Italian rookie Sam Aldegheri won for the first time in the major leagues, allowing a run on three hits in six innings in the Los Angeles Angels’ 5-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.

The Los Angeles Angels are shutting down the rehab for star Mike Trout after a recent setback in his recovery from meniscus surgery and placed Anthony Rendon on the injured list.

A California lawmaker is trying to get the state Legislature to rethink policymaking by creating a committee to study how to make people happier.

Mike Trout discussed his future and Anthony Rendon talked about his priorities as the two Los Angeles Angels veterans made some interesting comments Monday with hitters reporting to spring training camps across Arizona and Florida.

Major League Baseball is widening the runner’s lane approaching first base to include a portion of fair territory, changing a more than century-old rule that caused World Series controversy over possible interference calls.

The Los Angeles Angels acquired veteran infielder Mike Moustakas from Colorado moments after their 25-1 victory over the Rockies.

Marcus Semien and Corey Seager hit back-to-back homers with two outs in the seventh inning to lift the Texas Rangers to a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Anthony Rendon says he can't comment on a video posted on social media that appears to show the Los Angeles Angels All-Star third baseman appearing to swipe at an Oakland fan after the Angels lost to the Athletics on opening day.

Mike Trout homered in his sixth straight game to set an Angels franchise record, Shohei Ohtani threw five solid innings before exiting because of a blister and Los Angeles beat the Houston Astros 6-1.

California is the first state to guarantee free health care for all low-income immigrants who are living in the country illegally.

Twins pitching coach Wes Johnson is serving his final days with Minnesota before leaving for the same job with LSU.

Los Angeles Angels interim manager Phil Nevin was suspended 10 games and Seattle Mariners outfielder Jesse Winker received a seven-game ban from Major League Baseball for their roles in a benches-clearing brawl during the second inning of Sunday’s game.

A lengthy bench-clearing brawl resulted in the ejections of six players and both managers in the second inning of the Los Angeles Angels’ 2-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

The Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels engaged in a lengthy full-team brawl in the second inning after tensions over two days of inside pitches boiled over.

California lawmakers say they'll investigate why the state's gas prices are the highest in the U.S. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced a bipartisan committee on Monday to investigate gas price gouging.

Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon needs surgery on his right wrist and once again will have a season cut short by an injury.

Anthony Rendon will miss the rest of the regular season.

Tyler Anderson of the Los Angeles Dodgers lost his no-hit bid in the ninth inning, giving up a one-out triple to Shohei Ohtani in a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Tony Gonsolin tossed 6 1/3 strong innings, Mookie Betts hit his 17th home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the Los Angeles Angels 2-0 in their Freeway Series opener.

Shohei Ohtani pitched seven stellar innings and hit a two-run homer, and the Los Angeles Angels snapped their 14-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

The Los Angeles Angels’ losing streak reached a franchise-record 14 games when Bobby Dalbec drove in the only run with a double in the sixth inning for the Boston Red Sox in a 1-0 victory.

Michael Wacha pitched a three-hitter for his first shutout in five years and the streaking Boston Red Sox beat Los Angeles 1-0 to hand the Angels their 12th straight defeat.

Los Angeles Angels rookie Reid Detmers has a no-hitter through seven innings against the Tampa Bay Rays, a bid that survived a borderline error call in the seventh.

Shohei Ohtani hit a tying, two-run double in the ninth inning, Anthony Rendon followed with a game-ending single against his former team and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Washington Nationals 5-4.

Shohei Ohtani struck out 11 over seven shutout innings, had two hits and drove in a run in the Los Angeles Angels’ 8-0 win over the Boston Red Sox.

Dylan Cease struck out 11 to match a career best and gave up just one hit in seven sparkling innings, propelling the Chicago White Sox to a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Mike Trout homered, doubled and scored three runs, Michael Lorenzen pitched into the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels held off the Chicago White Sox 6-5 for their seventh win in eight games.

