SAN FRANCISCO — The Padres played just eight games against National League West opponents over the season’s first two months.

They did not face the Dodgers until June 8, the furthest into a season the two team met for the first time in 25 years.

That was part of a run of 14 division games in 18 days, including seven against the Dodgers.

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WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Rays are having a hard enough time winning games as it is.

Lending a hand to the opposition is making it even tougher.

In Tuesday’s 6-0 loss, mistakes or misplays by the Rays contributed to most of the runs for the A’s.

Chandler Simpson failed to cut off a ball hit to left-center, catcher Nick Fortes ...Read more

The Dodgers finally had their storybook moment.

Until the Angels rewrote it with a walk-off ending.

In the top of the ninth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani lifted the Dodgers to the verge of a badly needed win, breaking a tie score with the kind of moment that could have jump-started the stretch run of their season.

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CHICAGO — Jim Leyland liked to say that momentum was only as good as your next day's starting pitcher.

And, well, there ya go.

A seemingly decent Jack Flaherty start turned into a miserable one in a hurry during a disastrous, five-run fifth inning as the White Sox slogged their way past the Tigers, 9-6, at Rate Field on Monday night. The ...Read more

Carlos Narvaez has been a revelation for the Red Sox this season, but the rookie’s heavy workload has begun to take its toll. Over the past month Narvaez has batted just north of .100 and last week he nearly landed on the injured list due to knee soreness.

If Tuesday night was any indication, the couple of days off his feet made a world of ...Read more

Not even Paul Skenes could save the Pirates Tuesday evening. Matched up against the best team in baseball, Pittsburgh’s losing ways continued, falling by a final score of 14-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

Freddy Peralta was the game’s winning pitcher, improving to 14-5 on the season. Skenes suffered the ...Read more

NEW YORK — Back in November 1789, Benjamin Franklin penned a letter to French scientist Jean-Baptiste Le Roy. In it, the Founding Father famously stated that there are only two certainties in this world: death and taxes.

But Franklin died less than a year later. He never got to see the Yankees play the Twins in the 21st century. Had he, he ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Just beyond the left-field wall at Kauffman Stadium sits a State Farm sign inscribed with its iconic catchphrase: “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”

The insurance company is known to serve millions nationally. However, the Royals won’t be in the market for more coverage. They are quite comfortable with their...Read more

ST. LOUIS — After the Cardinals got a late lift from their bench Monday to propel them to a comeback win against the Rockies, their inability to get their offense off the ground Tuesday left them shut out.

Facing left-hander Kyle Freeland, who entered the start with a 2-12 record and a 5.53 ERA, the Cardinals were kept scoreless over 7 1/3 ...Read more

BALTIMORE — By this point of his career, George Kirby has made enough starts and amassed enough evidence that conclusions can start to be drawn.

And one of those conclusions is that the Baltimore Orioles have proved to be rather bothersome to the Mariners right-hander. Each of the last six times Kirby had pitched against the Orioles, the ...Read more

NEW YORK — There’s a new home run king in Queens: Pete Alonso.

Alonso hit the 253rd and 254th homers of his career on Tuesday night against the Atlanta Braves, moving past Darryl Strawberry to set the Mets‘ franchise record.

Alonso began the game tied with Strawberry with 252 home runs, then made history in the third inning by drilling a...Read more

CINCINNATI — Ranger Suárez lifted his arms in exasperation, looking toward home plate umpire Willie Traynor.

TJ Friedl sent a line drive up the middle to load the bases for the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning. Though the Phillies left-hander is normally known for his nonchalance, it was clear Suárez’s frustration had been building all...Read more

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Any discussion about why the Rays are playing this season at the Yankees’ spring training and Class A minor league home, Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, is usually resolved by the most basic explanation of the damage Hurricane Milton caused to Tropicana Field last year:

An act of God.

But conversations about why the ...Read more

NEW YORK — For one night, the Mets had plenty to celebrate once again.

Whatever happened before Tuesday night mattered little, and what happens from here is a story for another night. The story Tuesday night at Citi Field was all about Pete Alonso helping the Mets halt their losing streak at seven games with his 253rd and 254th home runs, ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are holding a public memorial for Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg.

The public tribute will be held in Gallagher Way starting at 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 22 when Cubs fans can pay their respects to Sandberg, who passed away at age 65 on July 28. His statue in monument row outside Wrigley Field had become a place ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Braves are patiently awaiting further augmentation for their offense.

The offense has finally awakened in the second half — too little too late — and that’s without outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (calf) and third baseman Austin Riley (abdomen), both sidelined with injuries. Both players are with the team in New York.

“...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Let’s be honest, there is no logical rationale to write this column.

We’re talking about two different players, two different eras, two different situations. Really, the only reason to compare Junior Caminero with Evan Longoria is the position they share and the familiar logo on their jerseys.

Also, this:

The abundant hope...Read more

CHICAGO — When Jed Hoyer hired Craig Counsell as the Chicago Cubs manager after the 2023 season, he brought up Counsell’s 2017 Milwaukee Brewers team that hung in the division race with the Cubs until the final week.

“That team had no right to be there,” Hoyer said. “They made us play to the last week of the season, and from a talent ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The World Series could end in November this year. Major League Baseball can do without all the "Mr. November" jokes, so the league took a creative step last year: a flexible start date for the World Series.

It's not easy to cram a four-round postseason in a month. But it's even less ideal if the World Series teams roll through ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Discussions of contract extensions weirdly defined much of last week for Pittsburgh sports fans — Paul Skenes during the early portion, then Cam Heyward and Chris Boswell later on.

Vastly different cases, obviously.

But also ones bound by missing some key points.

For the football guys, they're mostly on the player side, the ...Read more