MIAMI — It doesn’t take a new metric devised by genius analysts to say its suboptimal. And while they never dealt with the scenario in their days, you can almost hear the crustiest of the old managers scolding the failure.

But in the new era of extra-innings baseball that features the automatic runner at second to start innings after the ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — About a month ago, Twins manager Derek Shelton called Taj Bradley into his office and told him that he thought he got “swagger jacked.”

It was a phrase that Shelton picked up from Carl Crawford when he was Crawford’s hitting coach in Tampa Bay. Bradley struggled in his first few starts following a stint on the injured list...Read more

DETROIT — It doesn’t have to be a big swing that changes a game. The Tigers, when they are playing at their best, prove this time after time.

And they did so again Tuesday night in a spirited, 6-2 win over the Athletics in the first of three at Comerica Park. Sometimes a simple walk can turn the tide.

It was a tight, 2-1 game when lefty-...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Ryan O’Hearn made sure Paul Skenes’ losing streak didn’t reach 10.

He then took an well-deserved curtain call.

O’Hearn set a Pirates franchise record on Tuesday, driving in the first 10 runs with three homers as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves, 12-4, at PNC Park.

O’Hearn hit a first-inning grand slam ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — Ian Seymour delivered a third straight strong outing, and the Rays got their bats going Tuesday in halting a three-game slide with a 6-4 win over the Yankees at Tropicana Field.

The victory was a team effort, but the most notable offensive contribution came from Yandy Diaz, who hadn’t done much to help since leaving ...Read more

ST. LOUIS — Facing Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski for the first game of a Tuesday doubleheader at Busch Stadium, the St. Louis Cardinals had enough runs to take two different leads over Milwaukee's fireballer but weren't able to hold them.

The Cardinals received two runs in the first inning on a homer Jordan Walker hit off Misiorowski...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The Pirates are placing shortstop Konnor Griffin on the 10-day injured list with a torn tendon in his left ring finger, Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Tuesday.

In his place, the Pirates recalled infielder Jack Brannigan from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Griffin’s injury will be splinted for six weeks, ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — In 2012, when Mark Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers, team president Stan Kasten declared mediocrity would no longer be acceptable.

Would the Dodgers improve their minor league system? Yes. Would the Dodgers improve their major league roster? Also yes. Would spending in one area preclude spending in another? Absolutely ...Read more

The night began strangely. It turned ugly.

The Padres returned home Sunday night having won a game after eight straight losses, talking about how they saw positives and were looking to create momentum.

There were no signs of either on Monday, as they put up almost no resistance in a shockingly easy 8-0 victory by the Diamondbacks.

“That’s...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Heliot Ramos lamented last week how he had come mere inches from the first multi-homer game of his career. This time around, the ballpark couldn’t hold him down.

Ramos powered the Giants to a 10-1 blowout win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night, enjoying the first two-homer game of his career to go along with a ...Read more

ST. LOUIS — With an eye on Tuesday’s doubleheader and the need to cover innings with five games in four days, the Cardinals got the efficiency they hoped for starter Dustin May and a lead to go with it on Monday night vs. the Brewers.

May was to be kept to a pitch count of 65-75 in his first game since taking a comebacker off his ankle ...Read more

ATLANTA — There haven’t been many comeback victories for the New York Mets since their playoff run nearly two years ago. Just when it looked like the Mets would finally pull off a ninth-inning comeback, the Atlanta Braves had something to say about that.

Down 3-2 in the top of the ninth with runners on the corners and two outs, Juan Soto ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Did you think this was going to be easy? Nothing but sweeps and shirtless goofballs?

Three wins in a row against the Yankees at Tropicana Field back in April. Three more against the Blue Jays, followed by three against the Orioles and — Why not? — three against the Red Sox, too. The Rays were 12-0 at home against American ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — If you’ve been watching the Angels’ broadcast or have a keen eye from the stadium seats, you might notice the newest addition to the Halos.

He looms on the dugout wall, monitoring each play, sometimes hiding under a blanket or turned away. He’s faithful and quiet, never drawing the ire of umpires.

The Pikachu — in all ...Read more

In December 2025 FanGraphs released its ZiPS projections for the 2026 Red Sox and asserted that no position player on their roster would hit 20 home runs.

Willson Contreras proved them wrong in 86 games.

That, and the fact that the Red Sox won 7-5 Sunday night to complete a series sweep of the Angels in Anaheim (for the first time since 2018),...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Finally, Dodger Stadium was quiet.

Minutes before the first pitch, for four straight days, public address announcer Todd Leitz practically screamed: “Now taking the field, your back-to-back world champion Los Angeles Dodgers.”

Seconds after the final out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Randy Newman’s “I love L.A.” ...Read more

CLEVELAND — The Chicago White Sox regained sole possession of first place in the American League Central on Sunday after a 7-6 victory against the Cleveland Guardians in front of 22,616 at Progressive Field.

Kyle Teel, Tristan Peters and Colson Montgomery homered early as the Sox built a 6-3 lead. The Guardians pulled even in the fifth on a ...Read more

CHICAGO — Holding a one-run lead in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to a three-run homer by All-Star Jordan Walker that erased the Chicago Cubs’ 2-0 lead, shaky fielding cost the St. Louis Cardinals their chance to compete a sweep Sunday at Wrigley Field.

Trouble in the bottom of the sixth began brewing for the Cardinals two batters ...Read more