Taylor Ward and Shohei Ohtani hit first-inning solo home runs off Lucas Giolito and the Los Angeles Angels rode a combined three-hitter to their sixth straight win, 5-1 over the Chicago White Sox.

The average salary in the major leagues rebounded to $4.4 million on opening day, boosted by a frenzy of free agent signings before and after the 99-day lockout, according to a study of baseball contracts by The Associated Press.

Framber Valdez outpitched Shohei Ohtani with 6 2/3 dominant innings of two-hit ball, and the Houston Astros tied the longest opening day winning streak in major league history with a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

A bill that would have created the nation's only universal health care system has failed to pass the California Legislature.

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

The New York Mets are close to completing a deal to hire Billy Eppler as general manager, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani says he is “very open” to negotiating a longterm contract with the club this offseason.

Shohei Ohtani pitched six innings of three-hit ball to win his third consecutive start, and he also doubled and scored an early run in the Los Angeles Angels’ 6-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Anthony Rizzo and the New York Yankees host surprising Seattle in the opener of a four-game series between AL wild-card contenders Thursday night.

Shohei Ohtani pitched six solid innings, Juan Lagares raced home from second base on a wild pitch for the lead with the two-way standout at the plate, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 2-1.

The NL Central-leading Brewers are again shuffling their pitching staff with reliever John Axford now out for the season because of elbow trouble and starter Eric Lauer joining the team’s growing COVID-19 injured list.

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon will have season-ending hip surgery, finishing off an injury-plagued second season in Southern California.

Shohei Ohtani pitched seven strong innings and hit an early RBI single as the Los Angeles Angels earned a 6-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

The Los Angeles Angels became the first club ever to select exclusively pitchers over a full amateur draft this week when they took 20 straight hurlers.

Shohei Ohtani pitched seven innings of five-hit ball and hit an early RBI double, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Shohei Ohtani plans to pitch and hit in his first All-Star Game next week.

Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 31st homer in the third, and Juan Lagares ended it with a two-run double in the ninth inning of the Los Angeles Angels’ 6-5 comeback victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Shohei Ohtani went deep twice to reach 30 home runs on the season and then scored the winning run on Jared Walsh’s two-out single in the ninth inning, giving the Los Angeles Angels an 8-7 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Shohei Ohtani pounded his hardest-hit home run of the season, José Suarez pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-run relief after Dylan Bundy threw up on the mound because of heat exhaustion and the Los Angeles Angels beat the troubled New York Yankees 5-3.

Shohei Ohtani struck out eight, hit two doubles at the plate and pushed through an injury scare to lead the Los Angeles Angels past the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 in 10 innings.

Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 13th home run and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the slumping Cleveland Indians 7-4 after star outfielder Mike Trout was injured early.

Shohei Ohtani struck out 10 in an impressive duel with Lance McCullers Jr., and the Houston Astros broke loose against the Angels’ bullpen to beat Los Angeles 5-1.

Jared Walsh homered and matched a career high with four hits, Justin Upton also connected and the Los Angeles Angels rallied in the sixth inning to beat the Houston Astros 5-4.

Willy Adames and Manuel Margot homered, Mike Brosseau had a two-run single and the Tampa Bay Rays opened a seven-game California road trip with a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Angels two-way player Shohei Ohtani had a start like none since Babe Ruth 100 years earlier.

Shohei Ohtani’s tiebreaking solo home run in the eighth inning helped the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-2 win over the Houston Astros to snap a four-game skid.

The Red Sox and Twins are scheduled to begin their series in Minnesota a day late.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Dexter Fowler has a torn ACL in his left knee that requires season-ending surgery.

