BRETT MARTIN

The Astros (29-29) just had to wait a couple of extra hours to wrap up second place in the AL West, which became official with the Angels' 9-5 loss. Now Houston can start planning for a wild-card matchup that could be against Oakland, which ended a three-year run atop the AL West for the defending AL champion. Nick Solak matched Bregman’s sacrifice fly to get the last-place Rangers even in the bottom of the 10th. STANDOUT TEXAS ROOKIERookie catcher Sam Huff homered twice, his second and third, for the first two Rangers runs. UP NEXTThe Astros were waiting for the LA outcome to decide who would start the third game in the four-game series to finish the regular season.

Several stars chose not to participate from the start, and rarely a day goes by without a positive COVID-19 test in one camp or another. But here we are, mere days from launching a season that's unique in almost every way. But Hyde remains hopeful that the season will start on time and go the distance. While there's reason for optimism, the stark truth is that COVID-19 is not going away. They still have a chance to play this season, manager Don Mattingly said.

Baseball players got a sense of what the game will be like without fans in the stands upon returning for workouts last week. ... just sitting behind the dish at a major league stadium with major league players on the field and no one else there and playing in competition, Milwaukee Brewers general manager David Stearns said Thursday. Baseball returned for workouts last week after the season was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic during spring training. The season will start without fans in the stands and will likely remain that way for a while as coronavirus hotspots continue to pop up across the country. "In terms of the actual game and the way that the game played out, I think it looked like normal baseball."

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.

Rangers slugger Joey Gallo has tested positive for COVID-19, though the team says the All-Star right fielder is asymptomatic. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)ARLINGTON, Texas All-Star slugger Joey Gallo tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing the outfielder who is asymptomatic to miss the start of summer camp for the Texas Rangers after being among teammates who had worked out at their new ballpark for several weeks before that. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Monday that Gallo has had multiple tests, including one that came back negative. Our mindset going into this was its not a matter if guys tested positive but when, Daniels said. Martin, already at higher risk because he has Type 1 diabetes, has also self-isolated in the Dallas area since his positive test.

The decision came a day after Snitker announced that four-time All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith and two other Atlanta players tested positive for the virus. Reliever Brett Martin tested positive on intake and allowed the Rangers to disclose that Friday. Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said outfielder Socrates Brito and pitcher Blake Cederlind tested positive for the coronavirus and allowed their names to be released. Seven players have tested positive, including the players who forced the shutdown of the teams spring training complex a few weeks ago. The Chicago White Sox said two players tested positive and are asymptomatic.

At Citi Field, Mets two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom ran sprints by himself in shallow right field, then grabbed his personal bag of baseballs to throw off a bullpen mound. Major League Baseball said the All-Star Game, scheduled for July 14 at Dodger Stadium, has been canceled. You have to come down to the field one way and back off the field another way, Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer said. When Rougned Odor pulled a home run into the right field seats in an intrasquad game, there was a smattering of applause. Im kind of expecting weird, expecting things to be different, manager Chris Woodward said later.