CRAIG COUNSELL

Milwaukee Brewers ace Corbin Burnes exited his start against the Seattle Mariners in the sixth inning Monday night with a left pectoral strain.

The only certainty about Major League Baseball's new rules for the 2023 season is that everyone is going to push and pull on them in search of an edge.

Andrew Knizner hit a two-run homer, Miles Mikolas pitched six strong innings and the St. Louis Cardinals clinched the NL Central title with a 6-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina made history with the first pitch of the game, then the record-setting battery helped the St. Louis Cardinals extend their NL Central lead by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-1.

Virtually nothing has gone right for the Milwaukee Brewers in thee week since they traded four-time All-Star closer Josh Hader.

San Francisco left-hander Carlos Rodón, Boston designated hitter J.

The Milwaukee Brewers placed a ceremonial jersey in their dugout Friday to honor an 8-year-old fan of the team who was wounded during the July Fourth mass shooting in a Chicago suburb.

The New York Yankees and Houston Astros will meet Thursday in a one-game series between AL division leaders at Minute Maid Park.

Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson will serve a one-game suspension for a remark to White Sox star Tim Anderson about Jackie Robinson when New York opens a home series against Tampa Bay after the ban was upheld on appeal.

Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Odúbel Herrera homered as interim manager Rob Thomson and the streaking Philadelphia Phillies won their season-high seventh straight game, beating the sagging Milwaukee Brewers 8-3.

Aaron Nola pitched eight sharp innings and the surging Philadelphia Phillies hit four home runs to rout the scuffling Milwaukee Brewers 10-0.

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler says he might return to the field for the national anthem in recognition of Memorial Day when his team opens a three-game series at Philadelphia.

Healthy for much of this season, the AL-leading Yankees are suddenly dealing with injuries to several key players.

A pair of Cy Young Award winners are on the mound when Corbin Burnes and the Milwaukee Brewers visit Blake Snell and the San Diego Padres in a matchup between two of the National League's top teams Tuesday night.

Connor Dawson is a psychologist, gatekeeper, analyst and strategist.

Carlos Correa hit his first spring homer with the Twins, providing a preview of what he could provide Minnesota’s lineup this season.

Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash has become the second skipper to win Manager of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons, taking this year's American League award.

Boosted by a sharp start from Ian Anderson, Braves pitchers have now thrown 19 straight scoreless innings against Milwaukee in the NL Division Series.

The Milwaukee Brewers have picked the worst time of year to go ice cold at the plate.

Joc Pederson enhanced his “Joctober” nickname with a three-run, pinch-hit homer and the Atlanta Braves shut down Milwaukee once again, beating the Brewers 3-0.

The Milwaukee Brewers will start Freddy Peralta against Atlanta Braves right-hander Ian Anderson in Game 3 of the NL Division Series.

The Milwaukee Brewers clinched their second NL Central title in four years, beating the sloppy New York Mets 8-4 behind Willy Adames’s two-run homer and three RBIs.

Paul Goldschmidt and Tyler O’Neill homered as the St. Louis Cardinals won their 11th straight game, extending their lead for the second NL wild-card spot and beating the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers 10-2.

Cardinals closer Giovanny Gallegos fanned pinch-hitter Pablo Reyes with the bases loaded for the final out and St. Louis won its 10th straight game, increasing its lead in the playoff chase by holding off the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers 2-1.

Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseball’s record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0.

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

Daniel Vogelbach delivered a pinch-hit grand slam off Alex Reyes to cap a five-run rally in the ninth inning that gave the Milwaukee Brewers a 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Adrian Houser pitched his first pro shutout, throwing a crisp three-hitter that led the Milwaukee Brewers over the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0.

Thairo Estrada hit a three-run homer during San Francisco’s four-run eighth inning, and the Giants beat the Brewers 5-1 to avoid a four-game sweep.

Jace Peterson hit a go-ahead single in the seventh, Lorenzo Cain homered for a second straight game and the Milwaukee Brewers knocked the San Francisco Giants out of the top spot in the National League for the first time in more than three months.

Brandon Belt hit his second homer of the night during a four-run outburst in the 11th inning as the San Francisco Giants rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-6 in a wild Saturday night matchup between division leaders.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff has taken a couple more hits with John Axford now out for the season with elbow trouble and Eric Lauer joining the COVID-19 injured list.

Kris Bryant is expected to make his debut for the NL West-leading Giants on Sunday when they host Houston.

Milwaukee Brewers pitchers Jake Cousins and Hunter Strickland have tested positive for COVID-19 and will be placed in quarantine.