Yermín Mercedes got his first five major league hits and drove in four runs, and José Abreu hit a grand slam for the Chicago White Sox in their 12-8 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

SETBACK IN THE BULLPENBlue Jays right-hander Kirby Yates will miss several weeks because of a strained muscle in his forearm. He allowed one run and five hits, striking out five without a walk. Ross Stripling struck out seven and walked none in 3 2/3 innings, but gave up three runs and five hits. Bryan Abreu, a top Astros pitching prospect who turns 24 next month, started and pitched three perfect innings, striking out four. Baltimore starter John Means allowed four hits and walked three over 3 2/3 innings, striking out three.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Standing alone in center field of an empty Dodger Stadium, California Gov. “Let’s call this recall what it is: a partisan political power grab," said Democratic Assemblyman David Chiu of San Francisco. The GOP has only 24% of registered California voters, but organizers say they are attracting Democrats and independents. Ad“There are a lot of Democrats who are frustrated,” Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon conceded after Newsom's speech. Normally, the State of the State is delivered to a joint session of the Legislature from the Capitol in Sacramento.

I look forward to getting back to work in the next several days.”LESTER SURGERYWashington Nationals left-hander Jon Lester is leaving spring training camp to have surgery for the removal of his thyroid gland. He underwent chemotherapy treatments and returned to the Red Sox at spring training before the following season. Soto’s spring training start was delayed because he fouled a ball off his right foot in live batting practice Sunday. Martinez had two hits for a second straight game, driving in his first two runs of spring training. Jarred Kelenic, Seattle’s top prospect, hit a two-run homer and Taylor Trammell hit a solo homer.

Pujols wife apparently disclosed that the Angels slugger will retire after the upcoming season, although she later amended her social media post to be less definitive. Not playing in October will never stop grating on Pujols, who begins the new season with 662 homers along with 2,100 RBIs, third-most in baseball history. AdLast season, Pujols batted .224 with a .665 OPS — both the worst marks of his two-decade career — while playing in just 39 of Los Angeles’ 60 games. Pujols says he's fine with whatever role he gets in 2021 from Maddon, who praises the veteran slugger for his maturity and leadership. … He just makes any team that he’s on better, and he’s going to make this bullpen better.”___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

FILE - In this Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020 file photo, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Alex Cobb throws a pitch to the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game in Baltimore. The Los Angeles Angels have acquired veteran right-hander Alex Cobb from the Baltimore Orioles in a trade for prospect Jahmai Jones, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Los Angeles Angels acquired veteran right-hander Alex Cobb from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for prospect Jahmai Jones. Los Angeles also has Shohei Ohtani, Jaime Barria and Patrick Sandoval as possible rotation members. The trade is the third in 14 months between Baltimore and Los Angeles, with the Angels thrice getting proven major leaguers in exchange for prospects.

But housing advocates worry the plan gives landlords too much power to decide what happens to their tenants' debt. In October, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia estimated that California renters had compiled $1.7 billion in unpaid rent. California estimating as many as 1.1 million households were behind on their rent in December, facing an estimated $3.6 billion in debt. The state would pay for the program by using $2.6 billion in federal rent relief money from the most recent coronavirus rescue package. The federal money can only be spent on households whose income is 80% or less of the area median income.

Aaron Boone hit a game-ending leadoff homer in the 11th, sending New York to the World Series. 2015 WORLD SERIES GAME 5Matt Harvey and the New York Mets held a 2-0 lead, needing a win to send the Series back to Kansas City. 2016 WORLD SERIES GAME 7The Chicago Cubs led the Cleveland Indians 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth. 2019 WORLD SERIES GAME 7Too bad for Houston fans, the last time they saw Gerrit Cole throw, it was in the bullpen rather than on the mound. “I wasn’t going to pitch him unless we were going to win the World Series and have a lead,” Hinch said.

Houston Astros' George Springer, left, celebrates with Carlos Correa after the Astros defeated the Oakland Athletics in Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020. “We have young guys that are leaning on the veterans and the veterans are taking care of them right now. The Astros and A's combined for 24 homers — 12 each — the most in a postseason series of five games or fewer. The scandal led to season-long suspensions of Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch, who both were fired. BACK TO THE ALCSThe Astros became the third team in AL history since 1969 to reach four straight AL Championship Series.

