KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two early season traits — good and bad — had been established for the Kansas City Royals entering Sunday: great starting pitching and trouble hitting with runners in scoring position.

The Royals improved on the latter Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, but starting pitcher Noah Cameron struggled in a 6-5 loss to ...Read more

SEATTLE — Walk-off heroics? They weren’t needed on Sunday afternoon at T-Mobile Park.

The Seattle Mariners took advantage of the awful and beat-up Houston Astros pitching staff early, added on runs in the middle innings and got the best start of the season to date from Logan Gilbert to roll to a drama-free 6-1 victory over Houston.

Seattle...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Ty France hit his first home run at Petco Park in more than five years. Ramón Laureano added shots late. The San Diego Padres paired their burgeoning slug with small-ball sensibilities in a 7-2 win that extended their win streak to five games and upped their total to 10.

Only the two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers...Read more

CINCINNATI — So far this season, José Soriano is leaving a trail of frustrated hitters.

One after another has trudged back to the dugout after a strikeout or a weak ground ball or popout.

The Los Angeles Angels’ right-hander pitched another seven scoreless innings, and the Angels hitters produced a steady stream of offense, in a 9-6 ...Read more

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles’ starting pitching depth has been tested much earlier than expected this season. Zach Eflin undergoing Tommy John surgery forced them to rely on some of their Triple-A starters to cover them until Dean Kremer could be fit into the rotation. After Brandon Young answered the call with his five shutout innings ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Pittsburgh Pirates led by five runs early and had an opportunity to secure their first sweep at Wrigley Field since 2017. Instead, a late bullpen collapse and Carson Kelly’s walk-off single off Jose Urquidy earned the Chicago Cubs a 7-6 comeback win on Sunday afternoon.

The Pirates led 5-0 after two innings and 6-3 when Bubba ...Read more

It took the Boston Red Sox 14 games to score seven or more runs in a contest.

It took them less than 24 hours to repeat, and then surpass the feat, in Sunday’s 9-3 series-winning victory over the Cardinals in St. Louis.

The Boston bats wasted no time Sunday afternoon. Willson Contreras’ two-run homer, after Caleb Durbin reached via hit-by-...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Drew Rasmussen made a successful return to the rotation Sunday, working six dominant, shutout innings as the Rays completed a three-game sweep of the Yankees with a 5-4 win.

Rasmussen, making his first start since April 1, allowed one, hit, walked none and struck out seven, throwing 76 pitches, 51 strikes.

The Rays jumped out ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Andrew Painter was supposed to start Sunday. Then he wasn’t. Then, 17 minutes before his called-off first pitch, the big rookie walked to the bullpen and slowly began loosening.

Finally, in the third inning, he entered the game.

Confused? Join the club of 43,060 paying customers, assuming they weren’t distracted by the ...Read more

DETROIT — Something about that home cooking.

Tarik Skubal finally made his 2026 Comerica Park debut after three straight road starts and he did what he typically does in the spacious confines – dominate.

Skubal took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, helping the Tigers complete the three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins, 8-2, before a crowd...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The start of Sunday’s Chicago White Sox game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium has been delayed because of rain.

The game was scheduled to begin at 1:10 p.m. CDT.

“We anticipate a first pitch sometime in the 4 o’clock hour,” the Royals wrote on social media. “We will provide further updates as we...Read more

DENVER — Baseball doesn’t have a clock. But it was time.

After two decades of operating the Colorado Rockies as a mom-and-pop grocery store, it was time for owner Dick Monfort to bring in Walmart as a partner.

In what amounts to a home run for baseball fans in this state and region, Monfort has agreed to sell a 40 % minority stake in the ...Read more

SEATTLE — Julio Rodríguez busted out of an early-season malaise with his first home run of the season Saturday night, a majestic blast to straightaway center field that completed the Seattle Mariners’ comeback from an early five-run deficit against the rival Houston Astros.

J.P. Crawford, as good as there is anywhere with the bases loaded...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was tracking right-hander Emmet Sheehan’s velocity against the Texas Rangers Thursday, but it wasn’t going to be his primary measurement of the start.

“I think right now, where he’s at, the hitters will tell us the most, not the radar gun,” Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 6-3...Read more

SAN DIEGO — The Padres are slugging now.

And they did not wait for dramatic home runs at the end on Saturday night.

The drama was on the other side of the ball.

Jason Adam came out of the bullpen to get the final out with the bases loaded as the Padres secured a 9-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park.

Two early home runs ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Left-hander Blake Snell threw an inning of live batting practice at Dodger Stadium on Saturday before the Dodgers’ game against the Rangers, taking a new step in his rehab progression.

“It’s very big,” Snell said. “...To be able to face two good hitters and feel good — I’ve got a lot of work to do still, but ...Read more

It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

Such was the case for Ranger Suárez and Kyle Leahy, who had polar opposite starts, and for the Boston Red Sox, who scored a season high seven runs in Saturday night’s 7-1 win over the Cardinals in St. Louis.

Leahy started strong but it was Suárez who finished strong. The Red Sox southpaw ...Read more