CHARLIE MONTOYO

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole starts the opener of a crucial three-game series at Fenway Park with the Red Sox two games ahead of New York for the top AL wild card.

Kevin Kiermaier was hit by a pitch after scooping up a Toronto scouting report two days earlier, and the Tampa Bay Rays clinched a postseason berth with a 7-1 victory over the Blue Jays.

Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier says he is shocked by reaction to his scooping up a scouting a card that fell out of Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk’s wristband.

Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash apologized to Blue Jays management a day after Rays veteran Kevin Kiermaier scooped up a scouting data card that fell out of Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk’s wristband and refused to give it back.

Mets 41-year-old left-hander Rich Hill is set to face Cardinals 40-year-old righty Adam Wainwright in a showdown of veterans who still got it.

Bo Bichette thumped a leadoff homer in the first inning and singled in the tiebreaking run in the seventh, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 42nd homer, and the Toronto Blue Jays held off the skidding New York Yankees 6-4 for their eighth straight win.

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.

Rays rookie Wander Franco has reached base safely in 36 straight games.

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.

Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 38th home run this season, but the Toronto Blue Jays hit it out of the park four times, including two from George Springer and a grand slam by Teoscar Hernandez, to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 10-2.

Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani is expected to become the second player and first since Babe Ruth to start on the mound and hit in the top half of the batting order in the Bronx.

Three of baseball’s best pitchers are hurting.

Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber won’t throw for at least two weeks because of a right shoulder strain, an injury that will further test Cleveland’s pitching depth.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. keyed a career-best four-hit outing with his major league-leading 17th home run and the Toronto Blue Jays celebrated the return to their temporary Buffalo home with a 5-1 win over the Miami Marlins.

Francisco Mejía hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during a seven-run burst in the 11th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their 11th straight game, outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays 14-8.

Merrill Kelly starts for the Arizona Diamondbacks when they host Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Padres following a dominant pitching performance in a doubleheader at Atlanta.

Aaron Judge’s health is once again a concern for the New York Yankees.

Aaron Judge’s health is once again a concern for the New York Yankees.

David Fletcher had a two-run single in the 11th inning and the Los Angeles Angels beat Toronto 7-5 in the first regular-season game played at the Blue Jays’ spring training ballpark.

The Toronto Blue Jays are set to become the first team in Major League Baseball history to play home openers in three different cities over three consecutive seasons.

“We’re just talking.”The Mets obtained Lindor from Cleveland in January, and he's signed for this season at $22.3 million. Canning now has 13 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has permitted three hits in 8 2/3 innings with 16 strikeouts and a walk. Nola has given up 15 hits in 8 2/3 innings, seeing his ERA rise to 10.38. Kyle Wright made his fourth start, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.

Springer and the Blue Jays agreed last week to a team-record $150 million, six-year contract. The Blue Jays swept in two games during a first-round series by the eventual AL champion Rays. Besides Springer, Toronto also has signed right-handers Kirby Yates and Tyler Chatwood in the past week. Shapiro insisted the Blue Jays still have flexibility to add payroll, likely to strengthen the rotation, but said “the bulk of our heavy lifting is done.”Springer split time between center field and right with the Astros, but is expected to become a fixture in center for the Blue Jays. “This is about the Blue Jays,” Springer said.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay)Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts could become the second player to win the MVP award in each league, and New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom is in the running for his third consecutive NL Cy Young Award. Betts, Freddie Freeman and Manny Machado are the top finishers for NL MVP in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. DeGrom, Trevor Bauer and Yu Darvish are the finalists in the NL Cy Young race. Betts, who won the 2018 AL MVP award with Boston, helped the Dodgers win the World Series last week for the first time since 1988. Frank Robinson is the only player to win the MVP award in both leagues, accomplishing the feat in 1961 with Cincinnati and 1966 for Baltimore.

