Donaldson launched his first spring homer."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Talking Chop User’s GuideTalking Chop PodcastAround the NL EastBaseball Analysis PrimerJosh Donaldson homers Bob Feller Jersey , Braves fall to Marlins 7-6New,160commentsDonaldson launched his first spring homer. EDTShareTweetShareShareJosh Donaldson homers, Braves fall to Marlins 7-6Butch Dill-USA TODAY SportsJosh Donaldson hit his first home run in a Braves uniform on Friday but Atlanta’s come back attempt came up just short in a 7-6 loss to the Miami Marlins. Sean Newcomb got the start for the Braves and struggled a bit with his velocity and his control. Newcomb lasted 4 1/3 innings while allowing seven hits and four runs. He walked four and struck out just one. Per the radio broadcast his fastball was in 88-89 mph range which is off from what we normally see. Miami jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a two-run single by Lewis Brinson in the second. Atlanta answered right back against Marlins’ starter Wei-Yin Chen when Ender Inciarte drove home Ronald Acu帽a Jr to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Braves took the lead in the third when Donaldson connected for his first spring homer, a two-run shot that scored Ozzie Albies that made the score 3-2. The Marlins tied it again in the fourth as a one-out walk came back to haunt Newcomb when Chen singled home Yadiel Rivera to make it 3-3. Miami retook the lead in the fifth. Brian Anderson led off with a double against Newcomb and moved up to third on a ground out by Martin Prado. Newcomb then walked Peter O’Brien and was then replaced by Josh Graham. Austin Dean singled home Anderson to give the Marlins a 4-3 lead. Graham then retired the next two hitters to escape with no further damage. Dean struck again in the seventh against Jonny Venters with a sacrifice fly that scored Jon Berti to make it 5-3. Venters allowed two hits and a run but struck out two in his only inning of work. The Braves battled back again in the bottom half of the inning. Raffy Lopez made it 5-4 with a solo home run to right. Inciarte followed with a bunt single and was replaced by Cristian Pache who moved up to second on a ground out by Dansby Swanson. Rafael Ortega flew out to right but Pache tagged and just beat the throw by Gabriel Guerrero to third. Charlie Culberson then grounded back to pitcher Pedro Lopez who’s throw to first was off the mark allowing Pache to score the tying run. The score would remain tied until the ninth and the teams elected to go with the tiebreaker scenario for spring training games which places the last batted out on second base to start the inning. Pedro Alvarez pulled a single though the shift off of Jesse Biddle to put the Marlins back on top 6-5. Biddle then struck out Guerrero but allowed a single to Harold Ramirez that scored Alvarez to make it 7-5. The Braves opened the bottom half of the ninth with Pedro Florimon on second base. Florimon moved over to third on a ground out by Lopez and then scored on a ground out by Pache to make it 7-6. Riley Unroe followed with a bunt single and Ortega blooped a single into left to give Atlanta runners at first and second but Charlie Culberson popped out to second baseman Justin Twine to end the threat and the game. Albies, Inciarte and Nick Markakis all finished with two hits each. Anderson and Prado had two hits each for the Marlins. The Braves will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Fort Myers to take on the Red Sox. Kyle Wright is scheduled to get the start and will face off against Chris Sale. There’s not much going on in Birdland, but that’s the case for most of the league."Morning, Birdland!The hot stove is not so hot at the moment; it’s downright cold. That’s unlikely to change anytime soon. Reports indicate that Manny Machado has told teams he will not be picking his new team until after the new year. What does that matter to the Orioles? There won’t be a reunion with Machado, however http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , it has been said that Mike Elias is prepared to wait out the free agent market before picking the one or two role players that the O’s will sign. Before that waiting game can happen, the names at the top of the market need to sign with new teams. Machado delaying for the next 10 days also pushes back the timeline for less renowned names.LinksHyde talks about process of hiring coaches - MASN SportsThis is from Roch’s blog yesterday, so it’s a bit of old news. Brandon Hyde has basically left the door open that several members of the Orioles coaching from last year could return to the dugout in 2019. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Regardless of what the opinion may be of the fan base, there seems to be a ton of respect for the likes of Bobby Dickerson, Wayne Kirby and John Russell inside baseball.Bowie Baysox rotation could be one to watch in 2019 - Birds WatcherFor the next year or two, it may be more entertaining for Orioles fans to check out the minor league affiliates rather than the big boys. Davis, O’s host holiday event for local kids - MLB.comSay what you will about Chris Davis, but he and his wife Joe Carter Jersey , Jill, always seem to be at a hospital visiting sick kids, and that’s pretty darn awesome! I understand that the players with big contracts are expected to participate in charity events, but it’s still nice to see and gives you a fuzzy feeling.Brandon Hyde epitomizes Santa Rosa pedigree - San Francisco ChronicleLearn a little more about the background on the O’s new manager from his hometown paper.Orioles have several bounce-back candidates. How would you rank them? - The AthleticJust about the entire roster could do with a bounce-back season. Davis is the player that could potentially make the biggest leap forward, but that may not be realistic. Dylan Bundy feels like a logical selection. He has oodles of talent, and may just need some tweaks to his instruction in order to thrive.Orioles birthdays and historyIs it your birthday? Happy Birthday! It’s a big day for birthday celebrations in Birdland, so we won’t get to dedicate too much to each one.Current free agent Rey Navarro is 29 years old; he spent 10 games with the O’s back in 2015. Utilityman Blake Davis, who played in 25 games for the 2011 Birds is 35. Chris Jakubauskas appeared in 33 games and tossed 72.1 innings back in 2011; he is 40. The 63-year-old Lonnie Smith was in the bigs for 17 years http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , but spent just 44 games in Baltimore between ‘94 and ‘95. And Tom Underwood (b. 1953, d. 2010) pitched in 37 games back in ‘84.Special shoutout to Zach Britton, who celebrates his 31st. The left-handed reliever saved 142 games and posted a 3.21 ERA over eight seasons, including a 2016 season in which he had a 0.54 ERA.Finally, we would be remiss to not wish a happy birthday to the late, great Elrod Hendricks. The former catcher had three different stints with the team as a player, but he became an institution in town after serving as the bullpen coach for the final 28 years of his life. Hendricks passed away back in 2005, but remains a legendary figure in O’s history. 1915 - Two baseball organizations Corey Kluber Jersey , Organized Baseball and the Federal League, come to an agreement that includes the end of the Federal League (FL). The ownership group of the FL’s Baltimore Terrapins were not offered any of the buyout money that resulted, so they sued and eventually took their case to the Supreme Court (Federal Baseball Club v. National League), where they lost.1953 - The name “Orioles” is turned over from Jack Dunn III, who had run the International League Orioles for several years, to the new major league franchise in town.1999 - Left-handed pitcher Buddy Groom inks a two-year contract with the Birds.