Greinke has at times used a hand signal to switch sign sets mid-inning with Laureano. Laureano entered 3 for 22 in the postseason but didn't seem concerned about facing Greinke. Greinke was announced as the Game 4 starter by manager Dusty Baker about three hours before the scheduled first pitch. Greinke, who turns 37 on Oct. 21, threw off flat ground after Tuesday's game and told Baker Thursday morning he was ready to go. “We hope to get as many quality innings as Greinke can give us and not have too many bullpen innings.

Minnesota has a couple of ailing hitters in third baseman Josh Donaldson (right calf) and center fielder Byron Buxton (mild concussion symptoms). Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Buxton is improving and the team hopes he’ll be ready for the postseason opener. Brett Phillips exited Sunday’s game with right hamstring tightness, and fellow outfielder Manuel Margot (sore foot) was scratched from the lineup. Acuña was scratched Sunday with renewed irritation in his left wrist. Because of the reworked schedule caused by the virus outbreak, the Yankees didn’t play in Cleveland this year.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Los Angeles Angels fired general manager Billy Eppler on Sunday after the long-struggling franchise finished its fifth consecutive losing season under his watch. But Eppler was dismissed when the Angels couldn't even make the eight-team AL playoff field this month. “Billy and I really, I thought, were great together,” Maddon said after the Angels ended their season with a 5-0 loss to the Dodgers. Eppler's Angels went 332-376 (.469) under three managers with a rotating cast of supporting players around Trout and Pujols. They've endured five straight losing seasons for the first time since 1977, and their winning percentage over the past two seasons is the Halos' worst two-year run since 1992-93.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, file photo, The Washington Nationals celebrate after Game 7 of the baseball World Series against the Houston Astros in Houston. A year after winning the World Series thanks to a historic turnaround, the Nationals woke up Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, with a 23-33 record and no mathematical chance of returning to the playoffs. There was no opportunity for a sellout crowd to roar during the raising of a championship banner or to witness a World Series ring ceremony. Most notably, World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg’s season lasted all of five innings before he was done because of a nerve issue in his throwing hand. The Nationals conclude their 60-game regular season with four games at home against the New York Mets, starting Thursday.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Mike Clevinger works against a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres might have suffered a blow to the front of their playoff rotation when right-hander Mike Clevinger was suddenly pulled after only one inning in his start Wednesday in a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Manager Jayce Tingler said on Tuesday that Clevinger threw a bullpen session on Monday and seemed good to go for Wednesday afternoon’s start. Clevinger, obtained in a blockbuster trade with Cleveland on Aug. 31, breezed through a perfect first inning on 12 pitches, including striking out Mike Trout and David Fletcher. Ohtani's seventh homer went an estimated 430 feet into what's ordinarily a beer deck.

Pujols hit No. Pujols said that he received a text and email from Mays after he tied the Hall of Famer on Sunday in Colorado. Pujols added that he had not checked his phone after Friday's game to see how many congratulatory messages he had received. Pujols passed Mays with a solo drive to left. After the Rangers rallied to get within 3-2, Pujols led off the seventh with No.

Washington Nationals' Carter Kieboom walks away after popping out to end a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)For a second straight season, the Washington Nationals are off to an awful start. CUTTING IT CLOSEWhile the Nationals have struggled from the start, the New York Yankees figured to be in the clear for a postseason spot after their 16-6 start. In 1993, San Diego executed an infamous fire sale, dealing Fred McGriff and Gary Sheffield in the middle of the season. He would go on to become a six-time All-Star for San Diego and, eventually, a Hall of Famer.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)HOUSTON Framber Valdez struck out a career-high 11 in seven strong innings and Carlos Correa drove in three runs as the Houston Astros snapped a three-game skid with an 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night. Angels star Albert Pujols passed Alex Rodriguez on the career RBIs list with a single for his 2,087th run batted in. An RBI single by Josh Reddick with one out in the inning made it 2-0. The Angels cut the lead to 2-1 on an RBI single by Fletcher in the third.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)ANAHEIM, Calif. Clayton Kershaw allowed one hit over seven brilliant innings, Cody Bellinger hit a pair of two-run homers and the Los Angeles Dodgers opened the Freeway Series with a 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. Rendon also drew two walks from Kershaw (2-1), but he was the only Angels hitter to reach base against the Dodgers longtime ace. The Dodgers have won seven straight NL West titles, while the Angels have posted four straight losing seasons. Patrick Sandoval (0-2) pitched six-hit ball into the seventh inning for the Angels, but remained winless in 12 career major league starts. Kershaw faced the minimum 12 Angels through four innings, but Rendon led off the fifth with a homer into the short left field porch.

