BRETT GARDNER

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is concerned about the roster impact stemming from rules that Major League Baseball players who aren't vaccinated against the coronavirus won’t be allowed to travel into Canada to face the Blue Jays in Toronto.

Atlanta outfielder Joc Pederson and Boston infielder-outfielder Kyle Schwarber were among 10 players who became free agents when they both declined 2022 mutual options in their contracts.

The Yankees brought a lucky charm with them to Fenway Park — a scrappy former shortstop meant as Boston kryptonite.

Four teams are separated by two games in the AL wild-card chase, with the Yankees clinging to a one-game lead for the top spot with two games remaining.

Gary Sánchez and Rougned Odor both struck out with two runners on to blunt a ninth-inning rally and the New York Yankees’ lead atop the AL wild-card race got even tighter with a 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead grand slam over the Green Monster in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees beat Boston 5-3 to tie the Red Sox for the top spot in the AL wild-card race.

Gerrit Cole took a two-hit shutout into the sixth inning to lead the New York Yankees to an 8-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Even for baseball fans who’ve seen everything, this was a bizarre sight: The entire Baltimore Orioles’ grounds crew, perched behind the tarp and poised to spring into action as a storm approached, suddenly got told by an umpire to scram.

Gary Sánchez lined a winning single in the 10th inning, and the New York Yankees overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5.

Aaron Judge tied it with his second homer of the game in the eighth inning, Mets infielder Javier Báez gave away the lead with an error a few at-bats later and the New York Yankees beat their crosstown rival 8-7 at Citi Field following a stirring ceremony on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 41st home run and the streaking Toronto Blue Jays knocked the slumping Yankees out of the AL’s top wild-card spot, beating New York 6-3.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 40th homer, Marcus Semien went deep twice and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 8-0 for their fifth straight win.

Aroldis Chapman gave up Pedro Severino’s tiebreaking sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees lost to Baltimore 4-3 after the last-place Orioles took a no-hitter into the seventh.

The New York Yankees snapped their four-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Aaron Judge hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the ninth inning, Giancarlo Stanton homered for the third consecutive game and the New York Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics 7-6 for their 12th straight victory and longest winning streak in nearly 60 years.

Gerrit Cole struck out Josh Donaldson with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning and got through the sixth throwing shutout ball, and the New York Yankees beat the Minnestoa Twins 7-1 for their season-high ninth straight win.

Joey Gallo hit a two-run shot in the 10th inning for his second homer of the game, Aaron Judge went deep again and had four RBIs, and the New York Yankees outlasted the Chicago White Sox 7-5 in another back-and-forth thriller.

Tim Anderson hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning into the cornfield to end the Field of Dreams game in cinematic fashion.

DJ LeMahieu led off the 11th inning with an RBI double and the New York Yankees, after blowing four late leads, finally held off the feisty Kansas City Royals 8-6.

Anthony Rizzo continued his remarkable debut for the Yankees with another key hit and New York completed a three-game sweep with a 3-1 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday.

Desperate for a powerful, left-handed bat to park balls in the short porch at Yankee Stadium, the New York Yankees got two of them.

All-Star slugger Joey Gallo’s trade to the New York Yankees from the Texas Rangers has been completed.

A person familiar with the swap tells The Associated Press that the New York Yankees have reached a deal to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers.

Rougned Odor’s two-run double highlighted a four-run rally in the eighth inning after his two errors helped Boston build an early lead, and the New York Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-3.

Kiké Hernández hit a two-run double that tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Boston Red Sox took advantage of a record four wild pitches by Brooks Kriske in the 10th to rally past the rival New York Yankees 5-4 on a rainy night at Fenway Park.

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.

Nestor Cortes and three relievers combined for a three-hitter and Brett Gardner and DJ LeMahieu drove in two runs each to lead the New York Yankees to a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.

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 pitching debut at Yankee Stadium was a wild wreck that ended early.

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

Gerrit Cole’s strikeouts and spin rate dropped as he pitched for the first time since Major League Baseball’s crackdown on sticky substances, and the Kansas City Royals rallied off Jonathan Loiasiga for four runs in the eighth inning to beat the New York Yankees 6-5.

Gerrit Cole got back on track with six sharp innings, and Giancarlo Stanton hit two of the New York Yankees’ four home runs to fuel a 9-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

Slumping DJ LeMahieu and the skidding Yankees hope to get back on target when they start a set at Target Field against the Twins on Tuesday night.

For a third straight year, the Washington Nationals have dug themselves an early hole.

Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Michael King, Marwin González added a two-run double and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 5-2 in the first of the rivals’ 19 meetings this season.

Ryan Yarbrough ended a 24-start winless skid with Tampa Bay’s first complete game in more than five years, Austin Meadows homered off shaky Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and drove in five and the Rays beat New York 9-2.

Clint Frazier hit a game-ending, two-run homer with two outs in the 11th inning after making a game-saving catch in the eighth, and the slumping New York Yankees beat the rival Tampa Bay Rays 5-3.

Rich Hill finished May with the lowest monthly ERA in 75 years of a pitcher in his 40s, and the Tampa Bay Rays won for the 16th time in 17 games by keeping up their domination of the reeling Yankees with a 3-1 victory.

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.

The virus-stricken Yankees are set to open a series in Baltimore a day after revealing shortstop Gleyber Torres tested positive for the coronavirus despite being fully vaccinated and having previously had COVID-19.

Corey Kluber handcuffed Detroit batters to gain his 100th career win with his most dominant performance since 2018, and the New York Yankees beat the Tigers 2-0 to complete their first series sweep this season and get back to.

Jameson Taillon earned his first win in exactly two years, Aaron Judge had three hits and three RBIs, and the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 6-4.

New York Yankees players and staff are restlessness and so are fans.

A day after Tatis walked off the field during an exhibition game in a worrisome scene, the Padres said the discomfort in his left shoulder had improved. In fact he was lobbying to get in the lineup today, so I thought that was very encouraging,” Tingler said. I think everybody’s kind of expecting him to be back in the lineup in the next day or two. AdMichael Pineda was roughed up in his second start for Minnesota, surrendering five runs on nine hits in five innings. Ian Anderson went six innings in his fourth start, allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk.

Scherzer will make his Nationals-record sixth opening day start April 1, facing the New York Mets in Washington. The original lineup released by Washington before the game featured a designated hitter; that was revised to include Scherzer batting for himself. DeGrom struck him out, part of his 4 2/3 scoreless innings with three hits and five Ks. YANKEES 8, BLUE JAYS 3Gerritt Cole struck out eight in five innings, allowing one run in his fourth spring start for New York. BRAVES 11, RAYS 1Atlanta starter Max Fried gave up three hits and struck out five over six innings.

On that one, we are probably on the same page.”RED SOX 8, RAYS 2Garrett Richards struck out seven in four scoreless innings for Boston. ATHLETICS 5, PADRES 4Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the game with his second spring home run, a smashing return after missing six days with a non-virus bug. The 30-year-old left has pitched four scoreless innings this spring. BREWERS 8, CUBS 3 (7)Brandon Woodruff made his second start for Milwaukee, allowing five hits in two scoreless innings. BRAVES 8, TWINS 5Michael Pineda, who last pitched a full season in 2016, made his first spring start for Minnesota.

New York starter Jordan Montgomery gave up two hits in three scoreless innings. Brubaker allowed two hits over two scoreless innings and Chase De Jong followed with two shutout innings. MARLINS 4, METS 4Miami starter Pablo Lopez gave up a hit and a walk over three scoreless innings. German Marquez scattered three hits and a walk over three scoreless innings for Colorado. Kansas City starter Jakob Junis pitched three innings and gave up one hit, a leadoff homer to Trent Grisham.

FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2019, file photo, New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German throws to first in a pickoff-attempt during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in New York. German has started the process of talking to teammates about his domestic violence suspension that has kept him off the mound since September 2019. “Exciting to be back on the field, be back with my teammates,” Germán said. Germán missed the final nine games of the regular season and all nine of New York’s playoff games. AdBack with the Yankees for the start of spring training, Germán spoke with his New York teammates last week and issued a public apology the next day.

FILE - In this July 9, 2020, file photo, Texas Rangers pitcher Corey Kluber throws during an intrasquad game in Arlington, Texas. The New York Yankees reached a deal with Kluber worth $11 million for one year, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Happ to become free agents, signed Kluber to an $11 million, one-year contract and acquired Taillon from Pittsburgh for four prospects. To drop payroll below the $210 million luxury tax threshold, Cashman traded right-hander Adam Ottavino to rival Boston, saving $7.15 million. New York enters spring training with a projected rotation of Gerrit Cole, Deivi García, left-hander Jordan Montgomery, Kluber and Taillon.

