KEVIN CASH

The Tampa Bay Rays say bullpen catcher Jean Ramirez died unexpectedly this week at the age of 28.

Gabe Kapler has won the National League’s Manager of the Year award after guiding San Francisco to a franchise-best 107 victories in his second season with the Giants.

The AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays saw their record-setting season come to a sudden end Monday night when they lost to the Boston Red Sox 6-5 in Game 4 of their Division Series and were eliminated in the best-of-five playoff. The Rays set a franchise best with 100 wins this season and shut out wild-card Boston at home in their postseason opener. After a blowout loss in Game 2, they came to Fenway Park. Facing elimination in a scoreless game in the third inning, manager Kevin Cash went to 24-year-old rookie Shane McClanahan to enter in relief on three-days' rest. McClanahan, the Game 1 winner, pitched five innings in the Rays’ 5-0 victory last Thursday night.

The AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays saw their record-setting season come to a sudden end when they lost to the Boston Red Sox 6-5 in Game 4 of their Division Series and were eliminated in the best-of-five playoff.

The Astros are facing renewed suspicions over sign stealing two years after being punished by the league for a scandal during their 2017 World Series run.

Boston fans hope to enjoy plenty of runners -- and runs -- on a big sports Monday in town.

Boston Marathon Painter Will Belezos, of Holbrook, Mass., left, uses a stencil, Wednesday, Oct 6, 2021, while working to complete the start line for the 125th edition of the Boston Marathon, in Hopkinton, Mass. No, not in Hopkinton, where the Boston Marathon field crosses the starting line painted across Main Street, headed for the Back Bay. “It’s Boston Marathon weekend again. It’s been a while.”Thirty months after Lawrence Cherono and Worknesh Degefa broke the tape to win in 2019, the Boston Marathon returns Monday for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak. “I know it’s different, but things happen for a reason, right?” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.

For runners in this year's Boston Marathon, it all starts before race day and 26.2 miles away from Main Street in Hopkinton.

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The Tampa Bay Rays have won more games than any other team in the American League over the past two seasons, going about their business with a quiet confidence that has the full attention of the Boston Red Sox.

Drew Rasmussen and three relievers combined for a three-hitter, Brandon Lowe and Ji-Man Choi both homered and the Tampa Bay Rays coasted past the Houston Astros 7-0, giving them the No. 1 seed in the American League playoffs.

The Houston Astros walked off to end a wild ninth-inning rally against the Tampa Bay Rays, moving closer to securing a postseason berth. The party will have to wait one more day at least, with the Seattle Mariners stubbornly sticking around. Rays reliever JT Chargois walked two Houston batters with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, propelling the Astros to a 4-3 win that snapped a four-game skid.

The Tampa Bay Rays clinched their second straight AL East title, with Mike Zunino hitting a go-ahead homer and Brandon Lowe later adding a pair of RBI doubles to beat the Miami Marlins 7-3.

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.

Cash said he reached out to Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo, pitching coach Pete Walker and general manager Ross Atkins to make the apology before Tuesday night's 4-2 loss to Toronto. Tampa Bay did not send back the card, which likely included information about the Blue Jays' plans to pitch to the Rays' hitters. “I had no idea we had the card,” Cash said. When asked if it was an inappropriate action by Kiermaier, Cash said he didn't think so. The Red Sox and Blue Jays are in position for the AL's two wild cards.

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.

Miguel Cabrera got his ninth straight hit before the string ended, Jonathan Schoop launched a grand slam and the Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 10-4 Friday night. Rays rookie shortstop Wander Franco extended his on-base streak to 39 games, then left in the first inning with tightness in his right hamstring. “We'll know more, but hopefully we caught it early enough,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Tampa Bay Rays rookie Wander Franco extended his on-base streak to 39 games, then exited in the first inning against Detroit because of tightness in his right hamstring.

Austin Meadows hit a tying, inside-the-park homer in the ninth inning, Nelson Cruz had a go-ahead single in the 10th and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied from a six-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 11-10.

Blake Snell threw seven hitless innings before being pulled for a reliever, and San Diego lost its bid for a combined no-hitter in the eighth inning when Arizona’s David Peralta dropped a bloop single into shallow left field in the Padres' 3-0 win.

Wander Franco extended his on-base streak 30 games with a two-run single, fellow rookie Luis Patiño pitched neatly into the sixth inning and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays won their eighth in a row, beating the Boston Red Sox 6-1.