Two options have made a case Steve Pearce Jersey , but who takes the job?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Twinkie Town Farm ReportSatire, Irreverence, & Other HumorGame RecapsJake Cave vs. Michael Reed for fourth outfielder; Who ya got?New,17commentsTwo options have made a case, but who takes the job?EDTShareTweetShareShareJake Cave vs. Michael Reed for fourth outfielder; Who ya got?Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY SportsAs spring training comes to a close, many of the roster spots have already been determined. However, the regular season is approaching quickly(!!!) and the Twins have two men on the roster who have made a strong case to take the 4th outfielder spot. We all know about Jake Cave, who came out of nowhere to become one of the best hitters on the squad last year while filling in for the injured/inconsistent Byron Buxton. After his season last year (at age 25), one would assume he’d be a roster lock. However, Buxton is back and (hopefully) better than ever, and the corners are locked down by Rosario and Kepler. A spot as the fourth outfielder would naturally be his spot to lose, then. Enter Michael Reed. The 26-year-old has seen very limited action in the bigs with the Braves and the Brewers over the last three years, and many saw him as nothing but a depth signing this winter. However, Reed has showcased a sweet swing to produce a strong spring that is now meriting roster consideration (he’s even a Minnesotan, too!)Let’s look a little deeper. The two outfielders are strikingly similar on the surface. Both are 26 years old (born less than a month apart). Both are listed at 6 feet tall J. D. Martinez Jersey , with Reed packing a little more weight (200 lbs to 215 lbs). They can both play all three outfield positions if need be. It is hard to draw much of a comparison from their stats, as they have limited big-league experience. We’ll take a look anyway. In one year, Cave slashed .269/.316/.481 with 13 (mostly very, very long) dingers over 283 at-bats, producing 1.5 WAR. He has proven himself to be a productive hitter in the bigs. Over three years, Reed has produced to the tune of .229/.270/.257 and 0 home runs, but take those numbers with a grain of salt. Reed has only received 35 at-bats, and no more than 22 in a single season. However, he has out-shined Cave in spring training action this year. Reed is batting .313 with a home run in 16 AB’s, while Cave is hitting .268 (also with one home run) in 41 at-bats. If you overlook Reed’s advantage in the very limited sample size of spring training, I believe Cave is clearly the choice. Minor league options complicate the matter. Cave has two options left, while Reed has none. This means that if Reed doesn’t make the roster, the Twins will have to risk losing him on the waiver wire. Given his strong spring and the constant need for suitable outfielders, there is a pretty good chance he would be picked up by another team if this occurred. So the central question is this: do the Twins believe that Jake Cave will be enough of an improvement over Reed to justify losing Reed? Furthermore, do the Twins believe they have enough depth that they can lose another outfielder after shipping away Zack Granite this spring? It’s hard to say what the front office will do. However Paul Goldschmidt Jersey , here’s how I’d answer those questions: yes and yes. Jake Cave was not only a good backup outfielder last year, he was a legitimately good player. He also got enough at-bats that his season should not be considered a small-sample-size aberration. Reed has proven very little, and having 16 good at-bats in spring training shouldn’t outweigh that. The Twins have two AAA outfielders who should be ready to get their feet wet this year (Lamonte Wade and Brent Rooker), and replacement-level outfielders will likely be available on waivers at any given time during the season. It’s not only AAA that can provide extra outfield depth, either. Marwin Gonzalez, Ehire Adrianza, and Willians Astudillo (to a lesser degree) are all capable (or more than capable) to man outfield positions, and Kepler can cover centerfield with ease if Buxton is out. In conclusion, I believe Jake Cave should be the fourth outfielder for the Twins come Opening Day. Don’t send him back to the Jake Cave! Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi met with reporters to discuss the latest on Clayton Kershaw, Dave Roberts, and Manny Machado."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections 2019 Spring TrainingProspectsCommentaryNews and NotesDodgers News & NotesFriedman, Zaidi on Kershaw’s contract, bringing back Roberts, Machado’s lack of hustle New,106commentsByBlakeHarris@BlakeHarrisTBLANov1 Richie Ashburn Jersey , 2018,3:43pm PDTShareTweetShareShareFriedman, Zaidi on Kershaw’s contract, bringing back Roberts, Machado’s lack of hustle Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsOn Thursday morning, both Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi sat in front of reporters and answered many questions in regards to the team. Obviously, the biggest question at hand was what the latest was with Clayton Kershaw, who has until Friday at 1 p.m. PT to opt out of his contract. Friedman described the negotiations as “pleasant”, where Zaidi described them as “ongoing”. The original deadline for a decision was Wednesday night by 9 p.m., but Friedman believed the turnaround from the World Series loss wasn’t enough time. “He’s made as much of an impact on an organization in terms of success we’ve had,” Friedman said. “Not just on the field, but from a culture standpoint.”Another offseason question is whether or not the Dodgers will bring back Manny Machado. With the injury to Corey Seager, LA had a void to fill at the shortstop position. During the trade deadline they went out and got Machado, and some believed the Dodgers may attempt to re-sign him in the offseason. After a controversial postseason, many doubt whether or not LA has any intent of bringing him back. “From a helping us win games standpoint http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-pat-neshek-jersey , we feel like he came in and did a lot to get us to the point he did,” Friedman said. “He’s talked about the not hustling thing. Doc talked to him a lot about it.” “Some guys don’t hustle and it’s that they don’t really care. And some guys don’t hustle and they do care. That distinction does matter in terms of the mindset the guys have. It wasn’t a great look. Being up in the suite and watching it, it’s not a great look. He even commented that he looked at a replay of something where he’s ‘Oh wow, that didn’t look great.’ But I think he did care and his teammates really liked him and respected him.”Another one of the hottest questions is surrounding what the Dodgers plan to do with manager Dave Roberts. With his contract up, and after some controversial decisions in the World Series, many fans are calling for a new skipper. Though there aren’t any active talks, Friedman isn’t concerned, as he thinks both sides will be able to reach a deal and bring back Roberts. ‘We talked throughout the year about how optimistic we are,” Friedman said. “We’re going to work together for a long time. We remain that way. When we get to a point of having something to announce, we will.”After being the first team to bench their top-four home run hitters in a World Series game, Friedman says it won’t impact how they set their lineups moving forward. “90 percent of the home runs those guys hit were against right-handed pitching,” he said. “The fact that the other team started a lefty [David Price] mattered.”“I also think we had a very deep lineup against left-handed pitching as well. We struggled against lefties for a period of time. We got to a point where we were very well balanced against left-handed and right-handed pitching. From the NLCS on, we struggled offensively. It happens over different points of the year. Unfortunately, the timing of that was unfortunate.”

