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Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass said Thursday he doesn't believe an anti-LGBTQIA+ social media post he shared last month was hateful. The right-handed reliever also said he is "working hard" to educate himself, including meeting with the executive director of group Pride Toronto. Bass is scheduled to catch the ceremonial first pitch from Toronto LGBTQIA+ activist leZlie Lee Kam before Friday's game against Minnesota as the Blue Jays begin their fourth annual Pride Weekend celebration.

TORONTO -- Justin Verlander took the mound for the ninth inning, fully aware of the no-hitters he had finished -- and his near misses, too. Zeroed in, he wouldn't be denied this time. Verlander pitched his third career no-hitter, punctuating a dominant season by striking out 14 to lead the Houston Astros past the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Sunday.

Four fans were escorted out of Oriole Park at Camden Yards after unfurling a pro-Donald Trump banner during Thursday’s game between the Orioles and Blue Jays, according to a Baltimore Sun report. The red, white and blue banner, which supported Trump’s reelection campaign, bore the messages “Keep America Great!” and “Trump 2020.” It was unfurled during the eighth inning of the Orioles’ 11-2 loss.

A photo taken by a Baltimore Sun reporter at the game shows the fans hanging the red, white and blue banner with the words “Keep America Great!” and “Trump 2020” during the eighth inning at Camden Yards. The paper reports the banner remained up for less than 10 minutes as other fans shouted “take it down!”

TORONTO — The Cleveland Indians have removed the Chief Wahoo logo from the sleeve of their uniforms for a four-game series in Toronto. The decision to nix the logo was partially driven by a failed legal challenge against the team when it played in Toronto during the 2016 AL Championship Series. While Cleveland played the Blue Jays, a lawsuit was filed to have the logo and team name banned from Canadian TV. A judge dismissed the case.

The Yankees have completed their second intra-division swap of the week, officially acquiring left-hander J.A. Happ from the Blue Jays in exchange for infielder Brandon Drury and outfield prospect Billy McKinney. Both teams have announced the swap. Happ, 35, is in the final season of a three-year, $36MM contract and is still owed $4.75MM of that sum through the end of the season. He’ll step into a Yankees rotation that currently features Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Sonny Gray. Since losing sophomore lefty Jordan Montgomery to Tommy John surgery, the Yankees have tried Domingo German, Jonathan Loaisiga and...

Gregg Zaun, the former Orioles catcher, has been fired from his job as Toronto Blue Jays analyst for Rogers Sportsnet for “inappropriate” comments and behavior toward female co-workers at the company. The 46-year-old, who is the nephew of former Orioles great Rick Dempsey, started his career with the Orioles and played for 16 years. He also caught for the Marlins, Rangers, Royals, Astros, Rockies, Blue Jays, Rays and Brewers. He won a World Series ring with the Marlins in 1997. Zaun, who became a Blue Jays analyst in 2011, did not have physical or sexual contact with any of the...

A Toronto court will hear arguments Monday on an attempt to bar the Cleveland Indians from using their team name and "Chief Wahoo" logo in Ontario. The legal challenge by indigenous activist Douglas Cardinal comes on the same day the team plays the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series in Toronto. The long-standing logo, which appears on some team caps and jerseys, depicts a grinning, red-faced cartoon with a feather headband. Cardinal's lawyers will ask the court Monday to bar the usage of the name and logo by the team, Major League Baseball and...

Marco Estrada was near flawless in limiting the Royals to three hits over 7 2/3 innings and Troy Tulowitzki drove in three runs as the Blue Jays stayed alive in the American League Championship Series, defeating Kansas City 7-1 Wednesday to force a Game 6.

No doubt the ratings will be big for the Cubs/Mets game. Go Cubs!

When you think of passionate baseball rivalries, Royals-Blue Jays doesn't jump to mind, but the high stakes of the American League Championship Series can make bitter enemies out of anyone. Witness this sign from game 1 in Kansas City...

Relishing in his hometown Kansas City Royals’ playoff victory against the Houston Astros, White House press secretary Josh Earnest took a jab at Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R). Earnest challenged the Canadian-born Cruz to a bet: His Royals against “Ted Cruz’s other hometown team, the Toronto Blue Jays.”

