For all of Anthony Rendon's struggles to make consistent contact in his first 12 games, Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon saw one reason for encouragement that his new third baseman was on the verge of breaking out of an early season funk.

While Rendon's average fell to a dismal .103 after Sunday's loss at Texas, his on-base percentage ...Read more

Hunter Pence was 24 when he broke into the big leagues on a full-time basis with the Houston Astros in 2007. He was the brightest young star on an Astros team that finished with 73 wins and had several players well past their prime.

Thirteen years later, Pence, in his second stint with the San Francisco Giants, finds himself back in Houston, ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Present-day Orioles offense, meet the Orioles bullpen of yesteryear.

Not until Tuesday night did this quick-strike, never-say-die group of Orioles hitters have to deal with a relief corps for which it seems no lead is big enough.

After the bullpen gave back two late leads, rookie Austin Hays hit a two-run, inside-the-park home ...Read more

CINCINNATI -- Just when it looked like Ryan McBroom came off the bench and re-ignited the fire the Kansas City Royals showed during their four-game winning streak and assured they'd find a way to keep the good times rolling, the Cincinnati Reds dished out a dose of heartbreak.

McBroom blasted a pinch-hit, two-run home run that tied the score in...Read more

MILWAUKEE – With the dangerous part of the Brewers lineup due up in the eighth inning, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli went with his closer Taylor Rogers. Putting your best reliever in the most dangerous part of the game is a strategy employed more frequently in the game.

But Rogers was not at his best, giving up a two-run home run to Jedd ...Read more

It was a matter of inches separating Logan Forsythe from being the latest unlikely hero for the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. A towering fly ball breezed past the foul pole in left field. The infielder celebrated. The Marlins jumped up and down in their dugout. For a moment, Miami thought another improbable comeback was complete after it trailed by ...Read more

DETROIT -- Eloy Jimenez had two hits, including a three-run home run, and four RBIs Tuesday as the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 8-4 at Comerica Park.

The Sox snapped a three-game losing streak and are back at .500 (9-9).

Starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel criticized the Sox for coming out flat in Monday's 5-1 loss. The team responded...Read more

CLEVELAND -- A four-day layoff gave the Chicago Cubs extra time to hear about the effectiveness of the Cleveland Indians pitching staff.

So when play resumed Tuesday night, the Cubs found a variety of ways to chip away and eventually end the Indians' 17-game streak of allowing four runs or fewer in a 7-1 victory at Progressive Field.

"We're ...Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Major League Baseball has handed down its punishments to Oakland A's outfielder Ramon Laureano and Houston Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron for their roles in Sunday's brawl. Cintron has received a 20-game suspension and Laureano a six-game suspension, per multiple reports.

Punishments were issued in response to a fight that...Read more

While the Cardinals wait and test and test and test again, Major League Baseball has mapped a route back to the field for the team and started rearranging games so that even if they don't play a complete season, they can play what commissioner Rob Manfred called a "credible" one.

"I absolutely see a path back for the Cardinals," Manfred said in...Read more

The Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics combined for 16 runs, 18 hits, 10 walks and four home runs in 2 hours 17 minutes of baseball Monday night, with Oakland third baseman Matt Chapman tying his career high with six RBIs.

And then the fifth inning started.

It was that kind of a game in Angel Stadium, a 3-hour, 41-minute slugfest in ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- The San Diego Padres know if they want to make the Fernando Tatis Jr. era successful, they need to join him producing runs.

Austin Hedges and Eric Hosmer were able to do just enough Monday night, as six Padres relievers subdued the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 2-1 victory.

Tatis hit an infield single leading off the eighth inning to...Read more

The not-so-old building still sits within sight of the brand new palace, empty and facing eventual destruction. The Ballpark at Arlington and the later Globe Life Park is like the reliable old station wagon sitting on the side, having been replaced by the shiny new SUV that is Globe Life Field – the recently opened home of the Texas Rangers, ...Read more

HOUSTON -- In his first three starts this season, rookie Logan Webb served as the Giants' stopper, leading the club to three much-needed wins that followed tough losses.

In his fourth outing of the summer, Webb learned that he can't carry the team by himself. Not when the defense behind him won't do its part stopping anything.

The worst ...Read more

MILWAUKEE – The Twins benefitted from having a stopper and a starter on Monday.

They needed a good outing from one of their starters, so Randy Dobnak played the stopper's role with five strong innings.

And they needed a position player to start doing something at the plate. That was Eddie Rosario, who blasted his fourth career grand slam.

...Read more

Even though he heard Alex Cintron make vile remarks about his mother, A's outfielder Ramon Laureano said Monday he regrets charging at the Houston Astros hitting coach and now seems prepared to face whatever punishment may be forthcoming from Major League Baseball.

"It was a waste of time," Laureano said of the incident to local reporters.

...Read more

Every time Giants rookie right-hander Logan Webb takes the mound, the franchise gains a little more confidence the 23-year-old will be a key part of the club's rotation for years to come.

Through three starts in 2020, Webb is 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 10 strikeouts, but it's more than just the hard data that's giving the Giants reason to remain ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Let's talk about all the handwringing over the lack of production from the Phillies offense.

It's gone. Goodbye. See you later. Just like the 61/2 football field's worth of home runs that were hit en route to building a two-touchdown lead through eight innings of Monday night's rout at Citizens Bank Park.

But the concern about ...Read more

The major leagues might yet play bubble ball this year.

In the wake of coronavirus outbreaks that have interrupted the season for three teams, Major League Baseball is considering whether to move the postseason into a bubble, according to a person briefed on the matter but not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The league is preparing what the...Read more