MIKE FITZPATRICK

Cody Bellinger, Brian Anderson and Luke Voit were among 83 players who became free agents when their former teams declined to offer them contracts for next season.

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has won the American League MVP award, and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Paul Goldschmidt took the NL prize.

All-Star closer Edwin Díaz and the New York Mets have finalized their $102 million, five-year contract — the largest for a reliever in baseball history.

Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Yordan Alvarez are the finalists for American League MVP in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman delivered big hits and the Houston Astros advanced to the World Series again, finishing a four-game sweep of New York in the AL Championship Series with a 6-5 victory aided by another defensive gaffe from the Yankees.

With the Houston Astros one win from reaching the World Series again, Game 4 of the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees was delayed because of the threat of rain.

Back home for a must-win game, Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees generated more boos than base hits.

In the end, the Cleveland Guardians ran out of comebacks.

Josh Donaldson went into a home run trot too soon, and his latest failure to hustle turned into an embarrassing out in the playoffs.

Joe Musgrove brushed off chants of “Cheater!”.

Pete Alonso launched a tiebreaking homer and Jacob deGrom pitched well enough to help save the New York Mets’ season with a 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres that evened their wild-card playoff series at one game apiece.

Josh Bell and Manny Machado smashed two of San Diego’s four home runs off Max Scherzer, and the Padres romped past the New York Mets 7-1 in their playoff opener.

For two teams that finished second fiddle in their divisions, the Padres and Mets bring an awful lot of star power into the playoffs.

Two months into the season, it looked like the New York Mets were headed for an NL East runaway.

Eduardo Escobar homered and drove in five late runs — including the game-winning single in the 10th inning — to rally the New York Mets past the Miami Marlins 5-4 and back into sole possession of first place in the NL East.

Aaron Judge remained at 60 home runs, one short of Roger Maris’ American League record, when the New York Yankees’ 2-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox was called after six innings because of rain.

Aaron Judge was held without a homer for the third straight game, keeping him at 60 for the season and one shy of Roger Maris’ American League record, and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4.

On a Roberto Clemente Day particularly meaningful to both of them, Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco propelled the New York Mets past the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 to extend their slim lead in the NL East.

Major League Baseball celebrated its 21st annual Roberto Clemente Day on Thursday, with festivities centered in New York where the Mets hosted the Hall of Fame outfielder’s former team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Brandon Nimmo saved Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets with a breathtaking catch atop the center-field fence, and Edwin Díaz entered to Timmy Trumpet’s live horn at pulsing Citi Field before closing out the Los Angeles Dodgers for a scintillating 2-1 victory.

The first-place New York Mets have acquired outfielder Tyler Naquin and left-handed reliever Phillip Diehl from the Cincinnati Reds in a trade for two teenage minor leaguers.

Starling Marte singled home the winning run in the ninth inning, and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 3-2 for a two-game sweep of their Subway Series.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom pitched four innings Wednesday for Triple-A Syracuse, finishing strong after a shaky start in what is expected to be his last minor league rehab outing before rejoining New York’s rotation.

The New York Mets have retired Keith Hernandez's number 17 jersey in a pregame ceremony at Citi Field.

New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom is finally ready to begin a minor league rehab assignment.

Max Scherzer pulled himself from a start with discomfort in his left side before the New York Mets finished off an 11-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Mets ace Max Scherzer removed himself from a start with an apparent injury against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Aaron Judge hit a mammoth three-run drive in the ninth inning for his first walk-off home run in the major leagues to give the New York Yankees a 6-5 comeback victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

New York Mets manager Buck Showalter was suspended for his team's 5-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves after Major League Baseball determined reliever Yoan López intentionally threw at Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber the previous night.

Robinson Canó has been cut by the New York Mets with nearly $45 million remaining on his contract, ending an ill-fated marriage and possibly signaling the end of his decorated major league career.

The major leagues celebrated the 75th anniversary of the day Jackie Robinson broke the major league color barrier with a celebration of his life and an evaluation of how much farther the sport still must go.

Francisco Lindor homered from both sides of the plate to back another stingy start from newcomer Chris Bassitt, and the New York Mets routed the sloppy Arizona Diamondbacks 10-3 in their home opener.

A long-awaited statue of pitcher Tom Seaver has been unveiled by the New York Mets in a 40-minute ceremony that began about 2 1/2 hours before their home opener against Arizona.

Mets outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Mark Canha have been placed on the injured list after a New York coach tested positive for COVID-19.

