The Yankees' heralded bullpen depth could be tested early. Andrew Miller broke his non-pitching wrist when struck on the right arm by a line drive in the seventh inning of New York's 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. The left-hander threw his glove and walked into the Yankees' dugout after pinch-hitter Willians Astudillo's comebacker went off his arm, just above the wrist.
New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard expects a hostile reception when he takes the mound Tuesday in Kansas City. Syndergaard's first pitch in Game 3 of the World Series last fall was a 98 mhp fastball that went over the head of Alcides Escobar. ''I don't think they're too fond of me,'' Syndergaard said Wednesday.
Jon Lester struck out 10 in five innings and hit a two-run home run to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 10-0 win over a Colorado Rockies split squad on Wednesday. Rockies starter David Hale went 2 2/3 innings. ''I thought he threw the ball well,'' Colorado manager Walt Weiss said.
Corey Kluber gave up one run on six hits and struck out six in his final spring start, helping the Cleveland Indians to a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. In a match-up of opening day starters, Clayton Kershaw worked three scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out four. Kluber will make his second straight opening day start against the Red Sox in Cleveland on Monday.
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- The St. Louis Cardinals employed the same formula they used to win 100 games last season - good starting pitching, enough timely hitting and Trevor Rosenthal closing out the game - to defeat the Miami Marlins 3-0 on Wednesday in both teams' final spring game.
Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth and Stephen Drew homered as the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 12-1 on Wednesday in the final spring training game for both teams. Zimmerman hit a three-run blast in the top of the first inning off Mets starter Matt Harvey while Werth and Drew each hit two-run homers. Noah Syndergaard threw three innings out of the bullpen and gave up two runs - both coming on the Werth home run.
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer and Gregory Polanco doubled twice as the Pittsburgh Pirates played to a 4-4, nine-inning tie Wednesday with a Boston Red Sox split squad.
HONOLULU (AP) -- Maui prosecutors are moving to dismiss a domestic abuse charge against suspended Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes.
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) -- Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona has finalized his starting rotation, and it doesn't include Trevor Bauer.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Bengals have signed versatile linebacker Karlos Dansby from intrastate rival Cleveland, bringing in someone who can help them get through Vontaze Burfict's suspension.
NEW YORK (AP) -- After allowing iPad Air 2s with restrictions in dugouts during the final two weeks of last season and the postseason under a pilot program, Major League Baseball reached a deal with Apple that gives iPad Pros to all teams this year along with a new scouting, analytics and video app called MLB Dugout.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Nolan Arenado homered twice and singled, raising his spring average to a major league-best .580, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1 on Tuesday.
MESA, Ariz. (AP) -- Jake Arrieta prepared for his start on opening day, overcoming a 28-pitch first inning Tuesday as the Chicago Cubs beat the Oakland Athletics 9-5.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Chris Sale pitched into the sixth inning, Todd Frazier homered and the Chicago White Sox beat the Texas Rangers 6-2 at spring training on Tuesday.
Jalen Ramsey is hoping the Tennessee Titans make him the top overall pick in next month's NFL draft because of his skills and not any hometown bias. The defensive back had another chance to make his case on Tuesday during Florida State's pro day. Ramsey, kicker Roberto Aguayo and 14 other Seminoles did position drills in front of representatives from 30 teams.
The opportunity to reminisce and trade stories with old Raiders teammates is always one of the highlights for Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff when he hosts his annual golf tournament. The fact that the event is one of the major fundraisers each year for a cause so dear to Biletnikoff and his family makes the event even more special. The golf tournament and a crab feed held each fall are the main events that raise money for the Biletnikoff Foundation.
As Jared Cook considered his options in free agency, finding a quarterback to get him the football was first and foremost on his mind. ''It was more than the top priority I was looking for,'' the tight end said Tuesday, a day after signing a one-year free-agent contract with the Packers, whose quarterback happens to be two-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers. While Cook targeted a team with a proven quarterback, the Packers, who rarely delve into free agency, targeted Cook to give their quarterback an explosive threat at tight end.
Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell often starts laughing before he even starts talking. For the 22-year-old from Cleveland, every interaction is an opportunity to have a good time - even interviews with NFL teams at the combine. Powell is one of nine Buckeyes who passed up another season of college eligibility and who are expected to be drafted April 28-30.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -- Chris Narveson combined with four relievers on a two-hitter, leading the Miami Marlins over the New York Mets 1-0 on Tuesday.
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) -- Masahiro Tanaka pitched four innings, allowing seven hits but just one run, and a split squad of New York Yankees led the Philadelphia Phillies 7-1 Tuesday when the game was rained out.
MESA, Ariz. (AP) -- The Chicago Cubs have released veteran outfielder Shane Victorino and will put utilityman Javier Baez on the 15-day disabled list.
Major League Baseball is launching a new community program to refurbish ballfields all across the country over the next three years. MLB announced Tuesday it will work with The Scotts Co. to identify and renovate diamonds in need of upgrades or repair. It's all part of the Play Ball initiative introduced by Commissioner Rob Manfred and USA Baseball last year, designed to attract more young people to baseball and softball while giving them additional opportunities to play.
The NFL has demanded The New York Times retract a story that called the league's concussion research flawed and likened the NFL's handling of head trauma to the tobacco industry's response to the dangers of cigarettes. The NFL also says it will ''more broadly reserve all of the league's rights and remedies,'' a veiled threat of legal action.
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -- Right-hander Philip Humber has told the San Diego Padres he's retiring instead of accepting a minor league assignment.
New York Mets ace Matt Harvey remains on track to start Sunday night's opener at Kansas City after passing a blood clot in his bladder. ''I guess it started with a bladder infection that created a blood clot in the bladder,'' Harvey said Tuesday. Harvey reported the issue to Mets staff on Monday and he was the lone player not to travel to Jupiter, Florida, for an exhibition game against St. Louis.
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) -- Raisel Iglesias will be the Reds' opening-day starter against the Phillies, taking the top spot in their inexperience rotation because Anthony DeSclafani is hurt.
Masahiro Tanaka's final spring training start Tuesday against Philadelphia will likely determine whether he will be the New York Yankees' opening-day starter. ''We want to make sure that we feel that he's ready and that he feels good about where he's at before we really talk about who's going to be our opening-day starter,'' Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before Tuesday night's game against Detroit. Girardi called Tanaka's spring training inconsistent.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Boston celebrated David Ortiz's two decades of spring training in Fort Myers with a pregame ceremony before his final home exhibition game, a 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- New York Mets opening-day starter Matt Harvey did not travel with the rest of the team to Jupiter, Florida, on Monday because of what the team said was a ''non-orthopedic doctor's appointment.''
Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah retired after seven seasons Monday, joining the growing list of players who have walked away from the NFL because of health concerns. Husain had his fifth concussion this season, which sidelined him for five weeks. The 30-year-old player returned to help Kansas City beat Houston for its first postseason victory in more than two decades.
Wherever he goes, Charlie Manuel feels the love. The folksy former manager is a folk hero among Philadelphia Phillies fans. It took the City of Brotherly Love a while to embrace Manuel and his down-home charm, but they grew to appreciate him.
Running backs have proved elusive this offseason for the Miami Dolphins, who are now pursuing free agent Arian Foster. A person familiar with the situation said Foster has agreed to meet Tuesday with the Dolphins, who have had trouble finding a replacement for Lamar Miller. The person confirmed the visit to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the Dolphins have not commented on the upcoming meeting.
Retired World Series-winning catcher Bob Boone has a CD with 60 video clips of home-plate collisions that resulted in injuries. None of those happened in the past two seasons since Major League Baseball instituted a new rule to prevent collisions. ''It's one of the biggest plays we have in the game, and we put the defensive player, the catcher, out of position,'' said Boone, who works in the Washington Nationals' front office.
