KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Royals have spent weeks scouring the trade market for an outfield bat to add to their starting lineup.

On Saturday, several days ahead of the Major League Baseball trade deadline, they found their guy: The Royals acquired Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for a young relief pitcher.

Grichuk, 33, ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Ryan delivered his worst start in nearly two months during a 9-3 loss to the Washington Nationals, and Byron Buxton exited Saturday night’s game because of left side soreness.

It was a tough day for the Twins’ two All-Star players, and an ugly performance for a struggling team attempting to stay afloat in the wild-card ...Read more

ST. LOUIS — Randy Vásquez and Mike Shildt’s Four Horsemen rode to the rescue.

On a surprisingly (somewhat) pleasant July evening at Busch Stadium, the San Diego Padres got a much-needed victory the same way they got their only other victory this week.

It is a formula that has served them well.

Vásquez goes as long as he can, and the ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic’s first inning against the Cleveland Guardians is one that he will no doubt want to forget.

Coming off his first All-Star appearance, the left-handed Bubic walked the first four batters of the game to open Saturday’s doubleheader nightcap at Kauffman Stadium. He issued free passes to ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Yankees traded for another infielder on Saturday night, acquiring Amed Rosario from the Nationals.

The trade will send minor league pitcher Clayton Beeter, a member of the 40-man roster, and Browm Martinez, an outfielder in the Dominican Summer League, to Washington, D.C.

Rosario, who began his career with the Mets, isn’t a ...Read more

DETROIT — You keep waiting for a spark. Something, anything, to jolt the offense awake.

A sellout crowd of 40,528 brought plenty of energy to Comerica Park. As did ace Tarik Skubal, who was electrifying in his six innings. There were bold and clutch defensive plays, too.

And yet the bats continue to slumber.

And the Detroit Tigers continue ...Read more

CINCINNATI — A rare Taylor Walls error cost the Rays their sixth-inning lead Saturday, then another bullpen blowup led to a frustrating 6-2 loss to the Reds.

Walls’ error on a seemingly routine grounder with two outs in the sixth allowed the Reds to score two and erase the lead the Rays had just taken on a Yandy Diaz home run.

The bullpen ...Read more

CINCINNATI — Short of reliable depth around the infield with Brandon Lowe and Ha-Seong Kim injured, the Rays turned to a familiar face Saturday in reacquiring Tristan Gray.

The 29-year-old spent six years in the Rays minor-league system before making his big-league debut in September 2023.

He then moved to the Marlins, A’s and Pirates ...Read more

NEW YORK — Even though Aaron Judge is going on the injured list, the Yankees breathed a sigh of relief on Saturday.

Manager Aaron Boone said the slugger is heading to the IL with a right flexor strain after missing Saturday’s game against the Phillies. Boone found out before the 9-4 loss, as Judge underwent an MRI, received a PRP injection ...Read more

NEW YORK — Ninety minutes before the first pitch here Saturday, Bryce Harper shuffled the playlist in the Phillies’ clubhouse in search of the right pregame mix.

By the third inning, he found the perfect harmony.

Harper took one of his best swings of the season on a cutter over the heart of the plate and rocked it into the right-field ...Read more

Nick Kurtz had a night for the record books Friday night in Houston. The all-time, Major League Baseball history record books.

The Athletics’ 22-year-old first baseman became the first MLB rookie to hit four home runs in a game and just the 20th player overall to ever do it.

He went 6 for 6 at the plate, adding a double off high off the left...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — If the Kansas City Royals want to make a second-half surge towards the postseason, they must defeat the teams in front of them in the standings.

It’s a simple formula, but one that’s been tricky for the Royals this season.

KC entered play with a 23-38 record against teams with a winning record. The Cleveland Guardians,...Read more

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge is dealing with an unspecified right elbow issue, Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced Saturday morning.

Judge, out of the lineup with the Yankees facing Phillies lefty Ranger Suárez, underwent imaging, but Boone didn’t have any results to share at the time of his pregame press conference. The Yankees were also ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Kenley Jansen signed his first professional contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers 21 years ago. He was Clayton Kershaw's catcher in rookie ball. He has been honored as an All-Star four times. He has saved more games than all but three men in major league history, all of them Hall of Famers. He won a World Series with the Dodgers....Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Last April, not long after Dick Allen was posthumously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, a group of his friends held a meeting in his hometown of Wampum, Pa. They were there to brainstorm ideas on how to celebrate the Phillies slugger.

This was not an easy task. Allen was reticent by nature, which was a big reason why he ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Zach Neto delivered in the end for the Angels.

Neto’s roller through the right side drove in the winning run in the Angels’ 3-2, 10-inning victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

It was the first career walk-off hit for Neto, who also celebrated his first bobblehead giveaway at Angel Stadium on Friday.

Logan...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants’ starting rotation, in manager Bob Melvin’s words, is “in flux.” Hayden Birdsong was demoted. Landen Roupp is injured. With two vacant rotation spots, the straits are so dire that the team may use a rare bullpen game on Sunday. They’ll likely need to get creative on Monday, too.

Logan Webb took the mound ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Mike Burrows had the best start of his young major league career. The Pirates’ sleepy offense meant it wasn’t enough for a win.

Burrows completed six scoreless innings, his longest career start, but the Pirates managed just one hit in a 1-0, 11-inning loss to the Diamondbacks on Friday night at PNC Park. A flyout moved ...Read more

BOSTON — It remains unclear exactly how much, if at all, the Dodgers will bolster their offense ahead of next week’s trade deadline.

But after a pitiful start to the month of July, their current lineup is finally showing renewed signs of life.

The Dodgers might not have bludgeoned the Boston Red Sox in a 5-2 win Friday — when they were ...Read more