Free-agent slugger Nick Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a $100 million, five-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

Right-hander Chris Bassitt, who made a remarkable recovery from a frightening line drive to the head last year, has been traded by the Oakland Athletics to the New York Mets for a pair of minor league right-handers.

Arthur Kaluma scored 17 points and keyed an overwhelming blitz that sent Creighton into the Big East championship game with a stunning 85-58 blowout of No. 11 Providence in the semifinals.

Michigan coach Juwan Howard returns from a five-game suspension as the Wolverines face Indiana at Indianapolis in a Big Ten Tournament game with major ramifications for both teams.

Buck Showalter has been hired as manager of the New York Mets, bringing him back to the Big Apple to take over his fifth major league team.

The New York Mets have bolstered their lineup with three free-agent deals, adding speedy center fielder Starling Marte to go along with Mark Canha and All-Star infielder Eduardo Escobar.

The New York Mets have hired Billy Eppler as their general manager, giving him a four-year contract.

Luis Rojas has been let go as manager of the New York Mets after two losing seasons.

DJ LeMahieu has a sports hernia that will require offseason surgery, but the New York Yankees’ leadoff hitter will attempt to play through the injury in October.

Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado each hit one of St. Louis’ four homers, and the Cardinals flashed some fantastic outfield defense in beating the New York Mets 11-4 for their fifth straight victory.

Edmundo Sosa hit the go-ahead single in a three-run 11th inning and the hard-charging St. Louis Cardinals climbed all the way back into playoff position with a 7-6 victory over the New York Mets.

Acting general manager Zack Scott has been placed on administrative leave by the New York Mets following his arrest on charges of driving while intoxicated.

Andrew Heaney pitched seven smooth innings, Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run single in his return from COVID-19, and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 to match a season best with their sixth straight victory.

Anthony Rizzo is back in the Yankees’ lineup after a bout with COVID-19, and closer Aroldis Chapman also was activated before New York’s series finale against the Boston Red Sox.

Joey Votto came oh-so-close to matching the major league record with a home run in eight consecutive games, but Javier Báez did clear the fence in his New York debut and the Mets rallied past the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 in 10 innings.

The New York Mets have acquired flashy shortstop Javier Báez and pitcher Trevor Williams from the Chicago Cubs for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Gleyber Torres and Rougned Odor homered to back another strong start from Jameson Taillon as the depleted New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 9-1.

The fan who hit Boston Red Sox left fielder Alex Verdugo with a baseball thrown out of the Yankee Stadium stands has been banned for life from attending big league games.

Jared Walsh hit a tying grand slam off Aroldis Chapman in a seven-run ninth inning for his second homer of a long night, and the Los Angeles Angels stunned the New York Yankees 11-8 in a rainy game that finished after 1 a.m. Shohei Ohtani’s highly anticipated first pitching appearance at Yankee Stadium was a wild wreck that ended early.

Shohei Ohtani’s debut on the Yankee Stadium mound sure didn’t last long.

Bryce Harper blew kisses at a booing crowd to punctuate his home run, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 2-1 in eight innings for a doubleheader split after Aaron Nola matched a long-standing major league record with 10 straight strikeouts in the opener.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola has struck out 10 straight New York Mets batters, tying a major league record that stood alone for more than five decades.

Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks will have surgery for a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist that could sideline him for the rest of the season.

Francisco Lindor is off to a rough start with the New York Mets after signing a $341 million contract.

Alexander scored 16 points and St. John's smothered No. The latest victory gave St. John's its first four-game Big East winning streak since the 2014-15 NCAA Tournament team. '”AdVillanova was the first top-5 opponent to play in the Queens gym since St. John's lost 72-71 to No. If we can get a Big East game, we’ve got to play the Big East game. St. John's: Saturday at Providence, which has won nine of the past 11 meetings.

New York Mets pitcher Steven Matz delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)NEW YORK – In a deal between two of baseball's busiest teams this winter, the New York Mets traded left-hander Steven Matz to the Toronto Blue Jays for three young pitchers Wednesday night. The young Blue Jays qualified for the expanded playoffs but were swept in two games by the Rays during their first-round series. Reid-Foley was 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in five relief outings covering 6 2/3 innings for the Blue Jays last season. The 24-year-old Díaz appeared in one big league game for the Blue Jays in 2019.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning in Game 6 of the baseball World Series Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Two months ago, Blake Snell got yanked off the mound with a two-hit shutout going in the final game of the World Series. Now, the Tampa Bay Rays are ready to ship him out of town. The San Diego Padres are close to completing a blockbuster trade to acquire Snell from the defending AL champions. The Athletic was first to report the players headed from San Diego to Tampa Bay if the trade is finalized.