Philadelphia’s J.

Tyler Anderson pitched seven sparkling innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended Milwaukee’s 11-game winning streak with a 2-0 victory over the Brewers.

Adrian Houser scattered four hits over a season-high 6 2/3 innings, and the Milwaukee Brewers extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 7-2 victory over Pittsburgh.

Willy Adames and Keston Hiura each hit a three-run homer during a 10-run outburst in the eighth inning that lifted the Milwaukee Brewers a 14-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Burly slugger Daniel Vogelbach hobbled home on one leg when Arizona’s defense fell asleep, and the Diamondbacks dropped back into a rut with a 5-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ian Anderson took a no-hit try into the seventh inning, Freddie Freeman hit the 250th home run of his career and the Atlanta Braves beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is going back on the injured list just one day after getting activated.

The Milwaukee Brewers are moving along with their plan for Christian Yelich after an MRI on the slugger’s strained lower back showed no major issues.

Oakland tries for its 14th consecutive victory when the Athletics play Baltimore at Camden Yards.

Houston second baseman José Altuve says he’s tested positive for COVID-19 but hasn’t felt badly and hopes to return to the lineup soon.

Jake Marisnick homered and matched a career high with five RBIs, and the Chicago Cubs pounded the Milwaukee Brewers 15-2 for their fourth straight victory.

Willson Contreras struck back after getting plunked again by the Brewers, hitting a two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Chicago Cubs rallied past Milwaukee 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Now that Fernando Tatis Jr. has been placed on the injured list, the San Diego Padres hope their electrifying shortstop won’t be sidelined too long.

Bauer wound up pitching three scoreless innings with the creative approach, striking out three while allowing two hits and a walk. Known for speaking his mind and going his own way, Bauer said he regularly shuts one eye during bullpen sessions and other workouts. METS 6, ASTROS 1 (6)Jacob deGrom pitched two scoreless innings in his spring debut, striking out three and allowing one hit. AdBLUE JAYS 7, PHILLIES 1 (7)Newcomer Tanner Roark made his first start for Toronto, allowing one hit in two scoreless innings. Jorge López threw three scoreless innings with three strikeouts.

A worker cleans the stadium seats as San Francisco Giants players train during the team's spring training baseball workout in Scottsdale, Ariz., Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon figures players can find plenty to do with any extra time they could get at the end of days if spring training games don't go nine innings. Even after that, until the end of spring training, games can be scheduled for only seven innings. Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said he had already been in touch with Cleveland's Terry Francona by midweek about their spring training opener Sunday. AdJESSE'S TEAMVeteran right-hander Jesse Chavez is re-signing with the Los Angeles Angels on a minor league deal, and will join them in spring training after clearing intake protocols.

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Right-hander Kevin Gausman’s impressive day at spring training had nothing to do with any of the usual statistics, like strikeouts or innings pitched. Batting practice for San Francisco's pitchers took on a non-traditional look Thursday at Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona. But the stands won't be empty — or full — when the Giants host their spring training opener Sunday. Scottsdale Stadium will have the lowest capacity at 9%, which is about 1,000 fans for Giants home games. Spectators at Scottsdale Stadium may get to see Gausman throw his lively fastball, but not a look at his Fungo golf skills.

With spring training in full swing, third baseman Travis Shaw returned to the Milwaukee Brewers while former All-Star third baseman Jake Lamb and pitchers Ian Kennedy and Julio Teheran found new teams. Shaw signed a minor league contract with the Brewers on Tuesday, giving them one more option for their unsettled situation at third base. The signing adds another veteran bat to an already deep competition for bench spots in spring training. AdThe 30-year-old Teheran got a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers and will report to big league camp. Kennedy will be in major league spring training with a chance to be compete for a spot in the Rangers’ bullpen.

AJ Hinch's success as Detroit's manager may ultimately hinge on the performance of a few highly regarded prospects. Detroit has five of the game's top 25 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline. Right-hander Casey Mize, the top pick in the 2018 draft, made his big league debut last year and went 0-3 with a 6.99 ERA in seven starts. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)AJ Hinch's success as Detroit's manager may ultimately hinge on the performance of a few highly regarded prospects. It's a little easier to avoid those expectations when a prospect is younger and isn't likely to make the big league roster yet.