Trout's solo drive off Yusmeiro Petit (1-1) in the eighth helped the Angels stop a three-game skid. It was the 20th multi-homer game of Trout's career, which tied Tim Salmon and Vladimir Guerrero for the franchise record. Los Angeles trailed 9-4 in the fourth when Trout began the rally with a two-run drive into the Angels' bullpen in left field. Chapman gave Oakland a 5-3 lead an inning later with a two-run drive to center for the fifth multi-homer game of his career. He will be opposed by right-hander Dylan Bundy (2-1, 2.08), who threw the Angels' first complete game since 2018 last Wednesday at Seattle.

(AP Photo/Ray Carlin)ARLINGTON, Texas Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jo Adell was charged with a rare four-base error when a fly ball from Texas' Nick Solak popped out of the rookie's glove and flew the few remaining feet over the fence in the Rangers' 7-3 win Sunday. Elias said it wasn't aware of any precedent for a four-base error on a ball that went over the fence. Isiah Kiner-Falefa put the Rangers in front in the third with a two-out double that scored Rob Refsnyder from first. He is 1-0 with a 2.92 ERA in two starts against the A's, both during his nine seasons with Atlanta. Rangers: RHP Kyle Gibson (0-1, 2.45 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game home series against Seattle.

Before those two dramatic extra innings, Ohtani started the day by issuing five walks and getting only five outs before getting pulled from his second rough start of the season. That first inning was outstanding, said Angels manager Joe Maddon, who apparently wasn't aware Ohtani was headed for an MRI during his postgame interview. Any sustained absence would be a double blow to the struggling Angels, who use Ohtani as their designated hitter on most days between his pitching starts. After a strong eight-pitch first inning, Ohtani walked his first three batters of the second. UP NEXTAstros: Baker hasn't said who will start Tuesday night when the Astros open a three-game series at Arizona.

Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani throws against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, July 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)OAKLAND, Calif. Shohei Ohtani didnt record an out in the two-way stars long-awaited return to the mound for the Los Angels Angels, allowing the first six Oakland batters to reach base before his day was done in a 6-4 loss to the Athletics on Sunday. Robbie Grossman singled in another run, and Angels manager Joe Maddon replaced Ohtani (0-1) with Matt Andriese down 4-0. Ohtani made his first appearance on the mound since Sept. 2, 2018 after not pitching last season following Tommy John surgery. Ohtani threw 30 pitches, reaching 94.7 mph with his fastball he averaged 96.7 mph and touched 100 mph in 2018.

Oakland Athletics players celebrate after Matt Olson, center left, hit a grand slam home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the tenth inning a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Friday, July 24, 2020. According to STATS, Olson became the third player to hit a walkoff grand slam on opening day. The game went to the 10th tied at 3 after Jason Castros tying homer in the ninth against As closer Liam Hendriks. The Angels didn't deliver a win for Maddon in his Angels managerial debut. UP NEXTLHP Sean Manaea, who went 4-0 last season in September after returning from shoulder surgery before losing the wild card game, pitches Saturday opposite Angels RHP Dylan Bundy.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts lines out to center field during the fourth inning of an exhibition baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday, July 19, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)LOS ANGELES Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers struck baseball's first big-money deal since the coronavirus pandemic decimated the sport's economics, a $365 million, 12-year contract on Wednesday through 2032 that removes the top offensive player from next offseason's free-agent class. Betts had agreed to a $27 million, one-year deal with the Red Sox, a salary that has been reduced to $10 million in prorated pay because of the shortened season. His deal is baseball's second-largest in total dollars behind the $426.5 million, 12-year contract for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout covering 2019-30. Betts' average salary of $30.42 million trails Gerrit Cole ($36 million), Trout ($35.5 million), Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon ($35 million each), Zack Greinke ($34.4 million), Justin Verlander $31.3 million), and new teammates Price and Clayton Kershaw ($31 million each).

