PHILADELPHIA — Luis Arraez opened the door and revealed the secret to winning three batting titles.

Not even Tony Gwynn Jr. could believe it.

“Listen,” said the son of the late Hall of Famer, “my dad was as much of a worker as possible. Never once did he have a tee and a net in his hotel room. I walked into the room and watched this ...Read more

BALTIMORE — As Mallory Rubin took her spot in front of Camden Yards’ mound Thursday night, she channeled her inner Adley Rutschman from his MLB debut.

Ball in hand, ready to throw the ceremonial first pitch, Rubin didn’t rush. She looked around the crown jewel of a ballpark, took a deep breath, cracked a wide smile, looked in for the sign...Read more

DENVER — Watching Larry Walker play baseball is like writing sentences with exclamation points.

He is the most talented player I have ever covered. He threw with the velocity and accuracy of a pitcher from right field. He motored around the bases like a sports car, knowing exactly what gear to shift into two steps out of the batter’s box.

...Read more

LOS ANGELES — A three-day Coors Field glow-up can only do so much.

The Los Angeles Dodgers returned from their restorative visit to baseball’s day spa for sagging offenses with just enough sparkle left to retrieve a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night with Tommy Edman’s walk-off single in the 10th inning.

While the ...Read more

SEATTLE — Would this be like so many disappointing homestand openers?

A big crowd fills T-Mobile Park eager to see the Seattle Mariners back after a road trip, bringing energy and excitement. A belief that being back in the perfect weather of the Pacific Northwest and sleeping in their own beds will increase their victory hopes abounds.

And...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Randy Vásquez continued a run of excellent starting pitching, and the San Diego Padres continued their uninterrupted two-week stretch of on-and-off offense with an “on” night.

It was the kind of synergy that felt much needed at the start of a six-game homestand, coming off a series loss in New York and in a tight playoff race...Read more

ARLINGTON, Texas — A day after the Angels scored 18 runs, they returned to their offensive malaise and managed just one.

It was almost enough.

After scoring the game’s first run in the top of the 10th, the Angels gave up two in the bottom of the inning, losing to the Texas Rangers, 2-1, on Friday night.

Right-hander Ben Joyce, who had not...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals outfielder Kyle Isbel had a special bat awaiting him at Kauffman Stadium on Friday night.

Isbel took delivery of an assortment of custom items for MLB Players’ Weekend. And chief among those items was a Buzz Lightyear bat — from the iconic “Toy Story” movie franchise.

Buzz Lightyear is a beloved ...Read more

Sean Manaea didn’t have a very happy homecoming Friday night. A Chicago White Sox fan growing up in nearby Indiana, the lefty was cruising along in the series opener until the bottom of the sixth when he gave up three consecutive homers to blow a four-run lead.

The Mets were walked off in the bottom of the ninth when Jake Rogers hit a two-run...Read more

BOSTON — What kind of reception would Rafael Devers receive in his first game back at Fenway Park?

Over nine years in Boston Devers was among the most productive young players in Red Sox franchise history, and normally when a player like that comes back they receive a heroes welcome. But Devers’ legacy in Boston is complicated, so it’s ...Read more

NEW YORK — Spencer Jones’ prodigious power is starting to play at the big league level.

The Yankees’ rookie slugger delivered a towering two-run moonshot during Friday night’s 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the Bronx, marking his second consecutive game with a home run.

In the bottom of the second, the lefty-swinging Jones ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — It’s MLB Players’ Weekend, but Phillies fans were treated on Friday night with extra innings and a walk-off win.

Alec Bohm, who entered Friday’s game with a .288 average this season with runners on base, hit a walk-off two-run triple in the bottom of the 10th inning to extend the Phillies’ longest win streak of the ...Read more

SEATTLE — The Chicago Cubs bullpen has “La Gasolina” back.

The Cubs activated right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia from the 60-day injured list before Friday’s series opener against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. In a corresponding move, the Cubs optioned right-hander Javier Assad to Triple-A Iowa.

Palencia isn’t expected to...Read more

NEW YORK — Luis Robert Jr. was glad to be back at Rate Field on Friday. Even though there were a few differences.

“It feels great to return,” the outfielder said through an interpreter. “But at the same time, it feels a little weird coming through the way of the visitors. It feels a little strange, it feels a little bit foreign. But I�...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Mark Walter is not selling the Dodgers, his people say. The team, as a Los Angeles Times headline put it, is the “crown jewel” of his sporting empire.

Walter was not selling the Lakers, either, until he suddenly did last week. And, amid a cash crunch triggered by a federal investigation into insurance firms his companies ...Read more

SEATTLE — One of the most hyped prospects in Mariners history will arrive in Seattle for his major league debut Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

Whether the arrival of 22-year-old left-hander Kade Anderson can help spark a late-season surge for the underperforming Mariners will be one of the most intriguing storylines around the club over ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Steve Ontiveros was for once healthy, and had not yet joined the Phillies, when he and Tommy John became teammates, pitchers on the Oakland Athletics in 1985. Ontiveros was 24 years old, a right-hander having a terrific rookie season: a 1.93 earned-run average, eight saves. John was already 42, still the same soft-throwing lefty...Read more

LOS ANGELES — When the news broke last week that Mark Walter was selling the Lakers just one year after buying the storied basketball franchise, executives working for another crown jewel in his sports empire — the Dodgers — were quick to say the billionaire had no plans to sell the team.

The Dodgers have won three of the last six World ...Read more

HOUSTON — Starved for clutch hits for more than a month, the Angels gorged themselves on Thursday night.

And Zach Neto took the most trips through the buffet line.

Neto drove in seven runs on five hits in the Angels’ 18-3 victory over the Houston Astros, as the Angels won a road series for the first time since May.

Neto’s RBIs and hits ...Read more