Houston Astros star second baseman Jose Altuve had surgery to repair a fractured right thumb and will not resume baseball activities for at least two months, general manager Dana Brown said Wednesday.Altuve, playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, suffered the injury Saturday when he was drilled by a 96 mph fastball by Team USA pitcher Daniel Bard of…

Major League Baseball is making slight changes to its new pitch clock rules but will not alter the most significant portions of the mandates that have shaved 25 minutes off game times this spring, according to a memo obtained by ESPN.The document -- the fifth of what a source called "clarification memos" sent by the league this spring -- was…

San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin said Tuesday that there is "still a chance" catcher Austin Nola, who two days earlier was hit in the face by a pitch while batting, will get in another spring training game and be able to start the regular season with the team.Melvin said Nola has a slight fracture to his nose, but no…

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Julio Urias is lined up to pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Opening Day -- and that's just fine with teammate Clayton Kershaw.Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts hasn't announced his scheduled starter for March 30 against Arizona. Roberts, however, told reporters Tuesday that Urias will pitch Friday in a Cactus League game against the Milwaukee Brewers…