Major League Baseball’s average salary rose 3.4% on opening day to a record $5.34 million, according to a study by The Associated Press, and the New York Mets topped spending at the season’s start for the fourth straight year.

New York Mets slugger Juan Soto left Friday night’s 10-3 win over the San Francisco Giants in the first inning with right calf tightness.

Luis Robert Jr. hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the New York Mets a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Paul Skenes didn’t even get through the first inning on opening day.

Baseball is changing at a dizzying speed in 2026 with the arrival of robot umpires, the return home of the Tampa Bay Rays and an alphabet soup of networks televising the games in perhaps the last season before a labor shutdown.

The official report from MLB's replay review says a critical play in the Los Angeles Dodgers' wild Game 7 World Series win last year was determined by feet, not inches.

The number of doubles and triples in the major leagues went down again last year.

The New York Mets have acquired center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.

Catcher J.

Bo Bichette and the New York Mets have agreed to a $126 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press.

Two people familiar with the negotiations tell The Associated Press that infielder Kazuma Okamoto and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a $60 million, four-year contract.

Shohei Ohtani has won The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the fourth time, tying with Lance Armstrong, LeBron James and Tiger Woods for most among male honorees.

Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and Kyle Schwarber are among 13 players who have received $22,025,000 qualifying offers from their former teams.

Late homers by Miguel Rojas and Will Smith rallied the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings in one of the wildest Game 7s in World Series history.

Shohei Ohtani was pulled off the mound in Game 7 of the World Series after allowing Bo Bichette’s three-run homer in the third inning.

George Springer hit an RBI single for the Blue Jays’ lone run in Game 6 of the World Series on Friday night, making an impact after missing two games with an injury to his right side in Toronto’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider says injured designated hitter George Springer is on track to play in Game 6 of the World Series.

George Springer is out of the Toronto Blue Jays’ starting lineup for the second straight game at the World Series due to an injury on his right side.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer off Shohei Ohtani, Shane Bieber pitched four-hit ball into the sixth inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays shook off their epic 18-inning loss to even the World Series with a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4.

Toronto’s George Springer is out of the starting lineup for Game 4 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a day after hurting his right side during a swing.

Held out of the starting lineup a day after returning from a knee injury, Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning of Toronto’s 5-1 loss to the Dodgers in Game 2 of the World Series.

Toronto’s Bo Bichette singled, walked to start a nine-run, go-ahead rally and played second base for the first time in six years as he returned in the World Series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers from a knee injury that had sidelined him since early September.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider says he's optimistic George Springer will be available against the Seattle Mariners in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series in Toronto on Sunday night.

Injured Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette isn't on the roster for the AL Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners that begins Sunday night in Toronto, but three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and right-hander Chris Bassitt are both active after missing the Division Series win over the Yankees.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer has been left off the Toronto Blue Jays' roster for their AL Division Series against the New York Yankees.

From April through September this season, the Toronto Blue Jays got the best of the New York Yankees.

Major League Baseball’s playoffs now move into the Division Series this weekend.

Philadelphia’s Trea Turner won his second National League batting title with a record-low.

The Toronto Blue Jays have put shortstop Bo Bichette on the 10-day injured list because of a sprained left knee, retroactive to Sept. 7.

Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw went toe-to-toe for six innings in a vintage duel Friday night.

The Toronto Blue Jays have a comfortable lead atop the AL East, a year after trading away several established players.

What would the dominant baseball narratives be if this season were 17 games long.

Offense is down again at the start of the big league season, with hits even harder to come by.

There almost certainly won’t be a $700 million deal for any player in the baseball’s next free agency class, nothing like the record contracts for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and four-time All-Star slugger Juan Soto the past two winters.

The Toronto Blue Jays have finally landed a high-profile free agent, agreeing to a $92.5 million, five-year contract with Anthony Santander.

Baseball can’t run away from its lack of runs.

Davis Schneider’s two-run homer off closer Josh Hader with two outs in the ninth inning lifted the Toronto Blue Jays to a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros.

Pitchers Génesis Cabrera of the Toronto Blue Jays and Yohan Ramírez of the New York Mets have been suspended for three games each by Major League Baseball for their actions in separate games and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was banned for one game.

Royce Lewis hit home runs in each of his first two at-bats to carry the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of their AL Wild Card Series.

