TORONTO — Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami led off the fourth inning of Saturday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays with a double. He would be stranded at second base.

Right fielder Braden Montgomery began the next inning for the Sox with another double. He advanced to third on a grounder, but that’s where he would be ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Schwarber is not known for his speed.

He’s more known for what he did in the first inning on Saturday: blast a towering, 399-foot home run that gave his team an early 2-0 lead over the New York Mets.

But he also stepped on the gas on Saturday, helping the Phillies manufacture some insurance runs for the 6-1 win in a ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals needed another spot start on Saturday afternoon against the San Diego Padres at Kauffman Stadium.

So the club turned to veteran right-hander Randy Dobnak. The journeyman starter gave the Royals exactly what they needed — solid innings on the mound.

Dobnak allowed one run in 4 1/3 innings. He wasn�...Read more

PHOENIX – Before Dustin May could get control of the unraveling third inning, former Cardinal Nolan Arenado had already taken advantage.

Arenado’s two-out, two-run double was the decisive blow of an inning that effectively knocked the Cardinals too far behind for one of their customary comebacks. An inning that already included two walks, a...Read more

CLEVELAND — Jacob Gonzalez flashed his right index finger toward the outfield as he rounded first base, and after he returned from the home run trot roughly 30 seconds later, he paraded through the Pirates’ dugout in the celebratory welder’s mask.

“It was dark. I got scared for a second because I couldn’t see,” Gonzalez said. “...Read more

HOUSTON — In December 2019, Orioles general manager Mike Elias traded Dylan Bundy, a pitcher once seen as the future ace of the franchise, for four pitching prospects.

Saturday, one of those pitchers officially became the future ace of the franchise.

The Orioles on Saturday signed starting pitcher Kyle Bradish to a five-year contract ...Read more

BOSTON — The start of Saturday’s 4:10 p.m. ET game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park has been delayed due to heavy rain in the Fenway area, the Red Sox announced at a quarter past three.

Patrick Sandoval (0-0, 2.08 ERA, 5 K) is scheduled to start for the Red Sox, opposite fellow left-hander Ian Seymour (6-2, 4.59 ...Read more

SEATTLE — The first game coming back from the All-Star break should be filled with enthusiasm and excitement for a team in or near a playoff position and coming off a restful few days.

Instead, the Seattle Mariners’ return to T-Mobile Park on Friday night to begin maybe the two most important weeks of the season was another display of the ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. – There was no need for any locker room speeches. The Detroit Tigers reassembled after the All-Star break, went through a full-squad workout Friday afternoon and got right back to business.

“There’s not a lot to say to this group,” manager AJ Hinch said before the game. “We know exactly what’s ahead. We know exactly ...Read more

There were no tears when the Twins scored four runs in the third inning Friday at Wrigley Field, but there was plenty of sweat and even some blood.

In the first game out of the All-Star break, an important time given the proximity to the Aug. 3 trade deadline, the Twins rode their early run support to a 5-2 victory in their series opener ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Any team can beat any team on any night. Anything can happen in extra innings.

And on and on.

There are so many qualifiers that make baseball unpredictable and help to justify any number of losses in a 162-game season.

But they simply do not matter anymore. Not for the Padres.

The Royals beat the Padres 7-6 Friday with a...Read more

HOUSTON — The Orioles ended the first half playing their best baseball of the season, winning four straight for the first time.

In one way, it was critical momentum heading into the All-Star break — providing a positive feeling for the ballclub during its four-day hiatus. On the other hand, the time off had the potential to stymie whatever ...Read more

There was a time not long ago where the Red Sox falling into an early two-run hole would have been a death sentence. The Red Sox weren’t a team built to play from behind, and the club often struggled to mount any kind of response whenever an opposing team landed a blow.

But after the Tampa Bay Rays took a quick lead in the top of the first on...Read more

NEW YORK — Dodgers All-Star third baseman Max Muncy didn’t get a break this week, traveling to Philadelphia to compete in the Midsummer Classic. But even without the extra rest, he put a charge into his go-ahead swing Friday.

The Dodgers struggled to get anything going against veteran Yankees starter Gerrit Cole — until he hung a slider ...Read more

Shohei Ohtani was at the top of the Dodgers' lineup Friday against the New York Yankees, five days after receiving an injection in his left knee. And he's penciled in to pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.

Ohtani received an orthovisc shot in his knee to lubricate the joint and relieve irritation, manager Dave Roberts said, ...Read more

HOUSTON — Eric Booth Jr. hasn’t officially become part of the Orioles organization, but he’s already their top prospect.

Baseball America updated its top 100 prospect list Friday to include the top picks in the 2026 MLB draft. Booth, the No. 7 overall selection by the Orioles, was ranked as the sport’s 65th-best prospect — ...Read more

The Kansas City Royals have made their stance clear regarding veteran starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo ahead of Major League Baseball’s Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Teams interested in either player’s services should know the Royals have attached a hefty price tag to both.

“I think the general thought is it’s going to have to be...Read more

The hoopla of All-Star festivities in Philadelphia provided a glimpse of what awaits the Chicago Cubs in less than a year.

The Cubs on Friday unveiled the official logo for the 2027 MLB All-Star Game, scheduled to be played July 13 at Wrigley Field. The Midsummer Classic is being held for the fourth time in Wrigley’s history (1947, 1962 and ...Read more

Everyone needs to be better.

That’s the theme of the season’s first half for the Mariners, and the charge from Jerry Dipoto as his team tries to rally in the second half.

“In general, I think the pitching staff continues to do the things that are required to play into the postseason, and that makes us feel really confident that ...Read more