SAN DIEGO — The Padres completed a series sweep for just the second time in five tries this season by beating the Cardinals 5-3 on Sunday at Petco Park.

With their usual strong pitching, what has of late been excellent defense and some more help from the Cardinals, the Padres improved to 24-17. That is the second-best record in the National ...Read more

When he flipped Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in the batting order Sunday afternoon, Angels manager Joe Maddon wasn’t sure if it would make a difference.

“These are little micro changes,” Maddon said, putting Ohtani behind Trout for the first time this season. “We’ll see if it does have an impact.”

Did it ever.

With two outs in the...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Two plays in the fifth inning by Miami Marlins outfielder Adam Duvall proved critical in the Marlins avoiding a three-game road sweep against the Los Angeles Dodgers and salvaging their series finale at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.

The first came with his bat. He gave the Marlins their first lead of the game with a no-doubt, two-...Read more

CHICAGO — José Abreu scored the winning run on a wild pitch with two outs in the ninth inning as the Chicago White Sox rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Sox scored twice in the ninth to salvage a split of the four-game series.

The Sox entered the ninth trailing 3-2. Tim Anderson, who went 3-...Read more

Chicago Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks perfectly executed a sinker on the edge of the strike zone, freezing Detroit Tigers left fielder Robbie Grossman.

The pitch got Grossman looking for strike three to end the eighth inning Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park. Hendricks went back out for the ninth before two singles to open the inning ended ...Read more

It was fitting that the Phillies played their series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays in a spring-training ballpark because the lineup manager Joe Girardi sent out Sunday afternoon resembled something typically reserved for a Grapefruit League road game.

A loss to the young and powerful Jays at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla., was predictable,...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Mets could build a terrific lineup out of their banged-up players — a sizable, injured group that welcomed two members on Sunday, one new and one old. While the club considers its growing number of hurt players, they must also deal with the aftereffects of getting swept at Tropicana Field.

Michael Conforto left ...Read more

The Chicago White Sox reached the 85% vaccination threshold for tiered players and staff Saturday.

Among the relaxed protocols, all vaccinated Tier 1 players and staff are no longer required to wear face masks in the dugout.

“There are differences, a little more freedom, especially not wearing a mask,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said Sunday...Read more

LOS ANGELES — When the Dodgers unveiled their latest stadium renovations last month, the club president proudly noted that pictures, posters and awards from the team’s storied past would delight fans wherever they walked.

Dodger Stadium, as Stan Kasten put it that day, would be an “open-air baseball history museum.”

On the field too. ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — As Dwight Gooden closed in on throwing what had to be one of the most improbable no-hitters in baseball history, his catcher’s brain churned like Zach Galifianakis’ racing mind in the card-counting scene from The Hangover.

“You’re going over how you got each hitter out each time through the lineup — the first time, ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols agreed to a contract for the remainder of the season before Saturday night’s 7-0 win over Miami, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

Pujols, 41, was abruptly designated for assignment by the Angels last week and officially released Thursday after ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres got more pitches to hit on Saturday night, and so they did.

They’re starting to look like themselves, even as they look very little like expected.

Playing again without a good portion of their offense’s core, they routed the Cardinals 13-3 by driving the ball all over Petco Park.

By the third inning, ...Read more

SEATTLE — Proving they were capable of scoring runs and winning games on a somewhat regular basis before Jarred Kelenic’s name was penciled atop their lineup, though it hasn’t felt like it in recent weeks, the Seattle Mariners used home runs from Mitch Haniger and Dylan Moore and a triple from recent call-up Donovan Walton to roll to an ...Read more

Every loss counts the same. That’s what they always say. But the punch to the collective gut seems a little more acute whenever it happens with a team’s best pitcher on the mound.

Or when the $330 million right fielder exits in the fourth inning with a sore right shoulder.

And the star catcher is lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth ...Read more

Playing the Orioles in Baltimore has made the Yankees look dominant over the last few years, but the 2021 team hasn’t been able to take anything for granted.

Saturday night’s 8-2 win turned back the clock, with Domingo German looking excellent and Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez putting runs on the board.

German turned in six efficient ...Read more