Whit Merrifield hit a three-run homer, Danny Jansen went deep and the Toronto Blue Jays routed the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-1.

Matt Manning combined with relievers Jason Foley and Alex Lange on a no-hitter as the Detroit Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0.

Luis Arraez went 5 for 5 again to raise his batting average to.

Corey Seager and Ezequiel Duran each had four hits, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 11-7.

Luis Garcia tied a career high with nine strikeouts in seven shutout innings, Jeremy Peña capped a six-run eighth with a three-run homer and the Houston Astros defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1.

The Toronto Blue Jays have rewarded John Schneider for his strong performance as their interim manager.

Toronto Blue Jays center fielder George Springer was carted off the field after he collided with shortstop Bo Bichette in the eighth inning of their playoff game against the Seattle Mariners.

Adam Frazier hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the ninth inning, and the Seattle Mariners erased a seven-run deficit while topping the Toronto Blue Jays 10-9 for a sweep of their AL wild-card series.

When Aaron Judge’s American League record-tying 61st home run dropped into Toronto’s bullpen, coach Matt Buschmann picked it up.

Randy Arozarena hit his 20th homer and drove in six runs as the Tampa Bay Rays beat Toronto 10-6, tying the Blue Jays at the top of the AL wild-card standings.

Wander Franco had three RBIs, Jonathan Aranda homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-5 in the opener of a big four-game series between playoff contenders.

Atlanta finally passed the New York Mets this past week.

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole twice banged on the dugout roof, shouting in frustration and getting booed as scuffling New York lost for the 15th time in 19 games, beaten by the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2.

Ramón Urías hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and Anthony Santander, Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays also went deep to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Cavan Biggio hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning and Whit Merrifield scored on an overturned call to lead the Blue Jays to a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins and split the four-game series.

Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a throw bust through the webbing of his glove and the Seattle Mariners took advantage for their eighth straight win, beating the Blue Jays 6-5 on two home runs by Carlos Santana.

MJ Melendez and Emmanuel Rivera drove in two runs apiece, leading Brady Singer and the Kansas City Royals over the Toronto Blue Jays 8-4 to end a three-game losing streak.

Noah Syndergaard pitches in New York for the first time since leaving the Mets during the offseason, starting the Los Angeles Angels’ series opener at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered off Shohei Ohtani for the first time, and George Springer hit a leadoff home run in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Gleyber Torres drove in all New York’s runs with a go-ahead, three-run homer off José Berríos in the fourth inning and a two-run single, leading the surging Yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 for their 15th win in 17 games.

Aaron Judge hit a mammoth three-run drive in the ninth inning for his first walk-off home run in the major leagues to give the New York Yankees a 6-5 comeback victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Gleyber Torres homered early, then hit a go-ahead single in the ninth inning as the New York Yankees won their 10th straight game, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2.

Santiago Espinal drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the seventh inning, Bo Bichette added a two-run home run, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Houston Astros 3-2.

George Springer hit a leadoff homer in the first game against his former team, and Santiago Espinal homered for the second straight game to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros.

Kevin Gausman took a shutout into the ninth inning and Jordan Romano escaped with a save as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. shook off a bloody gash on his right ring finger to hit three home runs against the rival Yankees, including two off ace Gerrit Cole, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat New York 6-4.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays wrap up their four-game series at Yankee Stadium, a day after the slugger hit three home runs and a double despite a nasty gash.

Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. shook off a bloody gash on his right ring finger to hit his second homer of a game against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.

Rookie of the Year winners Randy Arozarena and Yordan Álvarez and All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette were among 16 players whose contracts were renewed by their teams rather than reach negotiated agreements.

Cleveland ace Shane Bieber limbered up in Guardians gear, Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. began taking grounders and new St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol signed autographs as spring training camps in Florida and Arizona finally opened to big leaguers.

Houston Astros right-hander Zack Greinke makes his first start Tuesday night since testing positive for COVID-19 last month.

Bo Bichette thumped a leadoff homer in the first inning and singled in the tiebreaking run in the seventh, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 42nd homer, and the Toronto Blue Jays held off the skidding New York Yankees 6-4 for their eighth straight win.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 40th homer, Marcus Semien went deep twice and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 8-0 for their fifth straight win.

The Toronto Blue Jays have won four in a row entering their big series this week in New York against the Yankees.

