ANAHEIM, Calif. — Tarik Skubal was punching out hitters and dancing off the mound after innings. Spencer Torkelson was sending baseballs out to the lovely landscaping beyond the center field wall at Angels Stadium. Kevin McGonigle was doing Ty Cobb-type stuff.

The Tigers had themselves a grand time Saturday night, beating the Los Angeles ...Read more

SEATTLE — The youthful middle infield for the Mariners' present and their future shined when it was desperately needed.

Cole Young did it with the bat. Colt Emerson did it with the glove. Their moments in the spotlight came at different points of the game, but each were equally important in lifting the M’s to a 4-3 victory over the San ...Read more

CLEVELAND — A day that began with clear afternoon skies and warm temperatures turned to a downpour, which later gave way to a chilly breeze and blurry nighttime haze.

The atmosphere Saturday above Progressive Field told the story for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who split their doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians in a pair of games that ...Read more

CHICAGO — If the Cubs ever win the World Series, they’ll build statues of the players and none of them will ever have to pay for a drink in Chicago again.

We heard that maxim for years. The 2016 Cubs finally ended the franchise’s 107-year championship drought, putting it to the test.

Ten years later, there are still no statues. But the ...Read more

CHICAGO — Kody Clemens hit two home runs Saturday at Wrigley Field in an otherwise quiet afternoon for the Twins offense, but he should’ve hit in the ninth inning with the bases loaded as the potential tying run.

Instead, an embarrassing baserunning mistake cost the Twins a comeback bid in their 6-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

After Josh ...Read more

BOSTON — Boston seemed to be setting the stage for the Red Sox’s 11-game win streak to come to an end Saturday evening. Rain drenched Fenway Park for hours in the late afternoon, pushing the scheduled 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch back 61 minutes.

Humidity blanketed the ballpark and heavy air pollution from the Canadian wildfires obscured the ...Read more

HOUSTON — For most of Saturday evening, the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros, two teams jockeying in the American League wild-card race, did almost everything they could to not win the game.

But as the ballclubs played hot potato with the game’s fate, an Orioles player stepped up and took the game into his own hands to deliver a 4-2 win...Read more

NEW YORK — Saturday night’s game between the Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers was rained out, setting up a split-admission doubleheader on Sunday in the Bronx.

The first game is scheduled to start at 12:35 p.m. and air on YES Network. The second game remains scheduled for 7:20 p.m. and will air on NBC/Peacock.

Cam Schlittler (9-5, 2.05 ERA)...Read more

TORONTO — Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami led off the fourth inning of Saturday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays with a double. He would be stranded at second base.

Right fielder Braden Montgomery began the next inning for the Sox with another double. He advanced to third on a grounder, but that’s where he would be ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Schwarber is not known for his speed.

He’s more known for what he did in the first inning on Saturday: blast a towering, 399-foot home run that gave his team an early 2-0 lead over the New York Mets.

But he also stepped on the gas on Saturday, helping the Phillies manufacture some insurance runs for the 6-1 win in a ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals needed another spot start on Saturday afternoon against the San Diego Padres at Kauffman Stadium.

So the club turned to veteran right-hander Randy Dobnak. The journeyman starter gave the Royals exactly what they needed — solid innings on the mound.

Dobnak allowed one run in 4 1/3 innings. He wasn�...Read more

PHOENIX – Before Dustin May could get control of the unraveling third inning, former Cardinal Nolan Arenado had already taken advantage.

Arenado’s two-out, two-run double was the decisive blow of an inning that effectively knocked the Cardinals too far behind for one of their customary comebacks. An inning that already included two walks, a...Read more

CLEVELAND — Jacob Gonzalez flashed his right index finger toward the outfield as he rounded first base, and after he returned from the home run trot roughly 30 seconds later, he paraded through the Pirates’ dugout in the celebratory welder’s mask.

“It was dark. I got scared for a second because I couldn’t see,” Gonzalez said. “...Read more

HOUSTON — In December 2019, Orioles general manager Mike Elias traded Dylan Bundy, a pitcher once seen as the future ace of the franchise, for four pitching prospects.

Saturday, one of those pitchers officially became the future ace of the franchise.

The Orioles on Saturday signed starting pitcher Kyle Bradish to a five-year contract ...Read more

BOSTON — The start of Saturday’s 4:10 p.m. ET game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park has been delayed due to heavy rain in the Fenway area, the Red Sox announced at a quarter past three.

Patrick Sandoval (0-0, 2.08 ERA, 5 K) is scheduled to start for the Red Sox, opposite fellow left-hander Ian Seymour (6-2, 4.59 ...Read more

SEATTLE — The first game coming back from the All-Star break should be filled with enthusiasm and excitement for a team in or near a playoff position and coming off a restful few days.

Instead, the Seattle Mariners’ return to T-Mobile Park on Friday night to begin maybe the two most important weeks of the season was another display of the ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. – There was no need for any locker room speeches. The Detroit Tigers reassembled after the All-Star break, went through a full-squad workout Friday afternoon and got right back to business.

“There’s not a lot to say to this group,” manager AJ Hinch said before the game. “We know exactly what’s ahead. We know exactly ...Read more

There were no tears when the Twins scored four runs in the third inning Friday at Wrigley Field, but there was plenty of sweat and even some blood.

In the first game out of the All-Star break, an important time given the proximity to the Aug. 3 trade deadline, the Twins rode their early run support to a 5-2 victory in their series opener ...Read more