The Chicago Cubs have clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2008. The Cubs were assured of at least an NL wild-card slot Friday night when San Francisco lost to Oakland 5-4, eliminating the Giants from playoff contention. The sign outside Wrigley Field lit up with "Cubs Clinch Postseason Berth'' after it became official late Friday night. Fans gathered around to take pictures and mark Chicago's return for the first time since 2008.

An agreement by federal party leaders to steer clear of Blue Jays games until Canadians vote on Oct. 19 drew giggles and guffaws from baseball fans after Sunday’s game. “I guess they’re bad luck,” Taylor Marr, 25, said with a laugh. The Grimsby man was surprised to hear the Jays had lost recently in games when Tom Mulcair, Stephen Harper, and Justin Trudeau were in the stands. “That’s crazy, they always win now; they never lose,” he said, shaking his head. But if keeping the Jays winning means Harper, Mulcair, and Trudeau have to avoid the stadium, so be it....

The baseball clubhouse has always been a sanctum for its players, an area of refuge that's immediately available whenever anyone reports to the park. Well, unless the vice president of the United States wakes up one morning and decides he wants to make a spur-of-the-moment trip to hobnob with members of the opposing team.

 East W L Pct GB Home Road East Cent West Streak L10 New York Yankees 50 31 .617 -- 28-13 22-18 20-11 10-7 9-6 Won 2 6-4 Boston Red Sox 49 33 .598 1.5 29-17 20-16 18-17 10-9 8-2 Lost 1 6-4 Tampa Bay Rays 48 33 .593 2.0 20-19 28-14 19-10 11-6 11-6 Won 2 6-4 Toronto Blue Jays 41 42 .494 10.0 21-19 20-23 13-14 11-9 10-8 Lost 2 2-8 Baltimore Orioles 25 57 .305 25.5 16-25 9-32 9-27 4-6 5-13 Lost 1 5-5  Central W L Pct GB Home Road East Cent West Streak L10 Detroit...

It isn't just a trade. It's a foray into the history books. How often in life do you ever see a trade like this -- two Cy Youngs in their prime changing teams in, essentially, the same deal? When you get right down to it, it's Roy Halladay for Cliff Lee, with a supporting cast that looks like the roster for the Futures Game. You just don't see trades like this one, ladies and gentlemen. It isn't exactly Wes Littleton for Beau Vaughan, now is it? "I can remember a lot of blockbuster trades, and this is definitely a blockbuster,"...

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Major league pitcher Joe Kennedy died early Friday morning, a Hillsborough County sheriff's official said. He was 28. Kennedy passed out at home and was brought to a hospital, Hillsborough County sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. She had no further details. Kennedy's agent, Damon Lapa, told ESPN.com that Kennedy died while at home with family in Florida. He did not return phone calls and an e- mail from The Associated Press. "We were terribly shocked," Blue Jays president Paul Godfrey said. "From what we understand he was in Bradenton ... to be the best man at...

  By Mark Kreidler Special to ESPN.com   At first glance, the cases of Carlos Delgado and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf could scarcely appear less alike. Aside from being pro athletes, they have little in common. One is a baseball player from Puerto Rico, the other a now-retired basketball guard from Gulfport, Miss. One's political views were shaped mostly by his upbringing; the other's were profoundly influenced by his religious beliefs. Carlos Delgado says he doesn't believe in the war in Iraq. Even the songs they protest are different. Abdul-Rauf, then of the Denver Nuggets, drew the ire of the NBA's fan...

Jays are proud to be reaching out to gay community Homophobia is still a big issue in baseball RICHARD GRIFFIN Fans may be forgiven for confusion tonight, if during the Blue Jays 7:05 p.m. game against the Expos at the SkyDome there is a Jumbotron scoreboard proposal reading, "Terry, Will you marry me? Chris." The head-scratching would arise from the fact it's a first Jays Pride Community Day, the first official event for gays ever hosted by a major pro sports team to be strictly tied in with other Pride Week activities. Thus, the aforementioned invitation to marriage could then...