Shohei Ohtani pitched six innings of three-hit ball to win his third consecutive start, and he also doubled and scored an early run in the Los Angeles Angels’ 6-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

In-state interleague matchups take center stage in several locales Friday as the Chicago White Sox play the Cubs in a Wrigley Field matinee, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Angels, and the Kansas City Royals visit the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Toronto Blue Jays won’t find out by this weekend whether they will get permission from the federal government to play in Canada soon, a government official familiar with the talks told The Associated Press.

Talented stars such as Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Juan Soto, Ozzie Albies and phenom Shohei Ohtani are taking the game of baseball by storm.

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

The Arizona Diamondbacks have dropped 23 straight away games, setting a major league record.

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

Jose Altuve led off the game with a home run, rookie Luis Garcia earned his fifth straight win and the Houston Astros beat Toronto 6-3, finishing the Blue Jays’ first homestand of the season in Buffalo.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. keyed a career-best four-hit outing with his major league-leading 17th home run and the Toronto Blue Jays celebrated the return to their temporary Buffalo home with a 5-1 win over the Miami Marlins.

Yuli Gurriel homered and tied a career high with four hits and had four RBIs to lead the Houston Astros to a 10-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

All players, managers, coaches and umpires will wear No. 42 on Thursday to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day, marking the anniversary of the date the Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer made his Major League Baseball debut and broke the sport’s color barrier in 1947.

The Toronto Blue Jays are set to become the first team in Major League Baseball history to play home openers in three different cities over three consecutive seasons.

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.

Trevor Williams went five innings in his fourth start, allowing a run on three hits. Austin Gomber made his fourth start for Colorado, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out four in 4 1/3 innings. Dylan Cease made his second start, allowing three hits and three walks in 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Matthew Boyd made his fourth start, allowing one run on four hits and a walk in four innings, striking out five. Tyler Anderson went five innings in his fourth start for Pittsburgh, giving up one run on two hits.

The reigning World Series champions already had a pair of Cy Young Award winners in Clayton Kershaw and David Price. Darvish has twice finished runner-up for a Cy Young Award, including last season when he was 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts. Lester is a three-time World Series champion, winning twice with Boston and once with the Cubs. He’s part of a rotation led by three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg and lefty Patrick Corbin. Bradley was a Gold Glove winner in 2018 when the Red Sox won the World Series.

Bauer wound up pitching three scoreless innings with the creative approach, striking out three while allowing two hits and a walk. Known for speaking his mind and going his own way, Bauer said he regularly shuts one eye during bullpen sessions and other workouts. METS 6, ASTROS 1 (6)Jacob deGrom pitched two scoreless innings in his spring debut, striking out three and allowing one hit. AdBLUE JAYS 7, PHILLIES 1 (7)Newcomer Tanner Roark made his first start for Toronto, allowing one hit in two scoreless innings. Jorge López threw three scoreless innings with three strikeouts.

Springer and the Blue Jays agreed last week to a team-record $150 million, six-year contract. The Blue Jays swept in two games during a first-round series by the eventual AL champion Rays. Besides Springer, Toronto also has signed right-handers Kirby Yates and Tyler Chatwood in the past week. Shapiro insisted the Blue Jays still have flexibility to add payroll, likely to strengthen the rotation, but said “the bulk of our heavy lifting is done.”Springer split time between center field and right with the Astros, but is expected to become a fixture in center for the Blue Jays. “This is about the Blue Jays,” Springer said.

Shortstop Marcus Semien agreed to an $18 million, one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)TORONTO, ONT – Shortstop Marcus Semien agreed to an $18 million, one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Semien will become the second star and fourth free agent added by the Blue Jays during a slow offseason amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Blue Jays were swept in two games by the AL champion Rays in a first-round series. It is not clear where the Blue Jays will play home games when the 2021 season starts.

Springer became the most prominent among baseballs free agents to reach an agreement, a $150 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)TORONTO, ONT – All-Star outfielder George Springer finalized his $150 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, becoming the most prominent free agent to reach an agreement this offseason. He would get $50,000 each time he makes an All-Star team, is World Series MVP, earns a Gold Glove or a Silver Slugger. The Blue Jays reached the postseason and was swept 2-0 by the eventual AL champion Rays in the first round. It remains unclear whether the Blue Jays will be allowed to return home for 2021 season.

