Bob Melvin: Latest News

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 14: Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper (3) celebrates after scoring on Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Jean Segura (2) home run during the MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dod SAN DIEGO - Either Bryce Harper or Manny Machado will be playing in the World Series this year.Harper’s Philadelphia Phillies will face Machado’s San Diego Padres in an all-wild card NL Championship Series starting Tuesday night at Petco Park. It’s not exactly the matchup most fans would have predicted, but neither slugger is about to apologize about their teams making thrilling October runs as the two lowest seeds."I think, honestly, we’ve got the two best teams going up against each other, and it’s going to be a fun week for sure," said Machado, who had an MVP-caliber season as he carried the Padres in the absence of star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.The 89-win Padres, who have benefited from veteran manager Bob Melvin’s calm style during his first year as their skipper, went to New York and beat the 101-win Mets in the wild-card round.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Jesús Luzardo has played video games all his life. The Oakland lefty will continue to do so with fervor, even after the embarrassment of breaking the pinkie on his pitching hand while gaming.

A look at what's happening around the majors today:

A look at what's happening around the majors on Monday:

OAKLAND, Calif. – Athletics left-hander Jesús Luzardo will be off the mound for a while — and maybe off video games, too.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Marcus Semien and Khris Davis homered early and the Oakland Athletics held off José Abreu and the Chicago White Sox in the late innings for a 5-3 win Wednesday that sent their AL playoff series to a deciding Game 3.A's reliever Jake Diekman walked home a run in the ninth, then retired the big-hitting Abreu on a sharp grounder to end it and even the best-of-three wild-card matchup at 1-all.Game 3 is Thursday at the Coliseum.The White Sox went 14-0 in the regular season against left-handed starters during the regular season and beat southpaw Jesús Luzardo in the opener.

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland Coliseum lights shone brightly for miles through a sunless, smoky sky in the middle of the afternoon — hours before they usually would be on for a night baseball game. By mid-morning across San Francisco Bay, the Giants’ Oracle Park resembled a black-and-orange horror scene.A number of Northern California wildfires sent a thick, sometimes orange-glowing haze over the area Wednesday that left the Bay Area in an eerie darkness all day.

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Oakland Athletics have decided not to play their series finale at Texas to show support for calls for racial justice.Oakland’s decision not to play Thursday night came a day after three Major League Baseball games were postponed in response to the police shooting of a Black man in Wisconsin last weekend.“We respect the decision by the Oakland A’s players to postpone tonight’s game," the Rangers said in a statement less than three hours before the scheduled first pitch.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Oakland outfielder Ramon Laureano says Houston Astros hitting coach Álex Cintrón made a crude remark about his mother that prompted a benches-clearing incident Sunday, and Athletics manager Bob Melvin wants Cintrón punished harshly by Major League Baseball.Laureano said Monday he regrets charging toward Houston's dugout to fight Cintrón after the two exchanged words during the seventh inning of a game Sunday in Oakland. Speaking before a game against the Los Angeles Angels, Laureano said Cintrón began jawing at him when Laureano reacted angrily after being hit by a pitch from Houston rookie Humberto Castellanos.“I should have kept my cool because I wasted my time with that guy,” Laureano said.