Randy Arozarena shines again; Rays blank Red Sox in ALDS openerVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Randy Arozarena became the first player to hit a home run and steal home in a postseason game, and rookie Shane McClanahan pitched the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in their AL Division Series opener Thursday night. The breakout...
Astros open ALDS with convincing win against White SoxVideo
HOUSTON — Lance McCullers Jr. was terrific. Yordan Alvarez delivered, and Jose Altuve scored on a nifty slide. The Houston Astros sure love October. McCullers pitched scoreless ball into the seventh inning, and the Astros beat Lance Lynn and the Chicago White Sox, 6-1, in Game 1 of their AL...
Chris Taylor hits walk-off HR, Dodgers beat Cards in wild-cardVideo
LOS ANGELES — Chris Taylor hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Wednesday night in the NL wild-card game. The 106-win Dodgers advanced to a best-of-five NL Division Series against the rival Giants. Game...
Indians manager, New Brighton native Terry Francona confident he’ll return in 2022Video
CLEVELAND — Indians manager Terry Francona is confident he’ll return next season after missing most of the past two because of serious health issues. Francona, a New Brighton native, was forced to step away from the club in late July to undergo hip replacement surgery as well as a procedure...
Scrappy defending AL champ Rays poised to open ALDS against big-market Red SoxVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have won more games than any other team in the American League over the past two seasons, going about their business with a quiet confidence that has the full attention of the Boston Red Sox. The AL East rivals meet in a...
77-year-old Tony La Russa back in MLB postseason with White Sox against AstrosVideo
HOUSTON — A three-time World Series winner, Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa certainly couldn’t be nervous as his team prepares for the opener of a best-of-five AL Division Series against the Houston Astros on Thursday. Except he is — and it has nothing to do with the Hall...
MLB finalizing policy to mandate vaccine for minor leaguers
Major League Baseball is finalizing a policy that will mandate covid-19 vaccines for minor league players for the 2022 season. While the league could face legal challenges in requiring vaccination for major leaguers without the cooperation of the players association, minor leaguers are not included in the big league union....
Padres fire manger Jayce Tingler after second-half collapse
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres have fired Jayce Tingler, who presided over the biggest collapse in franchise history just a season after finishing second in voting for NL Manager of the Year. General manager A.J. Preller announced the move Wednesday, three days after the Padres finished 79-83 and...
First Call: Broncos sign ex-Steeler before trip to Pittsburgh; Twitter shreds Gerrit Cole; Shane Baz to appear in ALDS
Wednesday’s “First Call” gives us yet another ex-Raider taking shots at the Steelers over the Immaculate Reception. A former Steeler signs with the Denver Broncos days before they come to Heinz Field. Shane Baz gets to show his skills on a big stage. And fans skewer Gerrit Cole following his...
Red Sox dent Gerrit Cole, beat Yankees in AL wild-card gameVideo
BOSTON — Xander Bogaerts and Kyle Schwarber homered off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, and Nathan Eovaldi took a shutout into the sixth inning to help the Boston Red Sox beat New York 6-2 Tuesday night in the AL wild-card game. Bogaerts also made a perfect relay to throw out Aaron...
Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Dodgers’ Max Scherzer meet in NL wild-card gameVideo
LOS ANGELES — Two wily veterans on the mound in an elimination game. Adam Wainwright starting for the reinvigorated St. Louis Cardinals against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Scherzer, pitching as well as he ever has. “It’s as fun as it gets, right?” Wainwright said, smiling. Indeed, though neither team...
Mets let go of manager Luis Rojas after 2 losing seasons
NEW YORK — Luis Rojas was let go as manager of the New York Mets on Monday after two losing seasons. The team declined its option on Rojas’ contract for 2022, making the announcement a day after finishing third in the NL East at 77-85 in Steve Cohen’s first year...
