BUSTER POSEY

The San Francisco Giants have hired former All-Star catcher Buster Posey as their president of baseball operations and fired Farhan Zaidi.

Catchers are finding a way to contribute as much at the plate as behind it while withstanding the challenges that come from playing the game’s most taxing position.

The San Francisco Giants made three offers to Shohei Ohtani, including a final proposal that president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi called “very comparable if not identical” to the record $700 million, 10-year contract the Japanese two-way star agreed to with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

Buster Posey has joined the San Francisco Giants ownership group less than a year after retiring.

Hunter Greene has a chance to stand out in this era of triple-digit fastballs and high strikeout totals.

Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Detroit Tigers infielder Spencer Torkelson are among baseball's most intriguing rookies this summer.

A person with direct knowledge of the decision says San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey plans to announce his retirement Thursday.

World Series MVP Jorge Soler, Freddie Freeman and Eddie Rosario of the champion Atlanta Braves are among 160 players who became free agents as an uncertain offseason started with a lockout threat looming.

Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani was voted player of the year and the American League outstanding player by fellow major leaguers in the annual Players Choice Awards from the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Trailing 2-0 in the NL Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the Atlanta Braves right where they want them.

A stellar season for the San Francisco Giants ended when Wilmer Flores was called out on a disputed check-swing to end a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the deciding Game 5 of the NL Division Series.

Sooner than many baseball fans wanted, maybe, but the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers will meet in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the NL Division Series at Oracle Park.

Everybody expected a playoff series for the ages between the century-old rival Dodgers and Giants, and now they’ve got it.

After a season of piling up whopping win totals, the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers get a day to prep for their all-or-nothing matchup in Game 5 of the NL Division Series.

Mookie Betts homered and drove in three runs, Will Smith also went deep and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants 7-2 to force a decisive Game 5 in their NL Division Series.

Evan Longoria homered off Max Scherzer in the fifth inning and the San Francisco Giants edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 on a blustery night to take a 2-1 lead in their NL Division Series.

Julio Urías shut down San Francisco and contributed an RBI single for his cause, Cody Bellinger and AJ Pollock delivered two-run doubles to blow it open in the sixth, and the Los Angeles Dodgers pounded the Giants 9-2 to even their NL Division Series at one game apiece.

Logan Webb struck out 10 pitching masterfully in his postseason debut, Buster Posey hit a two-run homer that held up, and the 107-win San Francisco Giants blanked the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 in the opener of their NL Division Series.

The pairings for the baseball playoffs are all set.

The San Francisco Giants finally won the NL West without needing to wait for the rival Dodgers' result on the season’s final day, pounding the San Diego Padres 11-4 for a franchise-record 107th victory to top the 1904 New York team.

Buster Posey homered in the first inning and scored the go-ahead run on an error in the third, and the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres 6-1 for their ninth straight victory a day after becoming the first team in the big leagues to clinch a playoff berth.

Trea Turner and Corey Seager homered, Julio Urías won his seventh straight decision, and the Los Angeles Dodgers moved into a tie for first place with San Francisco atop the NL West Division with a 6-1 victory over the Giants.

Second baseman Trea Turner threw wildly on Buster Posey’s bases-loaded, two-out grounder in the 11th inning and a video review upheld the safe call as the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 to grab first place in the NL West.

Jace Peterson hit a go-ahead single in the seventh, Lorenzo Cain homered for a second straight game and the Milwaukee Brewers knocked the San Francisco Giants out of the top spot in the National League for the first time in more than three months.

Jorge Soler hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning, Joc Pederson made a leaping catch at the wall for the final out and the Atlanta Braves rallied to beat San Francisco 6-5 to end the Giants’ five-game winning streak.

Brandon Belt hit his second homer of the night during a four-run outburst in the 11th inning as the San Francisco Giants rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-6 in a wild Saturday night matchup between division leaders.

Kris Bryant homered in his Giants debut, a two-out solo shot in the third inning, and San Francisco beat the Houston Astros 5-3 on Sunday.

