RHP Hunter Wood gets minor deal with Rangers, spring invite

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Right-hander Hunter Wood has signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers that includes an invitation to major league spring training. Wood spent last season as part of Cleveland's 60-man player pool but didn't appear in any big league games. He had a 3.32 ERA in 66 games...

Indians avoid arbitration with 3, all acquired in trades

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians avoided salary arbitration with catcher Austin Hedges, right-hander Phil Maton and infielder Amed Rosario, agreeing Friday to one-year deals with three players who joined them via trade in the past six months. Hedges will make $3.28 million in 2021, Rosario $2.4...

GOP lawmaker pushes bill to prevent renaming of Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A Republican lawmaker has proposed a measure that would ban the changing of any Indiana city names in the wake of Native American protests that forced the renaming of professional sports teams. No efforts have emerged seeking to change the name of Indiana or Indianapolis along the lines...

Francisco Lindor all smiles after trade from Indians to Mets

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor smiled widely for a full 40 minutes, enthralled to join a New York Mets team bulking up under new owner Steven Cohen. “They say it’s probably very contagious,” the Mets' new shortstop said. “I’m living my dream. I’m living the life...

Mega deal: Indians trade star Lindor, Carrasco to Mets

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians drafted and developed Francisco Lindor, who blossomed into an All-Star shortstop and one of baseball's best all-around players. Cleveland chased a World Series title with him. They'll now do it without Lindor. Knowing they could never meet his price, the Indians dealt the...

Cleveland Indians trade All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, pitcher Carlos Carrasco to New York Mets

Baseball Hall of Famer, knuckleballer Phil Niekro dies at 81

ATLANTA (AP) — Phil Niekro threw a pitch that baffled hitters and catchers. Heck, he didn’t even know where it was going most of the time. But the knuckleball carried Niekro to more than 300 wins, earned him a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame and gave him a nickname that stuck for the rest of his...

Ohio's top stories in 2020: Pandemic, protests and politics

A crippling pandemic, a racial injustice reckoning, a statehouse scandal and a divisive election. In any other year in Ohio, just one of those would have been the biggest story of the year. But 2020 was no ordinary year. How unexpected was it? Even the Cleveland Browns were making a run at ending their NFL...

Indians, reliever Wittgren agree to contract for 2021

CLEVELAND (AP) — Reliever Nick Wittgren avoided salary arbitration with the Cleveland Indians by agreeing Tuesday to a $2 million, one-year contract. The right-hander has become a dependable piece in Cleveland's bullpen for manager Terry Francona. Wittgren went 2-0 with a 3.42 ERA in 25 games last season....

Indians manager Francona says team's name change "correct"

CLEVELAND (AP) — Manager Terry Francona praised the Cleveland Indians for trying to “do the right thing” with a name change that was inevitable — and necessary. On Friday, Francona complimented the team's decision to drop its name after 105 years, a switch that came after months of...