NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees start spring training this week without Brett Gardner for the first time since 2006, and manager Aaron Boone isn’t certain whether New York will try to re-sign the last remaining player from the team’s last World Series title. The 37-year-old outfielder became a free agent after the Yankees declined a $10 million option, triggering a $2.5 million buyout. “Obviously, he’s been a great Yankee, but we’ll just see how things unfold here,” Boone said Wednesday at camp in Tampa, Florida, a day ahead of the first workout. Boone said Clint Frazier is projected as his starting left fielder after making great strides last year in his fourth season with the Yankees. The 26-year-old hit .267 with eight homers and 26 RBIs in 131 at-bats during the pandemic-shortened season, after batting .267 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs over 225 at-bats in 2019. “Last year I think really proved that he was ready to grab an everyday role on this team, and especially the improvements really... [More]

Former Cy Young Award winner Félix Hernández has joined the list of major leaguers opting out of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, at least temporarily ending the 34-year-old’s bid to revive his career.Stars Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers and Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros said Sunday they plan to play the 60-game season scheduled to start later this month. Reliever Sean Doolittle, who helped Washington win the World Series last year, plans to play but says that if he feels uncomfortable, he’ll opt out. He also wondered if the United States has done enough to combat the pandemic to deserve a return to sports.As baseball prepares to start its season in less than three weeks while the coronavirus continues to ravage the U.S., there is growing unease in many clubhouses. Even Mike Trout's mother weighed in on Twitter, urging Americans to wear masks as the reigning AL MVP considers his options for the season.In Oakland, two projected members of the Athletics’ starting... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Blue Jays right-hander Clay Buchholz has been scratched from Friday's start against the Chicago White Sox and placed on the 10-day injured list because of a sore shoulder. The move is retroactive to May 9.Right-hander Daniel Hudson will open for Toronto against the White Sox.Buchholz is 0-2 with a 6.57 ERA in five starts. He allowed a season-worst seven runs at Texas last Sunday. Buchholz signed a one-year contract with Toronto during spring training and made his first start April 13.Also Friday, the Blue Jays selected right-hander Javy Guerra and outfielder Jonathan Davis from Triple-A Buffalo. To make room on the roster, outfielder Socrates Brito was designated for assignment. Acquired from San Diego on April 2, Brito hit .077 in 17 games, striking out 17 times in 39 at bats.Left-hander Thomas Pannone, who was optioned to Buffalo on Thursday, was recalled after Buchholz's injury.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) — The Blue Jays said goodbye to Kevin Pillar while giving a long-term deal to Randal Grichuk.Pillar was traded by the veteran-shedding Blue Jays to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday for infielder Alen Hanson, right-hander Derek Law and minor league pitcher Juan De Paula.Toronto also acquired outfielder Socrates Brito from San Diego for Class A outfielder Rodrigo Orozco, then announced a $52 million, five-year agreement with Grichuk, an outfielder who had been eligible for free agency after the 2020 season."I love the city. I like the direction the team is going," Grichuk said. "I see the vision. I see a lot of young, talented players that can be very impactful. They have a vision, and I want to be a part of it."Grichuk is a career .247 hitter with 92 home runs and 245 RBIs in 533 games with St. Louis and Toronto, but his on-base percentage is just .297."The offense has always stood out," Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said. "He's always performed. He's always hit the... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Blue Jays said goodbye to Kevin Pillar while giving a long-term deal to Randal Grichuk.Pillar was traded by the veteran-shedding Blue Jays to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday for infielder Alen Hanson, right-hander Derek Law and minor league pitcher Juan De Paula.Toronto also acquired outfielder Socrates Brito from San Diego for Class A outfielder Rodrigo Orozco, then announced a $52 million, five-year agreement with Grichuk, an outfielder who had been eligible for free agency after the 2020 season."The offense has always stood out," Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said of Grichuk. "He's always performed. He's always hit the ball hard. He's always hit it far, and usually it goes over the fence at a pretty good rate. In our view, he's been an above average defender, and those are hard things to piece together."Grichuk is a career .247 hitter with 92 home runs and 245 RBIs in 533 games with St. Louis and Toronto, but his on-base percentage is just .297.Atkins said... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Blue Jays said goodbye to Kevin Pillar while giving a long-term deal to Randal Grichuk.Pillar was traded by the veteran-shedding Blue Jays to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday for infielder Alen Hanson, right-hander Derek Law and minor league pitcher Juan De Paula.Toronto also acquired outfielder Socrates Brito from San Diego for Class A outfielder Rodrigo Orozco, then announced a $52 million, five-year agreement with Grichuk, an outfielder who had been eligible for free agency after the 2020 season."The offense has always stood out," Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said of Grichuk. "He's always performed. He's always hit the ball hard. He's always hit it far, and usually it goes over the fence at a pretty good rate. In our view, he's been an above average defender, and those are hard things to piece together."Grichuk is a career .247 hitter with 92 home runs and 245 RBIs in 533 games with St. Louis and Toronto, but his on-base percentage is just .297.Atkins said... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Shortly after their playoff spot was assured, the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 on Albert Almora Jr.'s single with two outs in the 10th inning Wednesday night.The NL Central-leading Cubs clinched their fourth straight postseason appearance when Milwaukee beat St. Louis. The Brewers, who sealed a playoff slot with their win, are a half-game behind Chicago. One of them will win the NL Central, the other will play in the NL wild-card game.After Pittsburgh tied it in the ninth on a two-out, two-run double by Starling Marte, the Cubs bounced back to win. Ian Happ led off the 10th with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Terrance Gore. Mike Freeman's sacrifice moved up Gore, and he took third on a groundout. Almora singled to left on an 0-2 pitch from Richard Rodriguez (4-3).Jason Heyward homered and drove in three runs for the Cubs. Javier Baez singled for his NL-leading 111th RBI as the Cubs won after blowing a five-run lead. Star third baseman Kris Bryant... [More]