Kluber gets a $1 million buyout, and the club has said it is interested in re-signing Kluber to a less expensive deal. Lester gets a $10 million buyout from the Chicago Cubs that completes a $155 million, six-year contract rather than a $25 million mutual option. Milwaukee turned down Gyorko and Sogard, a day after declining a $15 million option on 2011 NL MVP Ryan Braun. The White Sox declined a $12 million option for Encarnación and a $7 million option for González, who will receive a $500,000. Kluber gets a $1 million buyout, and the club has said it is interested in re-signing Kluber to a less expensive deal.

The Rays are seeking revenge after Houston beat them in five games in the AL Division Series last year. The Astros are in the ALCS for the fourth straight year, looking for a third trip to the World Series in that span. The Rays are trying to get to their second World Series after losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. ANOTHER EARLY OFFSEASONAfter finishing its 11th consecutive season without a World Series, the Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman face a series of key decisions. New York has a $17 million option on pitcher J.A.

The Rays are seeking revenge after Houston beat them in five games in the AL Division Series last year. The Astros are in the ALCS for the fourth straight year, looking for a third trip to the World Series in that span. The Rays are trying to get to their second World Series after losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. ANOTHER EARLY OFFSEASONAfter finishing its 11th consecutive season without a World Series, the Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman face a series of key decisions. New York has a $17 million option on pitcher J.A.

(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)SAN DIEGO – When the New York Yankees needed their star-studded lineup to produce runs in an elimination playoff game, they got three hits. When they really could have used a special play in the field to save a run, Aaron Judge hit his head on the wall. New York's season came to a crashing end in San Diego on Friday night with a 2-1 loss in Game 5 of the AL Division Series. But LeMahieu, Stanton, Luke Voit, Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner all went hitless in the Yankees' biggest game of the season. Brosseau and the Rays got the definitive last laugh, and the Yankees won't be able to answer until next year.

(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)SAN DIEGO – Mike Brosseau said he wasn't seeking revenge against hard-throwing Aroldis Chapman, just the chance to keep playing. Brosseau drove a 100 mph fastball into the left field seats at Petco Park for the Rays' third hit. Brosseau and Chapman have a history: Chapman threw a 101 mph fastball near Brosseau’s head Sept. 1 in the ninth inning of a Rays’ 5-3 victory. After winning the AL Division Series 3-2, Tampa Bay will stay in San Diego to face the Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series starting Sunday night. Tampa Bay was eliminated by the Astros in the ALDS last year.

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)SAN DIEGO – Manager Kevin Cash and the Tampa Bay Rays introduced the concept of an opener to modern baseball two years ago. But just as New York almost certainly regretted using an opener in Game 2 when Deivi García and J.A. Glasnow threw 93 pitches in Game 2, getting the victory after tossing four-run ball over five innings. The Rays used an opener seven times in this year's 60-game regular season, going 6-1 when employing the scheme. “(Glasnow) has obviously got his heater, but he’s got one of the best curveballs in the game, too.

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)SAN DIEGO – After losing eight of 10 games in a contentious regular-season series, the New York Yankees just can’t shake the AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays. “They got the best of us this year, arguably the best team in baseball,” Gardner said of the Rays, the AL’s top seed. He went 2-0 with a 0.57 ERA in two starts against Tampa Bay in last year’s ALDS. COMFORTABLE SNELLSnell was injured last year when the Rays visited the Padres, but he loves Petco Park. “It’s going to be even more weird when it’s like, ‘The Tampa Bay Rays host the New York Yankees at San Diego.’ It’ll be weird but I’m enjoying it.

(AP Photo/David Dermer)CLEVELAND – On a night for debates, Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees made quite an opening statement. "I wish I would have been with my off-speed stuff in the zone, and challenged those guys a little more. Staked to an early lead on Judge's homer, Cole showed why the Yankees shelled out $324 million for him in the offseason. Cole's strikeouts were the second-most by a New York pitcher in postseason history. Judge's first homer since coming off the injured list on Sept. 16 — and the first allowed by Bieber at home this season — gave the Yankees a stunning 2-0 lead.

(AP Photo/Steven Senne)CLEVELAND – Slumping slugger Gary Sánchez will be benched in favor of Kyle Higashioka in the New York Yankees lineup for their wild-card opener Tuesday night. Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed Monday that Higashioka would catch ace Gerrit Cole to start the best-of-three series against the Cleveland Indians. Higashioka showed promise with the bat this season, including with a three-homer game against Toronto on Sept. 16. Cole pitched to Higashioka in his final four regular season starts, a span when the Yankees ace was 3-1 with a 1.00 ERA. “So we worked out well together.”Cole had a 3.91 ERA in eight starts pitching to Sánchez.

