PITTSBURGH — The ball was hit so hard it likely landed in the Allegheny River before Oneil Cruz left the batter’s box.

Cruz broke the Statcast-era record for the hardest-hit baseball with a 122.9 mph missile in the third inning, turning a 92 mph Logan Henderson fastball into a solo homer over the right field bleachers. But Cruz’s swing ...Read more

HOUSTON — Dan Wilson’s first ejection came just in time to avoid seeing the Houston Astros torment the Seatttle Mariners with another walk-off homer in Houston.

Jose Altuve opened the ninth inning with a single and Christian Walker followed with a two-run homer into the Crawford Boxes to give the Astros a 5-3 win on Sunday afternoon, and ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Before they were teammates, Sam Huff and Robbie Ray shared an odd, if not mildly amusing, moment together as opponents.

It was July 15, 2022. Ray, pitching for the Seattle Mariners, was the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. Huff, hitting for the Texas Rangers, was a rookie. With the count at 2-2 and a runner on first, Ray came ...Read more

DETROIT — When Tarik Skubal sprinted out of the dugout to start the top of the ninth inning Sunday, the crowd of 37,031 erupted. They understood all too well that something special was taking place.

"I got a little teary-eyed out there before the inning," Skubal said. "It was pretty cool. I just thought to myself, the 12-year-old me wouldn't ...Read more

NEW YORK — It had been 641 days since Shohei Ohtani last threw a pitch to a live hitter from a big-league mound.

At 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, inside an empty Citi Field on a cool afternoon in Queens, he did so again — this time, for the first time, in a Dodger blue uniform.

Nineteen months removed from a second career Tommy John procedure ...Read more

BOSTON — At times on Friday, the Baltimore Orioles played like a Little League team in their 19-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

They made four defensive blunders, gave up 18 runs in three innings and had a position player turn a blowout loss into an abomination.

On Sunday, the Orioles turned the tables and made the Red Sox play embarrassing ...Read more

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — So desperate to end a skid that reached 10 games entering Saturday, the Athletics overturned nearly a quarter of their roster, bringing up five players from triple A.

One of those players included infielder Logan Davidson, who made his major league debut against the Phildelphia Phillies as a pinch-runner in the ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Angels’ pitching didn’t show up on Saturday night, and this time the hitters didn’t bail them out.

The Angels lost, 6-2, to the Miami Marlins, ending an eight-game winning streak that was largely fueled by an offense that slugged its way past any other deficiencies.

The Angels (25-26) scored more than seven runs ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Junior Caminero hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and the Rays pitching staff made it stand up in a 3-1 victory Saturday that ran their winning streak to four, all at Steinbrenner Field.

Shane Baz, coming off a rough four-start stretch, reverted to his strong early season form. He worked into the sixth, and three ...Read more

NEW YORK — It had been more than two weeks since Juan Soto, the only man in baseball with a richer contract than Shohei Ohtani, had recorded an extra-base hit for the New York Mets.

In the bottom of the fourth inning Saturday night at Citi Field, however, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin provided him the perfect opportunity to get ...Read more

BOSTON — On Saturday afternoon, Trevor Rogers starting on the mound felt to some like the Orioles were waving the white flag.

Now, it’s difficult to imagine him not getting another start next week.

Rogers, the much-maligned left-hander, made his season debut in Game 2 of Baltimore’s doubleheader against the Red Sox and twirled the best ...Read more

DETROIT — The Guardians scored four times off reliever Brenan Hanifee in the 10th inning on Saturday and beat the Tigers for a third straight night at Comerica Park, 7-5.

Kyle Manzardo sliced a double to left field to score the free runner. Angel Martinez ripped a two-strike double to right to score another. After a sacrifice fly by Bo Naylor...Read more

DENVER — It was a youth league play. Only the youth leaguer sitting next to me would never have done it.

“That’s illegal,” Easton English said. The 8-year-old from Parker, Colo., then rose higher in his seat in Section 126 at Coors Field. “That is Illegal!”

Sure is. When you’re on the express train to 100-plus losses, you’re ...Read more

CINCINNATI — A left oblique strain that occurred midgame Saturday will require Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya to go on the injured list.

Amaya exited during the fifth inning of the Cubs’ 6-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds after suffering the injury on a throw.

Amaya threw to second base on Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz’s successful ...Read more

CHICAGO — Jonathan Cannon’s lower back bothered him “a little bit” after playing catch Friday.

“I was still confident I was going to be able to throw today and woke up this morning and it was really tight,” the Chicago White Sox pitcher said before Saturday’s game against the Texas Rangers.

The Sox took the steps of scratching ...Read more

NEW YORK — Citi Field is set to host a significant step in Shohei Ohtani’s elbow progression.

The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar is scheduled to throw a live bullpen session before Sunday’s series finale against the Mets, marking his first time facing hitters since he underwent right elbow surgery in September of 2023.

Second baseman ...Read more

BOSTON — When Alex Bregman left Friday’s game with what was initially described as right quad tightness, the hope was that the standout infielder would feel better after a good night sleep.

Unfortunately for the Red Sox that didn’t happen, and now Bregman could be out for a long time.

Bregman was placed on the 10-day injured list ...Read more

HOUSTON — Up to this point of the season, defense has rarely proved to be the Mariners’ issue. Through the first 50 games they had committed just 20 errors and their .989 fielding percentage was tied for fourth in baseball.

But when you’re the Mariners and seemingly all you play is close games, a couple fielding miscues can prove to be ...Read more

ATLANTA — They felt their fortunes had turned.

But then Michael King slept awkwardly, and the San Diego Padres continued to be ineffective on offense.

The relievers who filled in for King were undone by a couple soft hits and a few really hard hits, and a 7-1 Atlanta Braves victory on Saturday was the Padres’ seventh loss in their past ...Read more

On Friday, the Yankees suffered a disappointing loss to MLB’s worst team.

Less than 24 hours later, the Bombers got revenge on the Colorado Rockies by exploding for 10 runs in the fifth inning on their way to a 13-1 victory at Coors Field.

The top of the fifth inning featured seven Yankee hits and three walks (one intentional to Aaron Judge)...Read more