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

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and two of the top jockeys in horse racing were allegedly linked to illegal cockfighting in Puerto Rico through social media posts, according to reporting from USA Today.

The article, published Thursday, highlights social media posts advertising cockfighting tournaments that picture three-time All-...Read more

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Down to their final strike in the final inning of the final game of this challenging Golden State road trip, the Cardinals took a bruise to then deliver one.

JJ Wetherholt was hit by a breaking ball with two strikes and two outs in the ninth inning while trailing the Athletics by a run. Wetherholt grinding through ...Read more

HOUSTON — Without Cal Raleigh, Mitch Garver wouldn’t be here.

He wouldn’t have a spot on the Mariners roster and wouldn’t have a chance to hold down the catching position during Raleigh’s sudden absence.

In the short term, at least, Garver showed Thursday that the Mariners just might be OK without their star catcher.

A few hours ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Welcome back, Endy Rodriguez.

The 25-year-old catcher made his first appearance for the Pirates since June 6, then helped them to a 7-2 win against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday afternoon at PNC Park. Rodriguez went 2 for 3 with a walk, hitting a double in the second inning then adding a two-run single in the third to extend ...Read more

MILWAUKEE — Griffin Canning’s third start for the Padres was both interminable and brief.

He was on the mound for nearly 20 minutes in the bottom of the first inning while throwing 43 pitches, just 19 of them strikes, and allowing three runs on one hit and four consecutive walks.

His portion of the second inning was also nearly 20 minutes ...Read more

NEW YORK — The first two and a half months have been unkind to the Mets.

But Thursday’s Star Wars Day brought a pair of firsts that’ll fill the entire Mets clubhouse with smiles:

Rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing hit his first big league home run in what became the Mets’ first series sweep of the season in a 9-4 victory against the Detroit ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Zebby Matthews made his season debut Thursday at Target Field, after spending the first seven weeks of the season at Class AAA St. Paul, which answers the primary question after watching his outing: Where has this guy been all year?

Matthews spun seven scoreless innings, yielding four hits and one walk, to lead the Twins to an 8...Read more

HOUSTON —A dreadful year for Cal Raleigh has reached a new low point.

The Mariners’ All-Star catcher, who gamely tried to play through an oblique strain for nearly two weeks, has been placed on the injured list for the first time in his career.

Raleigh was pulled from Wednesday’s game and was seen visibly wincing during a play in the ...Read more

Two days without Shohei Ohtani’s bat in the starting lineup is a tough pill to swallow. But the Dodgers beat the Giants 4-0 Wednesday even without his presence at the top of the batting order.

The Dodgers’ victory featured an early offensive push and back-to-back home runs, as Ohtani made his impact on the mound, holding the Giants ...Read more

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Of all the pitches that Matthew Liberatore threw in a prolonged slog through the fifth inning, the one that went the farthest fittingly did the most damage.

Nick Kurtz’s 405-foot grand slam during the decisive five inning obliterated the Cardinals’ one-run lead and launched the Athletics to a 6-2 victory late ...Read more