Kolten Wong has joined the Milwaukee Brewers as he changes teams for the first time after spending eight seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers announced Friday, Feb. .5, 2021, that they had signed Wong to a two-year contract with a club option for 2023. Milwaukee is making room for Wong in their infield by shifting Keston Hiura from second base to first base. “That was kind of a big reason for me coming to Milwaukee,” Wong said. Luis Urias has played 31 games at third, though he has more experience at second base and shortstop.

Members of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in a baseball game to earn a playoff birth Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in St. Louis. That’s when the Brewers, at 29-31, open their series against Los Angeles ace Walker Buehler at Dodger Stadium. In a win-and-you’re-in game, St. Louis clinched by beating Milwaukee 5-2. That’s how you see it,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. St. Louis played a total of 58 games — it was prepared for a doubleheader in Detroit on Monday if needed to settle the playoff picture.

SAN FRANCISCO – Gary Hughes, a beloved professional scout for numerous big league organizations during a 54-year career, has died in Northern California after a battle with cancer. “Gary Hughes was the quintessential baseball man,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said. Hughes was thrilled to share tales of his days scouting baseball players who became NFL stars: John Elway and John Lynch before they picked football instead. Hughes' son, Michael “Rock” Hughes, longtime Marlins visiting clubhouse manager, is married to Counsell's sister. “Gary was one of the game's great personalities and became one of the all-time greats in the world of scouting,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

(AP Photo/Morry Gash)NEW YORK – A Major League Baseball umpire tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting a late shift in crew assignments in Florida this week, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The affected umpire, who wasn’t identified, was not on the field when the result was learned. A dozen umpires, including eight crew chiefs, opted out of working the shortened season because of virus considerations. The Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series will be held under protective bubbles set up to minimize exposure to the virus. It’s all about what the risk of interacting with the community is.”___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

St. Louis Cardinals' Yadier Molina has words with Milwaukee Brewers' Keston Hiura and Jedd Gyorko during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)MILWAUKEE – St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt was suspended one game for his role in a bench-clearing fracas in Milwaukee, and was set to miss the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Brewers. Major League Baseball announced the penalty about 35 minutes before the Cardinals and Brewers met in the opener at Miller Park. Shildt came off the bench to examine Molina’s left arm, then he and the All-Star catcher approached the Milwaukee dugout and exchanged words with Brewers players. “I go to check on him and make sure he’s OK and hear something out of the (Brewers) dugout,” Shildt said after the game.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Alec Mills reacts after throwing a no hitter at a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)MILWAUKEE – Alec Mills cruised through baseball's second no-hitter this season, shutting down the Milwaukee Brewers for the Chicago Cubs' 16th no-hitter in a 12-0 victory Sunday. Baez completed the play, and the Cubs swarmed around Mills, tearing off his cap and pulling at the smiling right-hander's uniform. His five strikeouts are the fewest in a Cubs no-hitter since Ken Holtzman in 1969. Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano has thrown the only no-hitter at Miller Park, against the Houston Astros on Sept. 14, 2008.

Cleveland Indians' Cesar Hernandez, center, is mobbed by teammates after hitting an RBI-single in the ninth inning in a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND Milwaukee closer Josh Hader allowed his first hit of the season, and then gave up Csar Hernndezs game-winning single in the ninth inning as the Cleveland Indians beat the Brewers 4-3 on Saturday night. Oscar Mercado, who scored on Hernndezs liner through a five-man infield, led off the ninth with a double, ending Haders major league-record streak of 12 hitless appearances to start the season. The right-hander gave up an RBI double to Daniel Vogelbach in the fourth and Hiuras homer. Indians: RHP Shane Bieber (6-0, 1.20 ERA) faces Milwaukee for the first time in his three-year MLB career.

Minnesota Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda of Japan throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)MINNEAPOLIS Kenta Maeda lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning for the Minnesota Twins, who blew a three-run lead but came back to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 12 innings. Maeda's no-hit bid was ended by Eric Sogard's soft single that soared just over the glove of a leaping Polanco at shortstop. Maeda retired 21 straight batters in a stretch from the first to the eighth innings and finished with 12 strikeouts. Opponents are 0 for 22 against Hader this season, with four walks and one hit by pitch 12 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)CHICAGO Yu Darvish took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his third straight dominant start, and the major league-leading Chicago Cubs defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Thursday night. But after a rocky first outing this season, against the Brewers on July 25, Darvish has been in a groove. BREWERS MOVESThe Brewers optioned LHP Eric Lauer to their alternate training site in Appleton, Wisconsin. UP NEXTBrewers: RHP Brandon Woodruff (1-1, 2.53 ERA) faces Cubs RHP Tyler Chatwood (2-1, 5.40) on Friday night.

