Jon Lester knows what it's like to battle cancer. He also knows what it's like to be a father. That's why the Red Sox pitcher is setting up a charity to raise awareness and money for children's cancer research.

At the same time that the real CC Sabathia was preparing to start for the Yankees uptown in the Bronx on Thursday, his simulated character in the MLB 2K12 video game pitched well enough to lead the Yankees to a 10-1 rout of the Tigers and earn a $1 million check for Christopher Gilmore.

For the first time in American League history, a game opened with back-to-back-to-back home runs as Orioles Ryan Flaherty, J.J. Hardy and Nick Markakis staked Baltimore to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first in Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader against Texas.

Left-hander Francisco Liriano said he's been frustrated by his slow start this season and understands why the Twins decided to move him to the bullpen to try to get him back on track.

The Orioles smashed five home runs and Wei-Yin Chen made the best start of his professional career to propel Baltimore to a 6-5 win over Texas in the opening game of Thursday's doubleheader.

Andy Pettitte spoke to reporters from his Westchester, N.Y., home on Thursday and said that he has commuted to Yankee Stadium this week to throw morning bullpen sessions in front of pitching coach Larry Rothschild, getting set for Sunday's starting assignment as normally as possible.

The guy pitching batting practice early Thursday in PNC Park to Hines Ward, and gregariously enjoying it, was Clint Hurdle.

Major League Baseball is considering a rule change that could eliminate the ability of a pitcher to keep his foot on the rubber and fake a throw to third base when there are runners on both first and third.

Indians outfielder Johnny Damon is worried more about finding his swing than getting booed in his latest return to Fenway Park.

By the time Josh Beckett was booed off the Fenway Park mound on Thursday night following his shortest start since 2008, he might have wished he was back on a golf course.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was called to the witness stand Thursday in the federal perjury trial of Roger Clemens.

The Pirates placed closer Joel Hanrahan on the bereavement list Thursday and recalled right-hander Daniel McCutchen from Triple-A. Hanrahan is expected to rejoin the Bucs on Sunday.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after Thursday's 5-3 win over the Rays that left fielder Brett Gardner experienced a setback in his rehabilitation from a right elbow injury and will miss at least 15-25 more days of game action.

As the Angels prepare for their first series of the year vs. the rival Rangers this weekend, they're focused more on reaching their own potential than the strong start of the defending AL champions.

There are changes coming. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. overlooked the field from the GM suite at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday afternoon, hours before Charlie Manuel blistered his players in a fiery team meeting following an embarrassing 10-6 loss to the Mets.

The Rangers are returning to the Ballpark in Arlington on Friday night. The Angels will be waiting for them, and so will C.J. Wilson.

Drew Pomeranz was preparing to make his ninth career start at San Diego when he looked at one of the televisions in the visiting clubhouse and saw that the Orioles had called his brother, Stu, into a 14-3 loss to the Rangers in Baltimore.