OF Socrates Brito (finger) was taken off the 60-day disabled list and assigned to Triple-A Reno, where he played recently on a rehab assignment. Brito needed surgery in March to repair a dislocated ring finger and has yet to play in the majors this season. He is a .211 career hitter in 58 major league games.

CF Socrates Brito was sent on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Reno. Brito (left ring finger surgery in March 2017) had a dislocated finger repaired and had been placed on the 60-day disabled list. March 28.

OF Socrates Brito (left ring finger surgery in March 2017) had a dislocated finger repaired. He is expected to be out until at least early May.

OF Socrates Brito was recalled from Triple-A Reno to begin his fourth stint with the Diamondbacks this season. In 73 games at Reno, Brito hit .294 with 10 doubles, eight triples, six homers and 39 RBI. Brito fills the roster spot of OF Michael Bourn, whom the Diamondbacks traded to Baltimore on Wednesday for a minor league outfielder. Brito suffered a fractured right big toe when he fouled a ball off his foot on?June 23during Arizona's last visit to Coors Field.

OF Socrates Brito was recalled from Triple-A Reno on Friday and will be in the lineup Saturday.

OF Socrates Brito was optioned to Triple-A Reno before Tuesday's game. In 19 games, Brito hit .185 with two homers, five RBIs and 16 strikeouts in 54 at-bats.

OF Socrates Brito was recalled from Triple-A Reno on Sunday, two days after he was activated from the disabled list and optioned to Reno after recovering from a fractured big toe suffered June 24. Brito will serve as the backup center fielder and is likely to get most of his at-bats against right-handers, manager Chip Hale said. "We want to make sure we take care of him, too," Hale said. "He's coming back from the DL ... and he's not at 100 percent with his at-bats. We need to work him in and make sure we get him in good situations."

OF Socrates Brito was recalled by the Diamondbacks from Triple-A Reno. Brito is batting .211 with two homers in 13 games for Arizona this season.

OF Socrates Brito (fractured toe) was activated from the disabled list and optioned to Triple-A Reno, where he had played four games on a rehab assignment.

OF Socrates Brito began a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona League on Tuesday, and he went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Brito was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right toe fracture on June 24.

OF Socrates Brito (fractured right big toe) was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He fouled a ball off his toe on his final at-bat in the eighth Thursday and said he realized he was seriously injured when he went to the outfield. "As soon as I got hit, that was painful," Brito said. "I went to the outfield, I can't like stay on my feet." Brito had been promoted earlier in the week because he can play center field. Asked how frustrating it was to return to the majors only to get injured, Brito said, "It's part of the game. There's nothing you can do. If it's going to be you, it's you."

OF Socrates Brito was called up before Monday's game from Triple-A Reno and given the start against Philadelphia.This is his second stint with the big-league club this year, as he hit .226 (7-for-31) while with the team from April 4-17. In 52 games with the Aces, he was hitting .289 (63-for-218) with eight doubles, five home runs and 30 RBIs.

OF Socrates Brito was sent to Triple-A Reno for at least 10 days in an attempt to get him some consistent at bats. "It was a difficult decision," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "He's not swinging the bat like he was during the spring. Maybe he goes down, gets 40 or 50 at-bats and it could snap him right back into a streak."