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles enhanced their starting rotation by signing right-hander Dan Straily to a $575 Gregor Blanco Jersey ,000, one-year contract.Straily went 5-6 with a 4.12 ERA in 23 starts with Miami last season. He received $1,209,677 in termination pay from the Marlins when released on March 25 from a $5 million, one-year contract that was not guaranteed.The 30-year-old Straily broke into the majors with Oakland in 2012 and has a career record of 42-36 with a 4.23 ERA over 142 games, including 132 starts. He would get a $250,000 assignment bonus if traded.Orioles rookie manager Brandon Hyde twice used Nate Karns as opener to fill out a rotation that had been relying on four pitchers.To create room for Straily on the 40-man roster http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , the Orioles designated infielder Drew Jackson for assignment. Jackson will be offered back to the Dodgers if he clears waivers.Baltimore also said right-hander Pedro Araujo cleared waivers, was returned to the Cubs, then was reacquired from Chicago for $750,000 in international signing bonus pool allocation and assigned to Double-A Bowie. On the heels of the 2018 MLB All-Star Game, the Houston Astros are favored to repeat as World Series champions.Per OddsShark, the Astros are the World Series favorites at +410 (41-10), while the Los Angeles Dodgers are the top choice in the National League at +850 (17-2):OddsShark OddsSharkWorld Series odds (5Dimes):HOU +410BOS +465NYY +535LAD +850CHC +950CLE +1300PHI +1625ARZ +2000ATL/MIL +2150WSH +2250SEA +2500SF +4000STL +5000OAK +8000COL +8500LAA +30000MIN/PIT +50000TB +70000TOR/NYM/CIN +250000SD +300000TEX +500000CWS/BAL/KC/DET +999999Ahead of the Dodgers in overall odds to win the World Series are the Boston Red Sox at +465 (93-20) and New York Yankees at +535 (107-20).The odds favor a rematch of last season's World Series Duane Kuiper Jersey , which saw the Astros beat the Dodgers in seven games for the first championship in franchise history.At 64-35, the Astros have the third-best record in the American League and Major League Baseball as a whole behind the Red Sox and Yankees.They are arguably the most balanced team in baseball, though, with a lineup spearheaded by the likes of Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and George Springer, as well as a dominant starting rotation bolstered by Justin Verlander, Charlie Morton http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , Gerrit Cole and Dallas Keuchel.The Dodgers got off to a rough start this season, but they are on a roll as of late and lead the NL West by a half-game over the Arizona Diamondbacks at 53-43.L.A. made a power move Wednesday by acquiring All-Star shortstop Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles for five prospects.Machado is hitting .315 with 24 home runs and 65 RBI, and he will join an already potent Dodgers lineup.After the Dodgers, the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs are the second choice in the National League at +950 (19-2).Although the NL is weak this season, the Cubbies own the league's best record at 55-38, and they lead the Milwaukee Brewers by 2.5 games atop the NL Central.Despite owning a 58-39 record and holding the second wild-card spot in the AL, the Seattle Mariners have the worst World Series odds of any current playoff team at +2 Derek Holland Jersey ,500 (25-1).If the odds hold up and the Astros repeat as World Series champions, they will be the first team to do so since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000.

Though the Mariners and Athletics played in Japan last week http://www.rockiesfanproshop.com/authentic-chad-bettis-jersey , the true MLB opening day is Thursday and opening odds are out.Two terrific pitching matchups headline the slate, with Jacob deGrom and the Mets taking on Max Scherzer and the Nationals (1:05 p.m. ET) and Justin Verlander and the Astros visiting Blake Snell and the Rays (4:10 p.m. ET).At -300, Masahiro Tanaka and the Yankees are the 2nd biggest opening day favorites we have on record against the Orioles.Opening Day odds are here! Last Thursday, we had March Madness action all day. This Thursday, America’s Pastime arrives. Buckle up, it’s going to be a long summer.There are a few matchups that stick out in particular, with Mets-Nats leading the way at 1:05 p.m. ET. Reigning Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom takes on a 3-time winner of the award and last year’s runner-up, Max Scherzer, in a matchup that kicks off what will be a competitive NL East race.Unfortunately, the nationally televised game in that time slot is Orioles-Yankees, which currently boasts the second largest favorite in Opening Day history in our database (Kershaw -355 vs. Padres Charlie Blackmon Jersey , 2017).2019 MLB Cheat Sheet: Betting Previews for All 30 Teams, Futures, Props, Picks and AnalysisRead now聽The 4 p.m. showdown between Justin Verlander and Blake Snell is the second Cy Young vs. Cy Young runner-up matchup of the day. Though Snell took home the hardware, it’s the Astros and their potent lineup who have opened as slight road favorites.The only night game will be in Seattle, where the 2-0 Mariners host Chris Sale and the World Series champion Red Sox. Opening at -172, Boston is easily the largest road favorite of the Thursday slate.Keep your eyes open for sharp action, model picks, props and more opening day content in the next 48 hours.Baltimore Orioles at New York YankeesAndrew Cashner vs. Masahiro Tanaka1:05 p.m. ET (ESPN)Orioles +268 / Yankees -300Over/under: 9 (u-125)New York Mets at Washington NationalsJacob deGrom vs. Max Scherzer1:05 p.m. ETMets +130 / Nationals -140Over/under: 7 (u-130)St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee BrewersMiles Mikolas vs. Jhoulys Chacin2:10 p.m. ETCardinals +106 / Brewers -116Over/under: 8.52019 MLB Betting Preview: Our Staff鈥檚 Favorite Player-Based Future BetsRead nowAtlanta Braves at Philadelphia PhilliesJulio Teheran vs. Aaron Nola3:05 p.m. ETBraves +170 / Phillies -180Over/under: 7.5 (o-120)Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue JaysJordan Zimmermann vs. Marcus Stroman3:37 p.m. ETTigers +150 / Blue Jays -160Over/under: 8.5 (o-120)Houston Astros at Tampa Bay RaysJustin Verlander vs. Blake Snell4:00 p.m. ETAstros -110 / Rays +100Over/under: 6.5 (o-125)Chicago Cubs at Texas RangersJon Lester vs. Mike Minor4:05 p.m. ETCubs -130 / Rangers +120Over/under: 9.510 Bold MLB Betting Predictions for 2019Read nowLos Angeles Angels at Oakland AthleticsTrevor Cahill vs. Mike Fiers4:07 p.m. ETAngels +120 / Athletics -130Over/under: 9 (o-130)Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati RedsJameson Taillon vs. Luis Castillo4:10 p.m. ETPirates +100 / Reds -110Over/under: 8.5 (u-120)Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles DodgersZack Greinke vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu4:10 p.m. ET (ESPN)Diamondbacks +135 / Dodgers -145Over/under: 7.5San Francisco Giants at San Diego PadresMadison Bumgarner vs. Eric Lauer4:10 p.m. ETGiants +105 / Padres -115Over/under: 8 (u-125)Colorado Rockies at Miami MarlinsKyle Freeland vs. Jose Urena4:10 p.m. ETRockies -130 / Marlins +120Over/under: 8 (u-125)Cleveland Indians at Minnesota TwinsCorey Kluber vs. Jose Berrios4:10 p.m. ETIndians -135 / Twins +125Over/under: 7.5 (o-120)MLB Weather Primer: What You Need to Know When Placing Over/Under BetsRead nowChicago White Sox at Kansas City RoyalsCarlos Rodon vs. Brad Keller4:15 p.m. ETWhite Sox -105 / Royals -105Over/under: 8.5 (o-120)Boston Red Sox at Seattle MarinersChris Sale vs. Marco Gonzales7:10 p.m. ET (ESPN)Red Sox -172 / Mariners +162Over/under: 7 (o-130) Jennifer Stewart/Getty ImagesThe Colorado Rockies (79-64) will look to continue their recent dominance of the Arizona Diamondbacks (76-68) on Tuesday when they host them again as small home underdogs at sportsbooks in the second game of a key four-game divisional series.The Rockies own a 1.5-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, with the Diamondbacks three games back after losing 13-2 on Monday.MLB betting line: The Diamondbacks opened as -119 favorites (wager $119 to win $100); the total is at 10 runs, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)MLB betting pick http://www.rockiesfanproshop.com/authentic-chad-bettis-jersey , via OddsShark computer: 4.5-4.3, Rockies (MLB picks on every game)Check out the OddsShark podcast on iTunes or at OddsShark.libsyn.com for more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week's top sports betting news.Why the Diamondbacks can pay on the MLB linesArizona has dropped five of the past six meetings with Colorado, according to the OddsShark MLB Database, but fortunately for the D-backs, ace Zack Greinke (13-9, 3.08 ERA) will toe the rubber in one of the team's most important games of the season.While the 34-year-old is winless in his last two starts, the Diamondbacks would not want any other pitcher going to the mound in this spot. Greinke is 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA in three outings versus the Rockies this season, and one of those wins took place at Coors Field. Why the Rockies can pay on the MLB linesColorado has more momentum than any team in the division right now and plays the next 12 games against NL West foes, including six more versus Arizona.The Rockies will counter Greinke with Antonio Senzatela (4-5, 4.92 ERA) Trevor Story Jersey , and he has earned three of his wins at Coors this year. Last time out, the 23-year-old allowed three runs and nine hits in five innings with two walks and six strikeouts against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, and Colorado was able to pull off a 5-3 victory. If Senzatelacan avoid pitching worse than that here, the Rockies will have a solid chance to win.Smart betting pickEven though Senzatela has picked up three of his four wins at home, his ERA is 5.04 and opposing hitters are hitting .328 against him there. That is not good obviously, and he is also 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in two games versus the D-backs this season.This is a must-win matchup for Arizona, so look for the team to back up its status as a road favorite by coming through with a big victory to end its three-game losing streak. MLB betting trendsThe total has gone over in each of Arizona's last five games.The total has gone over in four of Arizona's last six games against Colorado.Arizona is 15-8 in its last 23 games when playing Colorado.All MLB odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app.