One day after firing pitching coach Larry Rothschild, the slumping San Diego Padres begin a three-game series Tuesday night against the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bobby Dalbec drove in a career-high five runs, Xander Bogaerts and Hunter Renfroe each had four RBIs and the Boston Red Sox routed the Tampa Bay Rays 20-8.

Tampa Bay’s Francisco Mejía singled with the bases loaded in the ninth, Boston’s Hunter Renfroe made a costly error on the play, and it helped the Rays rally past the Red Sox 8-4 on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts might be returning to the injured list after he was scratched from the lineup Tuesday night in Philadelphia with a sore right hip.

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (David Zalubowski)DENVER — (AP) — The Latest on the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Coors Field (all times local):10:15 p.m. Like father, like son as he gave the American League a 2-0 lead after three innings in the All-Star Game. It was the longest homer at the All-Star Game since Statcast began tracking in 2015. There were a pair of late additions to the AL All-Star team: Tampa Bay right-hander Andrew Kittredge and Minnesota left-hander Taylor Rogers. The skies were gray overhead and there was occasional drizzle during batting practice ahead of Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Coors Field.

As five dozen players sat outside Coors Field ahead of the All-Star Game, they looked forward to the Greatest Sho on Earth.

Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in Tuesday’s night’s All-Star Game and will bat leadoff, too, as the designated hitter.

Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings, and the Rays beat the Indians 4-0 for a doubleheader sweep.

Shohei Ohtani plans to pitch and hit in his first All-Star Game next week.

Shohei Ohtani achieved a first in the near century history of baseball’s All-Star Game: selection as both a hitter and a pitcher.

After a historic June homer binge, Kyle Schwarber’s July got off to a less promising start.

Angels Yankees Baseball Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani fist-bumps manager Joe Maddon in the dugout before the team's baseball game against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger) (Adam Hunger)ANAHEIM, Calif. — (AP) — Fans hoping Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani will pitch and hit in the All-Star Game might just get their wish. I think they’re prepared to do those kinds of things.”Ohtani was elected to his first All-Star Game by fans Thursday night as the AL’s starting designated hitter. Talks between the All-Star manager and teams are common, especially when it comes to the pitching staff and whether anyone is throwing the weekend before the game. Before the All-Star Game, Ohtani has more pressing matters — such as trying to bounce back from a tough outing in his last pitching start.

Fans hoping Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani will pitch and hit in the All-Star Game might just get their wish.

Kyle Schwarber’s exploits have now progressed into truly rarified air.

He has 16 home runs in 18 games since being moved into the leadoff spot in the Nationals’ batting order on June 8. Joe Ross (5-7) gave up two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings for his third win in his four outings. Nationals: RHP Ryne Harper was recalled from Triple-A Rochester and LHP Kyle Lobstein’s contract was selected from Rochester. Nationals: RHP Tanner Rainey was put on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, with a stress reaction in his right Tibia. Rainey is 1-2 with a 6.93 ERA, but he had allowed only one run in his last 9 1/3 innings over 10 appearances.

Kyle Schwarber led off the first inning with his 12th home run in 10 games, and the Washington Nationals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 to move above.

Franco is hitless in 16 at-bats since his first game, dropping his batting average to .105. He went 0 for 4 with a bases-loaded walk in a 13-3 win over the Angels on Saturday. Harper was plunked with a changeup, ran the bases and exited after the inning ended Saturday. I was horrible.”Kershaw (8-7, 3.43 ERA) goes against Cubs rookie Adbert Alzolay (4-6, 4.19) at Dodger Stadium. The third time, however, came after Philadelphia manager Joe Girardi requested an inspection.

Wander Franco got off to a smashing start this week, hitting a home run and double in his major league debut for Tampa Bay.

Jake Cronenworth and rookie Kim Ha-seong homered off Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell pitched five scoreless innings and the San Diego Padres got their third straight win against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-2.

Wander Franco, a 20-year-old infielder considered the best prospect in the minor leagues, homered for the Tampa Bay Rays in his major league debut, connecting for a three-run drive against Boston.

Wander Franco, a 20-year-old infielder considered the best prospect in the minor leagues, is set to make his major league debut for the Tampa Bay Rays against the visiting Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.

Yu Darvish struck out 11 in six brilliant innings to become the fastest big leaguer to reach 1,500 for his career, Manny Machado and Jake Cronenworth homered and the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the opener of a three-game series between the NL West rivals.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the bashing Toronto Blue Jays try to keep up their power surge at Fenway Park.

