KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia didn’t waste any time. He stepped in the box with purpose against Chicago White Sox starter Erick Fedde.

And Garcia changed the game with one swing.

In the first inning, Garcia belted a solo homer over the left-field wall. He got a 93.9-mph sinker down the middle of the ...Read more

CINCINNATI — It was quickly apparent that this wasn’t going to be George Klassen’s day.

The Los Angeles Angels’ rookie right-hander issued three first-inning walks on his way to allowing four quick runs in a 7-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds Saturday.

Klassen gave up five runs in two-plus innings, eventually leaving the game with a ...Read more

NEW YORK — Things went from bad to worse in Queens seemingly in a matter of minutes, but if you’ve watched the New York Mets at all this week, it probably felt much longer.

Mental mistakes, defensive miscues and a lack of urgency early in the game led to an 11-6 loss to the A’s Saturday at Citi Field, the fourth straight for the Mets (7-8...Read more

CHICAGO — Saturday started with the Pirates’ flag flying highest among the NL Central flags atop the Wrigley Field scoreboard. After the Pirates won Saturday, Sunday will begin the same way.

The Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs, 4-3, in 11 innings on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. They entered the day tied atop the NL Central standings ...Read more

TORONTO – In front of a sellout crowd at Rogers Centre, a couple of home run swings from Brooks Lee and Trevor Larnach took the energy out of the building.

And Joe Ryan made sure to keep it that way in a 7-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday in front of an announced crowd of 41,591.

Ryan gave up a two-run homer to Daulton Varsho...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — It was “Kids Opening Day,” and the Phillies showed up to the party toting a record of 6-7, apropos of a joke that only kids seem to get.

But nobody thinks it’s funny when a team doesn’t hit.

That was the backdrop Saturday, with the Phillies having scored in one of their last 29 innings. And although they are correct in...Read more

DETROIT – AJ Hinch was told before the game that he was one win away from 400 as the manager of the Detroit Tigers.

“Should’ve got it last week,” he deadpanned.

Well, better late than never.

The Tigers helped their skipper join the Cincinnati Reds’ Terry Francona as the only two active managers to win 400 games with two teams, ...Read more

SEATTLE — His teal hood pulled up and over his head, Julio Rodríguez stood in the back corner of the crowd Friday and filmed Ichiro’s statue unveiling on his Sony 4K Handycam.

The Mariners’ All-Star center fielder purchased the camcorder this offseason, at the recommendation of a friend, and has been experimenting with it as a new hobby....Read more

SEATTLE — Randy Arozarena wasn’t going to leave the batter’s box. Nope he was savoring moment that has been lacking for the Seattle Mariners of late.

In a pose made for a statue artist, Arozarena held his follow-through with his bat – yes, unbroken – remaining pointed high in the air in triumph.

He didn’t move from that position ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — It was Max Muncy’s night.

His third home run — a no-doubt-about-it 401-foot walk-off to right-center field, gave the Los Angeles Dodgers an 8-7 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday at Dodger Stadium.

They improved to 10-3, winning despite closer Edwin Díaz’s first blown save as a Dodger.

Muncy’s first home runs, ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres got two home runs in an inning for the first time this season. Walker Buehler went longer than four innings for the first time this season.

That wasn’t enough for a victory, as Adrian Morejón’s frustrating season continued.

But a night after their first walk-off victory of the season on a home run, the ...Read more

ST. LOUIS — Coming off a pair of rugged outings to begin his Cardinals career, starter Dustin May provided a quality start Friday night against his former team that handed a lead over to a Cardinals bullpen that did not budge.

After May was removed following six innings and two runs (one earned) allowed against the Red Sox, the Cardinals ...Read more

CINCINNATI — Three numbers tell you all you need to know about what the Angels’ lineup did on Friday night.

They had 10 hits, eight walks and seven strikeouts.

The Angels’ 10-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds marked a rare confluence of those three numbers. It was the first time since last July that they had more hits than strikeouts ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — In search of relief from a 20-inning scoreless drought, the Phillies eyed the composition of their opponent’s bullpen Friday and did something unusual.

They bunched together four left-handed hitters.

It wasn’t ideal, manager Rob Thomson conceded. But because the Diamondbacks lack a lefty reliever, he figured it just might ...Read more

For the first time under manager Tony Vitello, the Giants have a winning streak.

Willy Adames and Jung Hoo Lee homered and drove in two runs apiece while Landen Roupp pitched six innings of one-run ball as San Francisco defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 6-3, on Friday night at Camden Yards for its third straight win to kick off a nine-game road ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Turns out, the decision was brilliant. The outcome was magical.

Even if the praise is probably a little overblown.

Rays manager Kevin Cash shook up his lineup on Friday and the results were immediate in a 5-3 win against the Yankees.

Moving his three big hitters — Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero — around ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals pitcher Kris Bubic had a special night at the office.

The left-handed starter was in rare form against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium on Friday night, setting a career high with 11 strikeouts in the Royals’ 2-0 victory.

Bubic didn’t need much run support. He was in control from the first ...Read more

NEW YORK — Maybe it’s the weather.

A brutal New York City winter has extended into spring, preventing the Mets from producing runs. Maybe it was the biting cold that tweaked the hamstring of Clay Holmes on Friday night.

Since returning home to Citi Field this week, the Mets’ offense has gone from an overflow to a dripping faucet. It shut...Read more

TORONTO — After all the good vibes, momentum and positivity surrounding the Twins following their four-game sweep against Detroit, the defending American League champions hit them with a gut punch.

Simeon Woods Richardson and the Twins wasted a four-run lead in their 10-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday at Rogers Centre, which ended ...Read more

SEATTLE — A few minutes after the not-so-smooth unveiling of the newest Mariners statue, Ken Griffey Jr. approached Ichiro inside a ground-floor hallway at T-Mobile Park and professed his innocence.

“I did not do that,” Griffey told his former teammate.

Video evidence suggests otherwise.

As Griffey and Edgar Martinez pulled the drapery ...Read more