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UNDATED (AP) — Major League Baseball’s season begins for 26 more teams today. More of them will be a part of baseball’s postseason after MLB and the players’ union agreed yesterday to an expanded playoff structure that includes 16 teams instead of the usual 10. The abbreviated season got started last night in Washington, where the Yankees beat the defending World Series champs 4-1 in a game cut short by rain. The Dodgers began their campaign by scoring seven times over their final two at-bats to thump the Giants 8-1 in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was put on the injured list just hours before he was scheduled to make his ninth opening start of his career against the San Francisco Giants last night. Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw’s back stiffened up in a weight room workout two days ago. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner was replaced by 22-year-old Dustin May. Roberts said Kershaw might be able to return as early as the team’s series against the Diamondbacks that begins July 30.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers will officially open Globe Life Field, their new $1.2 billion stadium with a retractable roof. And they’ll do it with the same starting pitcher from the finale in the old stadium across the street. Lance Lynn faces the Colorado Rockies in his first opening day, getting the nod ahead of returning All-Star lefty Mike Minor and Corey Kluber, the two-time AL Cy Young winner acquired in a December trade from Cleveland. Lynn, who had 246 strikeouts last season, sent the Rangers out of the old stadium with a 6-1 win over the New York Yankees. A few spectators will be allowed, including the parents and fiancee of Rockies rookie outfielder Sam Hilliard, who grew up 10-15 minutes from the Rangers ballparks.
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros begin their season at home against the Seattle Mariners. The franchise spent the offseason dealing with the sign-stealing scandal that cost manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow their jobs. Dusty Baker was hired to replace Hinch. Baker is hoping to leave the scandal behind them, calling it old news. It remains to be seen if the rest of baseball agrees. In Houston’s final summer camp tuneup, three of its stars — José Altuve, Alex Bregman and George Springer — were hit by pitches in a game at Kansas City.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Longtime San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner is scheduled to make his first start with Arizona when the Diamondbacks visit the San Diego Padres. The big left-hander signed an $85 million, five-year deal with the D-backs during the offseason after spending 11 years in San Francisco. He helped the Giants win three World Series titles and he was the 2014 World Series MVP.
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