The Colorado Rockies are in a much different place than the last time they visited Angel Stadium.When the Rockies open a two-game interleague series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night Brian Flynn Jersey , they’ll be one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for first place in National League West and a game behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the second NL wild card.Colorado (71-59) had moved into a tie for first in the NL West with a 9-1 win over visiting St. Louis on Saturday night but lost 12-3 to the Cardinals on Sunday.Article continues below ...Arizona, meanwhile, bounced back from losses to Seattle on Friday and Saturday to beat the Mariners on Sunday and regain their one-game lead. The Los Angeles Dodgers are 2 1/2 games behind Arizona.“Once we start the game, we’re just trying to win and not worry about anybody else, but it’s hard not to look at the scoreboard,” Colorado second baseman DJ LeMahieu told reporters after Sunday’s loss.The last time the Rockies visited Anaheim was May 12-13, 2015. They lost both games to extend their losing streak to 11 games http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-ryan-goins-jersey , which would match their longest since a 13-game skid in 1993.It’s a different story this time around.The Angels (63-68) are trying to avoid losing a season-high seven straight games, and they’ve dropped eight of their past nine overall to fall a season-low five games below .500.Colorado shortstop Trevor Story told reporters on Sunday that the Rockies won’t be taking anyone lightly.“Every game matters,” he said. “That’s fun. That’s exciting. That’s why we play, so we want to be the last team standing.”Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado is an Orange County native who grew up about 18 miles south of Angel Stadium. He made his only two appearances in Anaheim three years ago, going 2-for-8 in the series with a double.Arenado is hitting .333 in August with three home runs and 11 RBIs, raising his season totals to .311 with 31 home runs and 90 RBIs. By comparison, Angels center fielder Mike Trout Justin Grimm Jersey , who has played 11 less games than Arenado, is hitting .311 with 30 home runs and 60 RBIs.Colorado right-hander Jon Gray is scheduled to start the series opener.Since his last loss on June 12 against the Philadelphia Phillies, Gray is 4-0 in 10 starts with a 3.48 ERA. Colorado’s offense has averaged 6.6 runs in those 10 starts.Gray (10-7, 4.67 ERA) made his only career appearance against the Angels on May 8 in Denver, shutting them out for seven innings and allowing four hits in the 4-2 win.The Angels are scheduled to start Odrisamer Despaigne (2-2, 6.35), a journeyman right-hander who has mostly pitched out of the bullpen in his career. Los Angeles was able to get six innings out of converted reliever Felix Pena in Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Astros http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-ryan-goins-jersey , allowing manager Mike Scioscia to rest some of his taxed relievers.“We’ve got nine (relievers) down there now, so you’ve kind of got depth in numbers,” he said. “We’re going to need all of them.”Despaigne is 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA in seven career appearances against Colorado, including three starts. He last faced the Rockies on Sept. 25 as a member of the Miami Marlins, allowing two runs in six innings of a 5-4 victory. The Atlanta Braves want more money from the taxpayers of Cobb County.Faith Abubey and Lindsey Basye of 11Alive in Atlanta reported the Braves asked for $4.6 million in addition to what they have already received. Abubey and Basye noted Cobb County has paid almost $400 million for SunTrust Park and that community leaders voted in 2017 to contribute an additional $14 million for transportation and infrastructure.The $4.6 million would be used to balance the transportation improvement fund, refund the building permit fee, refund project management costs and cover legal fees.According to Abubey and Basye Blaine Boyer Jersey , the county called the Braves' tone in their letter asking for additional funds "improper and unprofessional."The two sides are in meditation after having entered a 30-year public-private agreement to build and fund the $600 million stadium.The 2017 season marked the first at SunTrust Park. The Braves finished in third place in the National League East and were 37-44 at home. This season, they are in first place and 37-34 at home.It appears as if SunTrust Park will host its first MLB playoff game this year while the financial fight continues between the Braves and Cobb County.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers will make a rotation shuffle Sunday http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , swapping left-handers for the series finale against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.With a 1 p.m. local start, what they won’t have to worry about is a power failure after Dodger Stadium went dark Saturday for the second time in almost four weeks in the middle of a game.Instead of lefty Alex Wood, the Dodgers will now have lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu take aim at the Padres with the chance at a series sweep on the line. Wood will now be pushed back to Wednesday, which is the finale of a brief two-game interleague series at Texas.Article continues below ...No reason was given for the change, although Wood has been struggling with nagging injuries this season that was originally diagnosed as leg cramps in a couple of early starts. He eventually went on the disabled list earlier this month for left adductor tendonitis.The Padres will stick to their original plan as left-hander Robbie Erlin will make his seventh start, including his fifth this month. Erlin has spent most of the season in the bullpen but in four previous August starts, he has put together a 3.43 ERA, earning two victories in the process.With the Padres looking to make some rotation changes in the coming weeks, every outing is sure to be picked apart. Lefty Eric Lauer (forearm strain) could be back as early as next week. Lis Perdomo (strained right shoulder) could be back not long after that.“We’re going to continue to talk through our rotation plan (we had) coming out of the break,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “Nothing is finalized at this point and time. (Lauer) is a candidate to be reinserted at some point in time next week.”Ryu knows all about an up-in-the-air status, having spent 3 1/2 months on the disabled list with a left groin strain. He has made two starts since returning, a tidy six-inning start Aug. 15 when he held the San Francisco Giants scoreless over six innings, and a start Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals when he gave up three runs on four hits over four innings.Despite having starter Kenta Maeda working out of the bullpen, the Dodgers will use just four pitchers this time through the rotation: Ryu, Walker Buehler, Rich Hill and Clayton Kershaw.The Dodgers moved 2 1/2 games behind the co-division leaders Arizona and Colorado and they do not sound like a club that will take a game on Sunday against the last-place and struggling Padres for granted.