San Diego announced last week that outfielder Tommy Pham tested positive for coronavirus and was asymptomatic. The Giants, meanwhile, resumed workouts at Oracle Park after receiving test results from Saturday, all of which were negative for players and staff. The only Texas players still not cleared to participate are right fielder Joey Gallo and left-hander Brett Martin, both of whom tested positive for coronavirus. Also, Indians outfielder Delino DeShields Jr., who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, is traveling to Cleveland after he had one negative test. Theres nothing that we can do about it.The Cubs have thus far avoided any positive tests, a development outfielder Kyle Schwarber insists cannot be attributed to mere luck.

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts fields a fly ball during the restart of baseball spring training Sunday, July 5, 2020, in Los Angeles. MLB released the schedule Monday, and it starts with two games. Cole and the New York Yankees visit the World Series champion Washington Nationals at 7:08 p.m. EDT, then Betts and his new Los Angeles Dodgers teammates host the San Francisco Giants at 10:08 p.m. The same day, Anthony Rendon and the Los Angeles Angels visit Oakland and the Cincinnati Reds host Detroit. Oakland pitcher Mike Fiers will get his first look at his former Houston teammates on Aug. 7 at the empty Coliseum.

Washington Nationals' Adam Eaton (2), left, speaks with a staff member as the Washington Nationals hold their first training camp work out at Nationals Stadium, Friday, July 3, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON Dave Martinez's mantra of going 1-0 every day followed the Washington Nationals to their first World Series title. When they resumed workouts Friday at summer training camp in the midst of a global pandemic, the manager's mantra remained. Only, it has a different meaning for the defending champions tiptoeing the health and safety protocols that made baseball feel anything but natural. Were so used to it being a long season and it actually becoming a marathon, Martinez said.

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)NEW YORK Gerrit Cole could make his New York Yankees debut in a tasty opening-day treat for fans, facing Juan Soto and World Series champion Washington at Nationals Park. The Yankees and Nationals are set meet when the virus-delayed season begins next month, a person familiar with the game told The Associated Press on Saturday. He pitched the Houston Astros past the Nationals 7-1 last October for a 3-2 edge in the World Series. The Yankees and Nationals met twice this year, including New Yorks 6-3 win on March 12 on the final day before MLB stopped spring training because of the virus outbreak. The Yankees are hopeful that slugger Aaron Judge has fully recovered from a rib injury that bothered him during spring training in Florida.

Left-hander James Paxton already was projected to miss the first two months of the season following back surgery on Feb. 5. The usual recovery time for Tommy John surgery is a year or more. John Means struck out three in the start for the Orioles, but gave up two earned runs on three hits. Kendall Graveman worked two innings in his return from Tommy John surgery, giving up a hit and a walk. Jesus Luzardo gave up a hit and struck out two over two innings of his start for the A's.

A controversial interference call late in the game was upheld, but the Washington Nationals scored two in the inning. HOUSTON - The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 7-2 in Houston Tuesday night, forcing a deciding World Series Game 7 on Wednesday. In Game 6, it was the Nationals third baseman, Houston native Anthony Rendon, who almost single-handedly gave Washington the offensive spark it needed with five RBIs in the game. But Rendon hit a two-run home run for Washington later in the inning, extending their lead to 5-2. Max Scherzer will start on the mound for the Nationals in Game 7 and the Astros will counter with Game 1 starter Zack Greinke.