NOAH SYNDERGAARD

Shohei Ohtani hit his first grand slam in professional baseball on a two-homer night, and the surging Los Angeles Angels beat the Tampa Bay Rays 11-3.

Shohei Ohtani hit his first grand slam in professional baseball on a two-homer night, and the surging Los Angeles Angels beat the Tampa Bay Rays 11-3 on Monday. Ohtani had a solo shot in the sixth inning off Jalen Beeks. In the eighth, he connected on a 3-1 cutter from Calvin Faucher, who was making his big-league debut, and sent it over the wall in left field for his sixth homer and the Angels' third grand slam this season.

Shohei Ohtani hit a tying, two-run double in the ninth inning, Anthony Rendon followed with a game-ending single against his former team and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Washington Nationals 5-4.

Dylan Cease struck out 11 to match a career best and gave up just one hit in seven sparkling innings, propelling the Chicago White Sox to a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Mike Trout homered, doubled and scored three runs, Michael Lorenzen pitched into the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels held off the Chicago White Sox 6-5 for their seventh win in eight games.

Taylor Ward and Shohei Ohtani hit first-inning solo home runs off Lucas Giolito and the Los Angeles Angels rode a combined three-hitter to their sixth straight win, 5-1 over the Chicago White Sox.

Braves rookie right-hander Bryce Elder will be at home in Texas when he starts the middle game of a three-game series against the Rangers.

Justin Verlander pitched three-hit ball over eight innings for his first win since July 2020 and the Houston Astros beat the Seattle Mariners 4-0.

Angels manager Joe Maddon ordered the second bases-loaded intentional walk of his career and only the third in the majors since at least 1950, and Shohei Ohtani homered twice to lead Los Angeles past the Texas Rangers 9-6.

NFL fans are mourning the loss of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who was struck and killed by a dump truck after he tried to cross a Florida highway on foot Saturday morning. Police are currently investigating why Haskins was there.

Noah Syndergaard and Justin Verlander spent most of the past two years working toward Saturday night, when their journeys back from Tommy John surgery coincidentally converged at Angel Stadium. Although Syndergaard emerged slightly happier than Verlander, both veteran right-handers appear to be firmly on the right track. Syndergaard pitched two-hit ball into the sixth inning in a strong Angels debut, narrowly outdueling Verlander in Los Angeles' 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros.

Justin Verlander will pitch for Houston for the first time since having Tommy John surgery late in 2020.

Baseball had seen nothing like Shohei Ohtani’s unanimous AL MVP season in over a century.

There are no more bargaining sessions on the calendar.

Right-hander Chris Bassitt, who made a remarkable recovery from a frightening line drive to the head last year, has been traded by the Oakland Athletics to the New York Mets for a pair of minor league right-handers.

A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that Max Scherzer has agreed to a $130 million, three-year contract with the New York Mets.

With a possible lockout on the horizon, it’s been mostly business as usual on the free agent market — so far.

Billy Eppler embraced the bright lights of the big city, promising on his first day as Mets general manager to pursue pricey free agents and create a perennial World Series contender.

Noah Syndergaard got a qualifying offer and not much else from the New York Mets over the past two months. “I think if I get back to my old self, then the combination one-two punch with myself and Shohei, and all the young talent that the Angels have, I think we can really make a run at this thing,” Syndergaard said. Syndergaard was immediately full of praise for the Angels’ two MVPs, calling Ohtani “the most exciting player in the game" and Trout “the best player the game has ever seen, so I want to help get him a ring.”

The New York Mets have hired Billy Eppler as their general manager, giving him a four-year contract.

The New York Mets are close to completing a deal to hire Billy Eppler as general manager, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said he voted for Major League Baseball’s proposal to lower the luxury tax threshold, a plan opposed by the players’ union with the sport on the brink of its first work stoppage on 26 years.

Right-hander Noah Syndergaard has agreed to terms on $21 million, one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

Mets President Sandy Alderson says the biggest impediment in the club’s dragging search for a general manager isn’t his presence nor owner Steve Cohen, but the spotlight created by the New York market.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have extended qualifying offers to free agent All-Stars Corey Seager and Chris Taylor, but not Clayton Kershaw.

Rookie Luis García showed the poise of an October ace, MVP Yordan Alvarez stayed hot at the plate and the Houston Astros earned yet another trip to the World Series, beating the Boston Red Sox 5-0 in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series.

Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado each hit one of St. Louis’ four homers, and the Cardinals flashed some fantastic outfield defense in beating the New York Mets 11-4 for their fifth straight victory.

Edmundo Sosa hit the go-ahead single in a three-run 11th inning and the hard-charging St. Louis Cardinals climbed all the way back into playoff position with a 7-6 victory over the New York Mets.

Adam Wainwright won his fifth straight start in a rare matchup of 40-year-old pitchers, and the St. Louis Cardinals blanked the New York Mets 7-0.

Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, Ted Simmons and the late Marvin Miller will be enshrined Wednesday at the Hall of Fame, a year after the induction ceremonies were called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that New York Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard has tested positive for COVID-19.

The storied New York Yankees try for their longest winning streak in 60 years when they open a four-game series Thursday night in Oakland.

Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2.

After more than 100 years, the Cleveland Indians are getting a new name — the team will be called the Guardians next season.