Ryan Yarbrough ended a 24-start winless skid with Tampa Bay’s first complete game in more than five years, Austin Meadows homered off shaky Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and drove in five and the Rays beat New York 9-2.

Rich Hill finished May with the lowest monthly ERA in 75 years of a pitcher in his 40s, and the Tampa Bay Rays won for the 16th time in 17 games by keeping up their domination of the reeling Yankees with a 3-1 victory.

The Tampa Bay Rays’ 11-game winning streak came to an end when Brad Keller pitched seven strong innings and Salvador Perez hit a tiebreaking RBI single to give the Kansas City Royals a 2-1 victory.

Mike Zunino homered, Brett Phillips had two hits during a seven-run eighth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied for an 8-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Willy Adames and Manuel Margot homered, Mike Brosseau had a two-run single and the Tampa Bay Rays opened a seven-game California road trip with a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Rich Hill pitched six strong innings, Austin Meadows led a hit parade against Corey Kluber and New York’s bullpen, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees 10-5 to snap a four-game skid.

The Nationals and Mets are waiting until at least Saturday to start their season as Washington deals with a COVID-19 outbreak.

The Nationals and Mets are waiting until at least Saturday to start their season as Washington deals with a COVID-19 outbreak.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)SAN DIEGO – Blake Snell gave up the ball in Game 6 of the World Series, shaking his head after manager Kevin Cash’s curious pitching change. The San Diego Padres, determined to go all the way, just wanted him that much. He pitched spectacularly into the sixth inning of World Series Game 6 against the Dodgers before Cash pulled him after 73 pitches. We got to the World Series because we won.”Snell said he was stunned and saddened to leave Tampa Bay. “This acquisition is in line with our overall strategy to build a consistently winning ballclub for the great city of San Diego,” Padres owner Peter Seidler said.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning in Game 6 of the baseball World Series Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Two months ago, Blake Snell got yanked off the mound with a two-hit shutout going in the final game of the World Series. Now, the Tampa Bay Rays are ready to ship him out of town. The San Diego Padres are close to completing a blockbuster trade to acquire Snell from the defending AL champions. The Athletic was first to report the players headed from San Diego to Tampa Bay if the trade is finalized.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Big league managers say Major League Baseball instructed them to prepare for spring training to start on time in mid-February despite uncertainty around the coronavirus. Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said Wednesday that officials from the commissioner's office had a meeting with managers Tuesday and expressed optimism about opening spring camps as scheduled. “I think Major League Baseball was somewhat the petri dish,” Cash said. Obviously if you look at last year’s situation, Major League Baseball, everybody adjusted on the fly. "So right now we’re going as scheduled, with planning on playing a 162-game season, but you have to be adaptable.

FILE - In this July 24, 2020, file photo, Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly, left, gives an elbow-bump to Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi, right, prior to a baseball game in Philadelphia. Mattingly won the NL Manager of the Year award on Tuesday night, Nov. 10. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash won the AL Manager of the Year award on Tuesday night, and Miami’s Don Mattingly took home the NL honor. Tingler and Ross led their teams to the playoffs in their first seasons as a big league manager. The Tampa, Florida, native and Florida State alum was hired as Tampa Bay manager the day before his 37th birthday.

(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.

Aaron Boone hit a game-ending leadoff homer in the 11th, sending New York to the World Series. 2015 WORLD SERIES GAME 5Matt Harvey and the New York Mets held a 2-0 lead, needing a win to send the Series back to Kansas City. 2016 WORLD SERIES GAME 7The Chicago Cubs led the Cleveland Indians 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth. 2019 WORLD SERIES GAME 7Too bad for Houston fans, the last time they saw Gerrit Cole throw, it was in the bullpen rather than on the mound. “I wasn’t going to pitch him unless we were going to win the World Series and have a lead,” Hinch said.

"Then it all came quick," Cash said after Tampa made three trades on deadline day, including one that brought slumping Brewers slugger Jess Aguilar to the AL East hopefuls. At the 4 p.m. deadline, the Rays were eight games behind the Yankees in the East and one-half game behind the Athletics for the AL's second wild-card berth. Neither the Yankees nor Red Sox, who entered Wednesday night's game 1 1/2 games behind Tampa, made any moves at the deadline. The Rays sent reliever Adam Kolarek to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Single-A outfielder Niko Hulsizer. Stanek has been used mostly as an opener by the Rays this year, and he has a 3.40 ERA in 41 games.