A team-by-team look at the American League Central entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Cleveland IndiansManager: Terry Francona (seventh season).2018: 91-71, first place, lost to Houston in Division Series.Training Town: Goodyear, Arizona.Park: Goodyear Ballpark.First Workout: Feb. 14/18.He's Here: 1B-DH Carlos Santana, 1B Jake Bauers, C Kevin Plawecki, OF Jordan Luplow, RHP Chih-Wei Hu, RHP Nick Wittgren, LHP Oliver Perez, INF Ryan Flaherty, C Dioner Navarro.He's Outta Here: OF Michael Brantley, DH Edwin Encarnacion, LHP Andrew Miller, RHP Cody Allen, C Yan Gomes, 1B Yonder Alonso, 3B Yandy Diaz, 2B Erik Gonzalez.Going campin': The Indians followed up a third straight AL Central title with another postseason disappointment, getting swept in the Division Series by Houston. The offseason goal was to reduce payroll, and the Indians went at their roster with a wrecking ball.... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American League Central entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Cleveland IndiansManager: Terry Francona (seventh season).2018: 91-71, first place, lost to Houston in Division Series.Training Town: Goodyear, Arizona.Park: Goodyear Ballpark.First Workout: Feb. 14/18.He's Here: 1B-DH Carlos Santana, 1B Jake Bauers, C Kevin Plawecki, OF Jordan Luplow, RHP Chih-Wei Hu, RHP Nick Wittgren, LHP Oliver Perez, INF Ryan Flaherty, C Dioner Navarro.He's Outta Here: OF Michael Brantley, DH Edwin Encarnacion, LHP Andrew Miller, RHP Cody Allen, C Yan Gomes, 1B Yonder Alonso, 3B Yandy Diaz, 2B Erik Gonzalez.Going campin': The Indians followed up a third straight AL Central title with another postseason disappointment, getting swept in the Division Series by Houston. The offseason goal was to reduce payroll, and the Indians went at their roster with a wrecking ball.... [More]

A team-by-team look at the American League Central entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Cleveland IndiansManager: Terry Francona (seventh season).2018: 91-71, first place, lost to Houston in Division Series.Training Town: Goodyear, Arizona.Park: Goodyear Ballpark.First Workout: Feb. 14/18.He's Here: 1B-DH Carlos Santana, 1B Jake Bauers, C Kevin Plawecki, OF Jordan Luplow, RHP Chih-Wei Hu, RHP Nick Wittgren, LHP Oliver Perez, INF Ryan Flaherty, C Dioner Navarro.He's Outta Here: OF Michael Brantley, DH Edwin Encarnacion, LHP Andrew Miller, RHP Cody Allen, C Yan Gomes, 1B Yonder Alonso, 3B Yandy Diaz, 2B Erik Gonzalez.Going campin': The Indians followed up a third straight AL Central title with another postseason disappointment, getting swept in the Division Series by Houston. The offseason goal was to reduce payroll, and the Indians went at their roster with a wrecking ball.... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians have acquired right-hander Chih-Wei Hu (chee-way-hoo) in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for infielder Gionti Turner.The trade was announced Monday. The 25-year-old Hu made just five relief appearances with the Rays in 2018. He spent most of the season at Triple-A Durham, where he went 5-7 with a 4.66 ERA in 24 games, including 19 starts.With Tampa Bay, Hue struck out 12 in 13 innings. He was acquired by the Rays in 2015 from Minnesota in the non-waiver deadline deal for right-hander Kevin Jepsen. Hu had the lowest ERA (2.59) in the Southern League in 2016.The 18-year-old Turner hit .296 (50 for 169) in the rookie-level Arizona League last season. He was a 27th-round draft pick this year.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST.PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay center fielder Kevin Kiermaier has a torn ligament in his right thumb that requires surgery and could be sidelined two to three months.The Rays placed the defensive whiz on the 10-day disabled list Monday, a day after he was injured sliding headfirst into second base during a 10-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Kiermaier said he will have surgery Friday."I kind of expected it," he said. "Hearing those words that I'll out for months at a time is really hard to take right now."This will be the third straight season the two-time Gold Glove winner will miss significant time because of injury.Kiermaier, batting .163 with one RBI, missed 48 games in 2016 after breaking his left wrist diving for a ball. Last season, he fractured his right hip sliding feet first into first base and was out 61 games."For this to happen, third consecutive year, another freak type of injury, it's hard to put into words," Kiermaier said. "I'm shocked, surprised. Sometimes it... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay center fielder Kevin Kiermaier has a torn ligament in his right thumb that requires surgery and could be sidelined for two to three months.The Rays placed the defensive whiz on the 10-day disabled list Monday, a day after he was injured sliding head-first into second base during a 10-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.The club said surgery will be scheduled "in the coming days."This will be the third straight season the 27-year-old, two-time Gold Glove winner will miss significant time because of injury.Kiermaier, who's batting .163 with one RBI this year, missed 48 games after breaking his left wrist diving for a ball in 2016. Last season, he fractured his right hip sliding feet-first into first base and was sidelined for 61 games.Right-handed pitcher Chih-Wei Hu was recalled from Triple-A Durham to fill Kiermaier's spot on the roster.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

