inning shutout streak, nearing the club mark of 32 2/3 innings by R.A. Dickey in 2012. DeGrom owns an amazing 0.50 ERA through 12 starts, going 7-2. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner hasn’t allowed a run in his last five starts, giving up just seven hits over a 27-inning span and putting to rest, for now, worries over recent health concerns. TRY AGAIN Arizona makes another attempt to win on the road, where it's been two months since its last victory. The Diamondbacks extended their dubious MLB record by losing for the 24th straight time away from Chase Field, beaten 11-5 at San Diego as Fernando Tatis Jr. hit three home runs for the Padres. The last time Arizona won on the road was April 25, when Madison Bumgarner pitched seven no-hit innings to win at Atlanta. Merrill Kelly (3-7, 5.06... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom pitched one-hit ball over five scoreless innings as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 Monday in a doubleheader opener. Ian Anderson (5-3) allowed three hits in 5 1/3 innings as the Braves won the nightcap 1-0 and he to became the first native New Yorker to beat the Mets and Yankees in New York in the same season. DeGrom (7-2) didn’t allow a hit in the seven-inning opener until Mets outfielders misplayed a fifth-inning fly ball into a ground-rule double. Jeff McNeil came off the injured list and singled as a pinch-hitter for deGrom during the fifth, then scored on Dominic Smith’s three-run double. Seth Lugo and Edwin Díaz finished the two-hitter, with Díaz getting his 15th save. Kyle Muller (0-1) pitched one-hit ball over four innings in his first big league start. In the second game, Ronald Acuña Jr. hit his 20th homer. Braves closer Will Smith loaded the bases in the seventh but escaped for his 14th save. PADRES 6, DODGERS 2 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Yu Darvish struck... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom pitched one-hit ball over five scoreless innings as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 Monday in a doubleheader opener. Ian Anderson (5-3) allowed three hits in 5 1/3 innings as the Braves won the nightcap 1-0 and he to became the first native New Yorker to beat the Mets and Yankees in New York in the same season. DeGrom (7-2) didn’t allow a hit in the seven-inning opener until Mets outfielders misplayed a fifth-inning fly ball into a ground-rule double. Jeff McNeil came off the injured list and singled as a pinch-hitter for deGrom during the fifth, then scored on Dominic Smith’s three-run double. Seth Lugo and Edwin Díaz finished the two-hitter, with Díaz getting his 15th save. Kyle Muller (0-1) pitched one-hit ball over four innings in his first big league start. In the second game, Ronald Acuña Jr. hit his 20th homer. Braves closer Will Smith loaded the bases in the seventh but escaped for his 14th save. RANGERS 8, ATHLETICS 3 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Andy... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: STUCK UP Major League Baseball begins its crackdown against pitchers using sticky substances when umpires start making regular, random mound checks. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole isn’t sure what to expect. “I think I’m in the same boat as everyone else, just waiting for this to play out,” he said. Pitchers will be ejected and suspended for 10 games if caught using foreign substances to doctor baseballs. Such grip aids — ranging from a tacky mix of rosin and sunscreen to heavy duty concoctions designed for use in strongman competitions — have long been illegal, but the ban has rarely been enforced. Umps will check all starters multiple times and all relievers either at the end of his first inning or when removed, whichever occurs first. Caps, gloves and fingertips will be checked. “It definitely will be probably a little awkward,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “But we’ll get through it, adjust.” ALL EYES ON JAKE Jacob deGrom is still listed as... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Monday: STUCK UP Major League Baseball begins its crackdown against pitchers using sticky substances when umpires start making regular, random mound checks. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole isn’t sure what to expect. “I think I’m in the same boat as everyone else, just waiting for this to play out,” he said. Pitchers will be ejected and suspended for 10 games if caught using foreign substances to doctor baseballs. Such grip aids — ranging from a tacky mix of rosin and sunscreen to heavy duty concoctions designed for use in strongman competitions — have long been illegal, but the ban has rarely been enforced. Umps will check all starters multiple times and all relievers either at the end of his first inning or when removed, whichever occurs first. Caps, gloves and fingertips will be checked. “It definitely will be probably a little awkward,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “But we’ll get through it, adjust.” ALL EYES ON JAKE Jacob deGrom is still listed... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ ENDLESS ROAD The beleaguered Arizona Diamondbacks have dropped 21 straight on the road, one short of the major league record. Arizona can match a dubious mark shared by the 1963 New York Mets and 1943 Philadelphia Athletics when it plays the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Merrill Kelly (2-6, 5.14 ERA) pitches for the Diamondbacks against Anthony DeSclafani (6-2, 3.09), who tossed a two-hit shutout versus Washington last Friday. Arizona hasn’t won on the road since April 25 at Atlanta. “It wears you down,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “At some point we’re going to understand why we’re walking through this. I don’t want things to creep into the guys' heads about feeling sorry for themselves." The Diamondbacks blew a seven-run lead Tuesday night in San Francisco and lost 9-8 when Mike Yastrzemski hit a go-ahead grand slam with two outs in the eighth inning. They've dropped 12 in a row overall. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles will... [More]