“Everything needs to be tightened up as we move toward September,” Hill said Jason Kipnis Jersey , according to the Los Angeles Times. “As we know, things get amplified. And you want to be able to be as close to perfection as we can. … We’ll continue playing like there’s no tomorrow.”The future does look bright for a Padres organization loaded with quality prospects. The present, though, is a bit unsightly with 10 defeats in their last 12 games, including a bad-luck loss that happened Saturday on the first pitch after the power was restored in L.A.The Dodgers entered the current series 8-12 in August, but are now on the verge of their first three-game series sweep since July 2-4 at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Atlanta Braves' season is on the brink.They're one loss away from oblivion.Or, at least one loss away from watching the remainder of the 2018 postseason from their couches.Thanks to the fence-clearing exploits of budding 20-year-old superstar Ronald Acuna Jr., the Braves live to fight another day.Oblivion can wait. Acuna can't.After failing to score in the first two games of their National League Division Series matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta looked like a young team that had overachieved and was now in over its head against a more experienced postseason foe.Yes, they won the National League East outright, as virtually no one predicted. Then they were shut out in consecutive contests by Hyun-Jin Ryu, Clayton Kershaw and L.A.'s seasoned October contingent.The Braves' bats were dormant. Their hopes were plummeting.In a must-win Game 3 at SunTrust Park, Acuna blasted a grand slam in a five-run second inning that injected life into the series. It didn't single-handedly rescue Atlanta's season, but it sure helped.With his seismic swing, Acuna became the youngest player ever to hit a grand slam in postseason history, per SportsCenter:SportsCenter SportsCenterRonald Acu Jr. with the grand slam Hes the youngest player in postseason history with a grand slam, at 20 years http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , 293 days old. kLDD9nDAL3The guy he eclipsed in the youngest-postseason-grand-salami category? Some dude named Mickey Mantle.Yeah. Let that sink in.It wasn't easy for Atlanta, even with Acuna's Mantle-esque heroics.The Dodgers plated two runs in the third inning and three more in the fifth to tie the game before veteran Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman broke the tie with a solo homer in the sixth that proved to be the difference.It was a nice reminder for a team that blossomed ahead of schedule behind a youthful core: Sometimes you need the old guys, with "old" being defined here as the 29-year-old Freeman.But he is old compared to Acuna, who won't reach legal U.S. drinking age until Dec. 18."These guys don't come around very often. They really don't," Freeman said of his teammate, per ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. "What he's doing is kind of eye-popping, really. It leaves you saying, 'Wow, he does something every day that is special.'"The toolsy Venezuelan hit .432 this spring with a 1.247 OPS and appeared more than ready to take on MLB pitching. But Acuna began the season in the minors with a nod to baseball's controversial service-time rules.He didn't stay down for long. Acuna made his Braves debut on April 25. He tallied six hits in his first 13 at-bats, including a home run and two doubles.He'd arrived, no ifs, ands or buts.Yes, he dipped a bit in May, hitting .235 with a .677 OPS in the calendar month. In the end, however, he hit .293 with 26 home runs and tied for the lead among all rookies with 3.7 WAR, according to FanGraphs' measure.In the Senior Circuit Larry Doby Jersey , he tied with Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, which should at least make the NL Rookie of the Year race interesting. Considering the Braves made the playoffs while the division-rival Nats stayed home, though, the safe money is on Acuna earning the hardware.Right now, he's got grander designs.Harry How/Getty ImagesLos Angeles was in control after the first two games of this division series. The Braves were a nice story, a scrappy underdog crashing the party ahead of schedule. But it was time for the Dodgers to march forward while Atlanta waited its turn, or so the narrative went.That might still happen, perhaps as soon as Monday. But not if Acuna has anything to say about it."He's breathed life into us," manager Brian Snitker said, per Crasnick. "He's brought that energy and excitement and confidence to our whole team. His legs, the defense, the arm, the whole thing."Will the whole thing keep them from the brink?Are there more Mantle-evoking exploits in store?Stay tuned. All statistics current entering Monday and courtesy of FanGraphs.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt’s move from Arizona to St. Louis made Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts so happy Chris Tillman Jersey , he was smelling roses.Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, not so much.St. Louis acquired the six-time All-Star first baseman from the Diamondbacks last week for pitcher Luke Weaver, catcher Carson Kelly, minor league infielder Andy Young and a 2019 draft pick.“I don’t like the Diamondbacks right now at all, I really don’t,” Maddon said Tuesday, knowing the NL Central rival Cardinals had strengthened their batting order. “When he sashays into the clubhouse and everybody sees him walking in there, they all become better. That definitely makes them much more difficult to beat next year.”Roberts’ Dodgers will face Goldschmidt a lot less frequently in the NL West.“Goldy, he can stay in the Central as long as he wants. I’m trying to work getting him in the American League next,” Roberts said. “I hope he’s happy. I got to send him flowers.”Goldschmidt can become a free agent after next season. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo and general manager Mike Hazen broke the news in a meeting at Lovullo’s house.“Inside of my baseball life, it was probably one of the hardest days I ever had,” Lovullo said. “I got the phone call that morning that it was going to happen. And Mike wanted to tell him face to face, which I thought was a pretty honorable thing. Sometimes in those situations you’ll tell somebody over the phone or somebody else may deliver a message.”A three-time Gold Glove winner at 31, Goldschmidt hit .290 with 33 home runs and 83 RBIs last season.“In typical Paul form, he was already pushing forward and thinking about the future rather than dwelling on some of the things that did or didn’t happen the way that they were supposed to,” Lovullo said. “It was a sad moment for me. I didn’t talk a lot because I probably couldn’t. And I had a little bit of a conversation with him once Mike left that I’d like to keep private, but it meant a lot to me, and I got a little more color to the picture.”“He felt like there was so much unfinished business in Arizona. He felt bad about that,” Lovullo added. “So I had to reassure him that he left everything he had on the field. The culture that he helped us and me create will be carried on, and one day, when we do win a world championship, he’s going to be a part of that, even though he won’t be there physically.” PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper homered deep into the second deck in right-center field for his first hit with Philadelphia and celebrated with an emphatic curtain call, highlighting the Phillies‘ 8-6 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.Hitless over five at-bats this season after signing a $330 million, 13-year deal http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-j.j.-hardy-jersey , Harper crushed Jesse Biddle’s fastball 465 feet with two outs in the seventh. Fans gave Harper a standing ovation and chanted “MVP! MVP!”After getting high fives in the dugout, Harper climbed out for a curtain call, throwing both fists in the air and shouting “Let’s go!”Maikel Franco and J.T. Realmuto also went deep for Philadelphia. The game was tied at 4 in the fifth when Realmuto lined a two-run drive off Wes Parsons (0-1).Adam Morgan (1-0) faced one batter in the fifth inning.Dansby Swanson and Charlie Culberson homered, and Freddie Freeman had four hits and drove in two for the Braves.BREWERS 4, CARDINALS 2MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich became the first MVP to homer in the first three games of the following season, Josh Hader closed things out with an immaculate inning and Milwaukee beat St. Louis.Travis Shaw and Mike Moustakas also homered off Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson, and Brandon Woodruff (1-0) struck out five while pitching five innings of two-run ball.Yelich made a sliding catch in right field in the top of the first inning, and then took Hudson deep for a solo shot in his first at-bat.Hudson (0-1) allowed seven hits and two walks, striking out six over 4 1/3 innings in his first career start.MARINERS 6, RED SOX 5SEATTLE (AP) — Jay Bruce hit his first home run for Seattle, a three-run shot to center field, and the heavy-hitting Mariners continued to dominate Boston’s starting pitching.The Mariners have hit a home run in every game this season and continued