ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Angels had amassed all the good fortune they could muster Friday only to melt down yet again.

Edmundo Sosa hit a go-ahead, pinch-hit grand slam in the ninth inning and the Philadelphia Phillies pulled off a 5-3 victory over the Angels in the opener of a three-game series.

It did not matter that Reid Detmers had another ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On a night when runs were at a premium, and their bullpen opened the door for an Athletics comeback, the Baltimore Orioles needed a rally.

Coby Mayo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand delivered. The two infielders came through with clutch RBI singles in the 10th inning Friday to help the Orioles shake off an eighth-inning ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — When the San Francisco Giants made the unprecedented hiring of Tony Vitello, much was made of the fire, the passion, the intensity he brought to the table at the University of Tennessee. Save for some isolated instances, that energy has been noticeably absent for the majority of his first season in pro ball.

But maybe Vitello ...Read more

ST. LOUIS — In his first start at Busch Stadium, rookie Quinn Mathews set a cool, crisp and methodically ruthless pace that the Cardinals matched for a clinical dissection of an opponent that appeared to be none of those things.

Mathews earned his first major league victory in the Cardinals’ 4-1 win Friday night against the porous ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Beginning a series with the first-place Chicago White Sox at Target Field, with top prospect Walker Jenkins making his major league debut Friday, the Twins desperately needed a spark coming off a terrible road trip.

What the Twins received instead was a four-run deficit before their first trip to the plate.

The Twins erased ...Read more

TORONTO — For a brief period of time on Friday night, roughly 20 minutes, victory didn’t seem like an impossibility for the Seattle Mariners.

Of course, that fleeting moment came in the top of the first inning when Dominic Canzone had just annihilated a misplaced fastball from Toronto starter Dylan Cease for a solo home run.

When the first...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays entered their three-game home interleague series with the Padres tied with San Diego — and Boston — for the major league’s best record since July 20.

At Tropicana Field on Friday night, the Rays broke open a tight game by taking advantage of several Padres miscues that led to a five-run fourth inning.

On...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Ken Hagan laid back in his office chair Friday — alone, emotional, his blue Tampa Bay Rays polo visible below his blazer — and attempted to absorb it all. He was celebrating, but cautiously. Pumped, yet peaceful.

Minutes earlier, the Hillsborough County Commission chairperson had joined his fellow board members in heeding ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Mets remain hopeful that Juan Soto and Devin Williams will return over the next month, but it’s looking like Soto is much closer to playing again than Williams.

The star slugger has been able to increase the intensity of baseball activities over the last week, and especially in the last few days. His strained left calf has ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Trey Mancini is going out on his own terms: as an Oriole.

The recently retired first baseman/outfielder will sign a one-day contract with the team Sept. 19 to officially conclude his playing career, the team announced Friday afternoon. The Orioles will host pregame festivities on the field to recognize Mancini ahead of ...Read more

DETROIT — As Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal crossed the field from the bullpen, he had to crane his neck to catch part of the tribute video playing on the massive screen behind him.

By the time he reached the dugout, the crowd rose to give him an ovation. Skubal controlled his expression and wiped his face with the towel draped over his neck.

...Read more

The Kansas City Royals have been playing a different brand of baseball in recent weeks. And now, it’s generated hope for an unlikely run at the postseason.

The Royals entered Friday’s action 8.5 games back in the American League wild-card race. It’s a slim chance to overcome their 0.1 % playoff odds.

However, there is still a chance.

...Read more

DETROIT — Shohei Ohtani threw a bullpen session Friday at Comerica Park before the Dodgers opened a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers. But it was not immediately clear if it put him in line to pitch Sunday.

"I really don't know what to make of it because I didn't put eyes on it," manager Dave Roberts said before the game. "...Read more

NEW YORK — Defense is supposed to be George Lombard Jr.’s superpower, but the Yankees rookie is in the midst of a serious fielding slump.

The shortstop now has six errors in six consecutive games after booting a ground ball in Thursday’s 5-1 loss to the Astros. The bizarre streak continued on a bizarre play in the eighth inning, as ...Read more

The words "Anaheim Angels" are now enshrined in California law.

Whether the baseball team that calls Angel Stadium home reverts to its hometown name remains to be seen. On Thursday, however, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law the "Home Run for Anaheim Act," a step that elected officials in Orange County consider a significant step in that ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On the summer 2025 day “Ted Lasso” was being filmed at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, NLBM president Bob Kendrick enjoyed a prime view from a director’s chair.

He witnessed many scenes rehearsed and acted out in multiple takes. He bonded with cast and production crew — including while watching a good portion of ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — It was only appropriate on Pokémon Night that the Giants electrified a rare sellout crowd.

Led by four scoreless innings from Trent Harris, Carson Seymour and Ryan Walker, the San Francisco Giants rebounded from a historic ninth-inning collapse to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1 on Thursday night at Oracle Park.

Oracle ...Read more

ATLANTA — The Dodgers already had dropped their series against the Braves, but a 1-0 loss on the wrong side of a complete-game shutout from Chris Sale completed the sweep.

“There’s still a lot of the season left,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “Even before this series, regardless of the result, it wasn’t going to be a ...Read more