Hunter Renfroe hit a grand slam and the top-seeded Rays won a postseason series for the first time in 12 years, overpowering the young Toronto Blue Jays 8-2 Wednesday to finish a two-game sweep of their wild-card matchup. Mike Zunino hit a two-run homer off Blue Jays ace Hyun Jin Ryu during Tampa Bay's big inning. Ryu was rocked for a season-high seven runs in 1 2/3 innings, the lefty's shortest outing of the season for the wild-card Blue Jays. I’m proud of my kids to make it to this point," second-year Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. Ryu signed with the Blue Jays in free agency last winter after being an All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers and finishing second in NL Cy Young Award balloting in 2019.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Deivi Garcia throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Buffalo, N.Y., Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)BUFFALO, N.Y. Deivi Garca earned his first major league win, Gleyber Torres drove in four runs and the New York Yankees snapped a five-game losing streak, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 7-2 on Wednesday night. The Yankees had lost 15 of 20 and fallen to the edge of the expanded playoff field. Luke Voit hit an RBI single that put the Yankees ahead 3-2 in the fifth and Torres added a two-run double. UP NEXTNew York RHP Gerrit Cole (4-3, 3.63 ERA) will start Thursday against Baltimore LHP Keegan Akin (0-0, 2.08) in the opener of the Yankees four-game weekend series against the Orioles.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday:HERE COMES MADBUMFormer Giants ace Madison Bumgarner will face his former club at last when he takes the mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks in San Francisco. I feel like Im pretty good at pushing all that stuff aside, the 2014 World Series MVP said. He had a 2.90 ERA in 411 appearances with the Cubs over seven years, mostly in a setup role. He was a key member of the 2016 team that won the franchises first World Series title since 1908.

Toronto Blue Jays and the Miami Marlins play during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)BUFFALO, N.Y. In the first major league game in Buffalo since 1915, Travis Shaw hit an RBI single in the 10th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays settled into their new nest with a 5-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night. The Blue Jays loaded the bases with one out in the 10th and Shaw singled to right field for his first RBI in 25 at-bats with the Blue Jays. There had not been a major league game in Buffalo since Sept. 8, 1915, when the Blues swept a doubleheader from the Baltimore Terrapins at Federal League Park. Those walls, which have been green for 32 years, are now blue, a color which now dominates much of the stadium, along with the omnipresent presence of the Blue Jays logo. Blue Jays: Nate Pearson (0-0, 2.70 ERA) will make his third career start when Toronto wraps up the two-game series against Miami.

FILE - In this July 24, 2020, file photo, the entrance to Sahlen Field, home of the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, in Buffalo, N.Y., is viewed. The Blue Jays will walk onto the field Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, as the host team for the first time in 2020. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)A look at whats happening around the majors Tuesday:___NEW DIGSBaseball's nomads, the Toronto Blue Jays, finally move into their new home at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, when they play the Miami Marlins. It'll be the first time this year the Blue Jays are the host team. Pittsburgh offered to let the Blue Jays play at PNC Park when the Pirates were on the road, but Pennsylvania Gov.

FILE - In this July 24, 2020, file photo, the entrance to Sahlen Field, home of the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, in Buffalo, N.Y., is viewed. The Blue Jays will walk onto the field Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, as the host team for the first time in 2020. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)A look at whats happening around the majors today:___NEW DIGSBaseball's nomads, the Toronto Blue Jays, finally move into their new home at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, when they play the Miami Marlins. It'll be the first time this year the Blue Jays are the host team. Pittsburgh offered to let the Blue Jays play at PNC Park when the Pirates were on the road, but Pennsylvania Gov.

FILE - In this July 24, 2020, file photo, signage at Sahlen Field, home of the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, in Buffalo, N.Y., is viewed. Pittsburgh offered to let the Blue Jays play at PNC Park when the Pirates were on the road, but Pennsylvania Gov. All of them are designed to help the Blue Jays relax and exhale, however briefly, about 100 miles south of the Rogers Centre. We want to make this feel like home for our guys, Blue Jays vice president Marnie Starkman said. The view will be even better for the Blue Jays, home at last.

Laureano charged toward Houston bench coach lex Cintrn after being hit by a pitch Sunday at the Coliseum. The skirmish came months after Houstons sign-stealing scandal was brought to light by Oakland pitcher Mike Fiers. Less than two weeks ago, Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly was suspended by MLB for eight game after throwing two pitches near the heads of Houston hitter. NEW NESTVladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays might take a look around their new home for the rest of the season -- thatll be Sahlen Field in Buffalo. There have been 27 games postponed by Major League Baseball because of the coronavirus, 13 of them involving the Cardinals.