Travis Ishikawa, a postseason hero for the Giants during their last World Series run, drove in five runs and finished a single short of the cycle to help the Chicago White Sox beat San Francisco 13-9 on Sunday. Ishikawa sent the Giants to the World Series in 2014 with a three-run walk-off homer in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, and he drew cheers from San Francisco fans Sunday. Avisail Garcia and Todd Frazier each added two-run home runs for Chicago.
MESA, Ariz. (AP) -- As usual, star Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward made the smart play. He climbed the fence in center - to avoid a swarm of bees.
MIAMI (AP) -- Hundreds of family, friends and members of the Baltimore Ravens paid respects to Tray Walker, the Ravens cornerback who died after being injured in a dirt bike crash in northwest Miami-Dade.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Boston's first three hitters - Mookie Betts, Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts - combined for seven hits, three runs and two RBIs to lead the Red Sox to a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
The Cleveland Indians say All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley is still recovering from shoulder surgery and will not begin the season as a starter. Brantley has played in two exhibition games, with a home run his only hit, and reported residual soreness. Brantley had surgery in November.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) -- Toronto pitcher Drew Hutchinson left Sunday's spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning after he appeared to be hit in the back of the head by catcher A.J. Jimenez's throw to second base on an attempted stolen base.
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Carlos Correa and Tyler White hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, and the Houston Astros routed the San Diego Padres 11-1 on Saturday night in the first major league game in Mexico City in 12 years.
Colorado rookie shortstop Trevor Story hit his fifth home run of spring training and doubled twice against Texas Rangers starter Martin Perez in the Rockies' 8-6 victory Saturday. The Rockies rolled out an ''A'' lineup, which manager Walt Weiss acknowledged was ''pretty close'' to what he'll have on opening day. Perez also gave up RBI doubles to Nolan Arenado and Brandon Barnes.
Detroit outfielder Justin Upton hit his first two home runs in a Tigers uniform in a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. Upton, who signed a six-year, $132 million free-agent contract with Detroit in January, entered the day hitting .189 (7-for-37) with one extra base hit, a double, in 15 games this spring. ''Probably the last four days I've started to feel better, more comfortable, everything getting going,'' Upton said.
SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) -- J.J. Hardy homered for the third straight game, Manny Machado for the second in a row, and Chris Davis hit his second home run of the spring as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 16-8 on Saturday.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- Jacob deGrom pitched six-plus strong innings and drove in a run as the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves played to a 10-inning 3-3 tie Saturday.
Ryan Zimmerman belted his second home run of the spring and the Cardinals committed five errors as the Washington Nationals beat St. Louis 7-0 on Saturday. Second baseman Kolten Wong had an error and exited the game after bruising his knee diving for the ball, all in a three-run Washington fourth. Wong said he landed directly on his left knee cap while diving after a bouncer hit by Wilson Ramos.
The Milwaukee Brewers will start the season without reliever Will Smith, who tore a ligament in his right knee while taking his spikes off after a game. Smith, who was set to share closer duties with Jeremy Jeffress, received the diagnosis Friday night and was awaiting test results to determine if surgery is necessary. Smith said he was getting ready to shower after pitching in a minor league game on Thursday and was standing on one leg to take off his other shoe when he lost his balance and twisted the knee.
Edinson Volquez will start the Kansas City Royals' opener April 3 against the New York Mets in a rematch of the World Series Game 5, manager Ned Yost announced Saturday. Matt Harvey, who started the final game of the World Series against Volquez, will be the Mets' starter at Kauffman Stadium. Game 5 starters are matching up again,'' Yost said upon selecting Volquez.
Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco is clearly ready for opening day. ''Hurry up and get to April,'' joked Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson. Ace Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta said he isn't worried about the blood blister on his right thumb that limited him to a third of an inning Thursday.
Ben Zobrist had two hits and Anthony Rizzo had two RBIs, but the Chicago Cubs lost 5-4 to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Zobrist's single in the sixth came during a three-run rally that was topped off by Rizzo's two-run double off reliever Blaine Boyer. Cubs starter John Lester went five innings, allowing two hits, walking one and striking out two.