to batter Red Sox starters, with Bruce helping to chase Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1) in the fifth inning. Eight Seattle batters have hit 13 combined home runs, with nine coming against the defending World Series champions.Red Sox starters Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi and Rodriguez have given up 20 hits and 18 earned runs in the series.Bruce’s homer gave the Mariners 24 runs in their first 22 innings of the series. They’ve scored 21 of 42 runs this season on homers.Seattle starter Mike Leake (1-0) allowed two runs in six innings, striking out seven.RANGERS 8, CUBS 6ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and Texas rallied long after Chicago’s Yu Darvish flopped in the former Rangers ace’s return to his first home in the majors.Gallo’s homer to center field came off reliever Carl Edwards Jr. (0-1), who didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced in the first win for new Rangers manager Chris Woodward.Texas closer Jose Leclerc pitched the ninth for the save, getting Willson Contreras on a fly out to center after Kyle Schwarber bunted away from the shift for a hit to bring the tying run to the plate.Darvish walked seven of the first 13 batters in his first outing against his former team, failing to make it out of the third inning.Shawn Kelley (1-0) got four outs.RAYS 3, ASTROS 1ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tyler Glasnow and four relievers shut down Houston after Alex Bregman’s first-inning homer.Bregman went deep on his 25th birthday, but Glasnow (1-0) was otherwise excellent, striking out four and allowing six hits over five innings. Ryne Stanek followed with two hitless innings http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-j.j.-hardy-jersey , and Jose Alvarado pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.Astros starter Collin McHugh (0-1) struck out nine and allowed two runs over five innings in his return to the rotation. A 19-game winner in 2015, McHugh was moved to the bullpen last season due to Houston’s rotation depth.The Rays struck out 13 times, raising their total to 38 in the first three games of the series.GIANTS 3, PADRES 2SAN DIEGO (AP) — Reyes Moronta struck out five in two innings of lights-out relief work, including Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., and San Francisco beat San Diego for its first victory this season.The Giants were at risk of going 0-3 for the first time since 2012, when they won their second of three World Series in five seasons under manager Bruce Bochy, who is retiring after this season. The Padres were denied their first 3-0 start since 1984, the season they went to their first World Series, with Bochy as a backup catcher.Nick Margevicius (0-1) pitched five-plus innings of one-run ball in his major league debut for San Diego but was the hard-luck loser. He was making the jump from Class A.Giants starter Dereck Rodriguez (1-0) allowed two runs in five innings.ATHLETICS 4, ANGELS 2OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mark Canha hit a two-run homer in the fourth that held up for Brett Anderson, and Oakland beat Los Angeles.Stephen Piscotty added a two-run single in the third. Anderson (1-0) pitched six scoreless innings in his first start of the year after the lefty signed as a free agent for his third stint with the A’s. Anderson, who also pitched for Oakland last year and from 2009-2013, allowed three hits, struck out four and walked two.Including solid outings from Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada, Oakland starters have three consecutive scoreless outings of at least six innings for the first time since Aug. 24-26, 2005, by Kirk Saarloos, Barry Zito and Joe Blanton.Canha’s first homer of the year chased starter Felix Pena (0-1).DODGERS 18, DIAMONDBACKS 5LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit two homers and drove in a career high-tying six runs, Justin Turner added five RBIs and Los Angeles rebounded splendidly from a 13-inning loss.Bellinger had four hits and Joc Pederson had three after leading off the game with his third homer for Los Angeles, which pounded out 19 hits to shake off its 5-4 loss early Saturday morning in the longest regular season game in Dodger Stadium history.Arizona backup catcher John Ryan Murphy gave up seven runs in mop-up relief, including homers by Bellinger and Austin Barnes. It was Murphy’s first career outing on a big league mound.Dodgers backup catcher Russell Martin also made his first pitching appearance, closing things out with a perfect ninth inning.Kenta Maeda (1-0) gave the Dodgers 6 2/3 innings of five-hit ball. Maeda even chased Arizona starter Zack Godley (0-1) in the sixth with a bloop double over the head of a badly fooled David Peralta in left.ORIOLES 5 Jonathan Schoop Jersey , YANKEES 3NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Hyde earned his first win as Baltimore’s manager when slow-footed catcher Jesus Sucre was aggressive on the bases to score the go-ahead run, then added three late RBIs.Jimmy Yacabonis (1-0) allowed one run over three innings for his first win since September 2017. Mike Wright struck out Miguel Andujar with two on for his first pro save in nine seasons.James Paxton (0-1) gave up one earned run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings of his Yankees debut.INDIANS 2, TWINS 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Greg Allen hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning, then Cleveland reliever Brad Hand escaped a bases-loaded jam. It was 34 degrees for the start at Target Field.Hand retired C.J. Cron on a flyball to end it for a save, completing a combined two-hitter.Jon Edwards (1-0) got two outs for his first career victory. Blake Parker (0-1) threw two wild pitches that set up Allen’s fly.BLUE JAYS 3, TIGERS 0TORONTO (AP) — Aaron Sanchez and four relievers combined to pitch Toronto’s second straight shutout.The Blue Jays threw just three shutouts all of last season, the second fewest in the majors. Detroit was last with two.The Tigers were blanked an MLB-leading 18 times in 2018. They’ve scored in only one of 28 innings so far this season.Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera left after being hit on the right hand by a pitch from Sanchez to begin the sixth. X-rays were negative.Sanchez (1-0) allowed three singles, struck out six and walked three. Ken Giles got his first save.Justin Smoak homered off Spencer Turnbull (0-1).METS 11, NATIONALS 8WASHINGTON (AP) — J.D. Davis delivered a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning and rookie Pete Alonso contributed three hits and two RBIs for the new-look Mets.Jeff McNeil had four hits for the visitors. Alonso doubled twice and also had a couple of nice stretch plays at first base in the second game of his major league career. He is one of the young components of a reconstructed roster under agent-turned-GM Brodie Van Wagenen.Another offseason acquisition, former Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos, added two hits and two RBIs and scored three runs. And to top it off, new closer Edwin Diaz picked up his second save with one pitch.Justin Wilson (1-0) threw a perfect seventh for the win. Washington reliever Trevor Rosenthal (0-1) was booed off the mound after entering a 4-all game in the eighth and allowing all four batters he faced to reach base in his return from Tommy John surgery.ROYALS 8, WHITE SOX 6KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jorge Soler had three hits and three RBIs, Alex Gordon scored three runs despite not getting a hit and Kansas City used its speed to win.Billy Hamilton got three hits and scored twice for the speedy Royals, off to a 2-0 start for the first time since their World Series-winning season in 2015.The first pitch was delayed 30 minutes because of rain. When the game began, it was 38 degrees and felt like 28, whipped by 18 mph winds.Jakob Junis (1-0) gave up Jose Abreu’s three-run homer. Ian Kennedy pitched the ninth for the first save of his career.Reynaldo Lopez (0-1) took the loss. Prized Chicago rookie Eloy Jimenez got his first two big league hits.MARLINS 7, ROCKIES 3MIAMI (AP) — Miguel Rojas and Martin Prado each had three hits and Miami won for the first time this season.Rockies first baseman Daniel Murphy said after the game he will be out indefinitely with a broken left index finger.Limited to a total of six hits in a pair of losses to Colorado earlier this week, the Marlins broke loose for 16 hits against starter Tyler Anderson (0-1) and four relievers.Lewis Brinson, who scored twice, and Rossell Herrera and Chad Wallach each had two hits. Rojas doubled twice and drove in three runs.Pablo Lopez (1-0) allowed five hits and three runs and struck out a career-high seven in 5 1/3 innings. He was lifted after retiring Trevor Story on a flyball that ended an 11-pitch at-bat.