Atlanta Braves' Nick Markakis, left, celebrates with Adeiny Hechavarria (24) after hitting a game-winning home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Atlanta. Markakis was added to the active roster on Wednesday after changing his mind about sitting out the year. Following the homer, Braves players circled home plate with plenty of distance, waving their hands in the air as Markakis finished his trot. Manager Charlie Montoyo said before the game Waguespack was recalled when right-hander Trent Thornton was placed on the 10-day injured list. Following a chat with home plate umpire Alan Porter, Waguespack left the field without making a pitch and Montoyo instead brought in Rafael Dolis.

The Blue Jays are the home team in the game. They love to win and they love to celebrate.Toronto batted in the bottom of each inning, wore its white uniforms, played its walk-up music and blared OK Blue Jays, the club's traditional seventh-inning stretch staple. The Blue Jays will be using a minor league ballpark Buffalo, but thats still being upgraded to host major league games. Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette (left hamstring) and OF Randal Grichuk (back tightness) sat out again. UP NEXTWith Stephen Strasburg out, RHP Erick Fedde (0-0, 2.25) will fill in again Thursday, facing Blue Jays LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-0, 5.79).

(AP Photo/Nick Wass)NEW YORK Major League Baseball has postponed this weekend's scheduled series between Toronto and Philadelphia because of concerns about the coronavirus after two Phillies staffers tested positive. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo revealed news of the postponed series Thursday, saying his club was not going to Philadelphia," where the series was scheduled to take place. Eventually, the Blue Jays are supposed to play home games at a minor league ballpark in Buffalo, but it isnt ready. The Blue Jays were then supposed to start a three-game series at the Phillies on Friday. First, MLB shifted Friday's game to part of a doubleheader Saturday, with the series finale Sunday and now all three games are scrapped, leaving Toronto in limbo.

Were drinking out of a fire hose on all this stuff right now, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. The Marlins season has been suspended through Sunday after the club registered at least 15 players with positive coronavirus tests. NOT-QUITE-HOME OPENERThe Blue Jays play their first home game of the season in Washington after officially being the visitors in DC for games Monday and Tuesday. The truth is, theres no place like home, Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. We feel comfortable playing at home, but thats not going to happen.Nationals ace Max Scherzer is set to face Blue Jays right-hander Nate Pearson, making his major league debut.

Were drinking out of a fire hose on all this stuff right now, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. The Marlins season has been suspended through Sunday after the club registered at least 15 players with positive coronavirus tests. NOT-QUITE-HOME OPENERThe Blue Jays play their first home game of the season in Washington after officially being the visitors in DC for games Monday and Tuesday. The truth is, theres no place like home, Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. We feel comfortable playing at home, but thats not going to happen.Nationals ace Max Scherzer is set to face Blue Jays right-hander Nate Pearson, making his major league debut.

The Blue Jays were blocked by the Canadian government from hosting this season because of coronavirus concerns, and hopes of shifting home games to other big league cities didn't work out. First of all, this whole year has been crazy, but its been especially crazy for our team, Biggio said. You get an opening day start usually because of what you did the year before," Morton said. Blue Jays starter Hyun-Jin Ryu, second in NL Cy Young voting when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, allowed three runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings. Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said it felt awesome after all the uncertainty the Blue Jays have endured recently.

TORONTO, ONT The Toronto Blue Jays will play at PNC Park in Pittsburgh if the state of Pennsylvania approves it, two officials familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Canada denied the Blue Jays request to play in Toronto because the regular-season schedule would require frequent travel back and forth from the United States, where COVID-19 cases are surging. Pirates President Travis Williams previously confirmed the talks to host the Blue Jays and sounded ready to welcome them if it could be done safely. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said he was excited about the PNC Park option and Pirates manager Derek Shelton said he would have no problem with the Blue Jays moving in. Atkins said if the Blue Jays cant find a major league park, their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, New York, would be their most likely site for home games.

The other 29 major league teams plan to play the pandemic-shortened, 60-game season in their home ballparks, without spectators. I just said, Look, we want to play in a major league ballpark. That was pretty much echoed throughout the clubhouse that we want to be in a major league ballpark, wherever that is. Outfielder Teoscar Hernndez also said he would prefer a major league park. I bet every team in this division hopes its a big league park, but if not, they have no choice, Montoyo said.

Posey a six-time All-Star and 2012 NL MVP said his family finalized the adoption of identical twin girls this week. Holt has a young family and his wife is pregnant, but he decided to leave them at home while he went to Milwaukee for the next three months. First baseman and team leader Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith, right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma tested positive for coronavirus. Epstein said two coaches tested positive prior to the intake process. A front office member tested positive during the intake.