The bullpen cart is back in the big leagues.Nearly a quarter-century since relievers stopped catching rides to the mound, the Arizona Diamondbacks said Tuesday they will use a buggy — topped by the requisite oversized team cap — to transport pitchers from both bullpens at Chase Field."I don't know how it will be getting driven in, but I think it's a cool idea and we'll have some fun with it," Diamondbacks closer candidate Archie Bradley said.With Major League Baseball looking for ways to speed up things, it's hard to tell whether this will save any time. But it's certain to be a hit with fans, especially the kids the game is trying to attract."I love it. I love it. I love," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "It brings a little personality. We're probably the only sport that can do something like that."The last known time a team in the majors used a motorized vehicle — some clubs had actual cars — to relay relievers was 1995, when the Milwaukee Brewers shuttled them in a motorcycle... [More]

The bullpen cart is back in the big leagues.Nearly a quarter-century since relievers stopped catching rides to the mound, the Arizona Diamondbacks said Tuesday they will use a buggy — topped by the requisite oversized team cap — to transport pitchers from both bullpens at Chase Field."I don't know how it will be getting driven in, but I think it's a cool idea and we'll have some fun with it," Diamondbacks closer candidate Archie Bradley said.With Major League Baseball looking for ways to speed up things, it's hard to tell whether this will save any time. But it's certain to be a hit with fans, especially the kids the game is trying to attract."I love it. I love it. I love," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "It brings a little personality. We're probably the only sport that can do something like that."The last known time a team in the majors used a motorized vehicle — some clubs had actual cars — to relay relievers was 1995, when the Milwaukee Brewers shuttled them in a motorcycle... [More]

RHP Chih-Wei Hu joined the Rays in Baltimore on Thursday after being promoted from Triple-A Durham. Hu has already appeared in four games (eight innings) for the Rays, allowing two runs (one earned), four hits, four walks and nine strikeouts. Manager Kevin Cash said Hu will get more opportunities.

RHP Chih-Wei Hu was optioned to Triple-A Durham to make roster room for RHP Matt Andriese. Hu was 0-1 with a 1.13 ERA in four relief appearances, allowing three hits and one earned run in eight innings, while walking four and striking out nine. "Realistically he could provide 45-50 pitches, tops," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. He wanted a reliever built up to throw more pitches, which is why Andriese was added to the bullpen and Hu subtracted.

RHP Chih-Wei Hu was recalled from Triple-A Durham on Thursday. He is 0-1 with a 1.13 ERA in four appearances with the Rays this season.

RHP Chih-Wei Hu was recalled from Triple-A Durham after Wednesday's game. He will give the bullpen a fresh arm. He was 4-1 with a 3.22 ERA at Durham, and he had a 1.13 ERA in four appearances with the Rays earlier this season.