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros have traded infielder J.D. Davis and a prospect to the New York Mets for three minor leaguers.The teams announced the trade Sunday. The 25-year-old Davis played 42 games for the Astros last season Huston Street Jersey , when he hit .175 with a homer and five RBIs. In Triple-A Fresno, he hit .342 with 17 homers and 81 RBIs in 85 games.The Astros received outfielder Ross Adolph, catcher Scott Manea and infielder Luis Santana in the deal that also sent infielder Cody Bohanek to New York. Adolph hit .276 with nine doubles http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey , 12 triples, seven homers, 14 steals and 35 RBIs in 61 games with the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones.Manea batted .261 with 12 homers and 53 RBIs in 100 games for Class A Columbia last season. The 19-year-old Santana led the rookie-level Kingsport Mets with a .348 average and hit 13 doubles Nolan Ryan Jersey , four homers and 35 RBIs in 53 games.The 22-year-old Bohanek hit .214 in 120 games at three minor league levels last season. PHOENIX (AP) San Francisco Giants infielder Pablo Sandoval will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his right hamstring while sliding.Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that the 2012 World Series MVP has a significant tear requiring surgery. Sandoval was injured while sliding into home plate Sunday against San Diego.The 31-year-old Sandoval was hitting .248 with nine homers and 40 RBIs. He also played first and third base during his second stint with San Francisco.Sandoval played his first seven seasons with the Giants, then became a free agent and signed a $95 million, five-year contract with Boston after the 2014 season.He was released by the Red Sox in 2017 and signed with the Giants three days later. San Francisco is paying the $545 http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey ,000 minimum this year, which is offset against the $18 million Sandoval is owed by Boston.—

CARLSBAD http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , Calif. (AP) — CC Sabathia says 2019 will be his final season in the major leagues.“This will be it,” the 38-year-old left-hander said in a video posted on Twitter on Wednesday after the New York Yankees finalized his $8 million, one-year contract.Sabathia and New York had reached the agreement Tuesday, subject to a successful physical.A six-time All-Star and the 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner, Sabathia went 9-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts this year. He had surgery on his right knee after the 2010 season, in July 2014, after the 2016 season and again last month. Sabathia pitches with a brace on the knee and needs periodic injections there during the season.He is 246-153 in 18 major league seasons with a 3.70 ERA and 2,986 strikeouts, including 129-80 in a decade with the Yankees. His new deal boosts his pay from New York to $229 million.Sabathia signed a $161 million Blake Snell Jersey , seven-year contract with the Yankees before the 2009 season and led New York to its first World Series title since 2000, then used the leverage of an opt-out provision after the 2011 season to get a new deal that added a $25 million salary for 2016 with a $25 million team option for 2017.Sabathia took a cut to $10 million this year. He missed a $500,000 performance bonus by two innings when he was ejected in his last regular-season start for hitting Tampa Bay’s Jesus Sucre after Rays pitcher Andrew Kittredge threw up-and-in to Austin Romine. Sabathia was suspended the first five games of 2019 but has appealed.“At this stage of the game, we should know sooner or later whether we’ll be able to agree on something or not,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had said earlier Tuesday.“Last year we had to be really careful about every step we took in terms of financial commitments so it took longer because we were having to have that luxury-tax issue in the back of our minds.”New York dropped below the luxury-tax threshold for the first time in 2018. The Yankees’ projected rotation for 2019 also includes right-handers Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka, and Cashman says he intends to add several pitchers after the team went 100-62 only to finish second in the AL East and lose in the Division Series to Boston, the eventual World Series champion.Cashman said Luke Voit will head to spring training as the starter at first base, and it will be up to Greg Bird to earn the job back. Bird had ankle surgery in late March, returned in mid-May and hit .199 with 11 homers and 38 RBIs. Voit Rob Refsnyder Jersey , acquired from St. Louis on July 28, hit .333 with 14 homers and 33 RBIs in 39 games.“He finished batting in the middle of our lineup in the postseason, so I don’t see why three weeks since that time would change our evaluation process,” Cashman said.“Somebody’s earned that right and somebody because of injuries has been derailed for a period of time, but I do think that Birdy will benefit from time off and he will have a chance to resuscitate and prove himself.”Both can be optioned to the minors next year.Cashman repeated he intends to trade pitcher Sonny Gray, just 15-16 since New York acquired him from Oakland in July 2017. A right-hander who turns 29 this week, Gray bristled at the rough reception by Yankees fans.“It’s been a year-and-a-half, I’m not going to be Sisyphus pushing the rock up a hill and having it roll back on top of me,” Cashman said. “It’s not working. I’m not going to be willing to continue to walk through the fire and expect it to be a different result. So I will reallocate his abilities to some other club for a yet-to-be determined price tag http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , and he will be good again. Trust me. I think he’s a heck of a pitcher. He’s a very successful major leaguer, and it’s just going to happen somewhere else.” NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets acquired outfielder Keon Broxton from the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday, giving them a center field option in addition to Juan Lagares.The Mets sent reliever Bobby Wahl to the Brewers along with a pair of minor leaguers, right-handed reliever Adam Hill and infielder Felix Valerio.Broxton had four home runs, 11 RBIs and a .179 batting average in 51 games for Milwaukee last season. While he stole 23 bases in 2016 and 21 the following year, he swiped just five last season. A right-handed batter, he hit 20 homers in 2017 but struck out 175 times.Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen called the 28-year-old Broxton a “dynamic athlete with the ability to impact the game in the outfield, on the bases and with his bat.”Lagares had little depth behind him on the roster, with corner outfielders Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo his likely backups in center before the trade. Yoenis Cespedes is recovering from surgery on both heels and New York is not certain when he will return.Wahl http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , a 26-year-old righty, was acquired by the Mets from Oakland in July as part of the deal that sent closer Jeurys Familia to the Athletics. Wahl went 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA in seven games with the Mets and was 4-2 with a 2.20 ERA for New York’s and Oakland’s Triple-A teams last season.Brewers general manager David Stearns says Wahl “has the arsenal to be a very quality major league reliever and has dominated the upper levels of the minor leagues.”Hill, a right-handed reliever, was selected out of South Carolina in the fourth round of last year’s amateur draft. He went 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA in nine games for the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones.Valerio batted .319 with three homers and 22 RBIs in 67 games in the Dominican Summer League.