NEW YORK – Jared Porter knows his new boss with the Mets is counting on a championship. “Hearing comments like that motivates me,” Porter said Monday after being introduced as New York’s general manager. “It’s really important to create a situation where you’re a really hard team to play against. But the Mets still have several holes to fill in the rotation and lineup. “I don’t wear them out.”In Queens, Porter will report to the 72-year-old Alderson, a former Mets GM who was brought back by Cohen and has taken over baseball operations.

Freeman easily won the NL MVP award Thursday, Nov. 12, topping off a trying year that saw him become so ill with COVID-19 he prayed please dont take me. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)NEW YORK – National League MVP Freddie Freeman was one of three Atlanta Braves selected to the All-MLB first team on Wednesday night. San Diego had two players on the top team: shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and third baseman Manny Machado. AL MVP José Abreu of the Chicago White Sox was the first baseman on the second team, which also included Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto, Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager and Indians third baseman José Ramírez.

San Francisco is still breathing, but needs help. San Francisco (29-30) needs a victory over the visiting Padres and a Brewers loss. “We just have to keep our head up and try to win,” San Francisco pitcher Johnny Cueto said. 2 seed in the AL — with a win at home against Cincinnati or a White Sox loss at home to the Cubs. Anthony Rizzo and the Chicago Cubs clinched the NL Central crown Saturday night even while losing to the crosstown White Sox.

(AP Photo/John Minchillo)NEW YORK The last time the New York Yankees lost eight in a row, it was a different millennium. Frazier drew a leadoff walk in the ninth from Betances (0-1), a four-time All-Star with the Yankees before signing with the Mets last offseason. Happ held the Mets to three hits in 7 1/3 shutout innings, becoming the first Yankees starter to reach the eighth this season. The Mets will be the home" team at Yankee Stadium in the second game. Prized pitching prospect Deivi Garcia will start one game for the Yankees, making his major league debut.

Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer (31) delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, in New York. But he also looked healthy all the while a wonderful sign for the Washington Nationals. Scherzer showed no effects of hamstring trouble, navigating heavy traffic early for his first win this season, and Trea Turner hit a record-breaking leadoff homer to help Washington beat the New York Mets 2-1 on Tuesday night. Scherzer lasted six innings and threw only 45 pitches over his final four to finish with 105. The Mets hadn't announced a starter to replace Michael Wacha, who went on the injured list Sunday with shoulder inflammation.

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge follows through on an eighth-inning, two-run home run against the Boston Red Sox in a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020, at Yankee Stadium in New York. Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki is at right. Tell that to his teammates or the Boston Red Sox. Rafael Devers put the Red Sox ahead 7-6 with a titanic drive of his own to right-center in the seventh. Anytime you lose a game like this is tough," Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)The Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds were the first teams to try out baseballs new time-saving measure a doubleheader with seven-inning games. By the end of the night Sunday, 12 teams had played 10 games, but six had played seven or fewer. Making doubleheader games seven innings long can help, at least in theory. You can use your bullpen a lot different, earlier in the game and try to get through that part. But last year, there were only 33 doubleheaders total, and the New York Yankees led the way with seven.

New York Mets' Yoenis Cespedes, right, celebrates his solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, Friday, July 24, 2020, in New York. Rules changes for this shortened season delayed by the coronavirus provided a DH in NL games for the first time giving the Mets a perfect slot for Cspedes as he gets back in the swing of things. Edwin Daz, who lost his job as closer during a miserable 2019 season, struck out two in a hitless ninth for the save. Braves All-Star starter Mike Soroka, who won his previous two matchups with deGrom, allowed four hits in six outstanding innings. Coming off consecutive Cy Young Awards, deGrom fanned eight and permitted only a broken-bat single and a walk.

NEW YORK Jacob deGrom still plans to pitch on opening day, although New York Mets manager Luis Rojas didn't sound so sure that will happen. The two-time Cy Young Award winner said he felt good Thursday, two days after leaving an intrasquad game early because of back tightness. A precautionary MRI came back clean, and deGrom thinks he simply might have slept wrong the night before. Rojas, however, said the team is taking a day-to-day approach as deGrom receives treatment. We have to get through this couple of days at least.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK Jacob deGrom exited an intrasquad game early because of tightness in his back, and the New York Mets' ace was scheduled for an MRI. Mets manager Luis Rojas said a frustrated deGrom left Tuesday night's camp outing after only one inning at Citi Field. The team was awaiting test results Wednesday, and deGrom is day to day. Any significant injury to the two-time Cy Young Award winner would be an enormous blow to New York during a season shortened to 60 games due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, deGrom won his second consecutive NL Cy Young Award after going 11-8 with a 2.43 ERA in 204 innings pitched.

