FERNANDO TATIS

Major League Baseball payrolls dropped 4% in 2021 compared to the league’s last full season, and the $4.05 billion total was the lowest in a fully completed year since 2015.

Right-hander Max Scherzer agreed to a record-setting $130 million, three-year contract with the New York Mets and shortstop Corey Seager struck a $325 million, 10-year deal with the Texas Rangers as players and teams rushed to reach agreements before an expected lockout.

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted American League MVP for a two-way season not seen since Babe Ruth, and Bryce Harper earned the National League honor for the second time.

Mookie Betts and the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers had four of the top 10 selling jerseys in Major League Baseball this season.

Trea Turner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston’s Yuli Gurriel won their first batting titles in a season of boom and bust that saw four teams lose 100 games for only the third time, and four 90-game winners in the AL East alone.

The San Francisco Giants finally won the NL West without needing to wait for the rival Dodgers' result on the season’s final day, pounding the San Diego Padres 11-4 for a franchise-record 107th victory to top the 1904 New York team.

Big league home run leader Shohei Ohtani is unbeaten in his last 13 starts going into this outing for the Los Angeles Angels against the AL West-leading Astros in Houston.

The slumping San Diego Padres have fired pitching coach Larry Rothschild.

Miguel Cabrera is back home in Detroit on Friday night, one home run shy of 500, when the Tigers face Cleveland right-hander Zach Plesac.

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

Joey Votto has homered in seven straight games and the Cincinnati Reds slugger can match a major league record Saturday night by going deep against the New York Mets.

The Dodgers and Giants are back at it Tuesday night, renewing their long rivalry in San Francisco with 12-game winner Julio Urias on the mound for Los Angeles against Logan Webb in the opener of a three-game series.

The All-Star uniforms were widely criticized on social media as the game was going on.

Rookie reliever Daniel Camarena hit a stunning grand slam off Washington ace Max Scherzer and the San Diego Padres overcame an eight-run deficit, finally beating the Nationals 9-8 on Trent Grisham’s RBI single in the ninth inning.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined his father as an All-Star and Fernando Tatis Jr. accomplished a feat his dad never achieved.

Shohei Ohtani pounded his hardest-hit home run of the season, José Suarez pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-run relief after Dylan Bundy threw up on the mound because of heat exhaustion and the Los Angeles Angels beat the troubled New York Yankees 5-3.

Kyle Schwarber keeps putting on a remarkable power show, clearing the fences at a record rate for the Nationals.

Trent Grisham drew a go-ahead, bases-loaded walk with one out in the eighth and the San Diego Padres hit three solo homers off Trevor Bauer and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 for their first three-game sweep of the NL West rivals in eight seasons.

Japanese two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani is the first confirmed competitor for the All-Star Home Run Derby at Denver’s Coors Field on July 12, and others could be announced soon.

Victor Caratini hit a two-run, game-ending homer two batters after Eric Hosmer hit a tying, two-run homer for the San Diego Padres, who beat the Cincinnati Reds in a 6-4 thriller before the first sellout crowd at Petco Park since 2019.

Two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom is expected to make his next scheduled start for the New York Mets despite having to leave his most recent outing with an elbow ailment.

New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom was pulled after six scoreless innings with right flexor tendinitis, but the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner said he isn’t troubled by the diagnosis amid a historically dominant season.

Javier Báez lined a two-run homer, Anthony Rizzo had two doubles among three hits and the surging Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 6-1 on for their third straight win and ninth in 10 games.

Doubt the Tampa Bay Rays at your own risk.

The Rays and Yankees renew their intense AL East rivalry with a Memorial Day matinee in the Bronx to begin a four-game series.

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa will see plenty of familiar faces when his AL Central leaders host his longtime team, the St. Louis Cardinals.

After no-hitters on consecutive nights by Detroit right-hander Spencer Turnbull and Yankees newcomer Corey Kluber, is there a pitcher on the docket who can make it three days in a row.

Two-way star Shohei Ohtani makes his sixth pitching start of the season Wednesday when the Angels face Aaron Civale and the Indians.

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.

Milwaukee Brewers ace Corbin Burnes is set to face St. Louis on Thursday in his first start since testing positive for the coronavirus last month.

The San Diego Padres and New York Yankees are both short-staffed due to COVID-19 outbreaks, but neither has had to interrupt their schedule.

San Diego shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and outfielder Wil Myers tested positive for COVID-19, and the Padres are shorthanded heading into a doubleheader Wednesday against Colorado at Coors Field.

Yu Darvish and Blake Snell are slated to start for San Diego at Colorado in a single-admission doubleheader Wednesday.

Gleyber Torres kept going and going and going.

Both winless teams in the majors are defending division champions.

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.

Opening day in Major League Baseball saw All-Stars on the field and fans back in the stands.

Francisco Lindor and the New York Mets agreed to a $341 million, 10-year pact on the eve of opening day, terms that could keep the four-time All-Star in Queens for the rest of his career.