The second half of the major league baseball season begins with one game Thursday night when Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and the AL East-leading Red Sox visit Yankee Stadium.

Taijuan Walker took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Brandon Nimmo provided a spark in his return from the injured list and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 8-3 to open a three-game Subway Series.

Shohei Ohtani is set to pitch for the Angels in Oakland — assuming he can get to the ballpark on time.

Noah Syndergaard was pulled from his minor league rehabilitation outing because of soreness in his pitching elbow Tuesday night, the latest setback for a New York Mets team ravaged by injuries.

Pinch-hitter James McCann drove in the game’s first run with a double, Tomás Nido had three hits and the New York Mets overcame more injuries to beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1.

FILE - Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) throws to the Texas Rangers in the first inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, in this Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020, file photo. The Mets made a late addition to their starting rotation, agreeing to a $20 million, two-year contract with right-hander Taijuan Walker, a person familiar with the negotiations said. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)NEW YORK – The Mets made a late addition to their starting rotation, agreeing to a $20 million, two-year contract with right-hander Taijuan Walker. Mets manager Luis Rojas cautioned the deal was not yet final but already was viewing the addition as a boost. The Mets have won just two World Series titles, in 1969 and 1986, and last won a pennant in 2015.

The San Diego Padres are adding yet another pitcher to their rotation, agreeing to bring right-hander Musgrove to his hometown in a trade with the Pirates, according to a person familiar with the deal. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane, file)SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres brought right-hander Joe Musgrove to his hometown team Tuesday, adding yet another starting pitcher in a seven-player trade involving the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets. As part of the agreement, the Padres will send left-hander Joey Lucchesi to New York, and the Pirates will receive catcher Endy Rodríguez from the Mets. Musgrove won a World Series ring with Houston in 2017 before being sent to the Pirates in the trade that sent Gerrit Cole to the Astros in January 2018. Musgrove was the winning pitcher in Game 5 of the World Series against the Dodgers.

In this screen grab taken from video, Major League baseball player Francisco Lindor answers questions during a virtual press conference introducing him as the New York Mets new shortstop, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, in New York. (New York Mets via AP)NEW YORK – Francisco Lindor smiled widely for a full 40 minutes, enthralled to join a New York Mets team bulking up under new owner Steven Cohen. I’m not against it,” Lindor said in a news conference from Florida, wearing his new team’s royal blue cap. But the Indians did not think they could afford a multiyear contract with the 27-year-old, so they chose to make the trade. If Lindor agrees to a long-term deal, it likely would become the largest in Mets' history, surpassing the $138 million, eight-year agreement of captain David Wright that covered 2013-20.

The Cleveland Indians have agreed to trade four-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets, a person with direct knowledge of the deal told the Associated Press on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. The cash-strapped Indians sent Lindor and Carrasco to the Mets on Thursday for young infielders Andrés Giménez and Amed Rosario, and two minor league prospects: right-hander Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene. "They did not come cheaply,” Mets president Sandy Alderson said of Lindor and Carrasco. One of his next big-ticket items figures to be trying to sign Lindor to a long-term contract, something the Indians couldn't do. New York also signed injured right-hander Noah Syndergaard to a $9.7 million, one-year deal, avoiding arbitration.

Gausman and Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman accepted $18.9 million qualifying offers Wednesday, Nov. 11, receiving one-year deals to stay with their teams rather than test what they could get in free agency. Qualifying offers began after the 2012 season, and only 10 of 96 offers have been accepted. Stroman was acquired by the Mets from Toronto in July 2019 for left-hander Anthony Kay and minor league right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson. Gausman has a 50-66 record and 4.26 ERA in nine seasons with Baltimore, Atlanta and San Francisco. Tomlin gets a $1 million salary next season, and the deal includes a $1.25 million club option with a $250,000 buyout.

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.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell leaves the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning in Game 6 of the baseball World Series Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)ARLINGTON, Texas – Blake Snell turned away from his manager and yelled an expletive as Kevin Cash headed to the mound. I’m not going to ask any questions, but he was pitching a great game," Betts said. It was the Cy Young Snell that pitched tonight.”Count Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, himself a frequent target for criticism over pulling starters, among those happy to see Snell go. “Mookie looked at me with a little smile, and we were all just excited that Snell was out of the game,” Roberts said.

NEW YORK Jacob deGrom exited an intrasquad game early because of tightness in his back, and the New York Mets' ace was scheduled for an MRI. Mets manager Luis Rojas said a frustrated deGrom left Tuesday night's camp outing after only one inning at Citi Field. The team was awaiting test results Wednesday, and deGrom is day to day. Any significant injury to the two-time Cy Young Award winner would be an enormous blow to New York during a season shortened to 60 games due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, deGrom won his second consecutive NL Cy Young Award after going 11-8 with a 2.43 ERA in 204 innings pitched.

With each day that passes without baseball activity, the chances that the Dominican, who celebrates his 47th birthday on Sunday, May 24, 2020, could pitch again in the Major Leagues diminishes. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade, File)NEW YORK Bartolo Coln refuses to entertain the idea of retirement. It doesnt matter that he didnt pitch in 2019 and that on Sunday he turned 47. In his last big league season, with the Texas Rangers in 2018, Coln managed to reach 3,461 2/3 innings. Back in March, he was gearing up to pitch with the Monclova Acereros of the Mexican Baseball League.