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich, right, celebrates with manager Craig Counsell after hitting an inside-the-park home run against the Chicago White Sox during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)CHICAGO Christian Yelich hit his first career inside-the-park homer and walked four times, helping the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago White Sox 8-3 on Thursday night. Jedd Gyorko homered and drove in three runs for Milwaukee, and Mark Mathias had two hits with two RBIs. The Brewers and White Sox split a home-and-home series, with each team winning two games in their opponent's ballpark. Rookie phenom Luis Robert went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts as the White Sox dropped their second straight game game after winning six in a row.

The Milwaukee Brewers star is 1 for 27 to start the season, an .037 average that's worst among qualified hitters. Coming off a condensed preseason camp for a 60-game season truncated by the coronavirus pandemic, hitters are stumbling out of the batter's box. The league-wide batting average after Wednesday's games is .229, down from .252 last season even though the National League adopted the designated hitter for this season. And although hitters often start slowly in March and April, this collective slump is far worse than anything seen in recent years. Many indicators of the offensive struggles, including a rise in strikeouts and drop in batting average, are continuations of trends already underway.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks throws the ball during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers during an opening day baseball game Friday, July, 24, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks throws the ball during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers during an opening day baseball game Friday, July, 24, 2020, in Chicago. Showing off an improved curveball, Hendricks struck out nine and walked none in his first career opening-day start and fourth career shutout. It was the first complete game for a Cubs pitcher on opening day since Bill Bonham beat the Phillies 2-0 on April 9, 1974. Cubs left-hander Jon Lester watched the start of the game from the bleachers in left field. Burnes is making his fifth career start after spending much of his first two seasons in Milwaukee's bullpen.

So teams are trying as best they can to ramp up the competitiveness of summer camps conducted in isolation. Several teams announced upcoming exhibition games, including Houston at Kansas City, Kansas City at St. Louis, and Cleveland against Pittsburgh. Catcher Omar Narvaez and outfielder Avisail Garcia will draft teams for matchups designed to approximate the intensity of regular-season games. St. Louis Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks opted out of playing this season, citing underlying health concerns. POSTPONEDThe St. Louis Cardinals' Hall of Fame induction ceremony has been postponed because of the virus.

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.

Behavior away from the ballpark will be a big factor in determining whether Major League Baseball's attempt to salvage the 2020 season can succeed. And as Major League Baseball attempts to salvage the 2020 season, behavior away from the ballpark will help determine the outcome. Just like on the field, success will depend on how many players are safe at home. There's also worry regarding what happens when players are away from work and beyond whatever bubble can be created at the ballpark. Theyre in a sense bullet-proof, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.

The steady stream of players testing positive and opting out is leading to a growing unease that the full season might not be played. Theres a ton of players out there quoted saying this, but it almost feels like youre waiting on bad news, right? Youre waiting for travel restrictions to be shut down across the nation. Youre waiting for a second wave, where things become unplayable and sports take a backseat. MLB said it addressed delays caused by the holiday weekend, doesnt expect them to continue and commended teams for canceling workouts.

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell says shortstop Luis Urias and pitcher Angel Perdomo tested positive for COVID-19 before the intake process. This marks the second setback for Urias since the Brewers acquired him from San Diego in November. Major League Baseball and the players association announced Friday that 31 players and seven staff members tested positive for COVID-19 during intake for the resumption of training, a rate of 1.2%. Players and staff were tested Friday, and general manager Mike Rizzo says the team still hasnt received its results. The WNBA hopes to start training camp later this week, with the regular season set to begin around July 24.

MILWAUKEE Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich acknowledges he benefited from fortunate timing in his contract negotiations. Youre going to have guys with different outlooks on this virus, Yelich said. This year is unique in the aspect of you just dont know what youre going to get from anybody, Yelich said. Youre going to see really good players have really bad years. You dont have that large sample size for everything to even out, so if you get off to a tough start or a bad start, youre really behind the eight ball."

When major leaguers report next week for spring training 2.0 or perhaps more accurately, baseball's first summer camp time will be one precious commodity with about three weeks to go before opening day. Day 1 and Day 2. Theres a reason why we have six weeks of spring training, in a typical spring training.There is particular concern for starting pitchers, who take great care in building up their arms over an extended period. Thats probably the thing Ill think about the most.While spring training was suspended March 12, players haven't exactly been sitting around this whole time. The Diamondbacks are going to use Chase Field and their spring training facility in Scottsdale, just a short drive away from their home ballpark.