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Major League Baseball’s largest developmental effort for minority players is being renamed after one of the sport’s greatest players.The Elite Development Invitational has been renamed the Hank Aaron Invitational and will include a showcase game beginning next season. The event has been held since 2015 for high-school age players to get them to the next levels of the game either on or off the field. The program has been run by Major League Baseball Fernando Valenzuela Jersey , the Major League Baseball Players Association and USA Baseball.The announcement was made at Dodger Stadium on Friday before Game 3 of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.“It means an awful lot to me. We need someone to help shape this game into what the game is all about. And the game is about all of us, not just a few of us, but all of us who have an opportunity and a chance to play this game,” Aaron said.The Hank Aaron Invitational will be held in July and August at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida. Approximately 250 players ages 13 to 18 will receive training from former big league players and coaches. Recent instructors in the program have included Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Dave Winfield along with former manager Jerry Manuel.The top 44 players will then be invited to Atlanta to play in a special showcase game at SunTrust Park as part of the “Hank Aaron Week” festivities put on each year by the Braves. The program will also include presentations on college availability, potential job opportunities within the sport and visits to cultural sites around the city.“It’s been a great success for us. Being able to add Hank and his legacy is going to enhance it and bring more opportunities,” said Tony Reagins, who oversees MLB’s youth programs.Over the past four years, the Elite Development Invitational has seen more than 100 alumni playing in the minors or in college. Five players have been drafted in the first seven rounds the past two years including Hunter Greene, who was a first-round selection by the Reds in 2017.“This has been a joint program that has truly made a difference http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-max-muncy-jersey , we believe, in not just the development of a number of young people that have come through the program on the field, but also off the field, as well,” MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said.According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association Participation Report from 2016, baseball participation among African-American youth was higher than football (3.8 percent to. 3.4 percent). Overall, baseball has seen a 49.1 percent increase in casual participation. BASEBALLBrian Dozier, Chris Archer and Jonathan Schoop were among the many players traded before the deadline for making deals without waivers.Wilson Ramos and Brandon Kintzler also were on the go in the flurry of 15 deals. Every team except San Francisco made at least one trade since the All-Star Game, with Tampa Bay swinging seven.Archer hugged teammates at Tropicana Field before heading to Pittsburgh in one of the deadline’s more surprising deals. He joins a Pirates club that has pushed back into the playoff race even after trading away Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen in the offseason.The Rays also sent former All-Star catcher Ramos to NL East-leading Philadelphia.Dozier went from the Twins to the Dodgers, Schoop from the Orioles to the Brewers Kenley Jansen Jersey , and Kintzler from the Nationals to the Cubs. Baltimore also sent starter Kevin Gausman to the upstart Braves.Bryce Harper, Jacob deGrom, J.T. Realmuto and McCutchen had been mentioned in trade speculation, but stayed put.WASHINGTON (AP) In the highest-scoring game in franchise history, Daniel Murphy hit two early home runs and the Washington Nationals kept pouring it on against emergency reliever Jose Reyes and the New York Mets in a 25-4 rout.Trea Turner, who apologized before the game to his teammates for homophobic and racially insensitive tweets he sent several years ago, had four of Washington’s 26 hits. Pitcher Tanner Roark hit a three-run double during a seven-run first inning.The Nationals set the team scoring mark dating to their days as the Montreal Expos in 1969. It was the Mets’ most-lopsided loss in their 57-season history, worse than a 26-7 pounding by Philadelphia in 1985.Reyes made the first pitching appearance of his career, and the 35-year-old infielder got tagged for home runs by Matt Adams and Mark Reynolds in a six-run eighth. Throwing a fastball in the mid-80s mph and a curve in the upper 40s, Reyes gave up five hits and walked two.Reyes also plunked Ryan Zimmerman with a soft toss. After getting hit in the leg http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-max-muncy-jersey , Zimmerman playfully faked a charge toward the mound, drawing a laugh from Reyes, who wore one of ace Jacob deGrom’s gloves on the mound.The game got so out of hand, Mets television announcers Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling and Gary Cohen took turns reading verbatim from the team’s media guide in the late innings – the SNY network played the theme from ”Masterpiece Theatre” in the background.WASHINGTON (AP) – Bryce Harper is still a member of the Washington Nationals, with the two-time defending NL East champions hoping he can lead them on another playoff run after a season-long funk.Washington opted not to trade Harper, who’ll be a free agent after the season, after listening to offers for him. The Nationals didn’t do much else, either, before Tuesday’s trade deadline Enrique Hernandez Jersey , shipping out a relief pitcher but otherwise standing pat as the two teams ahead of them in the division – Atlanta and Philadelphia – made moves to upgrade their rosters.General manager Mike Rizzo said he had discussions with other teams about a litany of players and Harper was one of them, with several teams having more than a passing interest. He said the team did its due diligence on Harper and five or six other players, but there wasn’t a deal that made sense.”It would have to be a spectacular set of circumstances for us to move a player of Bryce Harper’s ability level, and we didn’t get anything that met those qualifications,” Rizzo said.SPORTS BETTINGATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) – An Atlantic City casino will become the fourth in New Jersey to offer sports betting.Harrah’s casino plans to start taking sports bets at 11 a.m. Wednesday, two days after its sister property, Bally’s, did.So far, the Borgata Walker Buehler Jersey , Ocean Resort and Bally’s are offering sports bets, along with two horse racing tracks, the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park.What everyone is waiting for is approval to offer mobile or online sports betting. No one has yet been approved to offer that, although numerous gambling companies have applied to state gambling regulators for permission to do so before football season begins in September.NEW YORK (AP) – The NBA and WNBA will now share official data with MGM Resorts International, a major win for the leagues as they prepare for the anticipated growth of sports betting across the country.The Las Vegas-based casino giant will pay the NBA for that data to use in determining outcomes of various bets. The NBA’s stance has been that getting accurate stats to bettors is critical so players know what they’re betting on and so casinos will know when to pay out, and MGM Resorts is the first casino to make an arrangement with the league for those numbers.Terms of the deal announced Tuesday were not disclosed, other than it’s a multiyear arrangement.”I know the value of data,” MGM chairman and CEO James Murren said. ”To be able to have the official NBA data for sports bettors around the world is very valuable. I was willing to, and I’ve paid for that.”