José Altuve hit a grand slam in the sixth one inning after putting Houston ahead on a solo homer, and the AL-leading Houston Astros held off the San Francisco Giants 9-6 in a matchup of baseball’s top two teams.

Walker Buehler pitched three-hit ball over seven dominant innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers to extend his mastery of the San Francisco Giants in an 8-0 victory.

Buster Posey scored the tiebreaking run on a throwing error by first baseman Cody Bellinger in the eighth inning, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1.

Wilmer Flores hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off closer Kenley Jansen in the ninth inning and the San Francisco Giants rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2.

Buster Posey and the surprising Giants continue their pivotal four-game series against the rival Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Buster Posey and Wilmer Flores hit back-to-back homers in the first inning, Thairo Estrada had a key double in the seventh and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 in the opener of a pivotal four-game series between the NL West rivals.

The second half of the major league baseball season begins with one game Thursday night when Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and the AL East-leading Red Sox visit Yankee Stadium.

Philadelphia’s J.

Giants catcher Buster Posey has been put on the 10-day injured list with a bruised left thumb, costing him his starting spot in next week’s All-Star Game.

Anthony DeSclafani threw 8 2/3 effective innings, Austin Slater and Darin Ruf both homered and the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 for their third straight victory.

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

The Arizona Diamondbacks dropped their 22nd straight road game, matching the 1963 Mets and ’43 Philadelphia Athletics for the major league record with a 13-7 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

Brandon Crawford homered and drove in three runs as the San Francisco Giants sent the Arizona Diamondbacks to their 20th straight road loss with a 5-2 victory.

Giants left fielder Mike Tauchman remarkably reached over the wall to rob Albert Pujols of a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning and San Francisco broke through in the 10th to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-5 in a thriller.

“It definitely crossed my mind,” Price said Friday from Dodgers spring training in Glendale, Arizona. Traded from Boston to the Dodgers last February, the 35-year-old Price pitched in spring exhibitions for LA before deciding to go home. Instead of playing, he did what many Americans have done with their unexpected time — he watched a lot of TV. “It’s a lot easier said than done to take a step away from something you’ve done your entire life. “Being away from it for that time was tough.”___AP Baseball Writer Janie McCauley and Sports Writer Beth Harris contributed.

Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi, left, talks with Bryce Harper, right, prior to a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, July 24, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)A look at what's happening around the majors today:BACK TO WORKThe Philadelphia Phillies face a difficult assignment in their long-awaited return to action. Although the Phillies didnt have any players test positive, their games last week were postponed as a cautionary measure. The Phillies got to work out again Saturday, and now come back from a weeklong layoff to face Gerrit Cole and the AL East-leading New York Yankees on the road. MISSING MANAGERThe Cleveland Indians likely will be missing manager Terry Francona for a second straight game when they visit Cincinnati.

Shortened doubleheaders are about to make their Major League Baseball debut. Baseball could see an unusually high number of doubleheaders due to positive coronavirus tests causing postponements, plus rainouts. I think thats a good rule change especially with the pitchers going down every day, Houston manager Dusty Baker said. The Angels expect to have Ohtani start their Sunday games this season. KERSHAWS BACKDodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is set to make his season debut when he faces the Diamondbacks at Arizona.

The virus also prompted at least two more players to opt out Saturday: Brewers All-Star outfielder Lorenzo Cain and Miami second baseman Isan Daz. I dont think its realistic to think that were not going to have any more positive tests, Manfred said. After two St. Louis players tested positive, the whole Cardinals team was given rapids tests Friday and saliva samples were sent to an MLB laboratory. Thats why we were reluctant to get into scheduling a bunch of doubleheaders just to play more games, Manfred said. In addition, Manfred says players and coaches should take advantage of the open seats in the stands near the dugouts and bullpens in order to spread out.