MLB .244 batting average worst since ’68, up after crackdown
NEW YORK — The major league batting average dropped to .244 this season, its lowest since the year of the pitcher in 1968, though offense picked up markedly following baseball’s midseason crackdown on grip-enhancing substances for pitchers. MLB’s stricter enforcement had the desired impact, ending a run of 12 consecutive...
With MVPs out, new stars set to shine in MLB postseason
A funny thing about this year’s likely MVPs — none was valuable enough to push his teams into the postseason. Shohei Ohtani, Bryce Harper, Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — all contenders for the individual prize and all set to watch from home while a champion is...
Wainwright gets $17.5M from Cards in ’22, over double ’21
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright is guaranteed $17.5 million under his 2022 contract with the Cardinals, more than double his $8 million salary this year. The 40-year-old also has a full no-trade provision in the deal announced Friday, not that it makes any difference. Wainwright has the...
No scramble, playoffs set: Yanks-Red Sox, Giants win WestVideo
Rafael Devers delivered big time for the Boston Red Sox. Aaron Judge did just enough for the New York Yankees. And Buster Posey boosted the San Francisco Giants to the NL West crown, dropping the 106-win Dodgers into a dangerous wild-card game. In a flash, the MLB playoff field was...
KO’d: Brewers reliever Devin Williams hits wall, breaks hand; out of playoffsVideo
ST. LOUIS — Milwaukee Brewers reliever Devin Williams fractured his throwing hand when he punched a wall after his team celebrated its NL Central title, likely knocking him out for the entire postseason. Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said before the Brewers’ Wednesday night game with the St....
Woman, 2-year-old son die after falling from 3rd-level concourse at San Diego stadium
San Diego police are investigating the deaths of a woman and her 2-year-old son after they fell from the third level of Petco Park before the game, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. The woman, 40, and the boy were pronounced dead at 4:11 p.m., about 20 minutes after police were...
White Sox clinch 1st AL Central title since 2008Video
CLEVELAND — Tony La Russa stood in the visiting dugout, soaking in the scene as the Chicago White Sox celebrated their first AL Central title since 2008. The Hall of Fame manager came out of retirement for moments like this. “It’s like fantasy island because you never thought you’d have...
Grievance over shortened MLB season opens Monday
NEW YORK — In the midst of difficult negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, MLB and its players’ association are scheduled to start a grievance hearing next Monday over the union’s claim the 2020 pandemic-affected season was too short. The timing of the hearing was disclosed to the Associated...
First Call: Steelers still favored for next game; Shane Baz set for MLB debut; Gerrit Cole crushed
Monday’s “First Call” has an early look at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ odds of bouncing back from Sunday’s loss when they host the Cincinnati Bengals this week. Another chapter in the Chris Archer trade is about to be written. Gerrit Cole had a rough outing at Yankee Stadium. And we found...
Tarp or tossed? Ump says he didn’t ‘eject’ O’s grounds crew
Even for baseball fans who’ve seen everything, this was a bizarre sight: The entire Baltimore Orioles’ grounds crew, perched behind the tarp and poised to spring into action as a storm approached, suddenly got told by an umpire to scram. That’s how it looked Wednesday night at Camden Yards as...
Cardinals soar into playoff position behind ageless arms
NEW YORK — On the morning of the trade deadline in late July, the St. Louis Cardinals were a .500 team sitting 7 1/2 games outside a playoff spot. Even with new slugger Nolan Arenado at third base, a season that began with big expectations appeared to be slipping away....
Slugger Ryan Braun retires after 14-year career with BrewersVideo
MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers’ home run leader whose production was slowed by injuries during the second half of his 14-year career, announced his retirement on Tuesday. Braun hasn’t played all season and said during spring training that he was leaning toward retirement. The 2011 NL MVP made...
Brewers’ Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader combine for MLB record 9th no-hitterVideo
CLEVELAND — Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseball’s record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians, 3-0, on Saturday night. Burnes (10-4) struck out 14 with 115 pitches over...