Hunter Renfroe hit a grand slam and the top-seeded Rays won a postseason series for the first time in 12 years, overpowering the young Toronto Blue Jays 8-2 Wednesday to finish a two-game sweep of their wild-card matchup. Mike Zunino hit a two-run homer off Blue Jays ace Hyun Jin Ryu during Tampa Bay's big inning. Ryu was rocked for a season-high seven runs in 1 2/3 innings, the lefty's shortest outing of the season for the wild-card Blue Jays. I’m proud of my kids to make it to this point," second-year Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. Ryu signed with the Blue Jays in free agency last winter after being an All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers and finishing second in NL Cy Young Award balloting in 2019.

That’s probably the worst thing we can do as a team,” Blue Jays third baseman Cavan Biggio said. Diego Castillo, Nick Anderson and Pete Fairbanks followed the starter, limiting the Blue Jays to two singles, two doubles and Bo Bichette's eighth-inning sacrifice fly the rest of the way. The wild-card Blue Jays broke through in the eighth against Anderson, didn't allow a run in 18 of 19 regular season appearances. He’s pretty good,” said Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo, who served on Cash's staff with the Rays from 2015-18. UP NEXTLefty Hyun Jin Ryu starts for the Blue Jays against right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who’s been Tampa Bay’s best pitcher.

New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano wears a New York Police Department cap while warming up before a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Buffalo, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 11, 2020. Dominic Smith hit his first career grand slam and Wilson Ramos had a three-run double in a 10-run fourth inning. Ramos hit a late solo homer. Michael Conforto hit a three-run homer as the Mets scored four runs in the third. Conforto, who along with Ramos scored four times, hit his ninth homer to give the Mets a 3-1 lead.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Deivi Garcia throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Buffalo, N.Y., Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)BUFFALO, N.Y. Deivi Garca earned his first major league win, Gleyber Torres drove in four runs and the New York Yankees snapped a five-game losing streak, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 7-2 on Wednesday night. The Yankees had lost 15 of 20 and fallen to the edge of the expanded playoff field. Luke Voit hit an RBI single that put the Yankees ahead 3-2 in the fifth and Torres added a two-run double. UP NEXTNew York RHP Gerrit Cole (4-3, 3.63 ERA) will start Thursday against Baltimore LHP Keegan Akin (0-0, 2.08) in the opener of the Yankees four-game weekend series against the Orioles.

New York Yankees pitcher Adam Ottavino walks to the dugout after being pulled during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Buffalo, N.Y., Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. Green, Ottavino and Luis Cessa needed 67 pitches and 43 minutes to get three outs. Green's ERA jumped to 4.26, and Ottavino allowed six runs without getting any outs as his ERA rose to 7.82. Ottavino (2-3) relieved, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run, opposite-field single that bounced past Voit and down the right-field line. Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) won despite a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Hicks in the sixth that extended the Yankees lead to four runs.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday:HERE COMES MADBUMFormer Giants ace Madison Bumgarner will face his former club at last when he takes the mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks in San Francisco. I feel like Im pretty good at pushing all that stuff aside, the 2014 World Series MVP said. He had a 2.90 ERA in 411 appearances with the Cubs over seven years, mostly in a setup role. He was a key member of the 2016 team that won the franchises first World Series title since 1908.

(AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)A look at what's happening around the majors on Monday:WAIT AND SEEThe Cincinnati Reds will wait for their latest COVID-19 test results to see when they can resume the season. Cincinnati had home games against Pittsburgh postponed Saturday and Sunday after a player tested positive. Cincinnati is the third team to have games postponed because one of its players tested positive for COVID-19, joining the Marlins and the Cardinals. Chapman tested positive for the coronavirus during preseason workouts and hasnt pitched yet this season. AILINGBlue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette is on the injured list, interrupting his big-hitting season.

Bo Bichette went 5 for 5 for the Blue Jays, a day after homering during a 10-inning win in their first game at their new Buffalo home. He connected again as Toronto became the fourth team in major league history to lose while slugging at least seven homers. After this detour to Sahlen Field, the Marlins finally get to go home. The Marlins, however, had their return home delayed when an outbreak of COVID-19 occurred, forcing seven games to be postponed. Despite the travel woes, the Marlins have had at least a share of first place in the NL East every day so far this season.