Baseball

Yuji Kondo is standing in the home dugout at Tokyo Dome with his hands braced on the back of the bench as he listens to a fellow broadcaster tell him about a humorous interaction she had with an NPB player recently while covering a game. Kondo chuckles when she’s done, […]

TORONTO – After watching his team use seven pitchers Saturday, Seattle’s Yusei Kikuchi wanted to give the bullpen a break. His first big league shutout fit the bill perfectly. Kikuchi needed just 96 pitches to complete a two-hitter Sunday that led the Mariners over the Toronto Blue Jays 7-0 in […]

Shun Yamaguchi struck out 10 and drove in a run in the Central League on Sunday to help lead the Yomiuri Giants to a 6-3 win over the Hanshin Tigers. Before he started to struggle in the sixth inning, Yamaguchi retired 12 straight at Tokyo Dome on the way to […]

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – Los Angeles Angels two-way player Shohei Ohtani made further progress in his recovery from a right elbow injury, throwing curveballs in a bullpen session on Saturday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last October. “I felt good throwing. I think it will be a […]

NEW YORK – Again, again and again, the New York Yankees kept hammering away. At the umpires — and the Cleveland Indians, too. Manager Aaron Boone, Brett Gardner and the Yankees threw another severe temper tantrum Saturday, this time in prolonged rants that brought several members of the team spilling […]

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton brought his unique commentary and musings to the baseball booth Friday night. After nine innings, it was evident Chicago White Sox broadcasts might never be the same again. Walton was the guest analyst because Steve Stone is taking this weekend’s series […]

Just like the weather outside of the relatively comfortable and cool confines of Tokyo Dome, the Yomiuri Giants are starting to heat up again. Giants captain Hayato Sakamoto set a career-high with a solo home run in the first inning, rookie starter Yuki Takahashi kept the Hanshin Tigers caged for […]

NEW YORK – Masahiro Tanaka turned out another quality start on Friday to help the New York Yankees clinch their 27th straight season above .500 with a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Indians. It’s the second-longest streak in major league history behind the Yankees’ run of 39 seasons from 1926 […]

Hiroshima Carp first baseman Xavier Batista, who leads the Central League club with 26 home runs, has tested positive for a banned substance, the team said Saturday. The Carp deactivated the 27-year-old after hearing of the failed test from Nippon Professional Baseball. Batista’s positive test is the second this season […]

YOKOHAMA – Daichi Osera threw a five-hitter and scored the game-winning run on Friday, as the Hiroshima Carp beat the Yokohama BayStars 4-2 and moved past them into second place in the Central League. Osera (10-6) struck out four, while allowing five hits and three walks after being 0-2 with […]