New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) winds up while delivering a pitch during a simulated game, part of the Mets summer training camp workout at Citi Field, Thursday, July 9, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)CHICAGO Opening day is next week, and there is concern for New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom and Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo because of back issues. The Mets sent deGrom for an MRI on Wednesday after the right-hander pitched just one inning in a summer camp appearance due to back tightness. Rizzo and deGrom are considered day to day. If deGrom is unable to go on opening day against Atlanta on July 24, Marcus Stroman or Steven Matz could get the ball.

Puig agreed to a one-year deal pending a physical, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. Glasnow re-joined the Rays on after missing the first 11 days of summer camp following his positive test. Outside of briefly losing his sense of taste and smell, the 26-year-old Glasnow said he didnt experience any noticeable symptoms of COVID-19. I had maybe really mild cold symptoms for maybe a day, Glasnow said, wearing a mask during a Zoom call. It would always be at a weird time of the day, and it had to be nobody there, Glasnow said.

FILE - In this Tuesday, July 7, 2020, file photo, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell, right, listens to manager Derek Shelton during a team workout at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Shelton and other first-year managers are scrambling to make up for lost time. Fortunately for the first-year Pittsburgh Pirates manager, bench coach Donnie Kelly made it a point to provide it. I just (want) to make sure that Im talking to them, Im aware of what theyre going through, Shelton said. The 38-year-old Rojas the youngest manager in the majors read a book by Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski to help him prepare.

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)HOUSTON New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman became the latest high-profile player to test positive for the coronavirus, his diagnosis announced Saturday hours after the Houston Astros canceled another practice due to virus concerns. Also testing positive was Kansas City backup catcher Cam Gallagher said he has the virus. Gallagher, who said he is asymptomatic, participated in an intrasquad game on Friday night before receiving his positive test results on Saturday. His confusion stemmed from the fact that he didnt experience symptoms and also had multiple negative tests. DeShields, who had mild symptoms, had been in Cleveland for a few days but wasnt cleared until Saturday after testing negative twice.

The Boston Red Sox are scheduled resume training camp Friday at Fenway. (AP Photo/Jimmy Golen)Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward was going to address his entire team before the start of MLB's unprecedented summer training camp, just like he did when spring training opened about 4 1/2 months ago. Things certainly are different for baseball's resumption amid the coronavirus pandemic, three weeks before the start of a 60-game regular season. Charlie Baker signed an order Thursday allowing the Red Sox to open Fenway Park without fans. The Chicago Cubs will open camp without left-handed pitcher Jos Quintana, who underwent surgery Thursday on his lacerated left thumb.

Most players underwent a battery of health checks, not only for COVID-19 but also for any other lingering ailments from spring training, ahead of planned workouts beginning Friday and Saturday. That's going to be different to see and feel as a team, Moncada said. Well have to get creative with how we communicate, said Boone, who plans to make the same speech three or four times. And despite rising numbers of COVID-19 across the country, and a few players opting out, most players and executives have been bullish on the season taking place. They believe in protocols hammered out during lengthy negotiations between MLB and its players' association and are eager to provide fans with some much-needed diversion.

In a photo provided by MLB Photos, the baseball draft board is seen Monday, June 8, 2020 in Secaucus, N.J., for Wednesday's draft. Instead, the waiting continues for hundreds of young baseball players. We want to sign good players for $20,000.The very best of those undrafted players, though, could also opt to hold off on starting their professional careers. So, the prospect of not having anywhere to play in the pros anytime soon could alter some undrafted players' plans. I do see college baseball getting into a little bit of a logjam over the next probably 18 months, Hunter said.

NEW YORK Before the first pick was made, Major League Baseball delivered a message: The sport stands fully behind the Black Lives Matter movement. Executives from all 30 teams working remotely held up signs that read: Black Lives Matter. We have a systemic racism problem in the country. We felt like we could amplify the Black Lives Matter message, he added. That black lives matter, and that we are united for change.

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)NEW YORK Baseballs amateur draft is about to enter the next phase of its ongoing development same as all those young prospects picked every year. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 version was ticketed for a move to Omaha, Nebraska, to coincide with the College World Series there. But with the top pick in the second June amateur draft in 1966, the New York Mets swung and missed. All that hype came to full fruition a decade later, when he was the World Series MVP as the Nationals won the franchises first championship last year. Prior to Appel, the only top overall picks who failed to reach the majors were Chilcott and left-hander Brien Taylor (Yankees, 1991).