SEATTLE — The ongoing “criticism” about the Seattle Mariners’ usage/reliance on platoons as a strategy has been a popular topic on the yelling halls of the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Fans dislike the idea of Luke Raley and Dom Canzone being removed from games for either Rob Refsnyder or Connor Joe when a left-...Read more

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – What had been a solid outing for San Francisco Giants right-hander Tyler Mahle against the Athletics on Friday night turned sour in a hurry in the fifth inning.

After allowing singles to Lawrence Butler and Jeff McNeil, Mahle served up an 87-mph cutter to Nick Kurtz, who took it 417 feet to left center field, as part...Read more

The Los Angeles Dodgers opened MLB rivalry weekend with a blast — three to be exact — in a 6-0 win over the Angels on Friday at Angel Stadium.

They also achieved something last year’s World Series-winning team couldn’t — it beat the Angels. The Angels had won seven consecutive games against the Dodgers, the franchise’s longest ...Read more

DENVER — The charge: The Rockies remain an extremely flawed baseball team. The evidence: A 9-1 loss to Arizona on Friday night at Coors Field in front of an announced crowd of 27,557.

Cue the Law & Order sound effects.

This is their story: Rockies veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland, who has struggled mightily since coming back from the ...Read more

ST. LOUIS — Back at Busch Stadium after completing a ninth-inning comeback before flying home from California, the Cardinals found yet another way to come away with a win in dramatic fashion on Friday night vs. the Royals. This time, the late-night heroics came after some back-and-forth between the cross-state counterparts.

With the game tied...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Trying to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning Friday at Target Field, the Twins thought they made a game-changing play defensively.

With runners on second and third and no outs, Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras hit a grounder to shortstop Brooks Lee with the infield drawn in. Lee fired a sidearm throw to third...Read more

The Boston Red Sox battled the Atlanta Braves and themselves Friday night, and were doubly beaten in the 3-2, 10-inning loss.

Connelly Early battled with command, but he completed five innings with two solo homers as the only damage. He allowed five hits, struck out six and avoided walks altogether. Despite the shaky beginnings, he threw 61 of ...Read more

PITTSBURGH —If this isn’t rock bottom for the Pirates’ bullpen, it’s hard to imagine what is.

The Pirates imploded in a 11-9 loss in 10 innings to the cross-state Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night, blowing a six-run lead after three innings and a five-run lead after six. The Phillies scored eight runs against the Pirates bullpen ...Read more

NEW YORK — Cody Bellinger’s left-handed swing is ideal for Yankee Stadium, and he has the early-season production there to match.

But hits away from home have been harder to come by for the Yankees’ left fielder.

Entering Friday night’s Subway Series opener at Citi Field, Bellinger was hitting .188 with two extra-base hits and a .516 ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Blake Snell made just 11 regular-season starts in the first year of his five-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers due to persistent shoulder problems. But he did pitch in the postseason.

His second year could be a repeat, this time due to elbow problems.

Snell was scratched from his scheduled start Friday after he ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The Orioles pushed the tying run to 90 feet away, but eight innings of scoreless offense did them in.

Despite a two-run, ninth-inning rally, Baltimore lost, 3-2, to the Washington Nationals on Friday night as Zack Littell, who entered the game with a 6.94 ERA and the most home runs allowed in MLB this season, pitched five ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — He was, arguably, baseball’s worst hitter over the first month of the season.

Cedric Mullins may have been the most accomplished bat added to Tampa Bay’s lineup in the offseason, but the former All-Star produced more doubts than doubles in his early days in a Rays uniform.

Of the 169 hitters with at least 100 plate...Read more

WASHINGTON — If the Orioles are going to turn their season around, they’ll have to do it without Jordan Westburg.

The infielder underwent successful Tommy John surgery on Wednesday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow that he partially tore in February, Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias announced ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Yankees will be without their ace for at least a little while.

The team placed Max Fried on the 15-day injured list with a bone bruise in his left elbow on Friday. The decision follows the southpaw’s early exit from Wednesday’s loss to the Orioles, as well as a CT scan, an MRI and an examination from team physician Dr. ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Didn't hit. Didn't pitch.

But that didn't make Shohei Ohtani not the story.

On the contrary. Seeing him chillin' in a Dodger-blue hoodie — and not dressed for success in his white home uniform top — was the most striking part of the Dodgers' 5-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

Back on ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Thursday night, reclaiming first in the National League West after San Diego lost to Milwaukee. The Dodgers also escaped a third straight series loss at home ahead of their weekend road series against the Angels.

Designated hitter Will Smith, whom Dodgers manager Dave ...Read more

Rays shortstop Wander Franco’s new trial on charges of sexual abuse of a minor began Thursday in the Dominican Republic amid heavy military presence and few details.

Prosecutors again laid out the framework of their case against Franco, which stems from a relationship that started in December 2022 when the girl was 14 and Franco 21.

Franco ...Read more

ATLANTA — Manager Craig Counsell thought going into Thursday’s series finale against the Atlanta Braves that the Chicago Cubs would have a hard time getting four innings out of right-hander Ben Brown.

Brown is still building up his pitch count with his transition from the bullpen to the rotation, requiring high efficiency facing Major ...Read more

BOSTON — Ranger Suárez wore the same jersey number (55), warmed up to the same Kid Cudi track (“Mr. Rager”), and threw the same six-pitch kitchen sink.

Only this time, he did it all against the Phillies.

How strange.

But as much as some things change, others never do. Take, for instance, Kyle Schwarber crushing baseballs to the most ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Royals’ rotation was among the best in baseball for the first six weeks of the season, but Kansas City’s starting pitchers have hit a collective pothole.

After turning in a quality start in 19 of the Royals’ first 36 games, the staff’s starters have just one in their last eight contests.

The latest pitcher to struggle ...Read more