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.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dean Kremer throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)NEW YORK – Luke Voit hit a game-ending sacrifice fly leading off the 10th inning, and the New York Yankees beat Baltimore 2-1 Saturday to open a 4 1/2-game lead over the Orioles for the American League’s eighth and final playoff berth. With DJ LeMahieu starting the inning as the automatic runner on second, Hunter Harvey (0-2) bounced a wild pitch that advanced LeMahieu. LeMahieu scored without a throw. Happ lost Tuesday against Toronto despite allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings and striking out a season-high 10.

NEW YORK – Mark Newman, a key front office executive for the New York Yankees during their run of five World Series titles from 1996 through 2009, was found dead Saturday at his home in Tampa, Florida. The Yankees said it was not clear whether he died Friday or Saturday. Newman was omnipresent for two decades at the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa, Florida, his portly frame easily recognizable from a distance. “He was very passionate about all the guys in the minor league system,” Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner said in a statement. “He would come to the Dominican Republic and watch me during tryouts,” Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez said in a statement.

Aaron Hicks lined a tying, two-run homer in the seventh, and Gio Urshela hit a game-ending single off Edwin Diaz an inning later. At 21 years, 103 days, Garca became the youngest pitcher to start in the majors in the abbreviated 60-game game season. GAME 1The Yankees trailed 7-2 with two outs in final inning of the seven-inning game before rallying against Jared Hughes and Diaz. The Mets added three runs in the sixth when Michael Conforto hit a two-run double and Pete Alonso was hit by a pitch. Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (4-1, 3.51) opens a three-game series against AL East leaders Tampa Bay.

(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.

With two outs and a runner on, Cole had a 1-2 count on Ji-Man Choi, who came back to hit an RBI double. Jose Martinez followed with a two-run homer on the 107th pitch from a clearly tiring Cole. Cole was bidding to tie Roger Clemens, Jake Arrieta and Rube Marquard for the third-longest streak ever. His only loss since May 2019 came in Game 1 of the World Series last October, pitching for Houston against Washington. ... Rays C Mike Zunino was mired in an 0 for 23 slide before doubling off Cole during the fifth.

Cole (3-0) allowed one run and five hits, struck out four and walked one on 91 pitches. The major league-best Yankees have won seven straight the equivalent of a 19-game spurt over a 162-game season. Because of Tuesdays postponement, the Phillies planned to return home after the game without having checked into their hotel. ... Closer Aroldis Chapman is to throw a bullpen in Scranton on Tuesday or Wednesday in his return from COVID-19. Happ (0-0) had been scheduled to start for the Yankees on Tuesday and RHP Aaron Nola (0-1) for the Phillies.

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)NEW YORK His chambers left empty, Aaron Judge still rules right field at Yankee Stadium. Red Sox-Yankees in the Bronx, we knew this place would have been packed, Judge said. Gio Urshela and Brett Gardner hit their first home runs of the season, and New York improved to 5-1. "A breaking ball up and in and somehow he stays inside it and it goes out the other way, Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said. The left-hander limited the Red Sox to a run, five hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Bard had not pitched in the major leagues since 2013, and after his control and confidence deserted him, his playing career appeared over before he attempted a comeback this year. He was back in the bullpen for Cleveland in September and took the mound Sunday as a starter, beating Kansas City. TRIVIA TIMEThis season's opener between the Washington Nationals and New York Yankees on Thursday night was baseball's most-watched regular-season game in nine years. MILESTONESAlbert Pujols of the Angels became the fifth player to start a season opener in 20 straight years, joining Pete Rose, Carl Yastrzemski, Eddie Murray and Frank Robinson. TRIVIA ANSWERBrett Gardner had three hits and two steals for the Yankees in the 2011 game.

Rain and lighting halt an opening day baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Washington. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (0-1) had struck out 11 and was still in the game for the Nationals when action stopped, his pitch count nearing 100. Even if the stadium was closed to the public, some folks did watch from balconies on at least one nearby high-rise building. Meanwhile, fake crowd noise was piped in through the stadium speakers, adding a bizarre element to eerie atmosphere. It does feel different.UP NEXTAfter Fridays day off, the series resumes Saturday night, with World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg pitching for Washington against New Yorks James Paxton.

Protective face coverings won't be out of sight when Major League Baseball resumes in less than two weeks. New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier has been experimenting with various masks during intrasquad scrimmages. At 68, Washington has seen fellow Braves coach Eric Young Sr. and Mets hitting coach Chili Davis opt out this season. I trust the protocol that MLB has in place and I also trust Ron Washington even more.This is very safe, he said Sunday, adding, Sixty games? More umpires are expected to start working intrasquad games this week.