EARLY TESTSThe Washington Nationals will be short-handed due to a positive coronavirus test for the second straight season opener. General manager Mike Rizzo did not reveal who the five players were, and the only certainty as of Wednesday night was that opening day starter Max Scherzer wasn't one of them. The Nationals did not have any players test positive during spring training prior to that. But in a what-are-the-odds moment, all three are set to start on opening day. To be pitching the same day as those guys is pretty cool.”MITTS AND MITTENSNolan Arenado, Kris Bryant and Miguel Cabrera will be wearing gloves on opening day.

Lindor was eligible for free agency after this season and said this spring he wouldn't negotiate with the Mets on a long-term contract after opening day. New York added Lindor knowing he could walk after the 2021 season, but the team said it would try to negotiate a long-term pact. Lindor will retain his $22.3 million salary for 2021 before the contract kicks in for 2022. Only Mike Trout's $426.5 million, 12-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels and Mookie Betts' $365 million, 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers are worth more. Lindor's deal is also by far the largest payout ever from the Mets, surpassing contracts for third baseman David Wright ($138 million), pitchers Jacob deGrom ($137.5 million) and Johan Santana ($137.5 million).

All 30 teams are scheduled to be in action, with Gerrit Cole set to throw the first pitch of the season against Toronto at Yankee Stadium. A year after no fans were allowed during the virus-shortened 60-game season, every stadium is open, in varying degrees as teams adhere to coronavirus protocols. But in a what-are-the-odds moment, all three are set to start on opening day. To be pitching the same day as those guys is pretty cool.”AdMITTS AND MITTENSNolan Arenado, Kris Bryant and Miguel Cabrera will be wearing gloves on opening day. Rain is in the forecast along the East Coast, which could affect games at Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, Citizens Bank Park and Nationals Park.

He was 2-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three spring starts, including allowing six earned runs against Cincinnati on Friday. Alec Bohm had two hits, including his fourth double. AdFreddie Freeman had two hits, including a double and his first homer — a two-run shot in the sixth. Victor Robles had three hits, including his sixth double, with an RBI, and Kyle Schwarber doubled and walked three times. Adalberto Mondesi singled and homered and Jorge Soler had two hits, including a double.

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.

The Padres said Tatis had discomfort in his non-throwing left shoulder and would be re-evaluated on Wednesday. Corbin Burnes turned in 4 2/3 innings, striking out six while allowing two runs on three hits. Jon Lester allowed one run and three hits in 3 2/3 innings in his second start of the spring for Washington. He gave up five hits, hit two batters and struck out three. PADRES 5, REDS 4MacKenzie Gore worked 3 2/3 innings in his third start for San Diego, allowing two runs on three hits.

Starter Zach Eflin pitched four shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out four without a walk. ROCKIES 2, MARINERS 1Kyle Freeland allowed three hits in four shutout innings in his second start for Colorado, striking out four. Seattle's Marco Gonzales threw four shutout innings in his second start, allowing two hits while striking out four. Martín Pérez made his second start, allowing two hits and a walk in four scoreless innings. ATHLETICS 5, REDS 2 (7)Oakland lefty Sean Manaea struck out four in three innings, allowing one run and three hits.

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.

With a good young rotation and a deep lineup, the Braves are looking for their first World Series title since 1995. While San Diego is much improved, World Series MVP Corey Seager and Los Angeles are well-positioned for a run at another championship. The last time the All-Stars descended on Atlanta, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter had three hits and two RBIs in the AL's 6-3 victory at Turner Field in 2000. AdTHURSDAY, AUG. 12New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox: Major League Baseball comes to Iowa. SUNDAY, SEPT. 26Houston Astros at Oakland Athletics: The AL West rivals close out their season series with Oakland's home finale.

The two-time AL Central champion Twins are hoping Happ can give them a veteran presence at the back of their rotation. Ian Anderson pitched two scoreless innings, allowing three hits and a walk. Houston piggy-backed a pair of starters with Framber Valdez yielding McNeil's homer in the first two innings, striking out two. AdBLUE JAYS 4, PHILLIES 2 (6)Steven Matz allowed a hit in two scoreless innings, striking out three without a walk. CUBS 3, ROYALS 2 (7)Outfielder Rafael Ortega, who signed a minor league deal with Chicago after playing 34 games for Atlanta last season, hit a bases-loaded triple.

AdJazz Chisholm of the Marlins and Adam Haseley of the Phillies did even better — they led off games with home runs. Mancini took off his helmet to acknowledge a standing ovation that included the fans, the Orioles and the Pirates. Marco Gonzales made his first spring start for Seattle, allowing two hits and an unearned run in two innings. Center fielder Trent Grisham, coming off his first Gold Glove last season, doubled and scored a run for San Diego. Top prospect Jeter Downs had a two-run home run and RBI single, while Michael Chavis hit a solo shot.

Tatis Jr. has yet to take a ground ball or swing a bat at spring training and he i already the talk of the Padres clubhouse. Preller said Monday in announcing the two sides had finalized Tatis' $340 million, 14-year contract, the longest in baseball history. "He loves the franchise, he loves the city, he loves his teammates and he talked a lot about really wanting to get on the path of that statue contract." Most importantly to the Padres, Tatis has made baseball fun again in San Diego after years of futility. A company called Big League Advance will receive a portion of Tatis’ contract during the next 14 years as repayment of an advance he received four years ago.