The Los Angeles Dodgers play the Los Angeles Angels at sunset during the fifth inning of a preseason baseball game, Tuesday, July 21, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The Los Angeles Dodgers play the Los Angeles Angels at sunset during the fifth inning of a preseason baseball game, Tuesday, July 21, 2020, in Los Angeles. Rather than keeping players and club personnel sealed in a bubble environment, baseball teams will fly around the country, raising more health concerns. Fans won't be permitted at Nationals Park or at Dodger Stadium when Los Angeles plays San Francisco - or at any field. Going to be 2020 coronavirus baseball, Yankees star pitcher Gerrit Cole said. Its that sound, its the summer sound.___AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and Janie McCauley and AP Sports Writers Howard Fendrich and Joe Reedy contributed to this report.

Later, Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw takes on the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. This opening day doubleheader begins the most unusual year in the history of Major League Baseball. MLB players can put a patch with Black Lives Matter or United For Change on a jersey sleeve during opening day. The 27-year-old Betts helped beat the Dodgers in the 2018 World Series when he was the AL MVP for Boston. The six-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion and 2012 NL MVP and his wife have adopted twin identical girls who were born prematurely.

DHs in the National League, well, OK. An automatic runner on second to start the 10th inning? If this is what its going to be, this is whats going to be, Scherzer said. Four months after the games were supposed to start, strange ball is better than no ball, right? Opening day brings a tasty doubleheader: a marquee pitching matchup in Washington, followed by the nightcap at Dodger Stadium when Clayton Kershaw taking on the San Francisco Giants. Is it going to be perfect the very first day? As manager Bob Melvin said.

Not long ago, Royals pitcher Tim Hill was wrapping up eight brutal months of chemotherapy to treat colon cancer. The biopsy came back positive for colon cancer, the same disease that claimed his father when Hill was just 17 years old. With the support of the Royals, Hill began to build back his strength. Those factors left Hill wondering whether he should step on the field when baseball resumed or stick to the sideline, knowing they increased the risk of complications should he contract COVID-19. Some of it seems over-the-top when you first look at it, but when you start seeing people test positive, you see maybe it's necessary.

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)About 10 Major League Baseball umpires have opted out this season, choosing not to work games in the shortened schedule because of concerns over the coronavirus. There are 76 full-time MLB umpires and more than 20 of them are age 55 or over. A deal between MLB and its umpires reached during the virus shutdown ensured that if even one regular-season game was played this season, the umps were guaranteed 37.5% of their salaries. Minus 10 or more MLB umpires, many Triple-A umps will work the two-month season. Just as MLB redrew the schedule amid the virus outbreak, umpires are certain to see a shift, too.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jordan Hicks throws off the mound during baseball practice at Busch Stadium Friday, July 3, 2020, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)ST. LOUIS Hard-throwing St. Louis Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks has opted out of playing this season, citing pre-existing health concerns. Hicks had been taking part in workouts at Busch Stadium, leading up to the Cardinals' opener on July 24 at home against Pittsburgh. We respect and understand Jordans decision to opt out this season, Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak said. Carlos Martinez led St. Louis with 24 saves last season, posting his first save on June 1.

FILE - In this Sunday, July 5, 2020, file photo, San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey carries his bats during a baseball practice in San Francisco. Posey is the latest big-name player to skip this season because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)SAN FRANCISCO Giants star catcher Buster Posey became the latest big-name player to skip this season because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, announcing his decision Friday. Posey had missed three San Francisco practices while dealing with a personal issue. Posey hit .455 in exhibition games this year before spring training was halted March 12 because of the virus outbreak.

Posey a six-time All-Star and 2012 NL MVP said his family finalized the adoption of identical twin girls this week. Holt has a young family and his wife is pregnant, but he decided to leave them at home while he went to Milwaukee for the next three months. First baseman and team leader Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith, right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma tested positive for coronavirus. Epstein said two coaches tested positive prior to the intake process. A front office member tested positive during the intake.

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)Freddie Freeman tests positive for COVID-19. Due to concerns about medical privacy laws, MLB isnt making a practice of disclosing which players test positive. For example, Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said the team doesnt intend to reveal to the general public if anyone has tested positive. In the Braves case, the four players who tested positive permitted Snitker to reveal their names. Freeman joins Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon as four-time All-Stars who have tested positive.