CHICAGO — The good vibes returned to the Mariners clubhouse Friday afternoon, and with them a renewed sense of optimism about this team and about what’s possible this season.

That feeling took further root a few hours later when the Mariners broke out of their offensive malaise during an eight-run first inning — yes, eight runs — that ...Read more

HOUSTON — There is a very real chance that Gavin Stone could be the Dodgers’ No. 2 starter when the playoffs begin in a couple months.

If so, the Dodgers will need him to pitch much better than he did Friday night.

In a 5-0 loss at Minute Maid Park, Stone got knocked around by a resurgent Houston Astros club and its star-studded, high-...Read more

ST. LOUIS — Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez came within one strike of stranding two runners in scoring position and getting out of the 10th inning unscathed. Instead, he walked Washington Nationals infielder Trey Lipscomb and then gave up a two-out three-run triple on a line drive that right fielder Dylan Carlson misjudged and couldn’t ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Stuart Fairchild delivered Cincinnati’s first hit in six innings Friday night, and it was a big one.

Fairchild’s double to left off reliever Manuel Rodriguez in the top of the 10th inning scored Austin Slater with the winning run in the Reds’ 3-2 victory over the Rays in front of an announced 20,441 at Tropicana ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Mets waited four months for their ace to get back on the Citi Field mound. Right-hander Kodai Senga was worth the wait, looking every bit his dominant self in his 2024 debut Friday night at Citi Field against the Atlanta Braves.

But in the sixth inning, Cody Riley popped one up to the infield and Senga injured his calf coming ...Read more

BALTIMORE — The Padres’ last loss was to the team with the American League’s best record at the time.

On Friday, they extended their winning streak to a season-high six games by beating one of the teams with the American League’s best record.

A pair of two-run homers by Jurickson Profar, the second with two outs in the ninth inning off...Read more

BOSTON — It seemed like deja vu all over again.

For the sixth time in seven games to start the second half, the Red Sox bullpen blew a lead in the seventh inning or later. This time the collapse was particularly noisy, as Zack Kelly allowed back-to-back home runs — including a 470-foot three-run moonshot by Aaron Judge — to turn a one-run...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals have officially eclipsed their 2023 win total. On Friday, the Royals defeated the Chicago Cubs, 6-0, to earn their 57th victory.

Last season, the Royals produced a tied-for-franchise-worst 56-106 record. KC didn’t win its final game until the season finale against the New York Yankees.

Fans didn’...Read more

DETROIT — The Twins found a new use for those non-team-colors City Connect uniforms on Friday: Decoy.

And they weren't even wearing theirs.

Willi Castro cracked a two-run single to left field in the fourth inning, and advanced to third base when Tigers second baseman Colt Keith received the throw, whirled and saw Castro several feet beyond ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The Cleveland Guardians didn’t hit Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez particularly hard on Friday.

Sánchez scattered eight hits — all singles — across six innings, and only allowed contact harder than 95 mph twice. But the Phillies infield was plagued by defensive miscues, and the Guardians capitalized just enough for ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Randy Arozarena apparently wanted to check out the Randy Land experience before leaving town.

Between receiving the news after the Rays’ early morning flight from Toronto that he had been traded to Seattle and plans to meet the Mariners Saturday in Chicago, the former Rays outfielder made a surprise appearance at ...Read more

HOUSTON — Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched from the team's lineup Friday so that he could travel to Los Angeles to be with his family, manager Dave Roberts announced.

According to an Instagram post on Thursday from Freeman's wife, Chelsea, the couple's 3-year-old son, Maximus, has been in the hospital this week.

On Tuesday...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Describing it as a “huge relief,” Mike Trout said the latest setback in his recovery is a minor one.

The Angels embattled star underwent an MRI on his left knee that he said came back clean, revealing just some scar tissue and inflammation.

“Glad it’s not serious,” Trout said on Friday. “Any day, I’ll come in ...Read more

BALTIMORE — The Orioles acquired right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday for outfielder Matthew Etzel, infielder Mac Horvath and right-handed pitcher Jackson Baumeister, a source with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Baltimore Sun.

Eflin, 30, has posted a 4.09 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 19 ...Read more

Just as they expected, the Dodgers were able to find a trade partner for James Paxton after designating him for assignment this week.

On Friday, the team announced it had agreed to trade Paxton to his old team, the Boston Red Sox, in exchange for minor league infielder Moises Bolivar.

The move marked the first official trade the Dodgers have ...Read more

SEATTLE — In desperate need of offensive help to bolster their listless lineup, the Mariners have added one of the best bats available on the trade market.

The Mariners acquired Randy Arozarena, the slugging left fielder from the Tampa Bay Rays, late Thursday night for two minor leaguers and a player to be named later, major league sources ...Read more

BALTIMORE — The first domino has fallen.

In what’s been expected to be a busy trade deadline for the Orioles, the club made its first move Friday afternoon — an unconventional and surprising one.

Baltimore traded veteran left fielder Austin Hays — an All-Star in 2023 and a team leader since the rebuild — to the Philadelphia Phillies ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kenny Rosenberg has an opportunity to secure a spot in the gaping hole in the Angels’ rotation, and his first try didn’t go as he’d hoped.

Rosenberg, the 14th pitcher to start for the Angels this season, coughed up an early three-run lead and got knocked out in the fourth inning of a 6-5 loss to the Oakland A’s on ...Read more

MIAMI — The Marlins, very much open to trading veterans for prospects, continued that process on Thursday evening by dealing reliever A.J. Puk to Arizona for corner infielder Deyvison De Los Santos and center fielder Andrew Pintar.

De Los Santos is considered the better of the two prospects; Baseball America ranks him sixth and Pintar 17th ...Read more

NEW YORK — Chris Sale might be back, but so is Jeff McNeil.

The Mets opened a key series against their NL East foes Thursday night at Citi Field with wild-card positioning on the line with a 3-2, 10-inning win. With two on and two out in the bottom of the 10th, the 2022 NL batting champ hit a deep fly ball off Pierce Johnson into the right-...Read more